In today’s current economic climate, you may find yourself unemployed for the very first time. Now is not the time to give in to despair. You are not alone! Many of my clients are taking this time to reevaluate what they have done and opting to try something different instead. When trying something different, you’ll have to renovate your job search for this as well.

Reigniting your job search may feel like an overwhelming idea

You really just need to take it one step at a time and realize, you are not starting at the beginning. Your past work experience will serve you well no matter what job you decide to take. You already understand how business works, how to interact and connect with coworkers, and hopefully, you have already established proper and effective work habits. This know-how already puts you ahead of new candidates coming in. This gives you the advantage over workers with no experience.

So, how do you update your resume?

Before you start rewriting it, think through some other options first. You could go to school or get more training. But before you make this decision, you should do a self-assessment and see if this would actually be beneficial to you. You might want to work with a career counselor, and let them help lead you to the right path. Look around and see what kind of options you have, don’t panic, and just try to examine your situation. Then you can begin to retool your job search.

• Begin with what you enjoy

Is there something you always wanted to do? A long-lost passion that you never thought you would be able to do? Maybe it was being a travel agent, being able to visit places you’ve always dreamed of? Who knows! But start with what makes you happy. What do you want to continue doing in your next role? Think through the tasks you currently do that you excel at. Look for roles that focus on those tasks or projects. Maybe you have a hobby that you enjoy, and there is a job related to that. It could be a completely different field than what you’ve ever worked in, so take a look around and don’t limit yourself. Be open to new possibilities.

• Develop a list of companies

Create a list of 20 different companies you’d like to work for. Find them on social media and begin following them, get to know what they stand for, and what their future plans are. If you are in a metropolitan area, there are a multitude of options and positions that would fit your job search choice. But, try to reach out a little past your current job and find something that is different or that would excite you. Put this list together because you’re going to need it. 

• Contact list

Now that you have your company list, develop a list of 10-20 people at EACH company you can reach out to via LinkedIn. Go through your 1^st and 2^nd connections to help you make contact with a decision-maker. Craft a personal message to these individuals, mentioning your common connection.

•  Start updating your resume

This is a must! You will need a current resume to start sending to these potential employers, but make sure your resume is targeted to each position and company, emphasizing how you will benefit your prospective employer. You may need to consult with a professional resume writer since they are experienced in taking an outdated resume and creating an attention-grabbing, branded resume to highlight your achievements for the current market. Make sure your resume is focused on what you want to do NOW.