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Quality Job Hunt Preparation
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Getting your Quality life in order is no easy task. Project meetings, staff meetings, tollgate reviews, and business deliverables can wreak havok on our daily lives. Sometimes it seems as if there is nothing we can do to stay organized -- until now. Just as we teach our businesses that processes are necessary to increase productivity, effectiveness and efficiency, we too must have processes to control our personal lives. Getting your quality life organized requires you to set up regular rituals that maintain control of the details. The hardest part is admitting you have a problem and taking the first step to set up a system. Here are a few ideas to jump start your organizational processes: - Organize and File the Pile
You know which one we're talking about. It's probably at the corner of your desk, or maybe it's on top of the bookshelf. These are the papers, files and folders that contain all the information you receive on a daily basis. Some of which you need, most of which you don't. Make sure you immediately file the ones you may need to reference at a later date. You can even file the ones you don't need -- just make sure it's the cylindrical filing cabinet that the janitors clean out nightly. You may find that an uncluttered desk and office helps lead to an uncluttered mind. - Set Your Mark on Businesses
Create a list of the companies within the industries you listed above, or ones that may employ the skills and certifications you have listed. Research the companies on your list to determine their current activities (e.g. applied for Baldrige), accomplishments (e.g. just received ISO certification) and apparent direction (e.g. Quality leader promoted to CEO) within the industry. Visit their Websites and read everything you can. Unsure of businesses in your area? Visit the Job Shop and search by state. - Put Your Best Foot Forward
A resume (curriculum vitae) that reflects your skills and accomplishments in a manner that businesses can easily apply to their needs is your best bet. Prepare your resume so it is custom tailored to each business, and send out an sufficient number of them to the companies on the list you created. Maintain a spreadsheet of the companies to whom you've sent resumes, and place follow-up calls to the human resource representative to track their progress. - Focus On Interviewing Skills
Now comes the fun part. You've done your homework, researched companies and become familiar with how best to market yourself. You're going to get called and they're going to want you to come in. Preparation is key. Make sure you're able to discuss the company and recent developments. Be sure to give a firm handshake, always be positive, look your interviewer straight in the eyes, ask insightful questions, and participate actively in the interview. Follow-up your interview with a hand written thank-you note and be sure to include an indication that you would like to work for the company, if applicable. - Career Continuous Improvement
Once you've landed your perfect position, focus on a path that will progress your career. Look to continually enhance your responsibilities and skills. Browse through the event listings for the next course in your area. Network within your company and on the iSixSigma Forum for industry exposure. Accept new assignments and responsibilities with enthusiasm, and just as we ask others to make improvement suggestions -- don't be afraid to improve your department by sharing and learning best practices.
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