Job Search Techniques - Prepare

People looking to change job roles or move to a new organization need to prepare in two main areas. Know yourself and know what you are applying for.

Firstly is self knowledge. You need to make an honest assessment of yourself in terms of skills and competence. A good way to do this is to make a skills audit and ask friends / relatives / co-workers for honest feedback on your level. You need to understand yourown motivations, dreams and desires.

• What do you enjoy doing?
  
• Where are you heading in your career long term?
  
• What about your family / life balance?
  

Answering these questions will help guide you to which companies and which roles you should be applying for.

Secondly is knowledge of the company and role you are seeking. Do your research.

• What is the core business of the company?
  
• How does the organisation make money?
  
• What is the job you are applying for?
  
• How does that job add value to the company?
  

By having information on these two areas you will be able to match your skills, experience, hopes and desires with the opportunity at the company. You can prepare interview question answers by listing your recent career achievements and showing how these fit to the job you are applying for.

The key element of a job search is passion. If you are passionate about the opportunity you are applying for, it will show in your communications to the company. You will submit a perfect CV, you will turn up to interviews on time, you will ask sensible questions and give detailed answers, and you will have enough information to make the right choice on a new job.