A job search as project management with many involved steps! When you are ready to undergo a job search (whether internal or external), developing weekly goals and action steps, along with creating a mechanism to measure your success is critical. Utilize these important tips and stay accountable by engaging with your career coach through frequent check-ins. Use a spreadsheet tool to document your plans & progress.
As stated above, the job search is a project management skill set. Everyone’s job search is different but the steps outlined in the Career Management Guide: Job Search Planning can help outline and guide you along your personal search.
Resources:
A well-written cover letter can entice or persuade a prospective employer to read your resume, leading to the possibility of a future discussion. It can explain your interest in the company and your unique value-add. A cover letter is a direct, personalized response with the main objective to display your qualifications clearly, which in turn demonstrates a fit between what you can offer an employer, the value you bring, and the job description requirements.
Resources:
- Career Management Guide: Cover Letters
- Video: Powerful Cover Letters: What do They Look Like & Do I Even Need One by Ross Macpherson
- Video: Written Communication
Preparing for an interview is a 3-step process – research, story or content preparation, and practice. This preparation is vital to confidently present your value to any interviewer and ultimately sell yourself for the role. After the interview takes place, remember to follow-up within 24 hours!
Resources:
- Career Management Guide: Interviewing
- UW Big Interview System
- Interview Training Day
- Interview Training – Behavioral Interviewing and Following Up Powerpoint
- U.S. Business Culture Powerpoint
- Beyond B-School: Interview Acer Toolkit
- Useful Handouts
- Video: “Why you? Preparing your Story to Answer the Inevitable Make or Break Interview Question” by Taura Prosek
- Video: Interview Preparation
- Schedule a mock interview with your Career Coach via Handshake
- Utilize Big Interview: An online tool that helps students and job seekers prepare for job interviews by creating a no-pressure environment to practice and develop their skills
- Use your @wisc.edu email address to create an account
The negotiation process is an opportunity to define, communicate, and achieve what you want out of the job offer. Negotiation requires gathering information, planning your approach, considering different alternatives and viewpoints, communicating clearly, and making decisions to reach your goal. Negotiations are an option for every new job, or every performance review. Not exclusive to external job offers, negotiation can take place for internal promotions or even continuation of a current role. The purpose in a negotiation is to increase job satisfaction and, ultimately, to improve your opportunities for job fulfillment and happiness.
Resources:
- Career Management Guide: Evaluating Offers
- 8 Rules of Negotiation Every Professional Should Memorize, source: The Muse
- Helpful Websites
- SimplyHired Salary Estimator: Averages the salaries for job posts. Searchable by title and location
- Glassdoor.com, Payscale.com, and Salary.com: salary and benefit ranges based on member sharing their salary and benefit information