PurposeWorks empowers, equips, and guides people to find purpose and fulfillment in every stage of their lives and careers through relationship, encouragement, and training.
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Job Search Pathway
Looking for a job can be overwhelming. We have an effective and proven pathway that will help you find work and reach your potential in life and career. Join us for our weekly meetings providing job search training, networking, emotional support & encouragement.
- For more specific training on this, watch this video where we review the Pathway in depth.
- Read our article on finding a job fast in Austin, TX!
Step 1. Identify your life calling & the targeted career that fits your design
Life Calling, Purpose & Work-Life Balance
Our lives are comprised of more than just our work life. Purposefully looking at all areas of our lives will help us live lives full of significance and fulfillment.
Career Direction
Having a clear job target is required in today’s job market.
Career Confidence
Knowing yourself and being clear on your target helps increase your confidence, allowing you to communicate the value you offer employers.
Step 2. Establish support & plan for a productive search
Accountability
Job Seekers are faster and more successful in the job search when they have others purposefully asking how they are progressing on a weekly basis.
Written & Financial Plans
Having a detailed weekly plan and actively managing your finances and budget can really help alleviate stress in a job search. Job seekers with a plan are 8 times more likely to meet their goals!
Emotional, Physical & Spiritual Fitness
Taking care of yourself and important relationships in your life can help you focus on the job search and not get bogged down in personal distractions. Seeing your job search as part of your spiritual journey and not trying to separate work and your faith will help you live a more fulfilling life in the job search and beyond.
References
Did you know that some recruiters ask for references up front? Take the time early in your search to connect with yours and ask if they will be a reference. They are an important part of your network!
Volunteering
Helping others in need, even other job seekers, can help give you perspective and improve your emotional well-being.
Step 3. Determine your brand & compelling story
Personal & Professional Brand
Your brand is how you choose to represent yourself - your gifts, expertise, value proposition, accomplishments, character, etc. - to the outside world in person, online and on paper.
Compelling Story
Weaving your personal brand and experiences into a compelling story of where you are heading in the future is memorable and helps future employers see you as a part of their organization. You will bring your qualifications to life in networking, interviews, LinkedIn and much more by communicating the impact you’ve had in the past, along with the unique value you provide!
Step 4. Customize your resume & LinkedIn profile
Resume Development
Targeting Individual Resumes
For your resume to get noticed and get your interviews, it must best highlight what you have to offer potential employers, utilize today’s best practices for targeting your resume to specific positions, and get past the computer bots.
LinkedIn Profile
More than 90% of recruiters say they use LinkedIn for sourcing candidates. Your profile needs to be clearly targeted, communicate your personal brand, and be active as you build your network and make important connections.
Elevator Pitch/ Professional Introduction
Know how to introduce yourself in a compelling way that articulates who you are, what you are seeking and the value you offer, no matter the setting.
Step 5. Find targeted employers
Identify Target Employers & Hiring Authorities
Finding employers that really fit you: your design, values, goals, etc., helps you focus your efforts in networking, applying and researching.
Company Research
Before you apply, tailor your resume, and definitely before you interview, you need to do your homework on employers to both be prepared and confirm that they are a match for you.
Step 6. Build & empower your network
Informational Meetings
After you’ve thoroughly researched your target companies, you are still missing an important piece. You need an insider’s perspective to help you learn more about the employers, if they are a fit for you and your career goals, and their personal insights.
Active Personal & Passive Networking
Since 70 -80% of all jobs are found through networking, you’ll be most effective if you spend a majority of your time connecting with your network to reach people in your targeted companies and industry. Once in your new role, you need to keep your network fresh to proactively manage your career.
Job Boards & Online Applications
Do you have an internal champion at your targeted employers? It will be helpful if you do and can get their insider’s perspective and even referral BEFORE you submit your online applications.
Step 7. Ace the Interview
Interviewing Preparation & Practice
Understanding behavioral interviewing, tackling those dreaded questions, approaching the interview as a two-way conversation, and lots of practice will help you shine, be confident and effectively communicate how you can help employers solve their burning issues.
Cover Letters
With a cover letter, you have the opportunity to tell your story much more than only the resume provides. Some people do read them and say they make a difference!
Other Written Job Search Documents
Other emails and letters throughout the job search (networking, emails of interest, thank yous, etc.) provide you the opportunity to make deeper connections, share your story and brand, and build your network.
Step 8. Land a better fitting job fast (and proactively manage your career moving forward)
Negotiating Compensation Packages
Knowing your worth in today’s market and your compensation priorities allows you to negotiate a win-win for you and your new employer.
Career Management
You are responsible to proactively manage your career, not your employer. Keeping your network and your skills current will help you stay in the driver’s seat throughout your career.
Giving Back
Serving others helps you to create a life of significance and fulfill your greater life purpose.
Important Note: These steps are general, ideal steps in the pathway and have a great deal of overlap. They are not meant to be restrictive and can't predict your personal situation.
- If you are out of runway and need a survival job (Plan C job) right away to pay for housing and food, we suggest you take a short cut to step 4 after you've identified a job target that's readily available.
- If you are looking for a survival (Plan C) or stepping stone/bridge job (Plan B) before pursuing your ideal job (Plan A), but you don't yet have the experience/credentials to achieve the ideal job or have an abbreviated runway and will need to work before you can focus on your calling, get that next job. But as you are working in the new job, take the time to identify your life calling & the targeted long-term career that fits your design and gain skills / experiences for future opportunities.
PurposeWorks is a faith-based nonprofit. We do not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. Everyone is welcome to join us. This group is useful for the unemployed, the underemployed, the misemployed, and the unhappily employed.