I've been mentoring a recent college grad on how to land a job for the past few weeks. I find it astounding and discouraging how unprepared most college grads are for the job market following graduation. I was, however, wholly unprepared for the realities of job hunting when I graduated from college, I realize now.
It is challenging to stay up with all the latest methods for obtaining work because of the ongoing shift in how we communicate and conduct business today. The landscape of obtaining a job is continuously changing, ranging from large employment sites like Monster and other electronic job bulletin boards, to social media. The basic, straightforward rules must still be followed despite this.
I'll be talking about some of the fundamentals of doing a job search and getting the ideal employment throughout the course of the upcoming posts. Among the details that will be covered are:
How to go about looking for work.
writing a CV.
What to include in a cover letter.
Managing the interview.
How to continue
We'll start off by talking about the fundamentals of the job search today.
I recently heard a friend who is unemployed say, "I'm sick of being unemployed; I need a job." I answered, "Even though you may not be be employed, you do. It's up to you to get employment."
If you're unemployed and looking for work, you should approach your search like a full-time job. You must resolve to invest the time and energy necessary to conduct a thorough job search. If we are being completely honest, most job searches fail at this point. What else are you supposed to do besides laze around and whine? That did not work when I tried it.
Let's begin with the fundamental question: Where do you hunt for jobs? Do I search for employment online at job sites or on business websites? Do I get in touch with old friends or do I network with different business organizations? Do I conduct a targeted search or send out blind resumes? Do I consult the newspapers or the government employment offices? There are numerous options and decisions, and the solution to each is yes. When looking for a career, you must make the most of all your options.
Keep in mind that not every job is advertised on company websites or on websites like Monster. Even the same organization will advertise for several roles utilizing various venues as different businesses use various websites. One of my best management jobs came from a little half-inch by two-inch ad that was hidden in the Tuesday want ads section of the local newspaper. Don't be self-limiting in your employment quest.
Set daily objectives for yourself, such as how many resumes you will mail. Be honest because each cover letter needs to be tailored to the employer or job, even with scattershot resumes. This will be covered in more detail in the section on drafting cover letters and resumes.
You will need to set aside time to explore the companies you are interested in as well as to look for jobs. This will help you narrow down the jobs that you are actually interested in as well as arm you with the information you need to assist you be ready for the first interview. Always be ready because a phone interview could occur at any time.
Make time to read information on how to write resumes, conduct job searches, prepare for interviews, and bargain a pay. There are plenty excellent resources available on the internet to assist you in your job search. Apply them.
Find local organizations of professionals who get together to discuss job seeking information and strategies. Finding employment openings might be facilitated through networking. Additionally, it is a means to get knowledge from others' job-searching experiences.
As someone who has previously been without a job and has gone through a "long" job search, I can speak to how aggravating it can get. As a result, it's equally important to arrange time to have fun. You might not get another opportunity to take a long vacation until you retire, so accept it. Be careful not to relax too much.
These are only a few of the many job-searching advice items available. Utilizing every one of your resources is crucial.
