For today's professionals, finding a new career is much different than it was even ten to fifteen years ago. The key to a job search begins with setting out a career objective. In order to do so, a person must do some self-evaluation, and assess personal core competencies. Ask yourself these questions, "What are my strengths and weaknesses?" "What experiences and skills can I apply to a new career that I already possess?" "What skills will I need to acquire?" These are practical and simple questions but the answers are very important in order to match your talents to the right job. Before you begin looking for another job, spend time analyzing your mission statement, your objectives, and the work history section of your resume. Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. You may decide that it is time for you not only to change jobs but also to change careers. If you are considering such a move, take the time to determine growth employment areas and career paths within various fields.
Do Your Homework
The next step is to do some research on the career in your areas of
interest. Read up on specific career profiles, job descriptions,
qualifications and earnings. You may even want to research some potential
employers and the earning potential in your next career. In other words,
you want to avoid a dead end position where you have no potential for
growth and advancement. In doing so, you are empowering yourself with the
information that will help you to capture the next good job. Remember you
can always make better choices when you are informed and use this
information to your advantage.
Get Your Resume Together
A good well-written resume is crucial to finding a good job. A resume
gives potential employers a snapshot of your work history, and is often
the first chance a job candidate will have to make a good impression.
Advances in technology have given rise the web resume, the scannable
resume, and the traditional resume. Most resumes are now run through a
scanner or an optically sensitive computer in the human resources
departments of most companies. A resume can be sent to a company several
ways. Via U.S. Mail, or fax, or e-mail. But be mindful that resumes with
fancy fonts, and layouts may not be read clearly so try to keep it simple.
Many people enjoy the ease of using the Internet to find jobs. Posting
your resume online is an extremely powerful tool. Many online job banks
and resume databases are free for job seekers to use. There are various
sites such as
www.monsterboard.com
www.hotjobs.com
www.careermosaic.com
www.careerbuilder.com
When sending in your resume, you should always send a cover letter no matter the method of delivery, even when you are faxing or emailing your resume. Cover letters serve a vital purpose in the job search process and serve to focus your qualifications and skills for the job at hand.
Follow-up is crucial in the job search process. Very few employers are going to call you, so you need to tell them in your cover letter that you are going to call to set up an appointment and then you need to make sure you do call. And don't take no for an answer. If the employer thinks you are not qualified for the position, ask if you can still come in for an informational interview to learn more about the company and about careers in that field.
It is not what you know, but who you know.
Experts estimate that the vast majority of job openings are never
advertised or publicly announced, but filled through word-of-mouth or
networking. The likelihood of a job opening not being advertised at all
increases with the level of the job. Most people know this, yet most job
seekers fail to fully utilize networking for all it's worth. According to
a recent study by the U.S. Department of Labor, only 5% of people found a
new job from responding to a classified ad. Almost half (48%) found a new
job from referrals from friends or relatives; 24% from direct contact with
employers what we call cold contact with employers; and 23% from school or
alumni placement offices, employment agencies, or temp. agencies. What
does this say? It says that you need to build and nurture your network of
friends, associates, and contacts and use their network to even greatly
expand your network.
The Interview
In most instances, the first meeting with a potential employer is when
they call to schedule an interview. Most jobseeker's interview skills are
a little rusty, since most people do not make a habit of interviewing. So
before your first interview, take the time to brush up your old skills by
creating a mock interview. Have a friend ask you some of the more common
interviewing questions such as; "Why are you looking for a new job?" or
"What are your weaknesses?" You will be amazed at how quickly and
thoughtfully you will answer the questions during the actual interview.
If you are asked to complete an employment application during your interview, never write "See Resume" on the application. Complete each field even if the information is the same as what is contained on your resume. Your employment application is considered a legally binding document. Therefore, many employers will require you to complete the employment application even though they have already received your resume. Remember, many employers will conduct a background check based on the information from your application. Any discrepancies or irregularities could disqualify you from being offered the position. And always use good penmanship and have a blue or black pen with you. It looks more professional to have your own pen instead of having to borrow one.
Follow Up
At the end of the interview, be sure and thank the interviewer for the
time spent with you. Within the next day or two, you should send a short
letter to the interviewer to express your appreciation for the interview.
Shawn Kyle Faciane currently works as an Internal Auditor for a large school district in West Houston, and as a part time college educator. She has spent several years working with several Community Colleges and Universities in the Houston, Texas area teaching computer education courses, business education, business communications courses, and ethics for workplace professionals. Shawn Kyle Faciane is a graduate from the University of Texas and is currently pursuing her masters of accountancy from the University of Houston. Mrs. Faciane currently operates a resume writing services via the Internet at www.facianesproworks.com. She creates traditional resumes, web resumes and resumes in ASCII formats.Shawn Kyle: I grant MCN permission to publish my article. I would like a sentence to mention my resume service. Here is the updated bio. When will it be published.
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