THE PROCESS OF THE JOB SEARCHA Career Transitioning Guide

By

Lane Lanford

The Process Of The Job Search

Failing To Plan Means Planning To Fail!

• What is my goal (in months) to be employed?

• How many interviews do I want to strive for in one month?

• How many contacts do I want to make in one week?

• Have I completed a skills assessment to identify my skills (transferrable and adaptable)?

• Have I completed a career assessment to identify other potential career fields?

• Have I compiled a list of potential employers?

Know Yourself!

•What skills (transferrable and adaptable) do I have to offer an employer?

• Do I have the education/training that makes me attractive to a potential employer?

• Is this position the right “fit” for me?

• Have I done a career assessment to determine what careers I may be best suited for?

Skills Employers Want

• Communications (oral and written)

• Analytical

• Technical

• Teamwork

• Work Ethic

Promotion“How You’re Searching Matters”

• Interview• Résumé• Career Portfolio• Job Search Methods

Prepare For The Interview

• Know what to do before, during and after the interview

• Be able to handle the tough interview questions

• “Dress For Success!!”

Interview Questions

• Tell me about yourself?• What you do for me?• What are your major strengths?• What are your weaknesses?• What salary do you expect to receive?• Where do you see yourself 3-5 years from now?

Questions To Ask

•What would a typical day on the job be like for me? •What challenges to you foresee in the future and how to you see me helping to overcome those challenges?•How will I be trained for the position? •What are the next steps in the hiring process?•When/How do I need to follow up with you?

RésuméGets You To The Interview!

• Must be targeted to the job• Format selected (chronological, functional) must sell the best

picture of you• Keywords matter!• Always include a cover letter (unless instructed otherwise)

Career Portfolio

Used by anyone with a story to tellShows employers what you have accomplished, learned, published,

or producedIllustrates your skills, knowledge, and experienceFully sells “you” to an employerUse as a part of the interviewHave copies available for interviewer

Career Portfolio Contents

Title page

Résumé (traditional and text)

Short/long term career goals

Accomplishments (detailed list)

Letters of recommendation

Awards and honorsTranscripts, degrees, licenses,

certifications

Military honors, badges, records

List/letters from references

Job Search Techniques

•GDOL

• In-person Contact

• Internet

• Job Fairs

•Networking

•Newspapers

•Telephone

•Temporary Agencies

Most Productive Methods

•Networking• In-person Contact •Telephone• Job Fairs

•GDOL•Temporary Agencies• Internet•Newspapers

NetworkingIt’s Who You Know and Who Knows You!

• Relatives• Close Friends• Neighbors• Other Friends• Church Members

• Civic Club Members• Alumni Associations• Former Teachers• Former Co-workers• Personal Service

Networking

• 30-second commercial

• “Here’s what I can do for you”!

Social Networking

• 95 percent of all employers use social media when looking for new employees

linkedin.com facebook.com twitter.com youtube.com (video résumé)

Social Networking(linkedin.com)

• Post a professional looking photograph• Have a professional looking “handle” (twitter)• List job-related information only• Protect your security• Beware of “fake” websites

Facebook

• About Me – “Why should I hire you?”• Work History – self explanatory• Timeline – significant dates in work history• Photos – photos of important documents (certificates, plaques,

newspaper articles, DD-214)• Likes – Companies of interest• Friends - References

Twitter Hashtags (#)

• #JobSearch or #JobHunt• #JobOpening• #Hiring or #NowHiring• #Resume• #Job or #Jobs• #Careers• #Employment• #HR or #HumanResources• #TweetMyJobs

Telephone

• Start selling yourself when you hear a voice

• Do not ask if the employer is hiring, taking applications or taking résumés

First Person

• Introduce yourself using your first and last name

• Tell the person the exact position you’re looking for and how it was discovered

• Ask for the contact person

Second Person

• Introduce yourself (first and last name)

• Tell the person you’re looking for

• Briefly describe your skills and abilities that qualify you for the job

• Ask for the interview

Job Fairs

Sharpen-Have your résumé objectively critiquedStudy - Research participating employersSuit up - Look the partSmell Check - avoid fragrancesSmile - Make them want to smile at youSurvey - Look for interviewing booths, restrooms, etc.Streamline - look for targeted employersScope out - spy on the recruitersSight/Share - make eye contact/shake hands

Job Fairs (cont’d)

Salutation - Remember your “elevator” speechCheck your résumé - pinpoint the prosSell yourself - showcase skills; score with valueSet up - next steps in hiring processStop back by - revisit contacted employers

Temporary Employment Agencies

• Reconnection to the workplace• Sharpens transferrable skills• Reinforces adaptable skills• Source of networking• Résumé heading

Location, Location, Location!

• Must be flexible in location

• Meet market demands

Is My Price Right?

• Shows amount of research on position

• Must reflect the ongoing market rate

Pitfalls

Don’t Shoot Yourself In The Foot!

Five Deadly Sins“Image Is Everything”

• Ringtone

• Voicemail

• Telephone Etiquette

• E-mail Address

• Online Content

Other Pitfalls

• ATTITUDE!!!• Unreasonable expectations • Relying on one job search technique• Overusing “I” in cover letter (focus on employer)• Unknowingly repeating mistakes (interview, application, résumé)• Not rehearsing the interview• Putting job search on hold to hear back from employer

“It’s Not About You!”

• The entire job hunting process is about the value you can bring to

the organization• It’s not about what you THINK you can do-it’s about what you have

done!

The Process Of The Job Search