PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

By Erin Wolfram , M . S .

The job search process can be very daunting and time consuming . In the turfgrass industry , you often work long hours , including weekends , so if you are on the hunt for a new job , you may not have much time to devote to your job search . To help you feel more confident as you seek new opportunities , and save you time in the end , the following are twelve tangible tips to help decrease stress and increase efficiency throughout your job search .

Identify your job target ( s ) and where to find opportunities Defining what your current job target is will help you focus your job search and make it easier to identify positions in which you are most interested . Rather than applying for everything you find , it is better to take a focused approach and only apply to the positions that you are genuinely interested in and those for which you are , at least minimally , qualified .

Consider these questions :

What types of job titles likely match what you want in a new position ?

What type of facility or organization are you interested in working ?

Are you looking to make a lateral move , or are you seeking a leadership role ?

Are you location bound ?

Next , brainstorm where you can find job openings that may be of interest to you . Consider professional organization and industry websites , specific company or organization websites , job boards that have opportunities in your field and within your location of interest , social media job announcements , and people in your network who might know of open positions . The Sports Turf Managers Association job board ( https :// www . stma . org / job-board /) is a great place to start .

Prepare your documents

Prepare drafts of your resume , cover letter and reference page after you have an idea of the type of opportunities you want to pursue . Have a friend , family member or professional career consultant look over your documents to make sure they represent your strengths , skills

30 SportsField Management | March 2021 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com