Targeting Industries and Jobs

Targeting Jobs and Industries

"Most problems that surface during the job hunt itself have their beginnings in decisions you avoided—or didn't make—before you started. Poor early planning or a lack of career focus leads to lackluster interviewing, a badly managed job hunt, and a bad track record later in your career."
Kathryn and Ross Petras, The Only Job Hunting Guide You'll Ever Need

“If you don't target growing industries, you will have to job-hunt more often and will have a more difficult time finding the next position.”
Kate Wendleton, Job-Search Secrets (The Five O'Clock Club)

“Don't be afraid to aim high—especially in the early stages of your job search. Yes, the job market may be tight, and the prospects of your breaking into a particular industry may be intimidating. But you can always lower your sights if you aim too high.”
Max Messmer, Job Hunting for Dummies

“Most job hunters narrow their targets down too quickly, and wind up later with not much to go after.”
Kate Wendleton, Job-Search Secrets (The Five O'Clock Club)

“Remember, that the more excited you are about the job targets you set, the more enthusiasm and energy you're going to pour into you job search.”
Max Messmer, Job Hunting for Dummies

“A realistic job target meets two criteria. The first is that there are openings and opportunities in that field in the region of the country where you would like to settle. The second is that you can hold your own with the competition when it comes to experience and skills.”
Max Messmer, Job Hunting for Dummies

"Your ultimate goal should be to answer two questions: What do I want to do? Can I reasonably expect to do it? Surprisingly, very few people can answer either question."
Kathryn and Ross Petras, The Only Job Hunting Guide You'll Ever Need

“If an industry is retrenching, it is usually not as profitable as the high-growth industries. It becomes less fun because it is attracting less new blood.”
Kate Wendleton, Job-Search Secrets (The Five O'Clock Club)

“The goals you set for yourself in your job search need to strike a productive balance between what you would ideally like to have and what you have a reasonable chance of being hired for, all things considered.”
Max Messmer, Job Hunting for Dummies

“(Successful managers) search for work that is important to them, and when they find it, they pursue it with a passion.”
Kate Wendleton, Job-Search Secrets (The Five O'Clock Club)

“Finding a balance between what you would truly love to do and what you do to earn your living is really a lifetime challenge, and the decisions you make with respect to that balance may not be the same today as they would have been a few years ago—or are likely to be in the future.”
Max Messmer, Job Hunting for Dummies

"Applicants who are unfocused and untargeted don't present themselves as winners. They just sound as if they don't know what they're doing."
Kathryn and Ross Petras, The Only Job Hunting Guide You'll Ever Need

“Most job hunters target only one job type or industry, take a very long time to find out that this target is not working, get depressed, try to think of other things they can do with their lives, pick themselves up, and start on one more target. Instead, brainstorm as many targets as possible before you begin your real job search. Then you can overlap your campaigns, going after a number of targets at once.”
Kate Wendleton, Job-Search Secrets (The Five O'Clock Club)

“Career counselors are not necessarily experts in the job market per se, which is to say that they can't tell you about the prospects for certain types of jobs in different part of the country. Their expertise lies in the process of helping you find an appropriate career path.”
Max Messmer, Job Hunting for Dummies

[top of page] [next tip]