December 12, 2009

How organization can make job searches more productive

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As employment searches stretch from weeks to many months in this difficult economy, an extra hassle that job seekers are facing is the constant juggling of schedules. Especially during the holidays, when shopping lists get longer, kids are out of school and family time does battle with professional obligations, it can feel overwhelming to keep up with necessary networking efforts.

To help make sense of this busy time, Debbie Rosemont, founder of consulting firm Simply Placed, spoke about the benefits of organization at last week's Job Seeker Network event at the Mercer Island Library. Through examples and exercises, Rosemont, a productivity consultant and CPO, for "certified professional organizer," showed how following your mother's advice ("A place for everything and everything in its place") can give you an edge on the competition and make your career search activities more productive.

Here are some tips Rosemont provided about how job seekers can make the most of their time:

Organize your workspace. It may seem like a no-brainer, but many people who are looking for a job don't bother creating a clean surface on which to work. As you would in any office position, make sure you have a work station set aside that includes all the supplies you need. Clear away clutter, she says, by assigning a folder or desk drawer for everything. Collect your work samples into a portfolio. Sort like items together and keep the things you use most often within easy reach.

"When you get back from an interview, get in the habit of emptying your bag and putting away business cards and brochures you've picked up," Rosemont says. "Make sure they don't lie at the bottom and get covered by other things." (There's some advice I could certainly use as I look at my pile of contact info gathered from job fairs over the last six months.)

Establish an action system. There are many ways to set up a filing system that alerts you to take action on the most time-sensitive activities, she says. One is a "tickler file" system, which includes folders that are labeled with dates by which an action must be taken, such as filing an application or sending a thank-you note. You can also create a categorical system and sort items by "things to write," "things to read" and "things to enter."

Rosemont also encourages job seekers to track their activities and rank them on their effectiveness. "Remember the 80/20 rule, where 20 percent of your efforts lead to 80 percent of your desired results," she says. To find out which actions are most productive, take a look back at your activities each week, she suggests. "How many interviews have you been on? How effective were your contacts? File that information for future reference."

Maintain a daily schedule. Many people who like to write "to-do" lists tend to write down too many actions each day and get frustrated if they are not all met, Rosemont says. "Instead of trying to do 20 things, determine which three items are the most important and do them first thing in the morning," she says.

It's also important to pace yourself so you don't burn out too quickly. "For every given hour of your job search, use 50 minutes to focus on work and 10 minutes to give yourself a break." Use this time, she says, to succumb to those nearly unavoidable distractions like checking Facebook or your text messages. Be sure to reward your efforts, but stick to the 10-minute rule.

"People often think being busy is being productive," Rosemont adds. "But a lot of this busy time is wasted just trying to find things. Organization helps us in reaching whatever our goals are. The more organized you are, the more productive you can be toward reaching your goal, which is to get a job."

Randy Woods writes about job-search tools, networking techniques and other tips to help you land your dream job.

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