- Spend $20 on these values cards. Pick your top 10. It should be hard!
- Ask yourself how you live out those values through your actions in a typical week or month. Would someone watching your behaviors identify these as your top priorities? Where are the discrepancies?
- Ask yourself if it was these values that drove you to choose your current job. How could you modify the way you do your work to better embody your values? How might a different role satisfy (or strain) these values?
- Spend $20 on this book. If you are pretty sure what kinds of roles and organizations appeal to you, buy this book and follow its instructions to the letter. You won’t want to, but this approach is a great way to structure a job search when you are starting with clarity about what you seek.
- Use TheMuse.com guides to prepare your application materials. Their advice is solid and current, and you can learn everything you need to create a solid set of materials. Here’s a link to their resume library; they’ve also got info about cover letters and interviewing. (Friendly reminder: watch for pop-up ads or offers to sell you things. As with any commercial entity, when you are getting content for free, it is wise to ask yourself what the corporate strategy of the content provider is, and how they use your attention or information.)
