Job Searching

Editor's Notes

1. There is a lot of information here, but it is in no way complete. I encourage you to listen and ask questions and later review your packets and if you have a question- call us. I want to cover everything so I am going to skip along unless you stop me!
2. Made up number Quick poll- how many have used the online services to find a job How many have actually gotten a job that way? With more opportunities comes more work, more competition and more hazards. Wider pool of candidates mean employers can be selective. You have to work twice as hard, especially since people not normally in the market are entering or staying in the market (SAHM’s, older adults)
3. Things with **** things we are going to further explore Keep specialized resumes for each job Keep a databank of cover letters This is a job have a dedicated workspace and set times that you work on job searching Track no answers, no’s, potentials so you don’t repeat Self-Assessment Resources Explore Career Options: Career & Occupational Guides Counseling, Coaching, & Mentoring Employment & Industry Trends Begin your job search by taking a thorough inventory of your interests, skills, accomplishments, experience, goals, and values. Make a detailed list. The key to a successful job search is to recognize what makes you a unique candidate and to communicate this effectively to a prospective employer, both verbally and in writing. Try to match your skills, interests, and values with the right career choice. If one of your goals is to get a larger salary, don’t focus on career paths that traditionally pay low salaries. Conduct research on various fields and local companies within those fields. Learn about different businesses that interest you and target those that are more likely to have Don’t wait around for opportunity to come knocking on your door. While cold calling potential employers can be intimidating, it remains a powerful strategy. It’s important to get through the door before your competition. One key to breaking in is understanding the “hidden” job market. Many job openings exist only in the minds of directors, vice presidents, and other company bigwigs, long before the job is finally advertised in newspapers or on the Internet. If you can present yourself as the perfect candidate at this early stage, an employer may snap you up without looking elsewhere. Networking should be at the center of your job search strategy. Get the word out to friends, trusted colleagues, and even relatives that you are actively looking for a job, and ask them to keep their eyes and ears open for any opportunities. Expand your network and join professional organizations, sign up for job search newsletters and e-mail blasts, contact former professors and classmates, and participate in Internet discussion boards. Employment agencies come in all shapes, sizes, and price ranges; they can be an excellent resource for job leads. Some specialize in very specific occupational areas, and many often have exclusive arrangements with large companies. If you’re interested in the services of an agency, investigate it carefully. Determine what the agency will do for you and how much it will cost. Temp jobs are a great way to learn skills, gain experience, and earn money while looking for a permanent position. They are also a way to prove your worth and be first in line when a full-time position opens up. Working as a consultant or independent contractor in a company can also eventually lead to steady, full-time employment. When sending out résumés, catch the prospective employer’s attention with a brief and concise cover letter that clearly spells out how your qualifications match the job requirements. Connect the dots for the reader, and make it obvious why you’re the perfect candidate for the job. Keeping track of the progress of your job search is important. Maintain a detailed record of all the jobs you have applied to, including communications, interviews, referrals, and follow-up actions. This will help you build a network of valuable contacts both for your current job search and for any future ones. Job searching is hard work and there are times when you will be discouraged. Just keep in mind that everyone has been through the same grind at one point. Try to keep a positive attitude, and look at your job hunt as an exciting challenge. Your perfect job is out there somewhere. Good luck! Npr article. Job Skill Assessment Forms and sites at the end
4. Set up a zone a circle of distance from your home that you are willing to travel and make sure you include those towns and cities in your search. Be flexible if need is urgent, wait it out if you have the time.
5. I looked at employer sites on how to write ads for this and what I saw over and over was a focus on writing an ad to make sure you get the personality and characteristics you want and to weed out people who cant follow directions. While some things are negotiable many are there for a reason.
6. Using the Internet for research isn't the same as surfing the Internet. It can be compared to taking a Sunday drive versus purchasing tires for your car. On a Sunday drive you can wander wherever the road leads. In fact, the less planned, the greater the adventure. On the other hand, you wouldn't just wander around until you found a tire store. Stay focused on your research goal. If you find something interesting en route to your goal, bookmark the site and come back to it. It'd be like finding a candy store on your way to get tires. Before you know it, you've lost track of what you wanted to accomplish. Develop a plan before you begin looking for information. Decide in advance how much time you're willing to invest. Your topic will influence where you look. The Internet, newsgroups and email all require a different search strategy. Knowing roughly where your information might be found will help in developing your plan. Remember, "Plan your work, then work your plan." Whether it's websites, computer files or paper files, it's important to keep a record of your research. As you explore potential employers, industries and communities, you will collect a lot of information. Discard that which has little or no immediate value, then file and maintain information that you want to keep. Almost every Internet newbie has given in to the temptation to bookmark sites without discretion. The result is almost always an unmanageable tangle of Internet bookmarks. Goals will help keep you on track and should be stated in specific terms. "I'm going to spend the next hour researching two potential employers who might need someone with marketing skills," is far better stated than, "I'm going to look for jobs on the Internet.“
7. National, regional and local professional organizations exist in great part to help their members with career development. Many organizations include field-specific job listings on their Web sites or in their printed publications.
8. Specific, what does networking look like?  * It's talking with people to gather information, seek advice, expand awareness, and generate referrals.
9. Networking isn't a process of making cold-calls to people you don't know. It's talking to people you do know or asking them to introduce you to others. E-Networking combines the traditional networking you do as part of your career search, with the power of the Internet. It allows you to create a community of virtual contacts who can provide critical information on job leads, industry trends and possible openings. These are people whom you would never have met in any other way. On-line interactions do not involve a phone call or necessitate a personal meeting, thereby eliminating most of the fear surrounding that first "encounter". When you feel more comfortable networking, you will do more of it, thereby generating new leads on a continual basis from a growing circle of contacts. Everyone on the Internet is accessible to you. The publication of their email address means that you have an opportunity to initiate contact and build a relationship. That sort of availability simply doesn't exist in traditional networking. Managing your circle of contacts is greatly simplified. You can use contact lists that are internal to many sites, or your own electronic address book to manage your growing circle of E-Networking contacts. There is no need to collect numerous business cards with hastily scrawled reminders about each individual. Many sites sponsor networking circles and events. Some of the best E-Networking sites are traveling throughout the country, hosting presentations and seminars for their members. The assumption is that you have met colleagues virtually, and now want to cement those relationships at an evening dedicated to further networking and perhaps even professional development
10. As always, think about privacy concerns. There are many websites that give tips to maximizing social networks
11. Email / Instant Message Your email address and instant messenger screen name(s) should be professional. Your email messages should include a signature that includes your phone number, so, it's easy for employers to contact you. One way to avoid mixing business with pleasure is to have a dedicated email address and screen name that you use just for job searching. Google Have you Googled yourself to see what information people can find about you on the Internet? Make sure that what you find is appropriate for a potential employer to read. You might be surprised at what's there! Blogs If you have a blog, is there anything that you wouldn't want an employer or a colleague to read? Whether you write about your interviews, your current job, or your personal life, don't forget to review all your online information when job searching, because any potential employer could find it. If you have friends who write about you, check to make sure what they are writing is appropriate. Social Networking Do you have an account on a social networking site, like MySpace or Facebook? Believe it or not, employers do check these sites. Take a look at your profile, your pictures, and who is linked from your site and vice versa. Is there anything you wouldn't want a potential employer to see? If you're concerned, make your profile private and be careful what you put on the front page. Anyone may be able to see the information on that page, even if your profile is private.
12. It will not only help you protect your privacy, it will help you keep track of your job search correspondence and applications. Free email accounts, are available, and with web-based email you can check your email from anywhere Use a different user name and password for the job search and career networking sites you use.
13. Many post even more job listings on their own sites, plus you can probably find a way to contact their human resource department to find out about any opportunities they haven't posted.
14. Monster, for example, has a database of over 40 million resumes. CareerBuilder has more than 10 million resumes on file. In addition, employers have to pay to search for resumes. It can be expensive and that's an awful lot of resumes to try and narrow down. I's often easier for an employer to post a job and wait for the applications to come rolling in. Employers that I've spoken to say that they typically get hundreds of applications for every position they list, so, even then, job seekers are up against a lot of competition. Susan Heathfield, About.com's Guide to Human Resources says, "Candidates need to take a proactive approach to job searching. Putting your resume online and expecting employers to pay fees to search all of the different job searching sites available won't land you a job. Employers are faced with too many options these days and all of the online sites are trying to make money. Whether it's an online site such as Monster or CareerBuilder or a web site associated with the employer's local newspaper classified ads, online posting and searching is expensive for the employer. You'll increase your chances of finding your dream job by making finding you as easy as possible for the employer."
15. All these sites will have geographical limiters'. Watch for imitators- for example there is a bogus site tennessee.jobs.com that is not legitimate See handouts for many more links