Job Search Tips

First Impressions

Getting the Most from your Job Search Efforts

Thank You Notes in Job Search

Practice makes Perfect

The Hardest Step

Job Search THANKSgiving

Filling the Gaps in Your Employment Record

Attitude

Planning - To Succeed

Tune up Your Resume

Preparing for the Interview

Open Ended Questions  Online Job Hunting

 

 Finding the Right Employer                           

 Let’s explore a few ideas on how to locate employers that need your skills, that ‘Right’ employer for you.

A most important first step is to identify the skills you have.  If you haven’t created a resume, that’s the place to start.  Think about the tasks you were responsible for in your previous jobs.  Listing the job title is fine, but be clear on what you actually did, and what your responsibilities were.  Skill-based resumes are particularly good if you are young, have a brief work history, or are re-entering the job market after a number of years.

If you need help identifying your skills, you can speak with a Career Counselor at the One-Stop Job center, or check one of many internet–based programs that list core job responsibilities and skills required for most jobs.  One such site is: http://online.onetcenter.org/   This will bring up the  “O*NET” website, which can be used to:

  • Find out which jobs fit with your interests, skills, and experience;
  • Explore career fields, using the latest available labor market data;
  • Research what it will take to get your dream job; and/or
  • Find out what it will take in experience, education and training to be competitive in over 950 occupations.

 

The “Snapshot” feature on this website will help you to identify the skills you may have, based upon the jobs you have held.  After reviewing this feature, you may want to search for occupations that use the skills you already posses.  Use the “Skills Search” to do this.

Once you have determined several occupations that use the skills you possess, it’s time to look for employers who hire in those occupations.  You can look in the Yellow Pages” if the occupation is fairly focused such as auto mechanics, painters or plumbers.  If your skills can be used in multiple occupations, such as clerical skills, sales, counseling or maintenance, you may want to identify employers that hire in these occupations.  A good website to explore is http://www.usworks.com/centralvalley/   Click on the JTO logo to find employers in Kings County.    On the next screen, click on the circle for “Employers.  (This will save you from unnecessary registration steps.)  Simply select an occupation, and then search for ‘Employers’.   You can select a particular City or expand your search to surrounding Counties or the Central Valley if you wish. What you will find is a listing of employers that hire in that occupation, their address, phone number, and even driving directions.  Use this tool to expand the list of employers that need your skills.  Among those is likely to be the ‘Right’ employer for you.

There are several face-to-face as well as technology-based ways to identify skills that are transferable to other occupations and to find employers that need your skills.  The internet-savvy can explore from the comfort of their home. 

If you need more assistance, contact us, or call us at (559) 585-3532.

 

 

First Impressions

Finding the Right Employer  

Thank You Notes in Job Search

Getting the Most from your Job Search Efforts

Practice makes Perfect

Job Search THANKSgiving

Attitude

Filling the Gaps in Your Employment Record

The Hardest Step

Tune up Your Resume

Planning – To Succeed

A Job seeker with a plan will get the job they want, and get it faster than one who doesn’t know where to start. Try this three-step process to establishing your plan and getting to the interview. Next week, I’ll discuss how to ace that interview.

Step One — Know Your Target

Companies know the kind of employees they want. Someone who is punctual, shows initiative, works well in a group as well as on his or her own – someone like you! Employers are impressed with applicants who know the kind of job they want, people who have done some preparation and planning before arriving at the interview. Candidates who demonstrate job skills such as initiative will always leave a better impression than one who only ‘talks about‘ what they can do. Make the effort to research your target employer, and you’ll find yourself ahead of the competition.

You can find out about larger organizations by using the internet. Web search engines can help you find the targeted employer’s Web site. If your target company is small or doesn’t have a website, see the career counselors at the One-Stop Job Center to give you some insight to the business and the services or products they provide. You could also visit the library and ask the research librarian for help. A fact-finding trip to the company ahead of time will always reflect positively on you.

As you do this research, make note of the organization’s purpose, products or services, chief executive’s name, and any recent news or company developments. If you speak to someone at the worksite, mention their name in the interview. Take your notes to the interview, and use them ahead of time to develop questions of your own. The extra effort is sure to show . . . and the demonstrated initiative could land you the job.

Step Two — Know Yourself

In the interview, you’ll be "selling" your skills and your ability to get along at the worksite, so you need to know precisely what you’re selling. Once you define that, you can apply these insights to the needs of your target company. Connecting the two successfully is the best way to get yourself hired.

In preparation, think about your accomplishments at previous jobs. Did your past jobs require sensitivity or persuasion with customers? Were you given special assignments or extra responsibilities? Did you have perfect attendance? Basically, make a list of ways you were effective and "profitable" for your previous employers. Review your list, and refine your skills into a "package" you can explain easily in a minute or two. Businesses want honest, smart, friendly, motivated, and responsible employees. Do you deal well with people? Are you flexible and open to learning? Be prepared to use these terms in the interview and to offer examples which demonstrate these talents. Above all else, be honest. Most employers can sense if you’re sincere and truly interested in the job.

Step Three — Practice

You can make all the lists you want, but there’s no substitute for rehearsing. Ask your parent, sibling, spouse, or best friend to be the interviewer, and give them a list of questions to throw at you. No two interviewers are the same, but most will ask questions like, "Tell me about your education, skills and experience. What are your greatest strengths (and weaknesses)? What kind of work do you like best? What do you do in your spare time?" Practice answering these and other questions before going into the interview and your confidence will soar. Free workshops are also available at the One-Stop Job Center to help prepare for your interview.

Body language is the other thing to practice. If you have a video camera, use it to see how others see you. Another way to look through the employer’s eyes is to practice answering interview questions in front of a mirror. Hand and arm movements shouldn’t be too noticeable. Try not to appear nervous or fidgety. Your posture should be relaxed, but alert. Don't slouch. Keep both feet on the ground. You’ll generally look more interested and "engaged" if your hands are on the table, rather than under it. If you look bored in the interview why would the employer think you’d be any different on the job? Communicate interest and energy; and be yourself.

Practice does make perfect; it works for interviewing

If you need more assistance, contact us, or call us at (559) 585-3532.