By Ethel Badawi, JD
The Job Search Action Plan
8 Steps on the Path to “Hired”
Finding a job is a daunting task! Whether you are an experienced paralegal looking for advancement,
a professional making a career transition, or a recent graduate in search of an entry-level position, job
searching takes time and perseverance. Strategic and effective job searching means more than polishing
up your résumé and cover letter, clicking “submit” to a few job postings, and anxiously waiting for a
response. Rather than letting the anxiety of a passive job search take control, a detailed job search action
plan can help job seekers stay on track and move the ball forward through the inevitable triumphs and
setbacks in the process.
Creating a weekly to-do list that breaks down the job
search process into discrete steps makes the process more
manageable. While finding the right opportunity takes more
than eight simple steps, each of the following steps are tangible
to-do items for every job seeker feeling overwhelmed with
where to start or how to continue an effective job search over
several months.
Step 1. Self-Assessment
Before starting any job search, the first step is self-assessment.
In fact, self-assessment is the essential first step in a broader
professional development plan. Self-assessment includes
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assessing both your skills and professional values that will
guide your job search, and, ultimately, career path.
Skills Assessment – A basic skills assessment identifies the
positions for which you are qualified, the skills to be highlighted
in your application materials, and the skills you would like to
build for future professional development. Taking a moment
to consider the skills you have mastered, are developing, or
need to acquire will allow you to evaluate the positions for
which you are qualified and allow you room for advancement.
These resources help paralegals identify key skill sets in various
practice areas, assess the mastery of a specific practice area,
and identify gaps or skills to develop in order to advance or
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