Step One - Planning
Before you do anything, get yourself an exercise book or set up a folder on your computer. This will be needed for your planning process notes and for keeping a record of job applications and the results.
Think about yourself, what you like or don't like; what you are good at - and bad at; what you want from your job and what you can offer an employer. Think of your successes (and failures) from the past, at work or elsewhere, and write them down.
Your wants and needs
Not just your own, but also your family's wants and needs. Typical things to think about are:
Can you relocate for the right job or consider working shifts/unsociable hours.
How far can you travel to work?
What kind of environment are you looking for - indoors/outdoors? plush, modern offices? a busy, buzzing atmosphere or peace and quiet?
How much do you need to earn? Best to think in terms of a top and bottom limit
What other benefits do you need/aspire to? Pension? Child care? Insurance? Car?
Do I really want to work for someone else or could I start my own business?
What you can offer your employer
There are two parts to this one: 1) Skills - your qualifications, industry courses and working experience and 2) Attributes - your natural character traits that make you good at certain things and... not so good at others.
Skills
Be sure to note any and all courses you have attended - even if they are not specific to your work.
Attributes: (Be honest with yourself) No-one else is going to see this - this is just for you so you must really know what you can and can't do - what you will and won't do. Some questions you could ask yourself are:
Do I work well with people or do I prefer the quiet of a space of my own?
Am I happier in a routine or do I like being challenged with change?
Am I self-motivated? Am I better left alone to get on with the job or do I need someone to chivvy me along?
What motivates me? Is it just the money or is there something else that makes me work better/harder?
Do I want to develop a career or just get a job?
Do I keep changing jobs? Why? (Changing jobs is not always a bad thing)
It might help to think back over your past jobs and remember all the things you enjoyed most - not forgetting those you did not enjoy at all. One more question: How did you deal with the bits you did not enjoy?
Whatever your thoughts on these and any other questions, you need to back them up with actual examples, taken from your working life or your private life, and write them in your job-seeker notes. These notes are going to be so helpful throughout the job hunting process.
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