Use August Wisely

Remember the old saying that "luck favors the prepared" August is the perfect time to prepare to land your "right fit" job!

Have your resume ready to go. While you're working on your resume, employers are finalizing job descriptions and postings that will start to appear right before and right after Labor Day. Many employers want to hire people right away to handle the expected heavy work load from late September to early December. If you're ready with your resume and cover letter, you'll be one of the first applicants to reach the employer.

It does help to be one of the first to cross the transom, especially in this economy. Employers are always looking for people who really want to work for their specific company, in their specific industry. Applying early in the search process indicates that you are motivated, even eager, to do this job.

Early application means that you stand a better chance of getting an interview if employers use a rolling search process - interviewing candidates until they get the right person. My experience is that very few employers actually wait to review resumes and start interviews until the advertised "final date for application." Thus, it's not to your advantage to wait until the very end of the process.

Prepare yourself to excel on interviews. Gather information. Use your computer and look up companies and fields that interest you. Become familiar with the field, its key players and its most recent trends, activities and achievements.

Seek out informational interviews with people in the companies and field you have targeted. This will get you connections as well as information. The reason you cite for wanting a meeting is to learn more about the field (company) and you know s/he is one of the best people to learn from. August is often a month where busy people have some time to give for informational interviews.

Here are some questions to ask:

* How did you get into this field?
* What keeps you interested in the field?
* What do you like best about your work?
* Where would you like to see the field (or your company) go in the future?
* What advice would you have for someone like me who wants to work in this field (at a company like this)?
* Is there anyone else you think I might benefit from talking to? If so, may I say you recommended that I contact them?

That's all I'll recommend now because the month fast approaches. Use it well and wisely!