Want a new job in 2014? First, understand what job search entails.

Most of you will be facing your first full week of work after the Christmas and New Year holidays next Monday January 6th. If the idea of this makes you groan, specifically because you don’t like your job or are just ready to move on, then it’s time to do something about it.

Thinking about starting a job search is daunting for many people. Similar to many large goals or projects, it’s best to break it down into smaller tasks and phases. Today’s post will give you a 20,000 feet view of a job search campaign (yes, it’s ideal if you think of it as a campaign instead of simply, “I need to find a new job”.)

There are essentially five phases of a job search campaign.

1. Who are you really? What are your transferable skills? What have your top successes been in your career overall and in your most recent positions?

2. Who is your target audience? What I mean by this is who would want to meet, interview or hire you? In other words, who would be the most interested in you? This could mean individuals, companies or industries. Also, equally as important, who would make your happy? Your skills and experience might be great for the pharma industry but if manufacturing drugs isn’t appealing to you, then this isn’t a target industry for you.

3. Write down and practice responses to questions, and potential reactions and objections you may receive. If you can find someone to conduct a simulated interview with you and videotape it, all the better.

4. Involve yourself in as many different activities as you can to uncover leads and build your network. In a future post, I will cover these in greater detail. For now, know that you will not just want to sit on job boards or talk to recruiters. You will also spend quality time on LinkedIn, go to industry events and conferences, even go to a job fair or two, reach out to people who are featured in publications and many other things.

5. Be ready to negotiate a package by doing your homework long before you actually receive an offer. This means knowing what your drop dead must-haves are. Not just compensation or benefits or a title but also how you will spend your time at work, your level of flexibility and autonomy, etc.

In my next post, I will elaborate on Phase 1 – knowing who you are.

Happy New Year!