Your Job Search Toolkit

Finding a job can be the hardest job; therefore, it is a good idea to have as many tools as possible to help with the job search. An effective job search toolkit will include the things a job seeker needs to land an interview, make a good impression and start a new career.

The first item in your job search toolkit is your resume. The best resumes are tailored toward a specific positions or industries. The resume includes all pertinent education, work experience, certifications, and contact information for a potential employer or hiring manager. The document should be neatly formatted, and hard copies should be presented on quality paper. While you are crafting your resume, keep in mind what you would include in a cover letter. The letter is completed customized for the job to which you are applying, but there is information you want to make sure carries over from the resume to the cover letter so the documents are fluid.

Another item in your job search toolkit is your personal business card. The card should include your area of expertise, contact information, such as an email address and phone number, and other important information a potential employer might be interested to learn about you. Your card should prompt the receiver to want to request a resume or schedule an interview.

When putting your job search toolkit together, you also want to include a social media presence, so creating and updating your LinkedIn profile should be part of your job search process. Think of your LinkedIn profile as an extension of your resume, replete with examples of your work at the ready. You will also want to make connections with others in your field and network via the forums as much as possible.

Now that all the materials you need are in place, you should focus on your interview and conversational skills. An opportunity to talk about a position can present itself at any time, so it is a good idea to practice what to say in various situations. If you go to networking functions — an ideal activity for job seekers — you should have an elevator pitch prepared. This is a concise explanation of your experience and skills that demonstrates why you would be ideal for the position. While you are preparing that pitch, it is also wise to compose several answers to the most popular interview questions.

Finding a job really is a lot of work, so it is important to prepare for the experience as much as possible. Your job search toolkit makes the experience a bit more palatable. Preparing a resume, crafting an interesting cover letter and making sure you have the best possible responses to interview questions can make the job search go smoother and hopefully quicker.

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