8 Essential Job Search Exercises

A few weeks ago I went to The Prepary and City Society’s Career Boost Bootcamp. It was an all-day workshop for job searchers. They were kind enough to give me a ticket so that I could write about the day.

I’m going to walk you through a very high-level summary of some of the job search exercises so you can do them at home. You’ll definitely want to bookmark this so you have it handy when it’s time to search!

1. Getting Clear and Getting Organized: Think about your current and past roles and the type of work you’ve done. Write three columns labeled stop, start, and continue. In start, write things you haven’t done that you’d like to do. In stop, write things you have done that you don’t want to do. Next, write things you’ve done that you want to do in your next role.
2. Other Considerations: Write about your ideal: company culture, colleagues, manager, company values, compensation, perks, and how much you value growth and upward mobility in a job.
3. Tell Your Story: Write your professional summary, what you’ve done so far in your career, what you can bring to the table (how your experiences align with what they’re looking for), and the type of role you want to have next.
4. Your Dream Companies: Write down a few companies you’d love to work for.
5. Your Dream Jobs: Write a few job titles you’d like to have.
6. Your Cover Letter: There are three key components to a good cover letter. You need to explain why you’d be great at the job, align your experience with the qualifications they’re looking for, and explain why you want to work at the company and in the specific role. Your cover letter should be less than a page. The tone should match the company’s tone. Think about whether it’s more appropriate to be formal or informal. Don’t forget to do some sleuthing to find out who the HR person or hiring manager is—don’t write “To whom it may concern.”
7. Networking: We reviewed ways that you can engage your network during the job search process and good ways to prepare for informational interviews. In order to avoid having your resume go into the “black hole” reach out to people who can help you. Reach out to five people you are close with, go on at least five informational interviews, join at least two networking groups, and use LinkedIn to find out ways you’re connected to the company.
8. Informational Interviews: Always be prepared! Know your personal story, be genuine, do your research on the person and the job, and ask questions based on your research.

One of the best parts of the workshop was being able to ask Jamie and Emily specific questions about resumes, LinkedIn, cover letters, and networking. I know that everyone left feeling prepared and motivated for the job search. Looking for more job search advice and great networking events in NYC? Go to The Prepary and City Society!

We’d love to know if you’re interested in going to a Career Boost Bootcamp. Please tell us in the comments! 

Thank you to Career Boost Bootcamp for partnering on this post!