Georgia Job Search Guide

This guide walks you through a job search from start to finish, from coping with a layoff to landing and keeping a new job. It is based on the classic Georgia Department of Labor job search handbook, updated for how people apply for jobs today, and it ends with the free help available at Georgia’s career centers.

• Treat it as a jobPlan on 30 to 35 hours a week of searching
• Free helpGeorgia DOL career centers and EmployGeorgia
• Unemployment benefitsFile with the Georgia Department of Labor

1. Stay Positive and Organized

Losing a job brings financial and emotional stress, and it can strain family relationships. The shorter your search, the less that stress builds, so start right away while your skills and contacts are fresh.

• Don’t blame yourself. A layoff or closing is a loss like any other, and it is often not your fault.
• Adjust your budget with your family for a period of lower income.
• Take care of yourself with regular sleep, meals and exercise.
• Talk about it. Family and friends are your support system and often your best source of leads.
• Keep a schedule. Work on your search during business hours, and keep evenings and weekends for rest.

Successful job hunters take charge of their own search, know what they offer and what they want, see setbacks as temporary, don’t take rejections personally, accept help from others and keep a sense of humor.

2. Avoid the Common Mistakes

Qualified people often stay unemployed longer than they need to for reasons that have little to do with their skills or the job market. The most common are:

• Making a poor first impression in appearance, manners or paperwork.
• Relying only on posted openings and missing the “hidden job market” of jobs filled through contacts and referrals.
• Being unable to describe their skills and accomplishments.
• Spending only a few hours a week on the search.
• Being unprepared for hard interview questions.

3. Know What Employers Want

Every hiring decision comes down to one question: can this person help the business make or save money? Most employers weigh the same three things:

Your title and years on your last job matter less to a new employer than proof you can do this one.

4. Identify and Prove Your Skills

Sort your skills into three groups so you can describe them clearly:

Then back each skill with a short example: the situation, what you did and the result, with numbers when you can (“cut order errors by 30 percent”). These examples become the core of your résumé and interview answers.

5. Set a Clear Job Goal

If you can’t tell an employer what job you want, they can’t picture you in it, and people who ask for “anything” often end up with nothing. Research occupations that match your skills: duties, pay, working conditions, training needed and demand in your area. The Georgia Department of Labor publishes labor market data through Georgia LaborMarket Explorer.

6. Fill Out Applications Well

Employers use applications to screen people out quickly, so a careless one can end your chances. Most applications are now online, often read first by software that looks for keywords from the job posting.

• Read the whole form and follow directions exactly.
• Answer every question; write “N/A” if one doesn’t apply rather than leaving it blank.
• Use the job title and key skills from the posting in your answers.
• Keep dates, employer names and contact details accurate and consistent with your résumé.
• List a salary range or “negotiable” rather than a number that screens you out.
• Proofread before you submit, and save a copy.

7. Write Your Résumé and Cover Letter

A résumé is not a life story; it is a one- or two-page case that you can do the job. Choose the format that shows you best:

• Tailor it to each job, using the posting’s key terms.
• Lead with accomplishments and results, not just duties.
• Use a simple layout that applicant tracking software can read: standard headings, no tables or graphics.
• Leave off personal details such as age, marital status and photos.
• Proofread carefully, and have someone else check it too.

A short cover letter should name the job, explain in two or three sentences why you are a strong fit, and ask for an interview. Hold it to the same standard as your résumé: neat, concise and error-free.

8. Make a Personal Business Card

A simple card with your name, phone, email, the type of job you want and three or four key skills is an easy way to leave your information with contacts, at job fairs and with employers you visit. Many job seekers now pair it with an up-to-date LinkedIn profile.

9. Network and Find the Hidden Jobs

Many jobs are filled before they are ever advertised, through referrals and direct contact. Networking is simply letting people know what you are looking for.

• List everyone you know: former co-workers, friends, neighbors, relatives, church and club members, and professional contacts.
• Tell them the kind of job you want and ask for leads or introductions, not for a job itself.
• Use LinkedIn and industry groups to reconnect with contacts and research employers.
• Go to job fairs and hiring events, including those hosted by Georgia DOL career centers.
• Follow up on every lead and thank the people who help you.

10. Contact Employers Directly

Reaching the person who makes the hiring decision, rather than only the human resources office, can put you ahead of other applicants. Research the company, find the manager’s name, and prepare a short introduction: who you are, the job you want, and one or two skills that fit their needs. If there are no openings, ask whether they expect any, whether they know of openings elsewhere, and if you may send your résumé and check back later.

11. Ace the Interview

Interviews may be in person, by phone or by video, one-on-one or with a panel. Preparation makes the difference.

12. Keep the Job You Land

The same three things employers look for in an interview keep you employed once you start:

• Appearance and conduct. Dress to the standard of the job, stay professional, get along with co-workers and keep your paperwork accurate.
• Dependability. Be on time, follow the rules, skip the excuses, stay flexible and take on new assignments.
• Skills. Do your best work, keep learning and share what you know.

Solving problems before they reach your boss, learning from mistakes and keeping in touch with your supervisor can lead to raises and promotions.

Free Job Search Help in Georgia

More: Georgia DOL services for job seekers and Georgia jobs and DOL resources.