by Kriszia Vengua

Created on: February 13, 2009

Developing a good job campaign is an essential step to your job search.

Whether you're a fresh graduate, or a retiree looking to switch careers, having a good job campaign will not only make your job search more efficient, but can also serve as a blueprint for your career path.

So what exactly is a job campaign? In a nutshell, a job campaign is your battle plan, a personal how-to that will guide you through your job search, from the time you start writing that resume to the moment you get hired for that first job.

Below are a few tips on how to create a powerful job campaign:

1. Start early! A lot of people only start their job search after they're out of a job: after they graduate, after they get laid off, after they quit their jobs.

A good job search is a lot like surfing. You don't catch the perfect wave by standing on the shore, you have to get in the water and be there as it forms. That means going to job fairs while you're still in school, and always keeping your ear open to job openings in your field-even if you don't need it yet.

2. Identify possible employment opportunities. Back in the day, a thorough job search meant looking at the classifieds of five different papers and sending in your resume. Not anymore! There are other avenues where you can look for work: job sites, social networking sites, job fairs, referrals, and even directly through their sites.

You should never rely on just one job search option, as different employers use different avenues. That's why it's important that you start your job campaign early, so that you can identify what company you want to work for, and then research the best ways to get in.

2. Get organized. Job hunting can get pretty hectic once you hit the pavement, that's why it's important to keep track of your documents, and to have a separate job search schedule. The last thing you want to be thinking as you walk in to that interview is what you said in your cover letter, and what this company is all about.

During you job search, keep a file for each company you applied for, and attach the necessary documentations: notes you have on company for when you did your research, their address, phone numbers, and contact person. If you have a custom cover letter (which you should) or a resume tailored for this job, include a copy. That way, you won't get confused as to what you wrote in there.

This will save you a lot of anxiety for when you have to prepare for an interview. All you have to do is to pull out your file, and study the materials. That's why it's important to start your job search early. The last thing you want to do is googling a company a few hours before your interview because you didn't do your research ahead of time.

3. Network, network, network. The best way to land a job is through referrals, so it's important that you learn how to network.

Your friends are your best resources, and there's no cover letter than can beat a personal referral. So while networking is an essential part of your job campaign, it should be a being onto itself, simply because it's something that you should be doing all year round.

You don't start networking only when you're about to do a job search. You cultivate your relationships within your network, so that you can call upon them when you begin your job search.

Once you've drawn out a clear job campaign, you can focus on other aspects of your job search: writing your resume and cover letters.

Conducting a job search doesn't have to be stressful, so long as you develop a good campaign to guide you. After all, what are job searches if not a new journey in our lives!

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