Last time, I introduced the things you need to do and the items you need to start your job search.

I want to read it together

Things mechanical engineers need to do and things they need to start their job search. Last time, I explained the overview of job hunting based on my own experience. This time, I'd like to explain what you need to do and what you need for a job search. I'll go into detail about the actual process and steps involved…

This time, we'll introduce the process of job hunting, from the steps you need to take to start your job search to the selection process.

However, the time schedule varies from person to person, so I won't go into detail here (it could be as fast as 2 months, or as long as 2 years).

However, the process will vary slightly depending on your general motivation for changing jobs, so let's start by clarifying your general motivation for changing jobs.

A general overview of the reasons for changing jobs

Let's get straight to the point and categorize the main motivations for changing jobs into different types.

Using the MECE (Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive) method of logical thinking, we can categorize these into three types. I think most people will fall into one of these categories.

I will now briefly explain each of these three types.

1. When you have a clear target company

A concrete example of the motivation of someone with this pattern is as follows (Pattern 1).

I think this applies more to people who have a clear life plan and career plan in place, separate from any dissatisfaction with their current situation.

In this pattern, I don't think you need to do the self-analysis and goal setting for the to-do list that I introduced last time.

2. If you haven't decided on a company you want to work for

A concrete example of the motivation of someone with this pattern is as follows (Pattern 2).

These are individuals who haven't yet decided on a specific company they want to work for, but whose main focus in job hunting is resolving their current challenges and dissatisfactions.

In this pattern, the main objective will be to solve your current challenges, so you will likely need to focus on self-analysis and setting goals and objectives.

I think this is probably the most common pattern (it's the same for me).

3. If you change jobs when better conditions are available.

People in this pattern generally have little motivation to change jobs, as they are not actively looking for a new position (Pattern 3).

Examples of reasons why such individuals might change jobs include the following:

In this pattern, you don't need to take any action yourself; as long as you make your intentions clear, things will proceed on their own, so there's no set flow. From what I know, there are usually formal selection processes (such as casual conversations disguised as interviews), but in extreme cases, it ends with "Come back by this date."

This is a very unusual situation, so I don't think it will apply to many people.

Summary of each type of motivation

We've now briefly summarized the content by type.

In reality, the motivations for changing jobs are not clearly categorized as described above, but rather a mixture of three types of feelings.

Even so, I think there's a priority issue that you personally want to solve, so I think your main motivation falls into one of these types.

It's a good idea to determine your type based on the thinking patterns shown in the diagram (you can use the results of the self-analysis and goal setting introduced last time).

Now, let's move on to the main topic: a flowchart explaining the general flow of job hunting by type.

However, we will exclude the type of situation where someone changes jobs if better conditions are found, as this is considered an irregular occurrence.

The typical flow for those who have already decided on their target company.

Based on the content of the previous article, let's look at a to-do list for those who have already decided on their target company (the necessary items are the same as last time).

Based on this list, the process leading up to the selection process can be visualized as follows in a flowchart:

Some new information has been introduced (such as the analysis of job descriptions), but the details and methods will be explained thoroughly in a later article, so please take it at face value for now.

Next, here are my favorite points about this flowchart.

At first glance, it might seem like a good idea to look for job postings from companies you're interested in before starting the process, but if you've already taken stock of your skills and technical abilities (plus your resume), you'll have a better understanding of whether you have a chance of succeeding in the selection process when you see the job postings from your target companies (applying every time will obviously give a bad impression).

Furthermore, be aware that if you start working on your application only after finding a job posting from your desired company, you may not be able to meet the deadline.

If you find a job opening at your desired company and end up rushing to submit a half-hearted application at the last minute, I recommend taking some time to prepare thoroughly (half-hearted preparation will cause you to miss a great opportunity).

The reason is that, unless it's a very specialized industry, company, or job type, companies will continue to post job openings for mid-career hires (based on my own experience).

As is the general practice for larger companies, they regularly bring in a small number of external personnel for each job type to revitalize their operations, so there's no need to rush (they generally post job openings every year).

For reference, at my previous company (which had about 150 employees), we had at least one new employee per year, and sometimes as many as five.

When searching for job openings at your desired company, it's essential to visit the company's website. However, when a company posts job openings on its own website, it's usually for a large-scale, mass recruitment of mid-career professionals.

In contrast, companies that are constantly recruiting for small positions often only post their job openings through recruitment service companies, so registering on job sites is also recommended.

So, even if you don't see any job postings on your target company's website, don't give up immediately.

For those following this pattern, this is the selection process.

The typical pattern for those who haven't decided on a target company.

Based on the content of the previous article, here is a list of things to do in this pattern.

Based on this list, the process leading up to the selection process can be visualized as follows in a flowchart:

Some new information has been introduced here (such as meetings with agents and analysis of job descriptions), but I will explain the details and methods thoroughly in a later article, so please take what is said at face value for now.

I think many people will follow a similar flow to this flowchart.

Next, here are my favorite points about this flowchart.

As mentioned in the previous article, you can also start by registering with a job search website.

However, when registering with job search websites, you may be required to register your desired conditions and, depending on the service, submit a resume. Moreover, since you often use multiple job search services, it would be troublesome to think about this each time you register, and there is a possibility of registering the wrong conditions.

To address these issues, we have a process in place where participants conduct self-analysis and set objectives and goals beforehand.

Furthermore, since you often have meetings with recruiters and agents after registering on job search websites, preparing a reasonably complete resume and self-introduction materials beforehand and bringing them to the meeting will improve the quality of the meeting.

These materials help recruiters and agents understand you better, reducing the number of mismatched job offers and increasing efficiency.

Furthermore, since the business model of job placement services is based on generating revenue only after a candidate is hired, they prioritize introducing job opportunities with good conditions to people who seem more likely to be hired.

Therefore, it's important to prepare in advance so that the job placement service side can get a deep understanding of your skills and abilities. This can lead to being introduced to job opportunities with unexpectedly good conditions.

Therefore, although it may be troublesome and difficult, I strongly recommend preparing the necessary documents in advance.

Summary and preview of the next episode

Based on my experience, the job application process can be divided into two patterns.

Pattern where the target company is clearly decided.

Patterns where you haven't decided on a company you want to work for.

There are roughly two patterns to the process, but starting next time, I will explain how to do each step using the "pattern where you haven't decided on your target company" which applies to most people.

Furthermore, since it includes each stage of the process for those who have already decided on their target company, I think it will be helpful if you look at each stage.

Next time, I'll introduce a set of methods for initial self-analysis and setting goals and objectives.

Please feel free to use this as a reference.