Getting Organised for the Job Hunt

Whatever your reason for applying for job roles, you need to get organised, and I mean really organised.

Applying for jobs is a serious business, it can almost feel like a full-time job in itself. You must remember that you will have other commitments to balance as you put yourself forward for job roles, so you need to set yourself up to manage applying for job roles, that will enable you to manage the process with efficiency and effectiveness.

Searching for a new role, is not just about scouting on-line job boards, you’ve got to consider your CV, cover letters, possibly an evidence portfolio, maybe the company gets you to complete a test of some description as part of their recruitment process, and you’ve got job descriptions / position specifications as well.

Job Application Folder and File Taxonomy

Now, chances are you are not just applying for one job, but going ‘hard out’, applying for all jobs that appeal to you, align with your values, and that fit your career aspirations, your education, experience, expertise, skills, knowledge, and attributes.

Initially it can be relatively easy to manage, but once you start getting to the point of applying for 10+ jobs, where you are saving the electronic paperwork will start looking like the index of the London A-Z!

So, before it gets out of hand, and you cannot find any of the electronic paperwork easily, set yourself up with a proper system, and then make use of it. If you haven’t already set up a system, get to it, you’ll thank me later!

I personally make use of Google Drive to save any files relevant to the jobs I have applied to. Because I use Google Driver for all my electronic storage, I set up a folder called Job Applications [INSERT YEAR] and another folder called CV and Cover Letter Templates where I save my ‘template’ CV, and cover letter file, and then I set up a folder for each job I have applied for and store the CV, cover letter, and any other files relevant to that job. The folder for each job I have applied for I save it with the Job Title, the name of the company or recruitment agency who advertised the job, and the date I applied.

Additionally, I also have some other folders set up; Unsuccessful Job Applications (trust me there will be a few!), Job Interviews, and Jobs Not Heard Back From (this will likely have the largest number of folders in it, but that’s a whole other post’!). As I hear back from employers or recruitment agencies, I move each of the job folders into the appropriate file.

My basic set up looks like the following;

Google Drive

\|/

\|/

Job Applications 2023 > CV and Cover Letter Templates

> Operations Manager - ABC Recruitment Agency – 27/07/2023

> Project Manager – Acme – 27/07/2023

> Virtual Assistant – Blahblah – 01/08/2023

> Unsuccessful Job Applications

> Job Interviews

> Jobs Not Heard Back From

Lets look at the folder Project Manager role I applied to at Acme on the 27/007/2023, and the files I have saved in it. Generally, they are Word documents.

Project Manager – Acme – 27/07/2023 > CV - Project Manager – Acme – 27/07/2023.doc

> Cover Letter – Project Manager – Acme – 27/07/2023.doc

> JD - Project Manager – Acme – 27/07/2023.doc

Now chances are the number of folders for each job application could potentially end up reaching the 100s so your Job Applications folder will be a massive list of folders, as a means to manage this I then start using the folders; Unsuccessful Job Applications, Job Interviews, and Jobs Not Heard Back From. As I hear back (or not) I move the relevant job I’ve applied to, to the appropriate folder. Lets say that I have heard back from the role at Acme, and Blahblah, and I have not been successful in moving to the next phase of their recruitment process. I would then move these two folders to the Unsuccessful Job Applications

Unsuccessful Job Applications > Project Manager – Acme – 27/07/2023

> Virtual Assistant – Blahblah – 01/08/2023

Any additional items the employer or recruitment agency has provided you save it to that job folder. If you have had to provide the employer or recruitment agency with any additional ‘paperwork’ e.g., an evidence portfolio, then again this can be stored amongst your job application taxonomy.

Hopefully, you get the point. However, you manage the electronic files for the jobs you applied for, make it work for you. Keep it simple, but make sure it enables you to be efficient and effective to manage, what will be a busy part of your life till you find your next career move.

Another advantage of saving your files to the ‘cloud’, rather than on your desktop or the document storage spaces on your device, is that its far safer, especially in the unlikely event that your device ‘fails’, and you cannot access your folders or files. With this system, you will also find it easier to revisit the files, this can be handy if you manage to secure an interview and want to ‘remind’ yourself of what you have said!

If you do not have Google Drive, there are many other cloud-based storage systems you can make use of, and the beauty is you can access your folders, and files, from any device, wherever you are.

So, setting up some form of taxonomy for saving and storing your files is just one way you can work smarter when it comes to applying for jobs, another way is to have a ‘base’ CV and cover letter template.

CV and Cover Letter Template

The idea of having your CV and cover letter template is that for each job role you are applying to you need to make changes to the template to put you in the best position to demonstrate how your career to date fits with the job you are applying for, this is also your opportunity to make your CV and cover letter ATS (applicant tracking system) friendly, and make sure of keywords. Setting yourself up with your CV and cover letter template means you will be able to quickly adapt them to each job role.

Job Search Boards

So now you’ve set yourself up with a taxonomy, and templates, the next thing you can do to save yourself time, is if you have not already is to sign up to relevant Job Search Boards, and to recruitment agencies that have a careers hub. Again, this is something that takes time, as often you must fill in on-line forms, upload CVs or other documentation. Spend the time to set yourself up on these platforms, and then if the platform enables it set up searches and save them, and if it has the functionality, get the platform to email you once a day, with any new jobs that have been added.

To set up your job application taxonomy, templates, and job search boards does take an investment of your time, but once you have you will be saving yourself time in the long term. Remember, that you will be applying for multiple jobs simultaneously, and want to make the time and effort it takes you to apply for the jobs as easy, and as simple as possible. This way you can focus your energy on putting the ‘best version’ of you forward to your future employer.

#cv #coverletter #jobsearchstrategy #jobboards #recruitmentagencies