Career Transition Module 5

Implement Search

Implement your Search An effective job search needs a clear and logical plan and some
metrics to help fuel week-on-week activity and achievement. Start with the most important
actions first, and break down the required tasks into manageable parts. Your level of
activity will depend on the timeframes you have set yourself – if you want a new job
quickly, you’ll need to do more than if you want to have a month or two off between jobs.
Changing roles or industries will probably take longer than finding a similar role in a similar
industry, and will need different actions and a higher level of activity to support that
change.

Do a regular assessment of how your job search is going – are you expanding your network?
Are you finding enough of the right roles to apply for? Have you met with any new
recruiters this week? Are you getting interviews? Has there been a job offer? Again, be
realistic about your timeframes – you are unlikely to get an interview let alone a job offer in
the first week! Recognise the progress you have made and celebrate the small wins.
Reassess your progress regularly – say once a month – and make changes as required.

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Action Plans
Developing an Action Plan

You should have a view of your various career options.

This next vital step is about planning what you have to do to accomplish your goals. It is about working out
specific actions that you need to take to get to where you want to be.

Your résumé should be ready before you implement your action plan.

A well planned job search campaign should cover a range of strategies to maximise your chances of finding
the right role in the shortest possible time and to ensure you cover the hidden job market as well as the
advertised market.

Great chances can be lost by not carefully planning each meeting: first determining what you want to achieve,
then drafting a list of relevant questions and of course doing some research on the company and/or the
person you will be meeting with.

Action Planning

There are 4 stages in action planning:

1. State your goal.

2. Set a timeframe by which you want to achieve your goal.
3. Identify the specific actions you will need to take and set a target date for each of them.
4. Describe the methods you will use and resources you will need to support each action.

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Example action plan

To get you started, the example of a lateral move into a new company, as shown in the previous
section, is carried over to the following action plan.

Timeframe:
Goal: To continue in a business development role with another
within 3
financial services organisation
months

Actions to achieve goal What methods and resources will I use? Complete by date

1. Research & identify likely  Use research tools at Audrey Page. Complete by end
target companies. of week.
 Search Internet.

2. Identify decision-makers  Talk with colleagues to find contacts. Complete by next

in business development Wednesday.
Example Career Option 1: Lateral Move

 Search annual reports & websites.

Similar role in another organisation.

area in each company.

 Telephone companies for updated
information.

3. Ensure resume is geared  Review with consultant. By end of next

to target companies. week.

4. Gain referrals to key  Refer to Networking. Complete by mid-

decision-makers. month.
 Ask contacts – do they know anyone
who can refer me?

5. Contact decision-makers  Call to arrange meeting or write and Complete by end

to arrange meeting. follow up with call (see Writing month.
Personal Introduction Letters).

6. Meet with decision-  Plan agenda and objective, rehearse Complete by mid
makers. scenario. next month.

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Action Plan for Career Option 1

Goal: Timeframe:

Actions to achieve goal What methods and resources will I Complete by

use? date
Your Career Option 1:

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Action Plan for Career Option 2

Goal:
Timeframe:

Actions to achieve goal What methods and resources will I Complete by

use? date
Your Career Option 2:

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Keeping Records
Develop and update an accurate system of recording what happened at each meeting, what follow-up is
necessary and, importantly, what worked well and what you could have improved on.

Information not recorded can quickly be forgotten or overlooked and may prove vital later on. Your aim
should be to improve your performance with each subsequent meeting.

The following is a suggested template for recording details of each contact, whether by phone or personal
meeting.

Networking Record Sheet

Name Company

Phone Email

Address

Meeting date/time

Meeting objective

Matters discussed

Meeting outcome

Action required

Follow-Up/Date

Learning points
(what worked /what
could be improved)

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As you progress in your job search, you will identify specific job opportunities. It is important that you
examine these carefully to evaluate them against the critical fit requirements for your next job that you
determined as part of your career plan. It is a temptation to pursue a job simply because you believe you can
get it. However, you may find later that it will do little or nothing to advance your overall career goals.

It is important that you spend some time to review those career goals and the critical fit requirements from
time to time throughout your job search, particularly as you consider potential employers.

As you look at a particular company through research and discussions with your future boss and other
company representatives, you should find out as much as you can about them. Remember, just as they are
looking closely at you to see if you will be a good employee to meet their present and future needs, you
should do the same to safeguard your future. The decision is too important to act on blind faith or surface
impressions alone.

Following are some sample questions to guide your research.

Company Research Questions

Company Description
 What are the company's major strengths and weaknesses?
 How does the company's size compare with others in the industry? Does its size pose any limitations
for your career?
 National / International?
 How many employees?
 What is its rate of growth in size and profits, and how does this compare with others in the same
industry?
 How old is the company? How and when has it changed?
 What are the company's sources of revenue? How diversified is it?
 How do employees, competitors, customers and creditors regard the company's reputation and
personality?
 Are there any major labour or legal problems?
 Would you be proud to say that you worked for the company?

Plans For The Future

 Will the company be able to compete within the industry in the future? Does it have the resources
to meet the needs of its customers in the future?
 Have any plans for diversification or re-directing product lines, or modernising facilities and
procedures, been made?
 Does the company have the necessary management talent for the future?

Financial Position
 How diversified is the income base?
 What are the assets? Is the company highly leveraged? What would be the effect of a sharp
downturn in markets? Can this happen?
 Are profits being reinvested in the company?

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The New Position
 Is there a written job description and have you been given a copy?
 Were there performance objectives set for the position in the past year? What were they?
 Has your education and background prepared you sufficiently for this job? Are there some gaps that
may indicate potential problems?
 Will you be using your strongest assets in performing the job so that you will have the greatest
probability for success?
 Will you have an opportunity to develop new skills and experience that will be applicable to future
career objectives?
 Is the location attractive? What is the commuting time? What are the hours in theory and in
practice? Will you be required to work late hours, weekends or holidays? Will there be travel
involved and how much?

Career Development
 Is there a career planning or management development program?
 What are the advancement possibilities?
 Is there a performance appraisal system and how does it work?

Compensation
 What is the starting salary? How does this compare with others in the firm and within the industry?
 What other benefits are offered and how do they compare with other firms and with your
expectations? Are there any delays or limitations to benefits or bonuses?
 How often is compensation reviewed and on what basis?

People
 Do you like your prospective employers and colleagues? Do you have respect for them personally
and professionally? What is their reputation in the industry?
 What is the turnover rate? (should you speak to a recent former employee?)

The Negotiating Phase

Before you go too far in your research, you should consider how serious they are about you. Never assume
that you have the job until it has been formally offered to you. A seemingly sure offer can disappear because:

 Another attractive candidate appears.

 There is a sudden and absolute freeze on all hiring.
 Merger or take-over possibilities loom suddenly.
 Upper management will not approve either the position or the salary.
 The company decides that an internal replacement would be more suitable.
 There may be internal game-playing between personnel and the line managers.

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When a company seems to be expressing strong interest, you have had two or three interviews and they have
asked for references, you will have reason to feel encouraged. Remember, however they may have other
strong candidates under consideration. It is important to follow up with them at an agreed time. If
they miss the time, don't hesitate to call them. Do not follow up too often or appear too anxious. If your
candidacy has been through a search organisation, use them as liaison with the company.

Remember the strongest asset you can have to strengthen your confidence in negotiating the new
position is to have two or more further opportunities in the background. To achieve that, you must
establish and maintain a strong job search campaign.

Evaluating an Offer
When the time comes to decide about a particular offer, ask yourself:

 Is this the right next job for me?

 Are the responsibilities of the position a challenge for me?
 Do I feel motivated/excited about the position?
 Does the culture fit in with my own values?
 Is the type of position in keeping with my intended career direction?
 Does the management style suit my style?
 Do the working hours make for a good balance between my work and personal life?
 Does the salary meet my financial needs and expectations?
 Is the geographical location within a reasonable distance from home?
 Should I modify my original critical fit criteria? How?
 Have I really used up all my good leads at the moment?
 Should I take a short term job or contract work as a stepping stone to another job?

When you receive a spoken offer, you should ask if there are further conditions that must be met, such as a
medical or further reference checking. Review your understanding of what was agreed upon and get
confirmation. Most employers are quite willing to confirm details of an offer in a letter and from your point of
view, this is a good idea.

If you have considered the position as we have outlined, accept it orally and provide a letter of acceptance if
requested.

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Maintaining momentum in your Job Search
The concept of career sustainability is ongoing and relies on you visiting and re-visiting the steps you have
worked through the modules.

Ideally at this stage of the process you have:

 Reviewed your career and identified your skills, achievements, interests and values.
 Thought about your personal attributes and how others might perceive you in the workplace.
 Considered your ideal work/life balance and what you look for in a work environment.
 Developed a concise, up-to-date résumé that accurately reflects your skills, knowledge and
achievements and how you can add value to a prospective employer.
 Explored and evaluated career options.
 Identified specific career goals and what you need to do to realise them.

Your next career move may be one of your choosing – the process of identifying goals and targeting
opportunities is still the same, whether you are currently employed or not. In many ways you have more
freedom to explore and search as you are not restricted by having a current role.

Maintaining Your Focus

Throughout your job search campaign you should review your plan to ensure you are on track. In light of new
information and insight gained along the way, it may be necessary to adapt your plan.
 Reward yourself as you progress through your campaign – while job searching is a full-time job, you
still need to incorporate time to enjoy yourself and maintain a healthy balance in your life.
 Review your timeframes – are you putting in enough effort, are your timeframes realistic?
 Consider what may be preventing you from completing parts of your plan and what you can do to
overcome obstacles.

Making Progress
Sometimes actions will take longer than you planned, sometimes you have to make decisions sooner than
expected and sometimes results may not be what you expected.

You are in charge of managing your job search campaign but it is important that you build in support from
other people. Share your thoughts with those you trust - friends and family can be great sources of support
and encouragement. Other participants on the Audrey Page & Associates Program can also be a great source
of encouragement, support and inspiration.

At this point you should be fully equipped to modify your résumé and commence your job search. Continue to
review and monitor your plan to maintain focus. Don’t lose sight of what you want but remain alert and open
to unexpected or new opportunities that may come your way.

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Be positive
Your attitude is a key factor in achieving your goals.

Stay focused
use your energy productively across all strategies.

When you have found your next role and accepted an offer and are ready to start your new job, take time to
review what has happened and what you have learned. In this long process of assessment and research, it is
our hope that you have learned a few things about yourself and where you fit in the world of business. We
also hope that you have gained new confidence and insight.

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