How to Target Your Job Search

An exercise on HOW TO NARROW YOUR OPTIONS

Once you have clarity on which direction you’d like to take, your next task is to FOCUS on options. To get a sense of what positions you want to target, here’s an exercise that will help you get started.

1. Review job postings

2. Choose 5 or 6ish postings you feel are a good fit (or fewer, but no more than 6ish or you might overwhelm yourself)

3. Make a list of the titles from those postings (they will be called different things in different companies or sectors). What patterns do you see in the job titles? 

4. Start a new Word doc

5. Copy and paste the tasks (duties and responsibilities) that you like and / or stand out to you from those 5 or 6 postings from #2

6. Paste your selection (see #5 above) into: https://tagcrowd.com/. What patterns and themes do you see in the tasks? 

7. What patterns do you see in general? What about education / training or salary? 

8. Who do you know who works in the organizations you are considering?

   1. Is there a mutual connection (friend, former colleague or classmate, neighbor, etc.) who can introduce you to the organizations you are considering? 

   2. Look up the organizations or people with the job titles you are considering. Where did they go to school? What conversations do they follow on LinkedIn? What do they post about? Look for insight on ways you can plug into the conversation.