Find the Right Job

Before you start your job search you need to identify your career goals. Are you looking for employment to fill your immediate needs or are you looking to take the next step in your career path? Determining your employment needs will help streamline your job search by enabling you to tailor your resume and job search activities to meet your career objectives.

Getting hired means joining an existing team that has its own personality and work environment. Employers are looking for people who can add value to this team, meet certain requirements and blend into the work environment well. Knowing who you are and what you can do will enable you to identify whether or not you may be a good fit for a potential employer.

Take a minute to review these questions to highlight your goals in your job search:

1. Why are you looking for employment?
2. Why did you accept your current position or your last job?
3. What job responsibility did you like the most?
4. What job responsibility did you like the least?
5. Are you interested in changing fields?
6. What’s the most important factor in selecting your next job?
1. Money?
2. Location?
3. Hours?
4. Work environment?
5. Anything else?

 

Personal Inventory

These questions are designed to help you understand what you want from a job. Sometimes we take jobs that we think are right for us, but they don’t fit our personalities. Be honest with yourself. Answer the following questions with explanations.

1. Is full-time work important to you?
2. Do you have obligations that require you to have flexible hours?
3. Are you naturally outgoing? Is it easy for you to talk with others?
4. Are you competitive? Is it fun for you to compete with others on a team?
5. Do you enjoy working on a team?
6. Do you prefer working alone?
7. Do you enjoy teaching others?
8. Do you enjoy working with your hands? Building things?
9. Are you detail oriented? Do you like working with data and numbers?
10. Do you like to work outside or in an office environment?
11. Do you prefer to work from home?
12. Are you creative?

Career Goals

Now that you know more about your abilities and employment preferences, take a moment to reflect on your career goals. Think about where you are now and where you want to be in 10–20 years. What is it going to take to get you there?

Many employers require certain levels of experience and education to fill a position. Do you need additional education to meet your goals? If so, see if the jobs you are looking for now offer education benefits like tuition reimbursement or financial assistance. You may also want to think about whether or not the job you are seeking now will provide the necessary experience to move your career forward. Learn more about career education options here.