Thank you for your consideration #3

The job search is a job in itself.

I’ve spent countless evenings in front of the computer, scanning through search engine results and job boards. It's easy to get sucked in for HOURS clicking link upon link. Carefully crafting cover letters specific to each organization. Tracking several versions of my resume, each slightly different in focus – deliberately omitting or emphasizing features of previous jobs. Add to this filling out 8 page online applications, making calls, seeking references, researching employers, driving to interviews, updating the LinkedIn account, privatizing my Facebook account, emailing old colleagues, contacting professors, googling myself for any incriminating evidence from my youth, flip-flopping my existing job schedule for a last minute telephone interview – it’s WORK.

After a solid 3 months of focused job searching, I have my search techniques down. I’ve learned to search smarter, not harder. I’ve considered making yet another spreadsheet for this task of finding job opportunities but, this seems too OCD, even for me. I signed up for a bunch of those job alert agents…and then quickly deleted my email off of half of them because they consistently were not worth the time it took to skim and promptly delete the email. I found the sites that I tend to have the most luck with – in terms of finding jobs that I qualify for, are in my desired location, and in my area of specialization. A few smaller sites don’t offer job alerts and don’t have many listings but have unique listings, I check these about weekly. And I signed up for list-serves with a few professional groups. This way, I am job searching everyday when I check my email – without getting lost in the interwebs.

I like that it’s a game. A treasure hunt. A timed treasure hunt. As soon as I see that job description, I look at the date it was posted and pounce. 4 months ago? Ugh, probably filled and an old listing. But, if it sounds like a dream job, I email them to see if it’s still available. But posted 2 hours ago? Let’s go-go-go! Now, do I hurry to be one of the first to hit their email box (and increase my chances of my resume actually being seen) or take the time to carefully write a winning cover letter?? If it’s a new posting, I apply at whiplash speeds. I use one of my existing resumes and cut and paste from a previous cover letter. Yeah, yeah, I know it should be tailored to that specific employer,…but with 300+ applicants applying for a job within a week, I’ll hedge my bets and go with being one the first 50 to apply with a weak cover letter than the 429th with a stellar cover letter that never gets read. If I was applying to be a novelist or copy editor, I’d probably change my tune.

My experiences have taught me that sometimes it’s the early bird that gets the worm, not the sweetest singing bird, nor the bird that necessarily excels in worm eating. Often, it’s all about timing. Strike when it’s hot, and strike quick.

Update: Careerbuilder.com just emailed me with job recommendations. First on the list? Cashier at Aldi. It said I was "an excellent match". Doh!

Let the search continue.