ORGANISING YOUR JOB SEARCH

Looking for a new position is a stressful and time consuming process. In today's market, professionals seeking a new position may be surprised at the number of interviews they receive, and at how quickly the job search can progress.
You can empower yourself during your job search, and reduce your stress, by keeping track of your agencies, interviews, and contacts.

Another way to improve the effectiveness of your job search is by taking the time to communicate with the agencies who have your CV. This article discusses ways to organise yourself and how to keep the flow of information open with the recruitment agencies you are using.

Job Search Organisation Strategies
Organising your job search may seem complicated, but it is based on one simple idea - making sure all your job search information is kept in one place. The quickest way to organise your job search is to keep a folder dedicated to it and its progress. This folder can contain copies of your CV, cover letters you have sent out, advertisements for specific positions you have applied for, cards of recruitment agency representatives who have your CV, and cards and notes from your interviews. It's good to note which agencies and companies received your CV, and when you sent it to them, on a sheet of paper or on your computer.

Working with Recruitment Agencies
Another part of organising your job search is working with recruitment agencies in a professional, courteous manner. Being clear, but discreet, with your different agencies helps them send your details to clients, without wasting your time or violating corporate confidentiality. When you're working with a recruitment agency, you usually have a contact at that agency that represents you. Your contact person specialises in your recruitment area, and is the person at that agency best equipped to help you. If you want to get in touch with an agency, focus on your contact person.

When you're working with multiple recruitment agencies, keeping yourself organised can help you avoid one of the worst breaches of job search etiquette; contacting the same employer twice, through two different recruiters, for the same position.

If one agency puts you forward for a position, you should not mention the position or company to another agency, UNLESS that other agency asks if you want to be put forward for the same position. When that happens, you should inform the second agency that you are already under consideration for that position. It would make a negative impression on the interviewing company if you knowingly allowed yourself to be put forward twice.

Interviews and Interview Follow-Up
Once you've got your job search information co-ordinated, the next step is looking forward to your interviews. You should be prepared for two to three different interviews with different companies. Being organised for an interview puts you on a par with your interviewer. When you're invited to an interview, always check the time, address, and building location with the person arranging the interview. Do some research about the company before the interview; today, interviewers expect you to have read the company's web site. At the end of the interview, ask for business cards from interviewers, and keep them in your job search folder at home. After the interview, you probably want to know how well you did, and to talk over the possibilities that have come up. This is the ideal time to touch base with your recruiter. When an recruiter sets you up on a job interview, he or she will ask you to call for a follow-up after the interview. This follow-up call is your chance to say what you thought of the company and the opportunity, and whether it's something you want to pursue or not. What's more, the recruiter usually has valuable feedback from the interviewing company about you. Another important step to take after an interview is to have your referee information ready. If you are called for a second interview, that means that a company is seriously considering you, and that they will also want to contact your referees. Your referees are two or more people who provide your professional references. We recommend that you have at least two references, in case one or more is overseas, on holiday, or otherwise difficult to contact during your job search.

Once your job search comes to its conclusion with a new position, keep your information folder. You'll find that keeping records of potential job contacts, and of cover letters and CVs that worked, will help you in your future job search. It will also allow you to send your colleagues to an especially helpful recruiting agency, or to an expanding company that wasn't right for you, but may be for your friend.