Great Balls of Fire! Targeting your job search, meteor style

The meteor that blazed across the Western Canadian sky last Thursday was, according to some Edmonton, Alberta residents, one of the most surprising, spectacular events they had ever witnessed. A dashboard camera attached to a police car captured what appeared to be a speeding fireball. Immediately afterwards, some people in their cars drove toward the general area where thought the fragments fell, “Twister” style (flying cows, anyone?).

The pieces of this meteor, if found, could yield valuable information about the history of the solar system. Other meteorite hunters hoping to locate these fragments–many of them from nearby University of Regina– aligned search parties to see what they can come up with.  To pinpoint approximate locations of the meteors, these folks will have to gather eye witness accounts and get information from the sky tracking cameras BEFORE they even go looking for anything.

Now here’s where we get all metaphorical–you knew it was coming. When it comes to finding a great job, some folks are like that police officer in little Devon, Alberta. He was just driving down the highway, making the rounds when. . .flash, bang, boom. . .he just happened to catch something on tape. He was just in the right place at the right time. Other people have an idea of the kind of jobs they want and they just sort of veer off into a general direction with no specific plan or guidelines. They might find what they’re looking for, but chances are they’ll be off the mark.

Finally, the job searchers that take time to gather their resources, talk to the right people, and figure out a plan are likely to find something that suits them really well. It may take a little longer, but their extra effort and planning will prove worth it in the long run.

After you’ve gathered your tools (killer resume, great cover letter–both of which you will alter for each new position), signing up for a free trial to EmploymentCrossing will be the first step in your strategic search.  You can browse mucho sites (100+ to be more precise) with so many jobs it’ll make your bowtie spin. Hello, SciencesCrossing! Almost  15,000 science jobs!