Defining Your Goals Before Job Hunting

Looking for a new job is not always the easiest. It can take a lot of time depending on what you’re trying to do. Job hunting can be stressful especially if you need a new job as soon as possible. I’ve been in a situation where it took me a year to find a full-time position. I had part-time work during half of that time, but it was still a very stressful time. One of the mistakes that some people make is to rush and end up in a job that is not really for them. To help you avoid that, it’s good to define what you want with a new job before you start searching. Let’s look at a few ways that will help you identify your goals.

Goal Mindset

The first thing that you should do is get into the goal mindset. Your goals should help direct your job search, not the other way around. At times, people take what they can get and then find themselves stuck. Is that how you want to spend the next 30-40 years? Do you want to be stuck somewhere that you don’t like for the majority of your adulthood? I’m not sure about you, but that’s not how I want to live my life. I’m sure most people probably feel like that. You need to come up with some goals and then let them steer your job search.

Be Proactive, Not Reactive

The second thing that you need to do is to be proactive. If you see a job or position that you may be interested in, reach out to them. If there is a company that you may want to work for, check to see if they have any future openings. Some companies don’t always advertise their jobs to the public. By searching for a business or employer that you want to work for, you are being proactive. You may be waiting forever if you want them to find you. Get in a proactive mindset. Take some time to search for employers that fit your criteria, and that will help you progress your career.

What are your skills?

Do you know what your skills are or do you just put something generic on your resume? Take a look at what your skills really are. Jot them down on a piece of paper and list them best to least. This is done to show you what you are good at. Write down anything you can do such as troubleshooting to coding. In this exercise, there are no right or wrong answers.

Experience

The next step is to consider the different job experiences that you have had. Some job experience might not be needed for certain positions. It also doesn’t need to be just job-related. If you’ve done community service or have experience being in an organization in college, make sure that you include it.

Connect

The final thing is to connect your skills with your experiences. I’m sure you will now see career ideas opening up that you probably haven’t thought of. Is one your skills working on websites? Maybe you could help a company update their web page. Make connections between your skills and experience. When you do this, you will be well on your way to defining your new career goals.