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Job searching, especially during a time of high stress, can be difficult to maintain. Whether industrial, skilled trades, or administrative is your goal, staying organized can help keep you from making crucial mistakes. To stay organized, there are a few things you should think about. We have prepared a few organizational tips to help you out.

 

 

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Give Each Resume Version a Specific Name

Sometimes job applications call for different resume versions. It is a common recommendation to make specific resumes for specific jobs and companies. This can be helpful when you want to write different keywords in your resume that suit the specific job you’re looking at. Hiring managers, and their programs that screen applications, will pick up on keywords that match what they are looking for.

However, this can eventually lead to you keeping a dozen or so resume versions on your device(s). Having so many versions of the same document can leave you confused and may even cause you to submit or print the wrong resume. Don’t name them:

  • “John Doe Resume 2019 2”
  • “Jane Doe Resume Updated 3”

Neither of those names describes which company they were written for. You’d have to read the resume in order to figure it out, which takes time!

You should consider being specific with your file names. For example, if the company you are applying for is named “ABC Company”, write “ABC” at the beginning of the document file. You will easily know which resume you prepared for which position.

 

Keep an Organized Log of Interviews, Follow-Ups and Appointments

Many of you may already keep a journal or log of your daily activities. For others, unfortunately, this does not come easily.

It is important to keep track of different things for each job you apply for. For example, if you have applied for three positions and have an interview for two, keeping track of this in your head could lead to some issues. You might confuse interview dates and times, or you might forget to follow up with a company.

Keeping a log of these things can help remind you of important appointments or alerts. It is recommended to follow up an application after one week if you don’t hear back. So, in this case, you would write “[Company Name] Follow Up —-> [Date]” or some other format that you choose. This way, you don’t forget about those important job search steps.

 

Keep Your Interview and Work Attire Separate

If you believe it is appropriate to wear different clothes to different interviews, make sure to set these apart from other clothes you may be wearing throughout the week. If you are an industrial worker or office professional, ensure that your work clothes and interview clothes, if they are similar or are stored near each other, don’t end up mixed.

We recommend choosing what you will be wearing ahead of time, preferably the night before, so that you don’t grab something that doesn’t work. This way you know what you’ve picked out will be available.

 

Take 30 Minutes Before Appointments to Clear Your Head

If you have an interview or warehouse tour scheduled for 9:30 am, don’t make the mistake of rushing out the door. Budget your time wisely before any of your appointments. If you can, give yourself plenty of time to get dressed, gather necessary paperwork, and clear your head.

 

If you are having difficulties in your personal job search, please contact us and schedule an appointment with a recruiter. Working with a staffing agency is a great way to keep your job search organized, and Tempstar Staffing can help you achieve your career goals!