How to Create a Job Search Plan

Interests

Assessments

Choose an assessment from the list and take the test. Document your results alongside the rest of the information we are gathering. Make a note of the assessment that you used.

Your outcome might surprise you. As long as you take the assessment honestly and with an open mind, the results will be pretty accurate. There will be adjectives you can use to describe yourself that you haven't thought of.

We are going to end this section on Interests with one more interactive exercise.

Determining Interests

Interests are important to identify. An Employer wants to know what drives you and how dedicated you are. Being able to articulate this works in your favor and makes you unique and memorable.

By showcasing your dedication and enthusiasm during the interview process, you not only separate yourself from other candidates, but you also demonstrate your commitment to pursuing a career in Information Technology.

By being able to clearly articulate your motivations and the reasons for your career change, you showcase your self-awareness and readiness for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in the field.

You may already know what yours are. If you do, go ahead and list them out. If you would like to explore further, here is a list of assessments that you can take. There are a few free online assessments, a few that an NGT Career Success Coach can administer during a one-on-one, and some comprehensive but purchase-required assessments.

Role Model Exercise

Start by naming three to four role models. They can be ones you admired as a child, cartoons, favorite movie characters, teacher, etc. Then for each role model, list as many things as you can think of that you like the best about them.

Read through the list and divide your answers into two categories:

I am like my role model in these ways - these represent qualities and competencies you find meaningful and are important to you.

I am different from my role model in these ways - these represent your emerging strengths, things you find important that you would love to focus and grow on.

Add this to your growing Career Success Mastermind list and we will go over Curiosities, Ideas, and Vulnerabilities.

Your Story

A story or narrative forges a connection with the audience. By sharing personal experiences, anecdotes, and relatable scenarios, your stories resonate on a human level allowing the listener to see something of themselves in the narrative.

This is the connection we want to build when we are networking, or talking with an Employer. You are capturing attention and keeping them engaged. The more the engagement, the more attention is given during an interview or a networking event. The more attention and interaction you garner, the more enduring the impact you make.

At this point in your notes you have:

Mindset Checkin and NGT Factor
List of five values
List of three workplace values
A list of your top skills
A skills map
Your top four to five accomplishments with recurring themes and narrative outline
Your completed assessments with skills and interests
Role Model Summary - qualities and competencies you find meaningful, emerging strengths, and areas you might want to focus on
Curiosities, Ideas and Vulnerabilities

Review the information that you have. What stands out to you? From this list, what do you want someone to know about you the most? What elements do you think describes you the best?

Try putting a narrative together. Later on in the Career Path Masterclass, we will talk about how exactly to put together the elevator pitch so the narrative you try doesn't have to be perfect. What is important here is to start to get comfortable describing yourself in different positive and professional ways.

As you are doing this remember to decide how you are going to end your narrative. It makes it less daunting a task when you plan how you are going to start and how you are going to end.