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February 2010
Creating Your Job Search Plan
A number of things must be considered when conducting a job search, but the most important element is the development of a plan. In most cases, only a single job search plan will ultimately be required to determine the direction you are heading, but it is important to come up with two such plans just in case the first one is deemed not viable.
Remember, the one thing that you cannot control in the job search process is the labor market conditions. For example, you may have all the necessary skills and experience to find a job as a computer programmer, but even the most extensive background in the field won’t get you the job if no one requires that type of job at the time you’re looking for work. The question then becomes, what can I do in the meantime until the market conditions change and there is a demand for programmers again?
This is where job search Plan B comes in to play. Job search Plan B involves an alternative plan that gets you to your goal in Plan A. Let’s stay with the example of a computer programmer, and we’ll keep it fairly generic even though there are a number of variations of programmer positions. If you’re looking for work as a computer programmer but the labor market indicates that the demand is low, you have to decide on something that will ultimately lead you to getting the job you want sometime in the future. Looking for work is long-term process and will continue throughout your career, so if you’re able to be successful with Plan B, you will continue to try and complete Plan A.
With regards to a computer programmer, it may be possible to get a position that may not necessarily deal specifically with computer programming but is somehow linked. For example, you may consider trying to get into an IT department to do something else (such as a technician). By taking a job that is not specific to plan A but is linked through Plan B, you give yourself a couple of options.
The first option would be to wait until something comes available in your specific field. This assumes that the organization with whom you’ve started to work will eventually have an opening that fits your Plan A. Perhaps the department will eventually expand or some individuals are closing in on retirement. Be very aware of these opportunities as you conduct your job search.
The second option is to take a position outside your specialty but within your area of interest that would suffice as employment as you continue your job search. For instance, a position as a manager in a computer retail store would provide you with a paycheck as you continue seeking a company with an opening for a programmer. This way, a potential employer won’t see any gaps in your resume, nor will they see that you have been outside your area of interest.
The third option is to focus on the organization and not the position. Once you have found a job (and the job doesn’t really matter) with a company that provides potential for growth, you can work towards climbing that ladder. By working within an organization that has growth potential, you will have access to resources otherwise not available.
When you’ve resorted to your Plan B, your search for an organization should include these characteristics:
- What is the opportunity for advancement?
- How does the company view professional development?
- Are there multiple locations throughout the city, state, or country?
- Do they have an employee development plan?
- Do they have a leadership program?
- Is there formal succession planning?
- Is there a culture of promoting within the organization?
- Is the organization unionized? If so, how does that impact advancement?
- How often are performance reviews conducted? Are they linked to salary increases or promotions?
- What does the organizational chart look like? Is it fairly flat (few management positions) or diverse (many management positions)?
The next thing you want to do is set up some criteria for your Plan B job. Following the example of a computer programmer, what skills and experiences do you want to obtain in order to build up your value for the Plan A job? You may want to gain access to specific experiences or acquire new skills.
Whatever the reason, you need to link the Plan B job to the your Plan A job so that when you do get an interview for an A job you have created value to the employer through your B job experiences. Follow your plan, think strategically and you will be surprised how far you can go.