Dispatcher Resume Samples [911, Police, Freight, Truck]

Dispatcher Resume Samples [911, Police, Freight, Truck] Dispatcher Resume SampleMichael Spencer911 Emergency Response Dispatchermichael.spencer@gmail.com(347) 777-3322linkedin.com/in/michaelspencerSummary of QualificationsEffective emergency 911 dispatcher with over 3 years experience with high-demand EMS systems. Prior, 2+ years experience as a trucking and freight dispatch coordinator. NYS DOH BLS-FR certified. Seeking to leverage top communication skills and 1,000+ dispatched calls to become the 911 dispatch lead for the NYPD-North Division.Work ExperienceEmergency 911 DispatcherMarch 2016June 2019NYS Emergency Response, Yonkers, NYKey Qualifications ResponsibilitiesDispatched over 1,000 police, firefighters, or medical emergency personnel as necessary and appropriate in response to citizen calls.Prioritized calls and emergency SMS messages by importance and urgency.Determined most appropriate traffic routes for emergency response vehicles.Maintained awareness of emergency vehicle locations at all times to keep cross-agency communicat ion clear and effective.Recorded all calls, SMS texts, emergency and non-emergency responses, and other actions in both written and digital formats.Key AchievementsAwarded the 2018 Team Member of the Year prize from the American Dispatcher Association.Trucking Freight DispatcherJanuary 2014March 2016Emerson Freight Logistics, Brooklyn, NYKey Qualifications ResponsibilitiesScheduled truck drivers, delivery vehicles, best traffic routes, and ideal delivery windows and timeframes as necessary.Accepted consumer and business client phone calls and emails to coordinate delivery schedules and logistics.Generated bills of lading, freight invoices, and delivery receipts, while maintaining records of all transactions and deliveries.EducationBachelor of Science in Criminal JusticeBrooklyn College, Brooklyn, NYGraduation: 2013Relevant Coursework: Criminology, Drugs and Crime, Crime Mapping, Pattern Analysis, Criminal Profiling, Measurement and Analysis, Criminal Procedures, Human Trafficking , Cultural Diversity, Police Community, Emergency Services Response, Professional Communications.Key SkillsExcellent Communication (Verbal, Written) ListeningEmpathy CompassionDispatching Console SwitchboardRadio Telephone ConsoleMultitasking SkillsPrioritizing Calls Based on Urgency and ImportanceComputer Aided Dispatch SystemCalm Under Stressful SituationsCertificationsEmergency Number Professional Certification, National Emergency Number AssociationEmergency Telecommunicator Certificate, National Academies of Emergency DispatchPublic Safety Telecommunicator (PST) Certification, APCOFreight Broker Dispatcher Training Certification, American Logistics AcademyNew York State Department of Health Basic Life Support First Response (BLS-FR)Awards2018 Team Member of the Year, American Dispatcher AssociationMembershipsNational Emergency Number Association (NENA)National Academies of Emergency Dispatch (NAED)Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO)American Logistic s Academy (ALA)LanguagesSpanish (Latin American): Professional Working ProficiencyWant to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. Its fast and easy to use. Plus, youll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here.Sample Dispatcher ResumeSee more templates and create your resume here.One of our users, Nikos, had this to say:[I used] a nice template I found on Zety. My resume is now one page long, not three. With the same stuff.Create your resume nowCheck out other sample resume guides related to dispatcher jobs:Logistics ResumeTruck Driver ResumeDelivery Driver ResumeBus Driver ResumeEMT/Paramedic ResumePolice Officer ResumeFirefighter ResumeSecurity Guard ResumeSecurity Officer ResumeBest Resume ExamplesAbove was our take on the perfect dispatcher resume sample.Now, lets make yoursHeres how to write a dispatcher resume:1. Choose the Best Format for Your Dispatcher ResumeDispatchers are communica tions liaisons responsible for effectively organizing and communicating between a base of operations and road units. Your dispatcher resume should prove you are prevalent in emergency services, transportation companies (taxis), and freight and trucking operations.Whether youre aim is to be a 911 dispatcher, security dispatcher, or service dispatcher, communication is key.Same on a dispatch resumeYou need to communicate your eligibility by choosing the ideal resume format which keeps it all in an easy-to-read layout.Heres how to format a dispatcher resume template effectively:Start with the resume header and your resume contact information.Keep the various resume parts in order with bold titles.Use the best resume format, likely the chronological resume layout.Choose the best font to use for a resume, something legible and distinct.Pro Tip: Send your resume in PDF format unless they ask for one in Microsoft Word within the job ad. A PDF resume can be read on any computer or phone the y want to open it on.2. Write a Dispatcher Resume Objective or SummarySometimes called a professional profile, a resume objective or summary is your elevator pitch.As a short opening paragraph, it gives employers an introduction to you, your background, skills, experience, and career goals.However, like the flashing lights of an ambulance, its got to grab their attention from the moment they lay eyes upon it.A professional summary is ideal if youve plenty of dispatch experience. Using a numbered achievement to prove youre valuable, the summary statement sums your previous dispatch experience up for them in a neat little package.A professional objective is the one to use when you have little or no experience. Instead of summing up your experience, the objective statement talks up your career goals. It still provides them with a quantifiable accomplishment, however.Pro Tip: Write your dispatcher resume objective or summary statement last, even though its the first thing theyll read. U sing this method, youll have a better idea of the juiciest morsels of information to sum up in the heading paragraph.3. Create the Perfect Dispatcher Job Description for a ResumeYour security dispatcher or police dispatcher resume work experience section has got to deliver a one-two punch. It builds you up with relevant job duties and seals the deal with a key win.SoTo create an awesome dispatcher job description resume section:Place your current or last job first, followed by the one before that, all the way down.Start with your positions job title, then add dates at the job, followed by the agency or company name.List 5 or 6 bullet points giving them your job responsibilities and tasks.Begin each bullet entry with an action word (e.g., dispatched, coordinated, etc.).Give 1 or 2 measurable achievements to prove you know what youre doing.Write a tailored resume, because employers hate those generic versions.Pro Tip: Are you writing a no-experience resume for dispatcher jobs? Dont wo rry. Most dispatch jobs provide on-the-job training. However, still list the most dispatch-relevant job responsibilities to increase your chances of getting that interview call.4. Make Your Dispatcher Resume Education Section ShineYou might not need more than a high school diploma for most dispatcher jobs.However, it doesnt mean you can slack with the education on a resume.SoHeres how to win them over on a dispatch resume education section:List your most advanced educational achievement first.Include the degree or certificate earned, college name and location, and your date of graduation.If relevant to your particular dispatch job, add coursework, academic awards, and a minor.Include high school on your resume for dispatcher jobs only if you dont have a completed degree from a college or technical school.Pro Tip: Whats relevant coursework for dispatch jobs? Depends on the type. For emergency services, health and public service coursework is fitting. On the other hand, freight and tr uck dispatchers would benefit from adding any logistics and supply chain classes taken.5. Highlight Your Dispatcher Skills Resume SectionAccording to the BLS, between 2016 and 2026 in the United States alone:Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers (public safety telecommunicators) are expected to increase by 8% (8,200 jobs).All other dispatcher jobs, from trucking to taxis to airlines, will increase by almost 100,000 jobs, combined.Youve got truckfuls of competitors.SoBeat those other candidates by listing the best skills for dispatcher jobs on your resume:Key Dispatcher Skills Strengths for Dispatcher ResumeEmpathy CompassionDispatching Console SwitchboardFreight Bills and InvoicesRadio Telephone ConsoleMultitasking SkillsPrioritize Calls Based on Urgency and ImportanceShipping and Dispatch DocumentsComputer Aided Dispatch SystemCalm Under Stressful SituationsLogistics Supply ChainArranging Deliveries PickupsMicrosoft Office Google DocsAttention to DetailAccountabilityDepart ment of Transportation Regulations (DOT regs)Excellent Communication (Verbal, Written) ListeningInterpersonal SkillsLeadership SkillsTeamwork AbilitiesCreative Thinking AbilitiesDecision Making AbilitiesCritical Thinking AbilitiesManagement SkillsProject Management SkillsTime Management AbilitiesProblem Solving AbilitiesHold up a sec, thoughAbove is a list of dispatcher resume example skills, but theyre mixed (trucking dispatchers, emergency dispatchers, etc.) to give you an idea only.Dont just copy that list into your 911 or AAA dispatcher resume.Instead, heres what to do:Think of all the professional skills you have, including soft skills and hard skills, related to dispatch jobs.To find the best keywords to use on a resume, take out the job ad and see what theyre looking for in the job requirements section.If you find something from the requirements matching one of your original skills, add that to your resume.Pro Tip: Larger companies use software (an ATSapplicant tracking syst em) to manage the many resumes they receive. Stick as close to the job ads wording as possible in order to score higher when the software parses your resume.When making a resume in our builder, drag drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building your resume here.Create my resume nowWhen youre done, Zetys resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.6. Add Other Sections to Your Dispatcher ResumeYou now have a dispatcher resume, essentially.HoweverIts still pretty basic.To make your resume unique from the other applicants, add some extra resume sections which fit the bill.Here are a few great examples for a dispatcher resume:Licenses and certificationsPersonal interestsLanguage skills on a resumeVolunteer experience in a resumeJob-related achievementsDispatcher organization memberships7. Attach a Dispatcher Cover Letter to Your ResumeShould you write a cover letter?Absolutely.Most employers will over look a resume which doesnt come with a covering letter.With that saidHere is how to write a cover letter for dispatcher jobs:Determine how to format cover letter before starting.Start with a compelling cover letter introduction statement.Document your background, skills, and experience.List your choicest achievements with quantifiable numbers.Close with a cover letter ending including a call to action.To make sure you maximize your application delivery, read up on our cover letter advice, how long a cover letter has to be, and what should be included in a cover letter.Pro Tip: After a few days, send a follow-up email for a job application. During that time, dont forget to prepare for the job interview!Got any questions on how to write a dispatcher resume? Not sure how to talk about telecommunicator skills, logistics certifications, or dispatch achievements? Get at us in the comments below, and thanks for reading!

3 Signs Your Company Culture is in a Rut How to Fix it

3 Signs Your Company Culture is in a Rut How to Fix it When it comes to company culture, even the most successful companies can find themselves stuck in a rut. It can be difficult to tell when things aren’t working like they should be, and even more difficult to tell if your company culture is to blame. However, there are three key signs that can show your company culture needs some work. Read on to learn what those signs are, and how you can improve. Poor Company Culture Sign #1: Low Retention Rates In a recent study, 87% of human resource leaders said improved retention was a critical priority. A low retention rate/high turnover is a leading indicator. Are you hiring based on shared ideals and values? If not, you can bet that’s going to have detrimental effects on your retention rate. Why would employees want to keep working with coworkers and leaders who don’t share their ideas? Feeling a sense of belonging is essential to the human experience, and it absolutely extends into the workplace. Of the 70% of employees who did not have a best friend at work, 63% were not engaged and 29% were actively disengaged. Poor Company Culture Sign #2: Low Engagement Rates A recent study by Gallup revealed that 16.5% of employees are actively disengaged. All things considered, that may seem fairly low. However, when you know that active disengagement costs between $450 billion and $550 billion per year in the U.S., you start to pay close attention. And if your company culture is stagnating, you might have much higher than 16% of employees disengaged. In fact, only 1 in 150 employees who say their organization does not have a set of values are fully engaged. Those values are what define and drive your company culture. They ensure your employees know what they’re working for and gives them purpose. If you’re seeing very low engagement rates at your organization, take a good look at your culture and values. Poor Company Culture Sign #3: Low Application Rates You appeal to talent through your employer brand. If you’ve experienced low application rates, it may be time to evaluate your employer brand and what it’s communicating with job seekers. One contributing cause may be your online reputation as an employer. Does your company have a bad reputation as a workplace? You might not even be aware of it! Take a look at employer review sites like Payscale and Glassdoor to see what’s being said about your company. 69% of employees stated they would not take a job with a company that had a bad reputation, even if they were unemployed. The Solution? Corporate Social Responsibility Low retention, engagement and application rates are going to take a serious toll on your organization over time. If you don’t get your company culture out of that rut, the damage may be irreparable. Find something that reignites your employees’ passion for their job, and fast. Fortunately, there’s a solution to all of your problems: corporate social responsibility (CSR). By investing in corporate responsibility programs like employee volunteer programs or matching gifts, you will attract, engage and retain the right talent for your organization. Here’s how it works: Your employees have values and ideals, and your company does as well. CSR provides your employees with opportunities to make a difference in the world and the causes they care about. Providing paid time off for volunteering or hosting a company volunteering event can be a great way to engage employees off-site by giving them a chance to step out of the office, bond with co-workers and help the community. You may be surprised to learn that 76% of Millennials say they would take a pay cut to work for a socially responsible company, and we expect the next generations to be on board as well. Today’s employees are eager to make a difference through their work, and CSR provides them with that opportunity. It’s one additional asset companies need to attract and retain talented employees. And while most of us don’t have the time or energy to make company culture a 24/7 priority, investing in CSR is a way to get your culture jumpstarted! About the author: Liz Bardetti, is the Marketing Director at CyberGrants with seasoned advertising and marketing professional with 15+ years experience, including work for Gatorade, Welch’s and most recently, CyberGrants. CyberGrants is the preferred CSR software provider to the best philanthropic corporations around the globe.

Dont tell me about admirable moms

Dont tell me about admirable moms A couple of months ago, two people sent me the same thing: A womens magazine was looking to interview a woman who was doing a good job balancing kids and a freelance career. You should respond to this! said one of the emailers. This will be great publicity for your book! said the other emailer. Articles that talk about women doing a good job balancing work and kids make me sick. Annoying articles like this are everywhere. Heres one. Its about a woman in the military who is also a mom. Right away my radar goes up lives of miliatary families are not exactly stable for the kids. The title of the article is Admirable Mom. I find this title despicable because who is the arbiter of admirable when it comes to this? And why do we need to admire the moms we write about? Why do the women who are successful in work also have to be successful in the kid department? You know what? Most women who have a full-time job and a partner with a full-time job are having a really hard time holding things together. And the longer the hours, the worse it is. But the bigger issue is why do we have to rate the job people are doing in their parenting? Its an impossible job. Most people are making errors every day, and no one has any idea which of the infitinite amount of errors we can make are the really bad ones. There is no rating system for parenting. The parents of kids at Harvard might like to believe that this means success, but it doesnt. There is no measure. The parents of the kids saving starving kids in Africa also do not get to go to the top of the parenting chart. Becuase there is no chart. So everyone should please shut up about the articles about women who do a good job balancing work and family. What does that mean? Good job? And what about that its all self-reported? What sane woman is going to speak on record about her career and say that she is not doing a good job with her kids? Do your kids love you? Do you love your kids? Thats all there is. Its very frustrating, in light of intricate and predictable quantified system of rating ourselves and others in the workplace. A study by Stanford DeVoe and Jeffrey Pfeffer at Stanford Business School shows that people think about work while they watch their kids soccer game. No surprises there. The study says that people are computing their billable hours and time lost for the day. This makes sense to me becuase math problems about work are easier than interpersonal problems about family. Work is measurable and parenting is not. Bob Sutton, also a Stanford professor, quotes a study that shows people like things that are measurable. We like to know how were doing. We like to have a goal and meet it and know weve done a good job. We like acknowlegement. There is none of this during an afternoon hanging out with your kids. The parents whose minds are not wandering to work are parents who dont have engaging work. Because any type of engaging work is easier than being with kids. Im not saying dont spend time with your kids. I spend every day from 1 8pm with my kids. And even later than that if I dont do a good job during bedtime negotiations. I choose that. But its hard. And I would never hold myself up as a role model for parenting becuase the idea of ranking parents is absurd. Besides, Im like that dad who cant keep his mind from work. When my kids are really difficult, sometimes Ill escape to my web metrics report. There are not official kudos for getting through another round of superhero wars. But theres no arguing with the graph that shows a good day for blog traffic. You know what? Its stressful to have a career and kids, but also its stressful to have just kids. So the best you can do is try to not bring the workplace stress home with you. becuase thats really realy bad for kids. They notice. But sometimes, lets just all be honest, work is a way to alleviate some of the stress at home. So heres my advice: Dont have too much stress at work, dont have too much stress at home. And dont have the hubris that makes you want to respond to one of those journalists looking for an admirable mom. If you want to be ranked, go to work. There are not rankings for parents. Thats what makes parenting so hard.

7 Signs Your Business is Ready to Take on a Team - Classy Career Girl

7 Signs Your Business is Ready to Take on a Team Every business strives for growth â€" in order for the demand for services and products to increase, and for operations to effectively supply these. During the early years of a business, the most reliable strategy for demand and supply is to get all members of the organizations to work harder. Each worker is expected to contribute more time and energy toward the accomplishment of the goal. However, as the business continues to grow, such a strategy always proves inefficient. Despite everyone’s pure intentions and helpful output, we still make (costly) mistakes. Duplicate efforts occur; there is also the frequent occurrence of unnecessary and time-consuming processes to consider, caused by certain workers performing tasks that they are not knowledgeable in. When your business finds itself dealing with such setbacks, perhaps it’s time to form your first team. That, however, isn’t the only reason why you should. Rounded up below are seven other signs that indicate your business needs to put together a solid, organized and effective team. 7 Signs Your Business is Ready to Take on a Team 1. The Business is Leveling Up When you want to make your operations more dynamic â€" say, you want more creative marketing, better product packaging, and 24/7 customer support â€" it’s crucial to have a team whose main focus are these objectives. A group of workers with clearly established roles is a must to ensure the continuous advancement of your business. 2. Your Business is Building its Reputation As an Industry Authority When your target market and other industry players already recognize the quality of your work and identify your business, despite its size, as a treasure trove of expertise, that is always a sign that you need to create or hire a team. A team is essential to quality assurance; it can help maintain a good brand reputation and image. 3. You Need Decision-Makers If, as a business owner, you start struggling with determining the best actions to take for the organization, hiring a team to help you with decision-making is a smart solution. Having people with different perspectives will make the task of deciding what would serve the company’s best advantage less burdensome, and more successful. [RELATED: 6 Tips for Building Passionate and Productive Teams] 4. You Want to Become More Competitive The business arena is a fierce battleground â€" it’s survival of the fittest. Discovering talents and placing them in your organization is a key component for survival. It will allow your organization to keep on moving forward. When you recognize that there are certain personalities with skills that can boost productivity and create good movement in your company, especially when grouped together, you must net them in. It’s imperative not to leave potential assets in the pond for your competitors to fish out because their advantage may alter your path to industry longevity and success. 5. There Are Industry Changes You Cant Comply With Alone Changes come really fast and adapting to them can prove to be quite overwhelming to take on alone. Hiring a team to help you and your business roll with such challenges will sustain good performance, and therefore, is a solution to seriously consider. 6. Customers Want More From You Loyal end-users who tell you that you can be doing so much more usually have it right. Listen to them. One of the best strategies to demonstrate how much you value this input from your customers is to hire a team of people who are quite “like you” to help you cater to them. 7. The Business Has The Money When the business is already raking in revenue that’s more than enough to gather specialists together and work for the improvement of the organization, this is a sign that you should hire a team. You should use the money you’re making to enhance your operations because in doing so, you’ll open more doors of possibilities to take your business to greater heights. A team can do so much in propelling a business forward and higher. Therefore, keep an eye out for the signs listed above that indicate the business is ready to hire one, so you can hire great talents for your first team in the most time-advantageous manner.

How To Get Resume Writing Discounts

How To Get Resume Writing DiscountsResume writing discounts are the best source of savings for the writers who are in the profession. Many people go on paying for higher rates than what they can get from the companies. The best thing that the writers need to do is find out the best providers and charge accordingly.There are many providers out there that offer price ranges and terms for their services. Some of them are cheap and some of them are expensive. But, still a lot of people do not know where to get these services. This is where online providers come into play.You can compare the good online prices and provide your work for the people at affordable rates and save a huge amount of money. Once you know the ways on how to do this, you will also have the ability to choose the services from the top rated providers. If you want to be the one amongst the successful writers in the market, then you have to take the opportunity of getting an opportunity.You can make use of different ser vices that will be provided by the companies to the writing agencies. The Writers who are providing the Resume Writing Discounts are great in the field of finding all the good providers and convincing them to give the best rates. The providers who give the services for free are those that the writing companies may send to you without any extra charges.In fact, the work of these providers is to find the right pricing for their work and giving them out at the lowest rates possible. The high level of professionalism is the key element that you should look for while searching for a good provider. There are many writers who are not very sure about where to get these to work and if they are satisfied with the working conditions then they will not be willing to pay the rates that they have been offered.The services provided by the various providers are not meant to be a source of any further income for the writer. These providers have to remain patient with the writers because of the speci al nature of the work. For this reason, these service providers offer a cut of the rates to the writers in return for their effort.It is a well known fact that these service providers are the best source of saving your time and efforts in the form of work. All the organizations that offer work to the writers should be booked beforehand. This is a way of making the writing process very smooth for the writers.Once you do this, you need to prepare the sample or the proof reading which you need to send to the company before you begin your work. The pricing of the work should be dependent on the number of copies that you want to produce. The providers must be aware of the fact that they can reduce the rates depending on the number of copies produced.

Summary Sunday Social Media, Passion and Fit

Summary Sunday Social Media, Passion and Fit Whether you are stuck in job search, or just starting your quest for a new job, these posts will help you in navigating the tricky terrain!   Hey, kind of like a map, compass and guide all rolled into one!   If you have a topic or question, feel free to leave a comment.   I am always looking for new ideas! 55 Hidden Job Finding Tips Without Using Social Media from JobMob If you find your search is stalled and you arent sure what else to do, this list will surely get you thinking.   As Jacob Share points out in his bonus tip 56: Test, track repeat â€" this article contains a lot of tips and it would take a lot of effort to try them all. Begin with the tips that seem most likely to work, and track your progress. If some work and others don’t, repeat the former, drop the latter, and introduce other tips into your hidden job search. How to Reignite Your Passion for Your Job from WorkAwesome This post contains 9   smart tips on what YOU can do to help yourself.   No, you cant get your boss fired, but you can learn new ways to manage your manager.   Other tips include: Shake Up Your Routine Spice up Life Outside of Work And more A Good Detective Knows Emotional Intelligence Trumps IQâ€" Just Ask My Dad from TalentCulture Kevin Grossmans post shows what Emotional Intelligence looks like AND includes data on how development of Emotional Intelligence is directly tied to an increase in personal and company productivity! How to Ask for LinkedIn Recommendations from Keppie Careers Miriam Salpeter provides excellent advice on how to write a much more effective and HELPFUL request for recommendations! Her post emphasizes quality, not quantity of recommendations! Recruiters Rethink Online Playbook from Wall Street Journal If you are tired of hearing about the hidden job market, networking, and social media, you better read this.   This post shares information, if you use it right, can help you understand what is happening on the other side of the hiring desk.   It talks about the changes in recruiting strategies and practices. If you found any of these posts helpful, please, feel free to share them with others!   If you would like to get my daily posts delivered via email, Subscribe to Guide for Lifetime Career Navigation by Email (I never, ever spam!)   I hope you decide to come back!

Strategic Job Search With A Balance Mindset - Hire Imaging

Strategic Job Search With A “Balance” Mindset - Hire Imaging Regardless of how long you’ve been looking for a job, it remains important to focus on strategic targeting. And this approach is rooted in the idea of balance â€" balance between your goals and values (personal and professional) and the realities of the job market. Couple this with the pressure you may be feeling at any point in your search. Finding balance isn’t easy. Your perceptions and attitudes at various times in your job search are subject to fluctuation. If, for example, you’re not under financial pressure â€" you have a job or a nice nest egg â€" you can afford to set targets that are heavily weighted toward you. But if finances are an issue, your targets have to reflect that priority. You can’t be as selective as you normally would be. Your target is now weighted more toward those jobs available that can alleviate that pressure. Here are four ways to frame thinking strategically in your search: Put together a rough list of job possibilities â€" jobs that, based on your personal and career goals, you can see yourself doing and can get excited about pursuing. These jobs don’t necessarily have to fall within the same industry (healthcare, finance, retail, etc.) or even the same occupational category (salesperson, engineer, manager, etc.). Not at this early stage; don’t worry right now about how you go about assembling that list. Explore those rough target possibilities in more depth, with the idea of determining how realistic they are. A realistic job target meets two benchmarks. The first is that there are openings and opportunities in that field in the region of the country where you would like to be. Translation: You don’t look for a cattle rancher job in the city of Seattle. The second is that you can hold your own with the competition when it comes to experience and skills. Translation: If you failed math in college and have always struggled with numbers, accountant won’t be a priority goal. Assuming there are realistic job possibilities and that you are a valid candidate, decide whether the overall practical aspects of the job or field you have targeted meet your basic financial and lifestyle requirements. In a nutshell, can you afford to accept a job if it is offered to you, given the salary it is likely to offer and the demands it is likely to place on you? Assess your “market value” for those job possibilities by matching your personal inventory of qualifications, skills, and positive qualities with the qualifications, skills and qualities that employers in those target job areas are looking for. If practical, seek to narrow the gap between what you can offer and what employers are looking for (which you may be able to do fairly easily by learning new skills or taking classes). Don’t let the above overwhelm or be a roadblock. Remember that: It’s not a science. Strategic job targeting is a process â€" and an imprecise process at that. Its goal is not to conjure up the “perfect” job opportunity, but simply to give you a range of options around which you can strategically organize your job search activities. Sequence is important. The steps outlined above are not random. The sequence has you exploring the opportunities in a particular job target area before you begin analyzing the skills requirements. It also has you determining whether you can really afford to accept an offer before you get too involved in matching your own skills and qualifications to the requirements of the job. Efficiency is the rationale. If there are no opportunities in a particular area that you’re considering as a target (the market for cattle rancher in Seattle, for example), dissecting what it takes to be that successful candidate is not the best use of your time and energy. And if you have decided that you can’t afford to live for less than $80,000, exploring job opportunities in which the most you can expect in salary is $40,000, will prove to be a frustrating exercise. There are, of course, exceptions to that rule. Personal choice might lead you to modify your lifestyle. People make career modifications for new-life chapters all the time. Expect to do leg work. To develop strategic job targets, you need information. Lots of it! And from different sources: people, print and online sources, and anything else you can gain access to. The good news is that gaining access to job- and career-related information isn’t hard these days. It’s also very feasible to get useful, reliable knowledge from people who are currently working in jobs or fields that may hold possibilities for you. Stay flexible. Strategic job targeting is a very flexible process. As you move ahead in your job search, you should be prepared to modify targets, abandon targets and add new targets in response to the results you’re getting â€" or not getting. After two or three months of not make progress with a particular target, you may well have to sit down and start the process again. There’s nothing wrong with repositioning your targets. It’s not a sign of failure! In today’s rapidly changing job market, it’s just part of the deal. I always love to hear from you! Please comment below.