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Getting Started
- The job search is a process that includes finding job announcements, seeking out companies for hire, researching the company and individuals who work there, learning about the industry, styling one's cv and cover letter for the appropriate jobs, and preparing for interviews.
- A resume or curriculum vitae (CV) is a document created by job seekers to summarize their education, work experience, skills/abilities, and accomplishments. There are various formats one can use, some are better for different industries or jobs. Different countries have their own expectations of what should and what should not be included on a resume. Do research on the type of resume that might be expected and tailor your resume to the specific job and country.
- A cover letter is a letter a job seeker writers to apply for a specific job announcement or to solicit an employer for potential employment. It should summarize one's skills and experience and specify what the candidate will bring to the job that makes them especially qualified. It should be tailored to the specific job and company.
- The interview process varies from job to job and industry to industry. It usually begins with a phone call, which might be unannounced or prearranged. Video conferencing is becoming more popular, especially if the job is located elsewhere. An in-person interview might be with a single individual or a small group and may be followed by more interviews. The supervisor might do the interviewing or someone from human resources. In every case, be prepared to talk about yourself, your skills, and your experience and to answer work behavior questions and questions tailored specifically to the company and job at hand.
Self-assessment is the first step
- Begin with an inventory of your education, experience, and skills set.
- Understand your strengths and weaknesses and learn how to improve on the latter.
- Seek out advice from people who know you, have worked with you, and/or have been successful in their own job search.
- Get feedback on your resume/cv and cover letter before sending them.
How much do you know about job searching?
Test yourself here:
Test Yourself Job Search.pptxDo some self-assessment first in order to choose jobs that are right for you and to create your letter and cv.
Online Personality Tests
Take an online self-assessment and or career choice test when thinking about your future, your job applications, and how to brand yourself
There are several free personality tests that are geared to finding the type of career/job or job environment that suits your preferences.
Here is a site with several kinds of tests:
Review this slide presentation for assessing self and creating a resume:
Assessing Self and Resume.pptxFind Jobs
The three best ways to find a job:
- Network
- Ask around. Tell professors, colleagues, family, friends, neighbors, your dentist that you are job searching. Contact alumni or people you know working at companies you are interested in.
- Check Websites of places you would like to work
- Go to the Company website and look for job announcements.
- Online Job Search Engines
- Use job search engines on the internet, many are country specific, to find jobs in your field and desired locations. Many of these search engines include a sign-up and will retrieve job announcements and send them to you regularly.
- A few of the most popular are:
- Indeed
- Glassdoor
- Monster
- CareerBulder
- LinkUp
- Dice
- Google for Jobs
Create a LinkedIn account
- Create a LinkedIn account for prospective jobs and employers. Many employers will search immediately on LinkedIn before contacting a candidate by email.
- Be sure to use a professional photo. Include the most accurate information, your CV cannot contradict what you publish here.
- Do not include friends in your network who do not hold similar level professional jobs. This is not a social network site.
Read Job Descriptions
- Knowing what employers are looking for in a candidate is the first step to setting a realistic target job goal.
- Never simply repeat the skills or wording in a job description in your cover letter or resume, as employers will usually eliminate applicants who do this.
Research the Company
With the internet and technology at your fingertip, today's job applicant is expected to know a lot about the company and job they are applying for. Their letter should be customized for the particular company and job. CVs should also be tailored for the field, especially if one is applying for very different types of jobs. Do your research and your first impression will make a difference.
Customized Cover Letters
Read these guidelines for creating a cover letter:
Writing a Customized, Persuasive Cover Letter (1).pptxThis handout includes more specific details about cover letters:
Cover Letters, handout.pdfResumes and CVs (Curriculum Vitae)
A CV or Resume follows a general structure which can vary by field or number of years of experience. Most CVs contain information that identifies you, summarizes your experience, skills, and/or objectives, and concludes with hobbies and references.
While styles may differ, there are standard formats for the information that a resume includes.
- Personal information that identifies you varies from culture to culture. Learn what the usual customs for personal information are before including information like age or nationality.
- Career objectives are generally for applicants with less experience or new to the job market. People with considerable work experience write a career summary.
- The middle part - which details job experiences - can be organized chronologically (preferably) or functionally (for certain fields or people with very varied career experiences).
- Only recent graduates or people in academia and research should emphasize their education at the beginning.
Read the following slide presentation carefully for guidelines on structuring a resume:
Get Feedback and Revise
Like all writing, your first draft of your resume is a work in progress and needs feedback and revising.
- Create two different resumes using different styles. Get feedback from professors, colleagues, friends on your word choice and which format works best for the job or jobs you are applying for. Ask them to look for errors or awkward wording as well.
- Consider their criticism and revise your style and formats accordingly.
Proofread!
Mistakes in your email, cover letter, and/or resume are the FIRST thing that will catch the eye of a prospective employer and put your application in the garbage bin.
Double check for:
- Spelling and grammar
- Spacing and standard formatting
- Names of the company and contact person
- Dates, times, email addresses, phone numbers
Always remain formal in your contact.
Consider ALL contact with a potential employer as formal and part of the interview process.
- Don't use their first name until they use it first.
- Never use emojis, smileys, slang or make jokes.
The market is always changing as are employers' needs. Stay up-to-date on what they are looking for in an applicant, especially in your field.
Watch this short video from a real human resources person who chooses job candidates:
Interviewing
Interviews and questions vary by field and change quickly as candidates start giving the same answers.
Read recent articles about trending questions and the do's and don'ts when interviewing.
Practice interview questions and answers in your head and then out loud with a colleague or friend.
Read the following detailed description with guidelines for the interview process:
Interviewing and Following Up.pptxDo not go unprepared to an interview
- In addition to researching the company, take an inventory of your own skills, experience, and education.
- Then consult outside sources for making a positive impact at the interview. Ask others what questions they have asked or answered. View YouTube videos with interview advice and do's and don'ts.
- Finally, prepare your own answers to common questions. Say them out loud. Consider videotaping yourself for self critique and improvement.
Introductions
- The interview begins as soon as you arrive. Introduce yourself properly to the receptionist. Treat everyone as if they will be part of the decision to hire you or not, as they may in fact be.
- Here is a website that gives good advice for introductions, beginning with the reception:
"Tell me about yourself"
"Where do you see yourself in five years?"
Create your own CV/Resume and include it in your ePortfolio
- Create two resumes using very different styles or format.
Good luck!
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