Organizing your job search

Original Post: Organizing your job search



My sister-in-law recently finished a graduate program in documentary film making and has spent the past three weeks looking for her next project. I know very little about the movie industry and job hunting in it, but I know that my sister-in-law is extremely organized and so I wanted to learn more about her search.

I asked her how she has navigated the process, and she gave me a detailed response that I wanted to share with anyone who may also be looking for a new gig:

Dedication. Searching for a job is my full-time job. I have set hours for when I’m at my desk researching, corresponding, interviewing, and pursuing leads. This week I’m on target to work 40 hours at it. A job isn’t going to fall in my lap — I have to go after it.

I have to be organized with my search. I keep a spreadsheet of all of my job leads. It includes: date applied, company, position, contact name, contact information, status of lead, notes, and a correspondence log that links to my e-mail. I also have a group of bookmarks with job sites that I frequently search in my web browser and a folder with targeted lists in my address book of job-related contacts. I have set up alerts for follow-up actions I need to take in my calendar and automatic searches that run on sites like Craigslist based on keywords.

In addition to her searching, she also has spent a significant amount of time preparing her targeted cover letters, resume, and building her website and IMDB page showcasing her work. She attends as many networking and professional events that her schedule will allow and talks to any and everyone about her search.

Have you recently been searching for a job or work in hiring? If so, leave your tips for an organized job search in the comments section.