PLAN YOUR JOB SEARCH LIKE A WEDDING.

Having just returned from the marriage of my younger brother to his new bride, all the lovely details of planning and executing a wedding are fresh in my mind. And since we’ve all heard the comparison of job hunting to dating, why not take it to the next level and plan your job search like a wedding! Here are several common wedding planning activities that may be applied to the modern job hunt:

1. Create a budget: Working with your financial advisor, significant other and/or friend(s), take a hard look at your financial situation and get a good sense of what you can and cannot afford. This will inform your thinking for the remainder of your job search and help you prioritize your activities.

2. Pick a date: Although we usually would say “as soon as possible”, determine your absolute drop-dead date for employment by keying off of your budgetary exercise. This also helps you to treat your search like a project plan with milestones, deliverables and outcomes.

3. Choose a location: Rapidly assess your geographic options and try and lock down your first, second and third choices. This helps to narrow your search criteria and ensures you remain focused on the right opportunities and organizations for your specific location(s).

4. Inform your family: Some of the most important people to leverage are your loved ones. Although most of us hate the idea of asking certain family members for help, you never know what stone they may be able to turn over on your behalf.

5. Assemble the wedding party: Each of us should have the equivalent of a job search wedding party. These are the people who will go the extra mile and employ extraordinary means to assist you in your search. And don’t forget to leverage all your virtual friends via online social networks sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

6. Send out invitations: You should use the same type of selective logic in submitting resumes as you would in wedding invitations. Who do you want to associate with? What firms and positions are you passionate about? Create lists and be sure to personalize everything you do.

7. Plan the honeymoon: In addition to all the rigor of the job search, you should also take some time to assess what truly makes you happy. Many people use unemployment as a trigger to reinvent themselves, so wake up your inner entrepreneur/dreamer/philanthropist and focus on the difference between what you can do versus what you want to do.

8. Find that perfect dress/suit: Make sure you have the appropriate wardrobe for interviewing. If it has been some time since you last searched for a job, ensure you are up to style and stick to the basic classics of business-wear.

9. Breathe: It’s stressful out there right now, and when things are rough, we tend to hear bad news much louder than good. Keep your wits about you, get away from the computer and remember to find ways to relax and calm your inner neurosis. Everything will be okay.

10. Enjoy the big day: After all the prep work, the endless resumes, the mock interviews, the networking and the anxiety, be sure to take a moment to celebrate your accomplishments. Whether it’s the securing of a hard-to-get interview or the attainment of an offer, remember to congratulate yourself on a job well done. Much like marriage, a good job is often a result of what you put into it, so raise a glass and enjoy your moment in the sun.

What did I forget? I’m sure there’s something we missed so be sure to share your job hunt/wedding stories. Having seen plenty of quality candidates left at the alter, I’m certain you each have one hell of a tale to tell. So throw out your written bouquet below and let’s keep the conversation going.

For more info: Find a wedding planner (aka career coach) from the top notch career coach group on the 405 Club Ning Network [here]. Join to contact them and they will be more than happy to help you.

-By Mark Stelzner, Guest Blogger and Networking Examiner