 |
|||
| |||
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
| ||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||
|
Job Hunting Tips: Organizing Your Attack
Looking for work is an energy-devouring ordeal, often leading to running in circles and not getting anywhere. A systematic approach can help you focus on your goal, avoid wasting the energy you need to conserve for interviews and employer contacts, and lower your stress level. Some resources you might find helpful include: 1. Newspaper classified. Pro: you know that an opening does exist or a company wouldn't spend money to advertise. Con: there may be thousands of applicants for one position. Value depends upon the kind of work you are looking for and the uniqueness of your skills and experience. Certainly worth a weekend check but cannot be exclusively relied upon unless you have your heart set on a telemarketing position. 2. Registering with agencies. Pro: they only make money when you obtain work so they are motivated to get you employment. Con: they need you to take a job, any job, so they can earn their fees and they work to keep their real clients, employers, happy so often screen you out of the really good jobs if they have any doubt about how well you will fit. 3. Internet resources. There are some good resources -Monster.com and Careerbuilder and the job finder section of most major home pages. Beware of wasting time on groups. While some (a very few) are well-managed and inappropriate postings screened out, others (many) are choked with pornographic messages. 4. Job hotlines. These are useful for a weekly check-in but they are primarily available with large employers and jobs are more likely to be found with small and medium-sized employers. The same caveat holds true for job fairs. 5. Cold-calling. If your skills lie within a particular industry where employers typically cluster together -industrial parks, medical centers, retail - walking into offices cold, with a smile, a resume, and a confident air, can sometimes identify an open position long before any search for applicants begins. 6. Personal contacts. Listed last but of prime importance. By networking -- contacting everyone you know to obtain help, and following up on their contacts -- you may be able to marshal several hundred job hunting aides which increases your chances enormously. 7. Prioritize your activities. Assess each method for what looks most promising, try them for a short period, and determine where you, personally, feel comfortable. Spend the major part of your job search time there to avoid squandering your energy on fruitless pursuits. Virginia Bola operated a rehabilitation company for 20 years, developing innovative job search techniques for disabled workers, while serving as a respected Vocational Expert in Administrative, Civil and Workers' Compensation Courts. Author of an interactive and emotionally supportive workbook, The Wolf at the Door: An Unemployment Survival Manual, and a monthly ezine, The Worker's Edge, she can be reached at http://www.virginiabola.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How to Answer The Most Difficult Interview Questions The following 'difficult' questions are common to most tricky or adversarial interviews. In order to convince the interviewer that you are the best person for the job, you must prepare and rehearse your answers meticulously. Aptitude Tests Reveal the Difference Between Your Aptitude & Ability Aptitude tests measure your skills, abilities, values, interests and personality in order to help you determine which careers you might be best suited for and eliminate those that you are not.Aptitude tests are some of the most important tools to anyone considering a career change. A Workplace Romance Can Be Detrimental to Your Career Over 70% of single employees will become romantically involved with someone they work with at some point in their career. The workplace has become the new single's bar. One Cover Letter Secret You Cant Afford To Miss Suppose you were the hiring manager, your desk piled high with cover letters and resumes to sort through. Which of the following cover letter greetings would grab your attention?Example #1:Dear Sirs: Dear Sir/Madam: Dear Gentlemen: To whom it may concern:Example #2:Dear Manager: Dear HR Director: Dear Human Resources:Example #3:Dear Mrs. 5 Ways to Drastically Improve Your Resume in 10 Minutes of Less Follow these quick and easy tips to build yourself a betterresume in under 10 minutes flat.* Use strong, action oriented language that describesspecific skills or accomplishments. Evaluating Job Offers -- Eleven Warning Signs You Must Watch Out For Moving into a new job always involves some degree of uncertainty. You should do your best to find out all you can about a prospective employer, starting right from the pre-interview stage. Successful Job Search: Knocking Out The Competition Most of the time, competition stimulates us, gets our juices flowing, generates creativity, a sense of excitement, and motivates us to perform at our best. Looking for work is another matter! When it comes to financial survival, to regaining independence and self-worth, competition can be crippling. The 10-Step Resume Critique Your resume will generally receive a 15- to 30-second scan upon first review by an employer. With that in mind, it is critical that your resume -- your "paper handshake" -- makes a positive first impression and compels the reader to put your resume in the "yes" pile and possibly call you in for an interview. Telecommuting Website (Part Two) Last article I discussed why a telecommuter would benefit from starting a website, and what you should include on the website. This article, I'm going to cover how to market the website and the basics of getting one set up. Surviving in Corporate Amercia: Part 1 - Email There is a saying that goes, "The best offense is a great defense". Nowhere is that applied better in the corporate world than in the intelligent use of email. Dont Forget to Say, Thank You One of the biggest mistake for job seeks is to not follow up an important interview with a thank you note to the people who interviewed them. Human Resources experts note that as few as 10% of interviewees take the time to say, "thank you. My Career is in the Doldrums - Do I Need a Coach or a Therapist? Is Monday the worst day of your week? Can you hardly remember when you enjoyed going to work? Do friends ask why you seem so down? Maybe this has been going on awhile, and you're realizing it's time to do something. But where do you turn? At one moment you tell yourself "It's just my career?Change that, and everything will be OK". How To Choose The Right Resume Format After a thirty (30) second glance lots of resumes get thrown into the wastebasket. One of the reasons this happens is because the resume writer has failed to use the appropriate resume format. Make Your Résumé Sizzle with Success Stories In today's competitive job market you can't afford a résumé that fizzles. Power up your résumé with solid success stories. Resume 101 Whether you've been downsized, are looking for a career change or are just starting out, your resume speaks volumes about you. If your resume doesn't make it past the first cut, you're doomed; no matter how qualified you are. One Step at a Time in the Job Search What is the first step to take in a job search?Let's start with "Who Am I?" If the job seeker can answer that question easily, then the rest of what to do, comes easily.It is often the hardest thing to do in a job quest, or anything else in life. Why a Professional Resume? As a job search tool your Resume is your main calling card. It explains who you are and what you have to offer. Recovering From a Career Crisis If you have ever experienced any of the following, you have had a career crisis:? Losing your job? Being fired? Burning out? Not wanting to do your job for one more dayA career crisis can be caused either by someone else (being laid off) or by your own feelings (burning out).Common Causes of Career CrisesThere are many reasons why people experience career crises. 20 Questions That Helped Me Take A Leap Of Faith And Change Careers When I was working more than 45 hours a week in a job with a two hour commute each day, the challenge of a new husband, new step children, two beagle dogs and maintaining a home was more than a stretch! Something had to give, and unfortunately I was the one starting to not be able to hold it together!It was a Catch 22 situation. We had an expensive home near the city center with large mortgage costs, which demanded feeding through joint incomes. Have Enough Money to Change Careers - Five Key Steps At every talk I give, I ask the audience to tell me the reasons why people don't change careers. The most common answer given each time is "lack of money.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
