The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” – Mark Twain, in The Success Principles, by Jack Canfield

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In the “old days,” job seekers could put together some basic information (a resume, a cover letter and a pitch) and, with a little luck, land an opportunity. Now, not so much. People like to see optimized materials (a *good* resume isn’t good enough), a LinkedIn profile is a must, social (online) resumes are more and more common and an online presence is assumed. Not to mention use of Twitter and Facebook, both of which fuel today’s successful searches.

So, what is a job seeker to do?

It seems obvious – you can’t be successful until you get started. You can’t get started on everything at once, so break it down and work on one thing at a time. My friend, Cindy Petersiel, a business coach, introduced me to a term that describes this basic, yet important idea: “chunk it down.”

As a career coach, I advise my clients to “chunk down” their tasks so they won’t be overwhelmed by the process of finding a job. It’s great advice for any of us facing lots to do and not enough time. (That pretty much describes most people I know!)

Some tips for “chunking it down”:

1.) Review your assignments and goals. Create a list of everything you need to do. Make sure you have a complete picture of the tasks and create a time frame.

2.) Break down the project into natural segments. “Write a resume” may be one project (with several parts). “Make a networking plan” is another task. Prioritize the segments and think about how much time each piece will take to complete.

3.) Focus on one thing at a time. Compile a daily “to do” list. Make sure it is reasonable; don’t give yourself too many tasks on one day. Depending on the job and your patience, you may need to further chunk down the steps. (No one should expect to write a resume in a day!)

To decide what to do first, consult your list of priorities. To keep your focus, try to include some fun, interesting or simple tasks early on. If you’re doing things you enjoy or finish rapidly, you’ll give your project a boost and quickly check things off of your “to do” list.

4.) Plan ahead. Make sure you have everything you need to work on your task as scheduled.

5.) Seek help. It helps to have a good support system. Ask for advice when you’re really stuck and to ensure that you are on the right track.

6.) Reward yourself. Celebrate your accomplishments. Do something fun!

Get ahead by getting started… timeless advice for job seekers!

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No matter what your job target, you can benefit from personalized advice! Don’t forget that clear, concise, optimized job search materials AND a strong, well executed plan are key for job search success! I can help with every part of your job hunt! Need a great resume? Tips to use social networking? Interview coaching?  If you need help mobilizing your networks and your job search plans, learn more about how I can help you! While you’re at it, don’t forget those social networks! Be sure to become a fan of Keppie Careers on Facebook…I’d be thrilled to have you as part of the community! Since we’re on the subject of doing something new…Are you on Twitter? Jump on and touch base with me @keppie_careers.

photo by radiant guy

The post How to get your job search started appeared first on Keppie Careers.

As co-coordinator with my colleague Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, I am pleased to participate in our second round of posts from our community of expert career advisors and resume writing professionals called the Career Collective.

Today’s post is special because we are participating in Quintessential Careers’ Job Action Day. This is one of many responses aimed at helping job seekers focus on the future and what they can do differently in today’s economy to succeed. I encourage you to visit other members’ responses, which are all linked at the end of my post! Please follow our hashtag on Twitter: #careercollective and visit our Career Collective site.

As a career coach and blogger, I am constantly seeking inspiration and looking for messages to convert into job search advice for my readers. So, when I watched a commercial for Lexus, one sound byte really resonated with me:

You can’t change traffic, so change the way you drive through it!

How true – there is so much that individuals do not control. The economy. The weather. The neighbors’ barking dogs. I bet someone once told you, “You can’t change other people, but you can change how you react to them.”

How much happier would we be if we stopped trying to change the things that we cannot alter and instead focused on what we do control – our responses?

The job market is a case in point. What if job seekers stopped “oh woe is me-ing” and instead focused on what they DO control – the way they navigate their searches. The playing field has changed, and it is important to adjust to the new terrain.

Here are some tips to help you take the wheel:

Draw Your Own Career Map

Identify your goals. You can’t get anywhere until you decide the destination! What characteristics and traits make you special? What are you (or do you hope to be) known for in your field?

Review trends and industries with career potential and determine if there are matches between your skills and interests and those fields. Instead of cursing a business with a shrinking job market, re-adjust, re-tool and re-train to take advantage of new possibilities.

Once you know your direction, optimize your resume. Be sure that it is skill and accomplishment focused, not a list of “stuff” you’ve done. (If you’ve been blaming your age or experience level (too much/not enough) for your lack of interviews, take a good look at your resume. It may be holding you back.)

Is this “new” advice that only applies to today’s economy? No. However, it is so much more important now than ever. If you do not know where you are going, you are EVEN LESS likely to get there!

Design Your Vehicle – Brand YOU!

Once you identify a destination – drive there! Learn how to position yourself as the expert in your field. Use all of the tools at your disposal to create a “vehicle” (your brand – it doesn’t have to be a Lexus. Or a bus!) that will drive you where you want to go.

If you haven’t looked for a job in a while and/or aren’t tuned in to managing your “digital footprint,” it’s time for a quick lesson in social media. Presenting yourself well both online and in person will help open previously closed doors. Optimize Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs and other social networking tools to make connections and share information.

In fact, Twitter’s new “Lists (which you can read more about HERE) are an absolutely amazing way to mobilize a terrific network in your industry or niche. Essentially, those who use this feature (which is not available to everyone, yet) will select a group of people they identify as leaders in their fields (or, at least the most interesting people to follow in a topic). You will be able to visit someone’s Twitter page and easily access not just whom they follow, but whom they endorse.

Job seekers who take the opportunity to get inside someone’s head (via Twitter lists) will be able to narrow down the “movers and the shakers” in their fields of interest. This is really an incredible opportunity. The only downside is the amount of work it takes to get these lists filled in! I have not had a chance to create all of my lists, yet, and it is possible some will “opt out” of creating lists. (For example, Chris Brogan, a social media guru and author of Trust Agents, has some reservations about leaving people out and does not plan to create lists of individuals.) For anyone who jumps in, though, it is a gold mine of opportunity for job seekers. Take advantage of it!

Take the Keys!

The key to a successful career is to network generously. There is nothing more important or more useful for your job search, and the current economic climate makes this even more crucial. Your success depends on your ability to broaden your professional circles and to reach out to a diverse socio-economic group of people. Do not allow your network to be the people you happen to know. Be purposeful. Identify organizations and see how your network can lead you to people who work there. Conduct informational interviews and demonstrate why they can’t do without you!

Professionals who habitually facilitate introductions earn goodwill and reputations as valuable resources and colleagues. Become that professional; it will help you overcome obstacles to career success.

Start the Ignition – Communicate Your Value

Your ability to promote, communicate and connect your value to colleagues and superiors is crucial. Hone this “soft” skill – practice your writing, emailing, speaking, interviewing and presenting skills. Join Toastmasters. Make a point to learn how to communicate well. When you can articulate why your role is vital, you will help secure your future.

Confidently Forge Ahead – Start Rolling

Adjust your rear-view mirror, but keep your eyes on the road! Move forward with your plans knowing that you DO control your career. Is it as easy as reading these steps? No, but if you follow this plan, you will be on your way to managing your job hunt and/or your career with finesse and aplomb!

Seize control of what you can! Don’t be a victim of circumstances. Drive your own career bus!

Feel free to add your 2 cents to the comments…What are YOU doing differently? (Or SHOULD you be doing differently?!)

How have my colleagues responded? Follow us on Twitter with our hashtag #careercollective and read these posts:

Gayle Howard: Today’s Enlightened Job Seeker

Meg Montford: Job Action Day: Finding Your “Mojo” After Layoff

Debra Wheatman: Plan B from outer space; or what do you have in case your first plan doesn’t work out?

Heather Mundell: Green Jobs – What They Are and How to Find Them

Erin Kennedy: Cutting Edge Job Search Blueprint

Grace Kutney: Securing Your Career While Navigating the Winds of Change

Hannah Morgan: Career Sherpa Why Our Job Search Advice is the Same but Different

Heather R. Huhman, Take Action: 10 Steps for Landing an Entry-Level Job

Laurie Berenson: Making lemonade out of lemons: Turn unemployment into entrepreneurship

Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter: You Can Thrive In, Not Just Survive, an Economic Slogging

Rosalind Joffe: Preparedness: It’s Not Just for Boyscouts

Rosa E. Vargas: Are You Evolving Into The On-Demand Professional of Tomorrow?

Dawn Bugni: Your network IS your net worth

Miriam Salpeter: Optimize your job hunt for today’s economy

GL Hoffman: The Life of An Entrepreneur: Is It for You?

Katharine Hansen: Job Action Day 09: His Resume Savvy Helped New Career Rise from Layoff Ashes

Martin Buckland: Job Search–The Key to Securing Your Future Career.

Chandlee Bryan: Where the Green Jobs Are

Barbara Safani: Where the Jobs Are 2009 and Beyond

JT O’Donnell : Actions that got people jobs in this recession

I can help with every part of your job hunt! Need a great resume? Tips to use social networking? Interview coaching?  If you need help mobilizing your networks and your job search plans, learn more about how I can help you! While you’re at it, don’t forget those social networks! Be sure to become a fan of Keppie Careers on Facebook…I’d be thrilled to have you as part of the community! Since we’re on the subject of doing something new…Are you on Twitter? Jump on and touch base with me @keppie_careers.

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