Defining Your Target Job(s) and Organizations

Once you have your organizational system established, do two things:

  1. Identify the ideal job(s) that you want to pursue now; and

  2. Identify specific employers you would like to pursue (whether or not they have positions available).

You probably started doing both already as a result of your research and Informational Interviews.

It is fine to pursue multiple career tracks (e.g., government, in-house, law firm) simultaneously; if you plan to do this, complete the exercises below for each career track on your list. Regardless of how many career tracks you pursue, remember that none of your decisions are written in stone. Both your ideal job(s) and your target employer list will likely evolve as your search progresses.

In fact, one of the most important goals of the search process is to rule out options. By identifying your career tracks, ideal job(s) and your target employers now, you will at least have a starting point as you embark on your search (even if the tracks/jobs/employers that you identify now change over time).