20 Ways to Pinpoint Your Job Search Trouble Spots

20 Ways to Pinpoint Your Job Search Trouble Spots 20 Ways to Pinpoint Your Job Search Trouble Spots 3Looking for a new position, but haven’t received much attention from the numerous applications you’ve submitted? It may be time to change your course if you’re experiencing job search trouble spots. These questions were designed to form a checklist that will help you overstep any job search issues. Use this checklist to guide you in landing a job with success! Pinpointing Your Job Search Trouble Spots If you’re not getting calls after applying: ___ Are you focusing on jobs that you have a passion for and a strong skill set? ___ Have you tweaked your resume and cover letter to suit the position for which you’re applying? ___ Have you proofread your resume and cover letter for grammatical errors? ___ Are you researching each company before writing your cover letters and customizing each resume? ___ Have you engaged your network in helping to support your mission of landing your ideal job? ___ Are you offering strong references and notifying these references in advance to expect a call? If you’re spending a lot of time on phone interviews, but aren’t moving on to in-person interviews: ___ Have you prepared in advance by fielding phone questions from one of your references or friends in a practice session? ___ Have you asked former colleagues and your references for their opinion of your greatest strengths so you can share those in the call? ___ Have you considered your weaknesses and developed polished responses that make you sound confident and relay that you’ve overcome these obstacles? ___ Are you asking strategic questions that will lead naturally to the next phase of the interview process? ___ Are you responding thoughtfully and sounding engaged during the call? ___ Have you eliminated background noise and distractions so you can remain focused during the call? ___ Have you provided acceptable reasons for any gaps in your education or resume? ___ Did you ask about the decision-making process and steps involved before a candidate is chosen? If you’re getting up to bat for final interviews, but not making the final cut: ___ Are you preparing for the final interview by doing additional research about the company and the industry to share in the meeting? ___ Are you preparing with practice questions and answers prior to the interview? ___ Have you brainstormed ways that you can share relevant work experience examples to share in the meeting? ___ Have you reviewed your past experience so you can talk about specific challenges you dealt with and how you overcame those challenges? ___ Are you offering thorough, straightforward answers while looking the interviewers in the eye? ___ Are you dressed sharply and on time for interviews? ___ Are you following up with a professional thank-you message to those who interviewed you and are you re-emphasizing why you’re right for the position? Readers, tell us what’s helped you get over job search trouble spots and land the right position. Leave a comment and let us know!