In Step One, you identified what kind of job you want and what skills and experience you can offer. Now it's time to prepare for the hunt. That means getting yourself organized, supported and interview-ready. There's no sense running around to find employers when your home office is in disarray. What home office, you ask? Well, since you're thinking of yourself as Me, Inc. — a self-employed person trying to find clients — you need an office. It may be a notebook you keep on the kitchen counter or it may be a real office with computer, copier and fax. It doesn't matter, as long as it's organized well enough for you to find what you need when you need it. Getting ready means more than being organized, though. It also means preparing your wardrobe and appearance. Today! Don't wait until you schedule an interview. You may borrow or buy one good "interviewing suit," for example, but you need to make sure that it fits and is ready to go. If you have a nose ring or pierced tongue, it's time to lose that jewelry. If you have a tattoo, you probably will want to cover it up. Employers hire people who look the part and, for most jobs, that means dressing conservatively. Now is also the time to line up your references, those people who can vouch for your character and work performance. You need their permission and time to prep them before employers ask for their names (more about that under References). Similarly, you need to activate your support network. Tell your friends and family that you're job hunting and how they can help you. If someone called you for an interview tomorrow, would you be ready to go? Probably not. But by the time you finish Step Two, you will be. You will have the supplies you need, the clothes to wear, the references employers want and your friends lined up to support you during your job search. Time to begin!
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Step Two Prepare: