The economy has been picking up.  Various sectors are seeing mild and some even strong growth.  Certain skill sets are in very hot demand.  But you still don’t have a job.  Why?

Is it possible that it’s not the market?  It’s not the employers?  It’s you?  If you can’t consider that the answer might be staring you in the mirror, then move on to another article.  If you are willing to acknowledge that it could be less than 100% someone/something else’s fault, read on.

In a previous post, it was outlined that there are several reasons you are/might not be getting the job.  This is not to say you just haven’t had some bad luck – this article is not to beat you up, but to get you going – but when your job search has had a death (lost the job to someone else), then create a post mortem.

Let’s focus on the fixes.  As I said at the beginning you need to treat your employment search like a well-run project.  Most of us are not trained Project Managers, but we all have some level of experience in it – whether at work, home, or in organizations.  So let’s get to it.

Planning: Without spelling out the 7 Ps of Project Management, we’ll just focus on the idea.  Planning is important to nearly everything in life.  If you don’t do it, your project may end up having delays, be poor quality, and more costly.  3 negatives… so do it!  In planning, you need to figure out exactly what you want to do when you grow up.  Don’t just think of what you want to do (be realistic) for your next job, but where you plan on directing your career.  Think of pay, and plan on negotiation including the lowest you are willing to take to accept a job.  Just like when planning a meal, or painting, or pretty much any other project, prep work is key.  Make sure you have a dedicated space to search for, and submit your resume to jobs if you don’t already have one.  In most cases, you’re going to spend hours per day on the front-end looking for work if you’re dedicated.  Whether it’s a section of a room, or a dedicated office, this is a huge priority.  The Scouts say “Be Prepared”, and if you’re not, you’re in deep doo-doo.

Don’t just plan on sending out resumes, plan on interviewing.  Most of us have other things to do, even if unemployed (childcare, family, other activities).  Make sure you schedule yourself several interview slots each week.  These are dedicated time slots, so that if called, you are organized, and can quickly confirm the manager’s suggestion, or offer your own.  Organization is a plus in everything.  Speaking of organization, did you schedule your dry cleaners?  Make sure to keep at least one business outfit available at all times.  Need more far-out ideas?  Fill your gas tank the night before.  Test drive to the interview location during the same time of day the day before.  Make sure your car is tuned up (astronomical turn-off to hear someone has to re-schedule due to car troubles).

What about the next steps?  You’ve gone for an interview, now what’s your plan?  Plan on follow-up.  Put a follow-up call on the calendar.  If the manager has given advice on when that should be, use that.  If not, call in a week if you haven’t heard anything.

Great, so you’ve had a first round interview.  Most companies don’t have just one interview nowadays, so plan on a second round.  Don’t just show up, but arrive.  By this, I mean study up on your last meeting (interview) and go to the next level – have more understanding of the organization, the key players, and culture if you can by reading white papers, blogs, etc.

Next, plan on the decision phase.  You’ve already figured out your needed compensation.  Be prepared to answer the pay question if you haven’t already been asked.  Be prepared to tell them exactly when you can start.  Be prepared to accept rejection – GRACEFULLY – as there may be several interviewing for the position.

Get Active: Activity begets activity.  I’ve mentioned this in a previous post, but you can never get too much exposure from positive activity.  By this, I mean join groups, societies, churches, sports or other organizations that get you out of the house.  Don’t go overboard as you’re searching for a job now, but there is always a need for volunteers to get things done.  Whether you get into the fraternal, service, religious, or other, treat these like projects – allocating a time budget and schedule.  Wild idea (if within budget or interest) – join a golf league.  Many of those in the league are business owners and hiring managers.  Exposure to them in a positive light can open doors!

Set your clock for your normal wake-up time.  Maybe give yourself a week to “vacation”, but after that, get up and get going.  Too many people get lethargic while unemployed, and that will become very evident during interviews.

How is your house/apartment?  What types of projects can you get done?  Feeling good about your home, and accomplishing something that you see every day will boost your morale.

Get Healthy/Attractive: I can’t tell you how many articles I’ve read about the benefits of nutrition and physical activity on brain function.  Some of us need all the help we can get in this category!  Think of interviewing like dating… who is going to catch your eye?  The person who looks trim, or the person who doesn’t seem to care about their appearance?  Hiring is not all that far off.  Maybe the reasons why this matters is different, but the end result is the same.  Whether it is the small businessperson who is worried that someone just can’t make it up the stairs everyday to the office, to the corporate manager who is worried about sick days (people in better physical shape take fewer of them), health means a lot.

Additionally, getting fit is a stress-relief.  Not only does it help tone, and drop fat, but it allows a safe release of tension.  When unemployed, the stress factors of not working can be enormous.  Don’t think this requires an expensive gym membership.  You may opt to go that route, but many simple exercises (read this quick article from renowned author, trainer, and nutrition guru Will Brink) can be done on any floor, or in your neighborhood (running, biking, etc).

Remember, no one is offended by someone who is in good shape.  If the hiring manager is health-conscious, you can bet he/she is going to at least subliminally factor that in.

So to round it all up, get your plan, activity, mind and body all focused on achieving some goals, and have them all converge on getting employed.  Busy begets busy, so get to it!

My $.02

A little about me:

I don’t have a crystal ball, nor do I have all of the answers.  I do have a little over 18 years of Human Capital Management experience in my life – Operations, Management, Consulting, Recruiting, and Ownership.  Please don’t stop your reading and research with my post, but use this as a basis to formulate your winning strategy.