Finding a New Job

Maybe you're fed up with your boss, or you're looking for a higher paying job.  Individuals often struggle with the decision to find a new job, and don't know where to begin.  The important place to start is with an informed decision.  Is finding a new job the right move to make in your situation?

Finding a Job for the Right Reason

We know you've heard the expression that the grass isn't always greener on the other side, but it never hurts to be reminded.  If you're thinking about finding a new job, then make sure it's for the right reason.  Make sure that you're not doing this to get even with your boss, or because you don't like a coworker's attitude.

Try to keep things in perspective when making this decision.  You might be leaving because you don't like your boss, and there is no doubt that your company will lose the value you bring to their organization.  But you need to also keep in mind that when you leave, the biggest impact will be on you - not your old company.

You're the one that has to figure out how to find a new job.  You're the one that has to figure out how long it's going to take you to commute to your new job.  You're the one that has to adjust to the corporate culture at your new company.  You're the one that might wind up with a boss that is just as ornery as your last boss.  Get the picture?

Tools for Changing Jobs

Don't get us wrong, there are many very good reasons to look for a new job.  But in most cases, the decision should be aligned with your career plans.  External forces, such as your boss, should be secondary considerations.  The best tool for figuring out if a new job is right for you is a piece of paper and a pencil - or a spreadsheet.

Job Evaluation Matrix

You've seen this technique used elsewhere, and it goes something like this.  Write down all the things that are important to you in a job.  Try to be objective when making the list.  We suggest factors like commuting time, or transportation mode (car or mass transit), work hours, time for family, vacation, and employee benefits.

Include a mix of lifestyle and career attributes.  Then rank the importance of each attribute from 1 to 10.  Next, rate your old job versus a potential new job against each of these factors.

If you go through this process, and try to be objective about your answers, then you should come up with a more objective guide to figuring out if changing jobs is really a smart move.  To save you some time, we've already put together a Job Evaluation Matrix.

Putting a Resume Together

If you're pretty sure that a new job is in your future, then the next step is putting a resume together.  We're not going to repeat all the information we have elsewhere in this publication, we're just going to point you in the right direction.

Resume Formats

The single most important step in writing an effective resume is to pick the right resume format.  We've mentioned this before, but it's worth repeating here.  Your resume is like a personal advertisement for your services.

If that makes sense to you, then you'll want to pick a resume format that highlights your strengths, and does not draw attention to your weaknesses.  There are three mainstream resume formats in use today including:

• Chronological Resume - the most traditional resume format used today.  This format lists your career history in reverse chronological order.  A good choice if you've worked consistently over the years, and you are looking for a job that naturally follows the career progression you've made to date.
• Functional Resume - this format puts your skills right up front, and bundles your work history to tell a story of what you've learned, and the skills you've acquired over time.  The functional resume is a good choice if you have gaps in your work history or you don't have much experience at all, such as a student looking for work.
• Combination Resume - the combination resume is the ultimate resume format for finding a new job - if you can pull it off.  The format starts off like a functional resume, and then follows up with a chronological format.  You need a rich job history to use this format, but its marketability is the best.

Sample Resumes

We really believe that the best resume is the one you make yourself - from scratch.  But we also realize that when you're looking for a new job, that your time may be in short supply.

For those of you that experience writer's block when putting a resume together, we have an entire series dedicated to Resume Writing Samples.  If you have trouble with formatting a resume, then you can also take a look at our article on Resume Wizard.  There we tell you the most effective way to use a resume wizard, and what to look out for when you're using a wizard.

Job Networking

While you're getting that resume together, you may want to send out some feelers and start polishing up on your job networking skills.  Actually, if you take a look at our article on Job Search Networking, you'll see that this is something you should be working on all the time.  Whether you're trying to find a new job or you're not.

There are some pretty compelling stats we talk about in that article.  Several sources report that approximately 60% of all jobs are found through networking.  That kind of networking falls into two general categories:

• Informal Networking - these are the casual conversations you have with everyday people.  Based on the concept behind six degrees of separation, there are networking opportunities that occur all the time and you should learn to take advantage of these opportunities.
• Targeted Networking - here is where you can attend trade shows, participate in newsgroups, and discussion boards.  This form of networking seeks out and contributes to a community of professionals just like you.

Online Job Search Resources

The Internet has made the process of finding that new job a little bit easier.  Our article on job networking lists several online resources that provide a calendar of local networking opportunities.

There are also a number of resume posting services that you can take advantage of from companies like Monster.com or CareerBuilder.com.  Just make sure that these online resources are aligned with your job search objectives.

In other words, if you're just interested in finding out what's available, then you're really taking a more passive approach to finding a job.  If however, you find yourself suddenly out of work, then you'll probably want to take a more proactive approach to marketing your skills.

This is an important point that we discuss in our article Resume Posting Service.  There we talk about the three ways you can share your resume with potential employers:

• Resume Distribution - a database driven approach that pushes your resume out to a large number of potential contacts.  This strategy is both targeted and proactive.
• Resume Posting - this involves the posting of your resume to many online resources at the same time.  Since you're depending on others to find your resume, this approach is considered passive.
• Resume Blasting - basically a volume approach to distributing your resume.  For example, this service might send half a million emails out with your resume attached.

We think you have enough information to get started in your job search.  We've pointed you to many online resources that can help you start off in the right direction.  That being said, we'll leave you with two final thoughts:

• Don't underestimate the power of your own networking abilities.  The number of jobs found this way makes this a very compelling job search tool.
• Don't let anyone force you to leave your job.  If you're faced with a hostile work environment, then there are people ready to help.  If your boss is... well a boss, then just remember that managing upwards is your responsibility.  Keep the communication line open, and make sure expectations are based on reality.

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