Contact Software and Handheld Organizers

If you are looking to organize a complex job search (with more than 100 potential employer contacts), you might also look into using contact software to automate the planning and tracking process. My personal suggestions would be Microsoft Outlook (included with Microsoft Office), which can handle as many contacts (well into the thousands) with ease and efficiency. It provides an easy-to-use interface, event planning/tracking and the capabilities to both capture and update information about the people you are contacting. But whether you work with a hardcopy planner or software--or both (I religiously use both my paper planner for daily event planning and Outlook for e-mail and contact management)--they are only as effective as you make them. Dedicate time to using them properly.

But use your computer software only for "batch" events. Never get yourself stuck in a situation where you need to boot up your computer to capture live information. Always be ready with pen in hand. Pocket organizers are portable, computers are not. You should be prepared to record each and every bit of information, no matter how minor or insignificant it may sound, as it occurs. Do not get caught in the "I'll write it down later" trap, because you will often either forget or lose the information by then.

An alternative is to use a handheld organizer, such as a Palm or iPAQ. They have the advantage of being portable, with all the computer power you need for organizing activities. And they can interface with your computer to stay in synch with Outlook on both sides. They're pricey, but if you can spare the bucks, this is the type of product that you will use well into your work life after college.

No matter what you use--paper planner, contact software, or handheld--you need to use it consistently to be effective. Dedicate the time and energy to make it work for you. It takes time up front to be committed to the system, but it will definitely pay off over time.

It's amazing how often you will find yourself going back to a name or phone number that you recorded weeks or even months ago. After your job search is complete, the information you have gathered will serve as the networking foundation for all future job searches. Capture the information and use it wisely.

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