We know job hunting can feel overwhelming, especially if you are just graduating trying to land your first job, not knowing what to do. That's why we've created this comprehensive step by step job hunt checklist backed by recruiters to guide you through every step of your job search, from planning your career, to determining your job search strategy, preparing your resume and applications, and finally negotiating for your offer! Want more help with you job hunt? Read on below for the guide that explains how exactly you should approach your job hunt.
This checklist help you identify everything that you need to do or have prepared so that you never miss an opportunity, be able to apply to any jobs with confidence while staying organised just be filling in the rows that is proven to work by recruiters. Here are four reasons why using a checklist like this one helps you land a job faster.
Know exactly what you want and where you'll thrive. Stop wasting time on mismatched roles and focus your energy on opportunities that align with your goals. Our strategy framework helps you clarify your must-haves, nice-to-haves, and deal-breakers.
Track every application, follow-up, and interaction in one place. Never miss a deadline or forget to follow up. Our system keeps you in control of your job search with clear next steps and reminders for every opportunity.
Walk into every interview thoroughly prepared. Understand the company's challenges, culture, and goals before you walk in the door. Our research framework ensures you ask intelligent questions and provide relevant examples that show you're the perfect fit.
Know your worth and communicate it effectively. Have clear numbers and priorities ready before any offer discussion. Our negotiation checklist ensures you consider all aspects of compensation and helps you secure the package you deserve.
Getting access is simple - click the "Get Access" button, then select File > Make a Copy in Google Sheets. This creates your personal copy to customize and track your journey. Start with the "Define Job Search Strategy" tab to lay your foundation.
Each sheet serves a specific purpose in your job search journey. From defining your strategy to tracking offers, we've created a logical flow that guides you through every step.
Update your tracker daily or whenever there are any updates to your job hunt, like when you apply to a new job, gets an interview invitation or if you want to update your job search strategy entirely. Consistency is key. Use the provided templates as starting points, but feel free to customize them to your needs. Weekly reviews help ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
Finding your next role can feel overwhelming – where do you start? After helping thousands of job seekers land their dream roles, we've developed this comprehensive guide. Let's start with the most crucial first step: Strategy.
It is extremely important to know what you are looking for in your career before you dive into applications. Defining your job search strategy helps you stay true to yourself and be crystal clear when you are looking for opportunities, here are the basic items that you should decide about your job hunt before you begin.
Start by listing specific positions you're qualified for and genuinely interested in. Don't just write "Marketing", try your best to be specific. Are you aiming for "Marketing Manager," "Digital Marketing Lead," or "Content Strategy Manager"? This clarity helps you tailor your applications and spot the right opportunities. It might be worth it to research different role titles to understand them better. You can try use our AI Career Pathfinder feature for this.
The pandemic has transformed how we work, and the world now have more options than ever for how we want to work. Be honest about what works for you:
These can be significant in determining the type of company or industries you want to work for.
Of course, one of the biggest reason (if not the only) for working is for the compensation. Setting salary expectations isn't about picking a number that is as high as possible. It's about understanding your market value, industry standards, how well your employer pays etc, and being prepared for negotiations. Start with Googling your target role, or thorough research on platforms like Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, and industry reports. But don't stop there.
Base salary is just the beginning. Factor in bonuses, equity, benefits, and other perks. A $90K role with great benefits and equity might be worth more than a $100K role with basics only. Research suggests benefits can add 25-40% to your base salary value.
Location dramatically impacts salary ranges. A Marketing Manager in New York might be worth $90-120K, while the same role in a smaller city might range $70-90K. If you're looking at remote roles, understand how companies approach geographic pay adjustments. Note: also factor in your cost of work, especially if it costs you to commute, and consider the cost of living in the area.
Experience and skills affect your range. If you're bringing specialized skills or unique experience, you might be able to ask for higher. But be realistic, if you're transitioning industries or stepping up to a new level, you might need to adjust expectations.
Start with industry research. Look for growing sectors and companies with strong market positions. Don't just chase big names, the bigger the name, there will obviously be higher competition, and in some cases, more edge for them to lower your pay (it is all about supply and demand!). There are smaller but also fast growing companies that might provide you with a better upwards mobility. Signs of healthy growth include new funding rounds, expanding teams, and positive industry coverage.
Analyze company culture and values. Review employee testimonials, company blogs, and social media presence. Look for alignment with your working style and career goals. A prestigious name means nothing if their culture will make you miserable.
Consider company size and stage. Large corporations offer stability and structured growth paths, while startups provide broader experience and potential equity upside. Mid-size companies often blend both worlds. Match this with your risk tolerance and career goals. As a general advice, try your best to create tiers of targets:
The first week of your job search is crucial. Before you start applying, it is important to get your professional materials and documents in order. This preparation stage might feel time-consuming, but it will save you countless hours later and significantly increase your chances of success. Here is a list of everything you need to prepare, these are also outlined in the checklist.
Start with a comprehensive version of your resume that captures all your professional experience. While you'll need to tailor it for each application (this is very important with modern job hunting when competition is higher than ever, you need stand out from the crowd and make it easy for recruiters check all the boxes in there head, imagine they are mindless robots, at least in the first round), having a well-crafted base version makes customization quick and effective.
Similar to your resume, you will need to tailor for each company, but create a flexible cover letter template that showcases your value proposition and a general outline of what you want to tell your employers, this allows you to customize quickly when you actually apply.
People like what other people also like, this is also true for job hunting, plus, when you actually get to the final round, your employers will most likely do a reference check on you anyway, so make it easy for them. Compile a list of 2-3 professional contacts who can speak to your work quality and character. Include former supervisors and colleagues who have directly experienced your work. For each reference, document their name, company, your professional relationship, and current contact information. If possible, secure reference letters in advance.
Self explanatory, sometimes your employers will ask for your headshot in your application (especially in countries like Germany, Switzerland, China etc), so prepare one. Invest in a high-quality professional photo, this will also come in handy for your LinkedIn profile and professional brand. A good headshot conveys approachability and competence.
Over 80% of recruiters try to find you on LinkedIn before interviews, your profile deserves special attention. Here are some items that you might want to pay attention on:
Finally, audit your online presence. Update privacy settings where needed, you are of course entitled to do what you want in your personal life, but you might not want your potential employers to see them. Remember, potential employers will likely look beyond LinkedIn, while they might not make their professional decisions on your personal profile, you also don't want to raise any questions.
Its is of course super important to track all your applications, every details, important dates, and what you submitted for each position, so you also have a reference. Think about how confusing it will be when you apply to 100+ jobs and you didn't record your applications. Here are the explanations for each field in the checklist.
While applying more means higher chances at getting interviews, the quantity shouldn't sacrifice quality. The most successful job seekers focus on 3-5 quality applications per day, spending the time to tailor the applications for each position, rather than mass-applying to 20+ positions. Candidates who customize their applications are 3x more likely to get interviewsSave this checklist of what you should do for every application
It is no surprise that employers like candidates who understand their business, this shows that you are able to provide value from day one. Demonstrating deep company knowledge in your application and interviews shows genuine interest and helps you stand out from candidates who only skim the surface. Here are some starting points to help you begin:
At FirstResume, we automatically do your company research for you with AI, literally saving you 2 hours per company, you can sign up here and see for yourself. But if you want to do it yourself, here is how you should approach researching your employers.
Begin with the company website, particularly their 'About Us', 'Careers', and 'Press' pages. Pay special attention to their mission statement and values. If the company is public, review their annual reports for insights into financial health, strategic priorities, and challenges. The LinkedIn company page reveals employee count, growth trends, and recent updates.
Follow industry news sites like TechCrunch, Bloomberg, and Reuters for tech and business updates. Read industry-specific publications that cover your target company. Understanding their main competitors gives crucial context to their market position and unique value proposition.
Read Glassdoor reviews, but look for patterns in employee feedback rather than focusing on individual comments. Current employees often share company culture and achievements on LinkedIn - these posts can be goldmines of information. The company blog reveals their voice, priorities, and what they value enough to publish.
Set up Google News alerts for your target companies to stay current. Monitor their social media presence across Twitter, LinkedIn, and other platforms for real-time updates. Track press releases for official announcements about new products, partnerships, or initiatives.
If you reach this step, congratulations on securing an interview! You are now half way there at landing your dream job, so let's not mess this up. Staying organized is key to your success. Use the tracker in the checklist to helps you manage both pre-interview preparation and post-interview actions, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks during this critical phase of your job search. Let's break down each element you need to track for a successful interview process.
Finally, after the all these hard work, you have now received your job offer! This is a significant milestone in your career journey, and you should take a moment to celebrate your achievement. However, this is not (yet) the end of the story, now the ball is in your court, make sure you have all the information about the offer so that you can make the most informed decisions. While it's exciting to receive an offer, remember that this is also your opportunity to ensure everything aligns with your expectations and career goals before making a final commitment. Here are some items that you need to know before signing the offer letter:
Document the date and details of your initial verbal offer. While exciting, remember this is just the first step, and this is not legally binding, there are cases where employers change their mind even after a verbal offer, so don't let your guard down until you officially sign the contract. Take notes during this conversation and follow up with an email summarizing the key points discussed.
Get clear confirmation of your base compensation. This should include the exact amount, payment frequency, and any planned increases or review periods. Don't be afraid to negotiate if the number doesn't match your expectations.
Look beyond the base salary. Understanding your total compensation means clarifying performance bonuses, commission structures, health insurance details, retirement plans, company matching, stock options, equity packages, paid time off, vacation policy, professional development allowances, and any additional perks like gym memberships or meal allowances.
Clarify expectations about standard working hours, overtime policies, flexibility arrangements, and time zone considerations, especially for remote roles. Make sure you understand what a typical day looks like and how your time will be structured.
Get specific details about office location or remote work policy, required office days for hybrid roles, equipment provided, travel requirements, and any relocation assistance. These details significantly impact your daily work life and should be clearly defined.
Confirm your first day and any pre-employment requirements. This includes background checks, drug testing, reference checks, notice period with your current employer, and required documentation. Having a clear timeline helps you plan your transition smoothly.
The final step is receiving and reviewing your written offer. This should include all previously discussed terms in writing, clear job title and reporting structure, any conditions of employment, and non-compete or confidentiality agreements. Read this document carefully before signing.
Turn your multi-step job search into a streamlined, one-click experience. FirstResume's AI-powered platform handles all the heavy lifting:
Simply upload your base resume and the job description. Our AI will:
Why spend hours on manual tasks when you could be focusing on what matters most - preparing for interviews and making meaningful connections? Let FirstResume be your personal job search assistant, making your journey 10 times more effective and 100 times faster.
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Create your profile by uploading an existing resume or create one from scratch using our resume builder.
Start searching for jobs anywhere you want and paste the job description in the box in FirstResume.
One click, and we will track your job with AI, analyse your compatibility, create your perfect resume and more, ready to apply.
Tailored job applications are crucial in today's competitive job market for several reasons:
1. Stand out from the crowd: Generic resumes often get lost in the sea of applications.
2. A tailored resume highlights your most relevant skills and experiences for each specific job.
3. Beat Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): Many companies use ATS to screen resumes. Tailored applications that include job-specific keywords are more likely to pass these initial screenings.
4. Show genuine interest: Customizing your application demonstrates that you've taken the time to understand the role and company, showing your enthusiasm and dedication.
5. Address specific requirements: Each job has unique requirements. Tailoring allows you to directly address how you meet these specific needs.
6. Improve relevance: By emphasizing your most pertinent qualifications for each role, you make it easier for hiring managers to see why you're a great fit.
7. Increase interview chances: Tailored applications that closely match job descriptions are more likely to impress recruiters and lead to interview invitations.
FirstResumeAI makes this crucial tailoring process quick and effortless, giving you a competitive edge in your job search without the time-consuming work of manual customization.
No, using FirstResume is not cheating at all. It's a tool to help you present your true skills and experiences in the best possible light. Here's why:
1. We don't add false information: All content on your resume remains factual and based on the information you provide. We simply help you articulate your experiences more effectively.
2. It's about presentation, not fabrication: Our AI helps you highlight your relevant skills and achievements for each specific job application, much like a professional resume writer would do.
3. Tailored, not altered: We tailor your existing information to each job application, emphasizing the most relevant aspects of your background.
4. Industry-standard practice: Using tools or services to improve your resume is a common and accepted practice, similar to hiring a professional resume writer or career coach.
5. Employer perspective: Employers expect well-crafted, tailored resumes. They're interested in finding the best match for their position, and a well-presented resume helps them do that.
6. Cost-effective personalization: Unlike one-off professional editing services, we provide ongoing, job-specific tailoring at a fraction of the cost.
Remember, FirstResume is about empowering you to showcase your true potential effectively. It's a modern solution to the age-old challenge of presenting yourself confidently in a competitive job market.
Yes, our AI is designed to optimize your resume for various industries and job types. It adapts to the specific requirements of each job description you input.
Our AI optimizes your resume by using industry-standard formatting, appropriate keywords from the job description, and a clean, easy-to-read layout that ATS systems can easily parse.
Yes, we use bank-level encryption to protect your personal information and do not share it with third parties.
Absolutely! You have full control to review and edit all generated content before using it.
LinkedIn profile import is coming soon! This feature will allow you to easily bring your professional information into FirstResumeAI. For now, you can manually input your information or upload a resume.
Yes, FirstResumeAI allows you to save multiple versions of your tailored resumes. This feature enables you to quickly access and update previously created resumes for similar job applications in the future.
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