7 Steps to Take Action in the Career You Want

You probably already know what you want to do as a career. Perhaps you’ve known for a long time, or perhaps you just finished reading and doing everything in the “5 Steps to Choosing the Career That Fits You” article on Plan and Organize. Either way, you have an extremely good idea as to what your career is going to be. The clock may be ticking, and you need to take action. That’s what this article is for.

Take Action

Taking action is the first part in getting a job. Way before you get the job you really want, you should start taking action.

1. Set Goals and Get Advice

You should have some goals as to what you want to achieve in your career. You can have goals for achievements, but you should also have economic goals that you should know throughout your career.

Getting advice is also important. If you have friends and family, don’t hesitate to talk to them about the career you want to pursue. Also, you can talk to a guidance counselor who can help you every step of the way. If you know anyone who is in the career that you are pursuing, or if you know someone who is pursuing the same career as you, try to connect with that person and get advice.

2. Gain Experience / Volunteer

Getting experience is the best way to stick out to an employer. You can do this by landing an internship or apprenticeship. Or, you can volunteer. The closer you get to what your actual career will be like, the better.

Talk to your friends, family, and/or guidance counselor about the internships you wish to land, and talk to them about any volunteering you wish to do as well. They may have invaluable input on the internship you want, and they may be able to suggest an even better internship for you to pursue.

Don’t forget to research internships and volunteer opportunities. The more options you have, the higher your chances of landing an internship.

Once you have an internship or job as a volunteer, try to get as much information as you can out of it. Do your best to learn what your future job will be like, and make sure that you talk to the other employees. Those who have a job similar to your future job could offer you extremely helpful advice.

3. Network

Use online services and websites such as LinkedIn to advertise your skills and acquire valuable contacts. You could contact possible employers, co-workers, or employees on these sites, so be on the lookout for opportunities. Make sure that your accounts on these networking sites are entirely professional.

4. Research your Career

You should now have ideas as to where you want to work. That means you need to research again, just like you did when you looked for internships and volunteering opportunities.

It is crucial that you gain as much information as you can about your possible workplaces and employers. If you want to apply to work at or for any of them, you need to know just what to do.

Once you’ve gained information through research, it is now time to apply.

Apply and Get the Job

You already know where you want to work. Now all you have to do is give it your best shot and apply.

5. Research and Look at Job Descriptions

When you know your ideal workplace, research it some more. Once you find the available jobs, read the job descriptions carefully, and note any specific skills or qualifications that the employer wants to have in an employee – you’ll want to know what they are when you write your application.

Once you’ve chosen a specific job position to apply for, it is time to write your résumé and cover letter so that you can apply.

6. Write your Résumé and Cover Letter

Now it’s time to write your résumé and cover letter. First, you should write your cover letter, and then make your résumé.

In your cover letter, you’ll want to formally address the employer you’re interested in working for. Like any formal letter, you will use formal language. In the cover letter, include some information that is in your résumé, such as some of your skills, and your contact information. Be sure that you have a nice tone in this letter.

Once you’ve made your cover letter, you need to make your résumé. In your résumé, you need to list your skills, your education, and your experience, especiallly internships and volunteer opportunities. This is where you want to fine tune your résumé to exactly what the employer wants. Remember the job description you needed to pay attention to? You need to show that you meet those requirements, and you need to highlight your skills and success that you’d need to meet the description.

Once you finish the résumé and the cover letter, you need to send them both in with your application. If you stick out to the company, you’ll get to proceed to step 7!

7. Prepare for the Interview

So, you sent in your application, and you got a big indication of mutual interest: an invitation to an interview. Congratulations! That’s a big step forward, but not as big as actually getting the job. The interview is very important: it is where you physically get questioned about your experience and skills. The interview speaks way more than the résumé or cover letter, so be prepared!

Make sure that you dress well for the occasion. You don’t need to go overboard, but try to match the style of everyone else, staying on the formal side a little bit.

Also, you should know your résumé inside and out. You should know your qualifications, and the interviewers want to see your confidence. Speaking of confidence, you should look up standard questions that interviewers ask, so that you can know how to answer them and maintain your cool.

Before and during the interview, relax. Know that the employer wouldn’t have you at an interview if he/she wasn’t interested in you. You can do it!

Hopefully, you liked this article. If you did, take some time to look at other articles on planandorganize.com. Thanks!

 

Sources:

Careers: The Graphic Guide to Finding the Perfect Job for You. New York: DK Publishing, 2015. Print.

My own thoughts and experience