Professional Assistance–Job Search Lessons Learned: 12 Key Take-Aways (12)

I will be transparent with you. After about six (6) months of actively looking, I really was starting to wonder what I was doing wrong. All this time spent trying to learn the new, proper way of doing things. The follow-ups. The tweaks to the résumé and cover letters. I had nothing to show for it except for a long list of jobs applied in the wrong status. So, I decided I needed some professional assistance. I looked into free résumé critiquing, résumé writing, headhunters, and even career coaching.

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Applying–Job Search Lessons Learned: 12 Key Take-Aways (10)

Finally! After nine (9) steps you are ready to start applying for the job of your dreams. Welcome to your new part-time job. If you have a job, and you are looking for a new one, you want to spend about five (5) to ten (10) hours a week networking and applying. If you do not have a job currently, welcome to your new full-time, 40-hour work week. We are going to be pulling out of the tools in our job search toolbox and get to work. What will you need?

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Résumé–Job Search Lessons Learned: 12 Key Take-Aways (06)

Now that we have our detailed and supporting information ready, let’s create the most awesome [advertised] résumé ever! But, how? I am going to be transparent, there are too many ways to go about this. In fact, it can be overwhelming. There are so many templates and so many opinions on what works best with the ATS (automatic tracking system), recruiter, hiring manager, and so forth. Even then, depending on your industry, the format and color scheme can change significantly. For six months, I edited my résumé on my own, taking into consideration all these factors, scouring the internet for free advice, and finally deciding to seek a professional’s help.

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