Many of us have a dream job in mind. But too often we accept jobs that arent up to our potential. We stick to jobs that offer stability, or convenience or some other solution. While it seems a simple task to make a resume and send it out to a list of prospective employers, that process is sometimes problematic. For some of us, there is some fumbling and adjustment of the search process till the first job interview calls arrive. So, focus and planning become key elements of a job search, if you want it to be successful. In this article well cover those areas of a job search that work together to help you find preferred career employment, and not just another job.

First of all, you must define your objective: Once youve determined your labor-of-choice, compare that to your skill sets, and the skill sets required to perform the job you want to pursue do you have those skills? The answer requires some self-evaluation. List and review an earnest inventory of your interests, talents and abilities, job experiences and preferred labors, determining therefrom the industries and areas of endeavor that you prefer to pursue. Be as vague or specific as you require. Use the results of those internal inquiries to organize a well defined job search campaign.

Once you have determined your goals, write an effective resume which addresses key aspects of the job/industry reflected in your goals. If your job search goals include more than one job title, create a separate focused resume for each title, highlighting qualifications to match the type of employment you want to perform. Show through the words and form of the resume content where you are headed in your career, what you can do within that work environment, what you have done - as you express your employment resume record. Strive to exhibit your resume content in a way that seems to satisfy the issues a prospective employer may address relative to the job in question. See things from the employers perspective -- what qualities do they seek for the position? What skills do they require? What issues are they seeking to resolve in the job? Your resume should illustrate an answer to those questions and more.

Professional references become your next interest. A dream job will sometimes require you have earnest, reliable, professional references, thereby verifying your credentials and skills. In fact, I suggest serious job seekers collect written references prior to beginning their job search. Know what a person will say about you before they say it to a prospective employer. A standard professional reference on letterhead is usually a short, non-specific letter-of-introduction with a complimentary tone. Collect them now, so you have them later. As an alternative approach, consider creating a basic reference check document to collect and organize select references. Design the document to identify the date, names of the players, contact details, and to acknowledge it is a written reference to support you. By including each person's contact information, it's easy for a prospective employer to verify the validity and value of the reference, if they choose to make a direct contact. The reference sheet could also include questions relating to job titles, basic job duties, general employment dates, and more revealing open ended inquiries like: how well you did on your job?, how you treated others?, your strengths and weaknesses?, technical or administrative skills, and maybe a short area for final comments. Make it one sheet. One side. Keep things simple. When an individual agrees to use your reference form, instead of company letterhead, you focus them on topics important to your goals.

Now its time to create a distribution list for your new, highly defined resume(s) and written references. Use that list to start generating interest from select employers that move you towards your dream job goals. Make a list of preferred employers. Use internet search engines and job post web sites to identify job openings of the sort you prefer; also use regional and local newspapers, library directories, State and County employment offices, and other job post sources to find companies that offer the sort of employment you seek. Include all matching employers, even if it seems a preferred company is not hiring now, still include them. Gather names, addresses, titles, phone numbers, job details, etc. The list will help you reach out to draw attention to your skills and talents. Create a comprehensive list, put your favorite employers first. Research each key employer choice. Information gathered on preferred employer firms will help you later at a job interview, to show you are motivated and interested; and to help you determine who to contact at a given company to get the job process started.

If your job search is not confidential, as you organize your job search, strive to network with people you know from your industry of choice, like allied industry specialists, suppliers and vendors and such. Talk about business but inquire about job opportunities. And dont limit your career networking only to industry contacts. Consider those in your community who may have a job lead to offer - maybe a teacher or neighbor, a cousin or other family member, people you may know from a club, church, association or other organization. Dont impose on relationships, but consider your logical, reasonable choices.

Next, its time to begin to set up job interviews. Create a simple, clearly defined cover letter for your resume. Use it to introduce your immediate value to the company and intention to pursue employment with them, and the job you seek. But keep it simple. Make it clear you hope to set up a face-to-face job interview, or as a distant second choice, a phone discussion. Combine that with your resume. Distribute those two documents to your list of prospective employers. Use whatever means required to deliver your resume, including fax, email, postal service, by disc, etc. Its okay to send a resume to more than one individual at a large organization. Follow up those resume sends with a phone call, no more than five business days after the resume distribution. Keep a hardcopy of your resume nearby for quick reference when unexpected phone inquiries arrive for details about your background.

The defining event in your job search is the job interview itself. Dont leave the outcome to chance. Plan. Practice. Know what you are going to say at the interview. Dont expect you will offer up the perfect answer to important interview questions unless you have anticipated the questions first and prepared for them. Research the questions and the answers. Be thorough. Write out your answers. Writing helps focus ideas. Practice your answers till they flow and are simply stated and make good sense. Use examples from your own employment experiences to illustrate concepts or skills. Have a friend or partner read your interview questions, and critique your answers to them. Dont convince yourself you can do a great interview without performing the tasks suggested above. Don't leave to chance the outcome of your dream job employment interviews. Prepare in advance.

After any job interview, send each person you met at the interview a follow up communications - a thank you. Like the resume distribution, the follow up message could be delivered by fax, email, a thank you card just so you convey to the interviewer(s) your thanks for taking time to interview you. That message also gives you a forum to briefly tout the advantages of having you as an employee, and your continued interest in employment with their firm, and what youd like to see happen as the next step of the process.

Follow the 8 guidelines above and you will improve your chances of landing your dream job. Dont fudge on these job search tasks. Be thorough in your work. Challenge yourself to do your best. Your efforts will be expressed the first day you start work at your dream job.

GOOD LUCK IN YOUR JOB SEARCH