In this exciting episode, Alexa Shoen shares secrets for finding your first job—or your dream job—from her new book, #EntryLevelBoss. She calls her approach a “fitness plan” for looking for work, with the goal of helping people go through the job search process as efficiently as possible.

Shoen believes there are 14 incorrect beliefs that stymie our job search efforts and she challenges us to reconsider those assumptions. For example, many people believe they need the right degrees to get the right job. They spend thousands of dollars on schooling when they should have focused on getting practical experience. It’s not that an MBA isn’t a good thing—but sometimes jumping on the first rung of the ladder to get the experience can be more important than getting more educated.

Before you start your job search, Shoen wants you to answer three questions:

What kind of role do you want?
Where do you physically want to work?
What industry do you want to work in?

Don’t just throw your resume out there—answer these questions and create a list of possible employers. Then plan a strategy for making connections with those companies. Shoen reveals a few creative methods for tracking down people who can help you find that perfect job.

Most important, Shoen advises you to focus on being interested instead of looking interesting. Find out enough about the company to know what kind of problem you can solve for them. Think about what you can bring to the job on day one that will set you apart from other candidates.

About Alexa Shoen

For more information about Alexa Shoen, go to www.entrylevelboss.com.

#027: Pierce Showe - Run Your Race