How to Create a 2017 Job Search Roadmap

How to Create a 2017 Job Search RoadmapSo youve platzset your career goals for 2017. (You totally have, right? If leid, you still have time) Yet unless you have some organization and a realistic timeline behind them, its likely that youll be in the same spot this time next year, wondering where the time went. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) Start the year with a roadmap like the sample one below, and youll be able to stay on track without overwhelming yourself with all job search elements at once.December Start with a wish listWhere do you want to be in a year? What kind of role would you like to have? Before the new year even starts, take some time to think about what it is you really want to do. A new job doesnt really cut it herethink about which job. Or if you want to keep the same kind of job you have now (or the one you had last), include specific companies youd like to target.January-February Do your due diligenceIf you havent alr eady, dig in and research your target jobs or companies. What is the general market for your industry and skill/experience level? Is there a particular hiring season? What kind of salaries are available in that field? Keep all of this information in a file (digital or old-school print) so you can go back to it later, or add to it as you come across new information.March-April Resume makeover timeIf its been a while since you last overhauled the doc, its best to start from scratch. There are resume templates available ansprechbar, or you can create your own. The important thing here is to make koranvers your current skills and achievements are not only listed, but maximized. Use strong action verbs, and avoid passive bullet points about responsibilities. And most importantly, proofread the heck out of it every time you add or change information.By the end of the month, when you feel like youve got a final draft, hand it over to a trusted friend to read and review for information that s missing, confusing, etc.May-June Interview rehearsalRemember that old joke that asks you how to get to Carnegie Hall? (Practice, of course.) Its schticky, but it applies here as well. No matter how confident you feel in your ability to rock an interview, you should still set aside time to prep. You can start here, to get a refresher course on what to expect on interview day. Once youve done that legwork, practice how youd respond to particular questions, and how you would frame the information in your resume.Practice in the mirror, practice with your goldfish, practice with a friend or family member until theyre sick of hearing about your problem solving skills. Practice your body language. Practice your winning interview smile like youre prepping for the Miss America pageant.July-August Skill buildingAre there skills required by your target job or skills that would make you an even better candidate for your dream company? Think of this as the equivalent of summer reading from whe n you were a kid. If there are classes available and its possible for you to take them, sign up If there arent any available or they just dont work for your schedule or budget, set aside a certain amount of time per week to do online research or talk with people who have expertise.September-October ApplyOnce you feel like your foundations are good, start applying for job openings. Keep in mind that a lot of hiring takes place through personal recommendations and word of mouth, so also keep an eagle eye on your networks to see if anyone can help you get an in with one of your target companies.November-December Keep up the huntKeep applying for openings as you see them, and dont hesitate to go back to steps you completed earlier in the year if you feel the need. Always be vigilant for chances to boost your skills. Make sure your resume up-to-the-minute. Practice your suave, hire-me handshake. And dont forget that so much of the job search is waiting for the right opportunity, so dont be discouraged if you dont see results right away.This yearlong roadmap is just a guideif a different schedule works best for you, run with it It might be that while youre in the midst of interview bootcamp, your dream job opens up. So definitely keep an eye on opportunities throughout the year, and adjust your plan as necessary. The important part is that youre situation a plan, and getting yourself in shape for the 2017 new-job marathon.

6 Signs You Have an Unhealthy Relationship With Money

6 Signs You Have an Unhealthy Relationship With Money Do you and the Benjamins have a healthy relationship? Several certified financial planners, all members of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA), weighed in on their personal finance red flags and how women can get on better terms with their balance sheets.Sign 1 You have a lot of shoes.Remember that episode of Sex and the City, when the ambitious and successful Carrie Bradshaw realizes shes spent $40,000 on shoes but doesnt have a place to live? Ambari Prakash Pinto, JD, of Savant Capital Management in McLean, VA does Shoes are an easy red flag. Keep an eye out for purchases of expensive items you dont need.Sign 2 You tell yourself (or others) that you dont understand money, or that money isnt important.People sometimes think that elend knowing about their money is somehow better than knowing whats going on and what needs to be done, says Lauren Zangardi Haynes,CIMA,CFP, of Evolution Advisors in Midloth ian, VA. But What they may not realize is that financial ignorance is the exact oppositenot knowing whats going on with your money increases your stress and anxiety.And Its not that money is the most important thing in the world, but we need money to take care of ourselves.So, valuing your finances is helpful, and appropriate.Sign 3 You dont know (roughly) how much money you have in your checking and savings accounts, and what you owe on your loans and credit accounts.This is another sign that your relationship with money is on the ropes, says Zangardi Haynes.Sign 4 You arent aware that you have a relationship with money.Guess what? Everyone does, notes Prakash Pinto. Your money scriptyour beliefs and attitudes about financescan affect your bottom line. Certain money scripts (which include money avoidance, worship, status, and vigilance) are associated with behaviors such as compulsive buying, hoarding, workaholism, and gambling.Sign 5 When you want to reward yourself or others, you think about buying something.This is an unhealthy money habit, according to Joyce A. Streithorst, CFP, MSFS, CDFA, of Frisch Financial Group, Inc., in Melville, NY.Sign 6 You are juggling multiple credit cards and have no idea when you will be able to pay them all off.Another red flag, says Streithorst.Whew. If any of these warning signs hit too close to home, here are some ways to take control1. Educate yourself.Ways to improve finance and literacy are readily available, Prakash Pinto says. She recommends any of the following A financial literacy program offered in the community, personal finance 101 content from a bank or investment house, Morningstar articles on personal finance, and objective research.The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis has a great deal of research and materials on financial literacy and the basics everyone needs to know.2. Set financial goals and list the stepsboth large and smallto achieve them, says Streithorst.Clarifying your goals can help make the proce ss easier to understandand achieve.3. Use a budgeting app to track whats coming inand going outevery month.You can get one from your financial advisor,or try an app like Mint or YNAB, advises Zangardi Haynes.4. Automate your savings.Zangardi Haynes notes that you can do this by participating in an employer retirement plan or setting up a monthly transfer of funds from your checking account to savings account, IRA, or Roth IRA.5. Review (and understand) your annual social security report.Many people rely on social security as a source of future income, and its worthwhile to understand how the program works, says Prakesh Pinto.Although Social Security should not be the main deciding factor in your work choices, it is important to understand that the amount you receive will depend entirely on work history, either your own, your spouses, or, in certain cases, a parents. Benefits are based on the workers average earnings during the 35 years during which the worker earned the most, adjust ed to reflect current wages. Ask yourself, What do you think of that projected benefit amount? How will it affect what you spend or save today?6. Consult a fee-only financial planner to help you get a full picture of your finances, identify whats important to you, and help you create a roadmap for your money.True fee-only planners dont take any commissions, and will sign a form committing themselves to acting as a fiduciary in their clients best interests at all times, Zangardi Haynes explains. She adds, Your financial life is mora than just your investments. A real financial planner will give you advice on everything from budgeting to investing, insurance, taxes, and estate planning.Good work, ladiesFeeling overwhelmed? Take heart In my experience, when the woman takes the lead in hiring a financial planner, theres more collaboration, notes Forrest Baumhover, CFP, EA, of Westchase Financial Planning in Tampa.When theres collaboration, the recommendation such as investing strategy, insurance recommendation, or estate planning happens naturally, because those action items are a natural part of the conversation.Which means its more likely to be implemented.--Elizabeth Michaelson Monaghan is a writer and editor whose work has appeared in City Limits, Paste, Library Journal, and other titles. She lives in New York City with her husband, son, and many toy trucks.