Job Search Essentials 2.0

Job Search Essentials 2.0

Jim Wilson

Published by PathForeWord http://www.PathForeWord.com

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2014 by James B. Wilson, Jr.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite eBook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Working and Living Life

Career Twists

Career Turns

Gold Watch

Nature of Work

Why Work?

Living Life

Risking Failure

Working Through Loss

Job Search Framework

Job Market

Micro Jobs

Strength = Juice

Age Bias

Networking

Making Connections

Support Networks

Ups and Downs

Good Turn

Resume Tips

LinkedIn

Cover Letters

Interview Tips

About Jim Wilson

Introduction

In June 2013 I was advised that the position I'd held and the career that I'd built over the past 21 years was ended. Many of you have had similar experiences and some of you more than once. We're now told to expect this a number of times during our careers. For me, this was the first time in 50 years of working. Although, I'll note that I'd conducted many lay-offs during that career and always expected that it would come my turn at some point.

I, of course, had a number of thoughts and reactions. At the end of a fair bit of thought, I decided to re-wire instead of retire and to do so around a career encore in writing and consulting. My first step was to set up a blog on career adventures. I've called it PathForeWord, as it is a path, it moves forward, and it involves words. It is also primarily about career adventures and particularly about the job search.

As the blog continued to grow, in terms of followers and relevant content, I felt that I could pull together a short eBook and share that content in one place for the benefit of fellow job seekers. This is that eBook.

I'll further note that as I was pulling together this eBook, I began to realize how much content is devoted to getting your thoughts together around your career transition. This includes the nature of work, living life, and dealing with loss --- among others. In fact, a very high percentage of this book is about getting into the right attitude, only then does it dive into the nuts and bolts of the job search.

So don't expect right off the bat to get into writing super resumes or hitting it out of the park during your interviews, to continue the analogy. Rather, think about spending some time in the dugout or better yet watching the game. Use that time to gather your thoughts, consider the changes in your career, your next steps, and particularly how you find a balance between work and living your life.

I hope you find this book valuable on your own PathForeWord.

Back to Table of Contents

Working and Living Life

This section is devoted to getting your thoughts together around your work, your life, and your job search, in that order. This is the most important part of your job search. This topic represents the majority of this book. Getting your head around where you've been, where you're going, and how you're going to get there is essential to finding your PathForeWord.

Career Twists

The title of my blog is PathForeWord. In order to embark on any path moving forward, you need to have a beginning point. And it would be best if you spent some time considering that beginning point, fully assessing it before launching on that next journey. In an aside, it would be wise not to linger over that assessment or you’ll lose time on your next journey. Another reason for the review is to see if there are any valid lessons to be learned to better inform your next journey. Sometimes there are lessons to be learned, but often so much of what may have happened is really out of your direct control. That, too, is good to determine before moving forward.

My beginning was a phone