Your Guide to a Successful Job Search
If you're just starting out, or if an additional $10- or $20,000 or more a year is something you could put to use, here are six steps and a tool to help you arrive at a successful and satisfying outcome:
- Assess all your skills and those you might want to develop
I created this printable Skills Assessment form for you to weigh your talents and skills.
To land your dream job you must first know where and how you'd best fit in. From the list, select your ten most employable skills.
- Prepare your résumé
If the job you're seeking requires a résumé, it's important that you create a document that briefly and powerfully portrays your work history.
There are two general types of résumé: traditional (chronological),
and skills-based (functional).
In either case you'll want to clearly demonstrate how your experience and skills match the employer's needs.
- If your career has been growing steadily in the same general field, then you'll want to create a
traditional résumé,
listing your previous jobs in chronological order, starting with your most recent job.
- If you're starting out in a new field, or you have non-traditional experience, or your timeline has significant gaps, then you'll want to create a
functional résumé highlighting
your most employable skills, with examples and results.
Trends in résumé writing are changing rapidly with technology.
Use the resources below to figure out your best approach and then take the time to put together a document you can be proud of, and which paints a compelling portrait of you as an appealing candidate.
Here are a few sources for ideas:
- How To Make A Résumé 101 (Examples Included)
- How to Write a Great Résumé for a Job – Tips & Examples
- 17 Resume Tips to Get Seen and Hired Faster
- 10 Résumé Writing Tips to Help You Land a Job
- How to Write a Résumé (That's Good!) in 7 Easy Steps
- Free Professional Resume Templates
- ... or Google: "write a great resume"
- Perform your job search
This is where technology is changing the fastest, both for employers and those searching for employment. Now that you've done your skills assessment and have your résumé in hand, here are a few
places to look to see who's out there:
- My list of Employer Application Websites
- indeed.com/
- ziprecruiter.com
- glassdoor.com
- craigslist.org
- simplyhired.com/
... and for more advice ...
- job-hunt.org
- careeronestop.org/
- Write your cover letter
This is where you sharpen the tip of the spear. You've identified your strong points in your résumé and you've found an employer you want to impress. The purpose of your cover letter is to
make a strong connection between what the employer needs and what you offer them.
The letter that covers your résumé should be very narrowly targeted to the job you've identified.
- Ace the job interview
Everything you've done to this point has been to get you in the door (or on the phone, or on a video conference). This is your time to shine.
First, read my entire cheat sheet:
Your Job Interview: 4 never-dos, 7 pro tips, 9 killer answers, and 4 closings.
Then check out some of the following tips on making the best impression.
- Last but by no means least... follow up immediately.
As soon as you get home from your interview, email a thank-you note to the interviewer expressing your appreciation for the opportunity to do great things with and for their company.
Affirm any next steps you've agreed to.
This will solidify all the positives of that first impression the interviewer has of you.
The tool: Use AI to clean everything up.
If you're comfortable using an AI model, such as ChatGPT, Claude and/or Gemini, you can polish up your documents with these tools. Be sure to write drafts in your own words for the model to work on.
Here are a few suggested prompts:
- To optimize your résumé: "Revise my résumé for [JOB ROLE]. Highlight quantifiable achievements, powerful action verbs, and keywords that recruiters
actively search for."
- To write your cover letter: "Write a concise, confident cover letter for [JOB ROLE] at [COMPANY]. Make it personalized, professional, and specifically
tailored to this position."
- To enhance your LinkedIn profile: "Rewrite my LinkedIn About section to position me as a top candidate for [JOB ROLE]. Focus on establishing credibility, clarity,
and authentic personality."
- In preparing for your interview: "Generate 10 common interview questions for [JOB ROLE] with natural, confident responses that sound authentically
conversational and human."
- To align your skills with the Job Description: "Reframe my experience in [INDUSTRY] to align with [NEW INDUSTRY OR ROLE]. Highlight transferable skills and
clearly demonstrate measurable impact."
- To reach out to a recruiter: "Write a brief LinkedIn message to recruiters for [JOB ROLE]. Keep it warm, concise, and genuinely compelling—with a crystal-clear
call to action."
- To write a follow-up letter: "Create a follow-up email to send after an interview. Make it courteous, memorable, and powerfully demonstrate why you're the ideal
fit."
- Assess all your skills and those you might want to develop
I created this printable Skills Assessment form for you to weigh your talents and skills.
To land your dream job you must first know where and how you'd best fit in. From the list, select your ten most employable skills.
- Prepare your résumé
If the job you're seeking requires a résumé, it's important that you create a document that briefly and powerfully portrays your work history.
There are two general types of résumé: traditional (chronological),
and skills-based (functional).
In either case you'll want to clearly demonstrate how your experience and skills match the employer's needs.
- If your career has been growing steadily in the same general field, then you'll want to create a
traditional résumé,
listing your previous jobs in chronological order, starting with your most recent job.
- If you're starting out in a new field, or you have non-traditional experience, or your timeline has significant gaps, then you'll want to create a
functional résumé highlighting
your most employable skills, with examples and results.
Trends in résumé writing are changing rapidly with technology.
Use the resources below to figure out your best approach and then take the time to put together a document you can be proud of, and which paints a compelling portrait of you as an appealing candidate.
Here are a few sources for ideas:
- How To Make A Résumé 101 (Examples Included)
- How to Write a Great Résumé for a Job – Tips & Examples
- 17 Resume Tips to Get Seen and Hired Faster
- 10 Résumé Writing Tips to Help You Land a Job
- How to Write a Résumé (That's Good!) in 7 Easy Steps
- Free Professional Resume Templates
- ... or Google: "write a great resume"
- Perform your job search
This is where technology is changing the fastest, both for employers and those searching for employment. Now that you've done your skills assessment and have your résumé in hand, here are a few
places to look to see who's out there:
- My list of Employer Application Websites
- indeed.com/
- ziprecruiter.com
- glassdoor.com
- craigslist.org
- simplyhired.com/
... and for more advice ...
- job-hunt.org
- careeronestop.org/
- Write your cover letter
This is where you sharpen the tip of the spear. You've identified your strong points in your résumé and you've found an employer you want to impress. The purpose of your cover letter is to
make a strong connection between what the employer needs and what you offer them.
The letter that covers your résumé should be very narrowly targeted to the job you've identified.
- Ace the job interview
Everything you've done to this point has been to get you in the door (or on the phone, or on a video conference). This is your time to shine.
First, read my entire cheat sheet:
Your Job Interview: 4 never-dos, 7 pro tips, 9 killer answers, and 4 closings.
Then check out some of the following tips on making the best impression.
- Last but by no means least... follow up immediately.
As soon as you get home from your interview, email a thank-you note to the interviewer expressing your appreciation for the opportunity to do great things with and for their company.
Affirm any next steps you've agreed to.
This will solidify all the positives of that first impression the interviewer has of you.
I created this printable Skills Assessment form for you to weigh your talents and skills.
To land your dream job you must first know where and how you'd best fit in. From the list, select your ten most employable skills.
If the job you're seeking requires a résumé, it's important that you create a document that briefly and powerfully portrays your work history.
There are two general types of résumé: traditional (chronological), and skills-based (functional). In either case you'll want to clearly demonstrate how your experience and skills match the employer's needs.
Trends in résumé writing are changing rapidly with technology. Use the resources below to figure out your best approach and then take the time to put together a document you can be proud of, and which paints a compelling portrait of you as an appealing candidate.
Here are a few sources for ideas:
There are two general types of résumé: traditional (chronological), and skills-based (functional). In either case you'll want to clearly demonstrate how your experience and skills match the employer's needs.
- If your career has been growing steadily in the same general field, then you'll want to create a traditional résumé, listing your previous jobs in chronological order, starting with your most recent job.
- If you're starting out in a new field, or you have non-traditional experience, or your timeline has significant gaps, then you'll want to create a functional résumé highlighting your most employable skills, with examples and results.
Trends in résumé writing are changing rapidly with technology. Use the resources below to figure out your best approach and then take the time to put together a document you can be proud of, and which paints a compelling portrait of you as an appealing candidate.
Here are a few sources for ideas:
- How To Make A Résumé 101 (Examples Included)
- How to Write a Great Résumé for a Job – Tips & Examples
- 17 Resume Tips to Get Seen and Hired Faster
- 10 Résumé Writing Tips to Help You Land a Job
- How to Write a Résumé (That's Good!) in 7 Easy Steps
- Free Professional Resume Templates
- ... or Google: "write a great resume"
This is where technology is changing the fastest, both for employers and those searching for employment. Now that you've done your skills assessment and have your résumé in hand, here are a few
places to look to see who's out there:
- My list of Employer Application Websites
- indeed.com/
- ziprecruiter.com
- glassdoor.com
- craigslist.org
- simplyhired.com/ ... and for more advice ...
- job-hunt.org
- careeronestop.org/
This is where you sharpen the tip of the spear. You've identified your strong points in your résumé and you've found an employer you want to impress. The purpose of your cover letter is to
make a strong connection between what the employer needs and what you offer them.
The letter that covers your résumé should be very narrowly targeted to the job you've identified.
The letter that covers your résumé should be very narrowly targeted to the job you've identified.
Everything you've done to this point has been to get you in the door (or on the phone, or on a video conference). This is your time to shine.
First, read my entire cheat sheet: Your Job Interview: 4 never-dos, 7 pro tips, 9 killer answers, and 4 closings.
Then check out some of the following tips on making the best impression.
First, read my entire cheat sheet: Your Job Interview: 4 never-dos, 7 pro tips, 9 killer answers, and 4 closings.
Then check out some of the following tips on making the best impression.
As soon as you get home from your interview, email a thank-you note to the interviewer expressing your appreciation for the opportunity to do great things with and for their company.
Affirm any next steps you've agreed to.
This will solidify all the positives of that first impression the interviewer has of you.
- To optimize your résumé: "Revise my résumé for [JOB ROLE]. Highlight quantifiable achievements, powerful action verbs, and keywords that recruiters
actively search for."
- To write your cover letter: "Write a concise, confident cover letter for [JOB ROLE] at [COMPANY]. Make it personalized, professional, and specifically
tailored to this position."
- To enhance your LinkedIn profile: "Rewrite my LinkedIn About section to position me as a top candidate for [JOB ROLE]. Focus on establishing credibility, clarity,
and authentic personality."
- In preparing for your interview: "Generate 10 common interview questions for [JOB ROLE] with natural, confident responses that sound authentically
conversational and human."
- To align your skills with the Job Description: "Reframe my experience in [INDUSTRY] to align with [NEW INDUSTRY OR ROLE]. Highlight transferable skills and
clearly demonstrate measurable impact."
- To reach out to a recruiter: "Write a brief LinkedIn message to recruiters for [JOB ROLE]. Keep it warm, concise, and genuinely compelling—with a crystal-clear
call to action."
- To write a follow-up letter: "Create a follow-up email to send after an interview. Make it courteous, memorable, and powerfully demonstrate why you're the ideal fit."