As we said before, looking for a job is work.

You need to explore both the aspects that have to be considered before starting and that should be kept in mind during the search (such as defining your professional goals and analysing the skills you possess), and the tools and references available to you to help you embark on your search. But what is the best and most effective way to look for a job?

The first element to keep in mind to develop a successful search strategy is organisation.

Organisation means not wasting your energy, channelling it into various coordinated steps, without neglecting important actions to achieve the objective: in short, being organised means making the most of your time and the resources you have or can have. So we are not talking about a theoretical or purely mental organisation, but rather a practical type of organisation: it seems like it should go without saying, but it can really make a difference to have and update a planner, a diary where you can write down daily appointments, CVs sent, recruiting days, training courses to attend and so on. In order not to miss any steps, it would be useful to also formulate a weekly plan to proceed in an orderly manner in your search, so as not to miss any possibility that could help you achieve your goal.

Active search essentially means that you must not limit yourself to sending the response to an ad and waiting for the company to call, but that you dynamically position yourself in the search for work. So, constantly using all the tools you have at your disposal, from searching for ads on the internet to sending spontaneous applications; from making use of social media to the search for employment agencies and CPIs to contact; and from carefully preparing your CV to searching for training courses relevant to your professional role.

With regarding to the tool of spontaneous applications, it is very important to create a list of companies you would like to work for, checking, where possible, the availability of open positions for your profession: sometimes companies have a "work with us" area on their website where you can create a profile. If this section is not available, create a file or an address book where you can input the contacts you can send your information to, and make sure to send one a day.

Do not neglect the information that is published via the official channels of institutions and governmental bodies whose purview is the world of work (Ministry of Labor and Social Policies, ANPAL, Clic lavoro, Gazzetta Ufficiale/Concorsi, Spazio Lavoro and any others that deal with your sector of interest). Thanks to these you can stay updated on any new professional opportunities or those in the process of being activated. The efficiency of the strategy you are implementing is "measurable": you can count the number of applications you have sent every week, quantify the time dedicated to the preparation of cover letters and improving your CV, the number of useful contacts found on LinkedIn and on social media, how much new information you have found by consulting official websites, how many interviews you have had at employment agencies, and so on.

If you are looking for a job or if you want to reposition yourself in the world of work, we recommend that you also consult Porta Futuro Lazio’s social media channels and website often, and take advantage of the available services and free training provided at all our locations, as well as online during this period of extraordinary measures to combat CoViD-19.