"A full-time job search means three days per week. The process can be mentally and physically draining, so you need to occupy yourself with things unrelated to the search on the other two days," says Samuel M. Hall, Jr., director of Career Services at Howard University. He further recommends that it is critical for you to devise a plan and not approach this haphazardly. So, in the name of planning, let's take a look at how you can get busy and get E.M.P.L.O.Y.E.D.

Establish Specific Times for Specific Tasks

  Let's face it. You would not have made it this far in school if you didn't manage your time to some extent. Well, don't stop now. Apply the same time management principles to your job search by making a schedule of what activities you will do and when you will do them. This will eliminate wasting valuable time deciding what you feel like doing and help you stay focused on the tasks at hand. "Structure is important to an effective job search. Your plan should include enough tasks to last four to five weeks. You have to decide how many phone calls you will make, how many letters and resumes you will send, and how many networking contacts you want," says Hall. And equally important is to make follow-up calls. "No matter how casually someone says to call them in two weeks, do it on time," he adds. 

There is no magical schedule, except the one that works for you. For example, Monday mornings may be good times to identify job leads and to tailor resumes to fit them, while Wednesday mornings may be used to make and follow-up networking telephone calls. On Tuesdays and Thursdays schedule informational interviews or visits to companies at which you would like to work. Although structure is important, remember to keep it flexible by keeping it simple.

Modify Your Job Objective to Accommodate Employer Needs

Carolyn La Rue, who manages a career assistance center for Resource
Consultants, Inc., based in Vienna, VA, recommends you consider the purpose of each resume you submit to determine whether it would be more effective to narrow your options or to expand them. "Employers are tuned into a radio frequency called W.I.F.M: What's in it for me? And your objective should state just that. If you are applying for a specific job, use the job title. If you are marketing a set of skills, then omit the objective and start with an
experience summary," she said. These skills can come from work situations or leadership positions. For example, an experienced customer service representative, an effective administrative associate, or proven record of leadership through presidency of student government are valid examples. 

Employers receive hundreds of resumes weekly. They are not likely to take the
time to figure out where you would fit into their organization; that is your job. Therefore, a job objective such as "a challenging position in either the marketing or human resources department" may as well say "I don't know what I want or what you want, I just need a job."

Practice Proven Techniques, but Think Outside the Box

If figuring out your job objective isn't the problem, but identifying openings is, first get back to the basics of uncovering vacancies by using your school's Career Center, the want ads and by keeping an open mind. "There are pockets of jobs that minorities always seem to ignore, like those in colleges and universities. Our center has a voluminous amount of jobs at colleges and universities and 90% of them don't require a master's degree or Ph.D. They need more than just teachers, they have purchasing, physical facilities, and countless other jobs," said Hall. "And, hotels and hospitals have management trainee programs to offer just like major corporations do," he added.

Second, add new sources to your repertoire such as contacting your school's alumni association and professional organizations for the chance to attend upcoming events that will expose you to professionals connected with your career field. Also, check out directories like Minority Organizations, A National Directory (Ferguson Publishing Co.1997), and THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Online at, http://www.black-collegian.com. 

Third, incorporate creative strategies into your efforts by familiarizing yourself with what industries make up the job market and how your skills might fit into them. For example, if you are looking for a computer programmer job, look beyond the obvious computer companies. Instead, find out what are the fastest growing industries and investigate technological opportunities within them. After all, any growing industry is likely to need more computers, and therefore more people to program, operate and repair them. Career counselors agree that many job seekers leave valuable resources untapped. 

Employment trends can be found in sources such as the Occupational Outlook Handbook (JIST Works,1998), the Career Guide to Industries (Bureau of Labor Statistics,1998), and on the Bureau of Labor Statistics home page at http://stats.bls.gov/emphome.htm., or IMDIVERSITY.COM at http://www.imdiversity.com.

Figuring out where you fit into the big picture goes far within company searches, too. "Candidates have got to keep an airplane view. Rather than saying I don't want to do this or that, try thinking: what opportunities are there in this organization to get into my chosen field?" said Anita Y. Martin, a Human Resources manager for Nestle, USA. "Look to be a function of the entire operation, not just a function of the position," she added days before her company relocated her from the Cleveland, Ohio office to Laurel, MD.

Locate Other Opportunities to Shine

As the saying goes, it's easier to find a job when you have one. So, get one! While looking for a full-time job, there are benefits to having a temporary or part-time job. The most obvious is that you'll have income. Another is you can gain more experience and consequently be more marketable; this goes for volunteer work too. "The hidden benefits of having a job when you are looking for one include more opportunities to network with persons who are already in your field and a greater feeling of confidence that comes along with not feeling like a desperate job seeker," said Carrie Boykin, the acting coordinator for the Ujima Scholars Program at Northeastern University's John D. O'Bryant African-American Institute in Boston. "Besides, having a job helps you resist the temptation of taking the first job offer you get," she added. 

Obtain Feedback About Every Document in Your Career Portfolio

First, put together a career portfolio that contains a variety of written tools to apply for jobs, in hard copy and on diskette. At a minimum, these include master applications so you have to compile information only once, and various types of resumes: chronological, functional, and electronic versions. Other helpful documents include rough drafts of cover letters, a list of professional references and letters of recommendation. However, you are not off the hook just because you have these done. The next step is to review them for style, content and relevancy and have as many other professionals review them as possible. Look for the following: Are you using a one-size-fits-all version? Are they error-free? Are they easy to follow? What makes you different from your competitors? Are they activity-oriented or accomplishment-oriented? Finally, work smarter, not harder to have tailored documents for each employer. "Compare your documents to vacancy announcements to evaluate how well you measure up to what employers really want," suggests Boykin.

You Must Prepare and Practice for Interviews

No matter how well you can think on your feet, employers want to feel as though you put in the time to prepare. Don't get caught off guard by walking into a panel interview with six persons around the table and you only expected there to be one. When you are called to schedule the appointment, find out what kind of interview you will have and who the interviewers will be.

Take time to think of experiences that will indicate your abilities. According to La Rue, employers are asking fewer hypothetical questions like: what would you do if...? Instead, they are asking about your experience such as: Tell me about a time when... "Interviewers today want to know the results of your actions, so tell them how instrumental you were in obtaining the marquee to inform students sooner about school events," she adds. 

But, don't be fooled by thinking they want long, drawn-out stories. "They want succinct, interesting, honest accounts of things that you can bring to their company over the next two to five years," says Martin. No matter how confident you are about interviewing, it is a good idea to continue practicing regularly. Your college placement center probably already has programs in place for mock interviews and audio or video recordings of them. These methods give you the opportunity to see yourself as well as receive feedback from others, like mentors, friends and family members.

Remember the interview should be a two-way process, not a confrontation. The interviewer is there to evaluate your skills, knowledge and personality. You are there to evaluate the position, the company culture and the growth opportunities. Ask questions which show you have interest in the company and enthusiasm for the job. And remember, don't let rejections get you down. They often have nothing to do with you personally. Many experts say it's a number's game, so every rejection gets you closer to an offer.

Educate Yourself About Salaries and Benefits

Learn what you are worth before going on your first interview or you may price yourself right out of the game (too high or too low). There are many published sources for this kind of information. Some of them are: The Jobs Rated Almanac (John Wiley & Sons, 1995), The American Almanac of Jobs and Salaries (Avon Books, 1997), and even the want ads. Web sites are another source of salary data, but be careful, they are voluminous. In addition to web sites of specific companies, peruse career guidance Web sites such as again THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Online at www.black-collegiate.com and IMDIVERSITY.COM at www.imdiversity.com. For a list of salary surveys, visit www.ptek.com/salary.asp. You can even calculate salary and benefits differences from state to state on sites such as The Salary Calculator located at www2.homefair.com/calc/salcalc.shtml.

Be informed about how to negotiate as well as what can and cannot be negotiated. Some employers have a range of flexibility when it comes to salary, others have flexibility with benefits, still others will have a take it or leave it approach. But most importantly, never attempt to negotiate until an offer has been made. "If you are unsure whether the job is being offered to you, ask: Are you offering me the job?" said La Rue, who is a former independent contractor for such major corporations as IBM, Sears & Roebuck, Co. and the Archdiocese of Chicago. "Start with a salary range and don't forget to consider the non-dollar benefits. There can be a big difference between a base salary and a compensation package," she adds.

Furthermore, there are benefits that some employers may not offer up front but which might be crucial to your decision. Some examples are relocation assistance, payment for membership in professional organizations, training opportunities, or parking and commuting discounts. Don't attempt to negotiate just for the sake of it, but if the offer doesn't meet your most important needs and you really want the job, then go for it!

Don't Give Up

Follow-up and re-assessment of each step in the process are the keys to an effective job search. Consider these specific ones: Maintain contact with persons in your network to keep them abreast of your search; follow-up applications with telephone calls to check on their status and to find out about new openings; solicit feedback about your documents and interview skills to find out how you might improve, but be ready to accept what you hear.

Increase your competitive edge by writing thank-you notes to everyone with whom you interview to reiterate your interest in the job, emphasize major points, or to make a point you forgot during the interview. "From the time you take the first step until you have gotten a job, it's going to be the same cycle over and over again. Be steadfast. Commit yourself to the process and every step of it by assessing and re-assessing them until you get where you want to be," Martin suggests.