Getting your dream job

Are you looking for a new job, or starting to think about job hunting? Sometimes a job search can feel overwhelming, especially if you need a job right away. It often feels like there is too much to do in a very limited time.

One way to manage this stress and enhance your job search is to break the process down into small, manageable steps. Doing so can help you feel like you have accomplished a little piece of your search every day and you’ll make slow and steady progress towards your goal of finding work you want to do, instead of work you have to do.

How To Use This Series

The series offers simple, practical steps for job seekers to follow in order to prepare themselves for the job market and land a job. If you read and apply one tip per day, you can accelerate your job search and find a job quickly.

The tips are organized in such a way as to move you from the very first stages of the job search (writing a resume, reaching out to contacts in your industry) to the final stages (preparing for an interview, sending a thank you note, accepting or rejecting a job).

Each tip suggests one thing you can do per day to help your job search. Doing something every day to find work helps keep you from becoming frustrated and focuses your job hunt on work you are qualified for.

Here’s how the series is organized and how to use it to find your dream job.

How the Tips Are Organized

The “Dream Job” series contains steps to help you find the job you want the most. The tips are organized in a specific order, beginning with advice on how to start a job search, and ending with tips on how to decide whether to accept or reject a job offer.

There are a number of stages to any job search journey. The tips in this series are organized into six sections to cover six unique stages in the job search process.

Get Started

This is an important stage in which you prepare yourself—and your resume—for the job search ahead. The tips offer advice for getting your job search started, including refreshing your resume and developing necessary skills.

Prepare to Network

Networking is a critical part of the job search—by reaching out to contacts, you can get advice on your search, and even hear about job openings that might be a good fit for you. These tips offer a variety of strategies for good networking, including using LinkedIn, creating business cards, and getting active on Twitter.

Start Your Job Hunt

This is where your job search begins in earnest. After consulting with a career counselor or exploring options on your own, you narrow your job search by creating an employer target list and finding contacts at those companies.

Use Your Network

Get advice on how to use your network, from contacting friends and family to set up informational interviews.

Find Job Listings

Gain advice on how to find jobs, both online and through other means (such as job fairs). It also provides advice on how to keep your job search organized.

When feeling the stress of needing work, it is easy to begin applying for everything you see. Try to be patient and work to control the anxiety that comes with needing a job, so that you can focus on adjusting your profiles and resume for the specific jobs you are applying for.

Interview and Follow up

Learn all you need to know about preparing for the interview and following up afterward.

Skip Steps if They Don’t Apply

The tips are organized to be most helpful when followed in order. But you can skip ahead if certain tips do not apply to you, or jump ahead to the specific tip that you would like help with. There is no wrong way to use this information.