This document provides instructions for setting up systems to manage a job search, including establishing primary contact information, setting up voicemail and email, using a calendar to plan time, organizing files, compiling a contact list, and assembling materials in a binder. The final section lists 9 action items to complete these setup tasks before proceeding to the next steps.

1. Action item list from Introduction
[ ] Determine your work place
[ ] Decide how many hours a week you will work
[ ] Get the necessary tools to conduct your job search
[ ] Locate all of your documentation related to your search – old
resumes, contact lists, assessments, etc. (don’t do anything
with it yet!)
[ ] Purchase the office supplies listed on the previous page if you
don’t already have them
Do not proceed to
the next step until you
have completed all
the steps above.

2. Enrollment
Setting up your communication channels

3. In this session we will cover
• Establishing our channels of communication
• Managing your calendar and schedule
• Using the Tracking Log and Contact Sheet
• Building your contact list
• Prioritizing and sorting your contact list

4. Primary contact information
• Be clear and consistent with your contact information
• Choose one phone number and version of your name to use
on all documents
• Home phone vs. cell phone– consider connection issues and
availability throughout the day

5. Setting up your voicemail
• Your greeting can influence the kind of message your caller
leaves for you
• Home, cell, work phone voicemail– make them simple and
professional – see script in tool kit for example
• Project a positive attitude in your tone of voice
– Listen to your message once you have recorded it and
re-record until you are satisfied
• Avoid: saying too much, talking too fast, not mentioning
your name, sounding mono-tone or in a bad mood,
referencing a side business, having your kids record the
message

6. Your email address
• First impressions are critical, so your email address should be
personal and professional
• If your email suggests you are
sharing an email address–
Change it!
• If your email uses a goofy
nickname or alias–
Change it!
• Create a new email address
if necessary–
Use your name
hotstud4u@aol.com
johndoe@gmail.com
thesmithfamily@yahoo.com

7. Email signature
• Create a signature file to appear at the bottom of
your email – keep it professional
• Example:John Doe
johndoe@gmail.com
(678) 123-4567
• Make sure this signature is on all outgoing job
emails, even replies

8. Time management and your calendar
• Always block off two weeks of activity at a time
• Your calendar should be mobile and easily
accessible
• The Week At-A-Glance planner lets you scan your
calendar easily for openings – use a pencil
• Don’t use a notepad for future appointments
• Keep a running To-Do List

9. Planning your time
• Plan out 2 weeks in advance block off time for:
– Job search time and activities
– Searching jobs online
– Personal and family time (important–schedule it)
– Networking meetings and events
– One on one coffee appointments
– Online company research
– Volunteering
• Choose appropriate times for certain activities
Schedule meetings/phone calls
during the day
Schedule internet research
at night

10. Your job search directory
• Set up a Job Search folder on your computer
• Establish a basic directory structure
Example:
• Resume
• Cover letters
• Company research
• Move and consolidate all of your files into this one directory

11. Building your contact list
• The Goal: Pull together 250 names from the various lists
• Professional contacts:
– Business address book
– Business email inbox and outbox and address book online
– Association lists
– Recent tradeshow or conference attendee listings
– LinkedIn and other business social network connections
• Personal contacts:
– Christmas card lists
– Personal address books
– Personal email inbox and address book online
– Wedding, anniversary (friends of parents) party invitation lists
– Facebook friends
• Consolidate all contacts into the Contact Tracking Log

12. The Memory Jogger
• We’ve created a Memory
Jogger to help you
remember potential
contacts.

13. The contact tracking log
• This is your master
contact list and
should contain all of
your personal and
business contacts
from your various
sources
• You will select
relevant people to
contact based on the
needs of your job
search

14. The contact sheet
• Fill out a contact sheet for each
person of interest that will require
follow-up
• Not every person you meet will
require a contact sheet
• Be sure to include:
– Contact information
– Notes about the contact that can
help build the relationship
– Schedule follow-up
communications and actions
• Place in 3-ring binder representing
the day of follow-up
•Call John at the
office on Feb 17th.
•We met at the Southern Tech Conference in Feb 15, 2010.
•John had just completed a large data migration implementation when
we met.
•He serves on the board of the Youth Foundation
•He was formerly with HP
•Wife’s name is Tammy, he has 2 daughters, Amy and Linda
Steve Tuner/widget Co 770-555-0555 Worked with him at
HP
s.utrner@widget.com
John Doe Acme
Systems
SVP,
Sales
404 555-5555
678 555-5555
John.Doe@acmesys.com
John.D@home.com
32 Filbert Street, Suite 5000
Atlanta, GA 30028

15. Putting together your 3-ring binder
• Your 3-ring binder provides a simple way to organize your
search documents, contacts and daily activity.
• In it, you will keep:
– Your resume, placed in a sheet protector
– Contact sheets, 3-hole punched and placed in a sheet protector
– Tracking log, 3-hole punched
– 1-31 tabs
– Printed documents from the Career Handler Tool Kit
– Marketing plan
– Success stories and elevator pitch

16. Action item list
[ ] Establish primary contact information: phone number, email etc.
[ ] Set up your voicemail message
[ ] Establish email address if necessary
[ ] Plan out the next 2 weeks using your calendar
[ ] Setup job search directory - consolidate and organize files
[ ] Compile your initial contact list using the “Contact Tracking Log”
[ ] Make 50 copies of the “Contact Sheet”
[ ] Make 10 copies of the “Contact Tracking Log”
[ ] Put together your job search 3-ring binder
Do not proceed to
the next step until you
have completed all
the steps above.