Job Search Tips

Welcome to Job Search!

Whether this is your 1st job or internship; or you were layed off after many years; or you are choosing a 2nd career or just transitioning within the marketplace, we invite you to "take a deep breath & focus on your goal!"

There is "no elevator to career success, it happens step by step".

TIP #1 Know the Product - You!

Take a Self-Assessment Inventory:

- Interests - Skills & Talents - Values - Personality - Education - Accomplishments - Personal Brand

- Explore your Dependable Strengths - good experiences that you did well, enjoyed doing & are proud of - strengths that you can be counted on for & that you bring to life & career. Dependable Strengths Activity

Check Career Exploration Center for additional free assessments: Focus2, Oregon Career Information Systems, and Holland's Occupational Themes. Also, check-out Candid Careers (100's of informational video interviews)

- Know your Holland Code!

TIP #2 Believe in the Product - You!

Start by telling the truth about who you are! It is up to you to demonstrate confidence in your skills & abilities and the value that you bring to an employer. If you aren't confident, how do you expect them to be?

You are a unique person with much to offer the right employer!

If you have great difficulty seeing that for yourself due to grief, depression, negative circumstances, anger or self-esteem issues, feel free to contact our Counseling Office for support! You may also confidentially talk to Jobs & Internships Specialist, Ava Stevens.

TIP #3 Know What You Want!

- Set realistic goals - Choose specific measurable strategies & tactics to fulfill your goals

- Specifics include: location, commute distance, size of company, industries aligned with values, money/benefits, hours/schedule, culture & more . . .

TIP #4 Take Massive Action!

- Create a written Action Plan with each task having an implementation date; "by whens"

- Set 2 realistic time goals for strategy implementation date - one to go for & another as your bottom line

- Share with a friend, spouse, family member, or colleague in order to garner support & be held accountable

- Consult your Jobs & Internships Specialist, Ava Stevens, as needed . . .

TIP #5 Sales Skills Required

- Sales Definition: "The ability to convince & persuade others about the value of what you bring" Webster's Dictionary

- Research & figure out what the employer wants & needs in new employee (through Google search, employer website, Linkedin insider contacts, etc.)

- Then authentically tell the employer what they want to hear that's true about you with quantifible values - prove that you are a good "return on investment" (ROI)

TIP #6 Positive Mental Attitude

- Check out some basics on this Leadership Lifestyle video on "How to Have a Positive Mental Attitude?"

- What you focus on shows up in reality - focus on the goal & your positive attitude to achieve!

- "What the mind can conceive & believe, the mind can achieve" Napoleon Hill

TIP #7 Professional Online Reputation

  • Consistent Branding/Positioning
  • Brand or Be Branded
  • Google Your Name Often
  • "Your Google results are your new resume" Dick Bolles, What Color is Your Parachute author
  • Remove all Unprofessional Tweets, Pictures, or Posts
  • Speak Up Online (blog, Twitter, Linkedin)
  • Study Career Enlightenment blog - great resource!
  • Counter negatives or no online presence with:
     Linked In
     Visual CV
     Slideshare.com - presentations
     You Tube.com – videos
     Flickr.com – photos
     Ezinearticles.com – publish articles
     Facebook
     Twitter
     Own Blog and/or website

TIP #8 The Power of Networking

  • Linkedin Participation
  • Join Local Discussion Groups +
  • Informational Interviews
  • Practice Active Listening: Body Language & Voice Tone communicate volumes over actual words
  • Find Mentors in Industry of Choice
  • Professional Association Participation
  • Meetup.com
  • Friends & family
  • Former/current employers
  • Volunteer in chosen field
  • Cooperative Education/Internships
  • Use Jobs & Internships Specialist and/or Career Centers
  • 85% of Jobs are not advertised
  • Discover the Hidden Job Market

TIP #9 Organization Required

  • Action Plan with By Whens
  • Track Job Search
  • Organize Network
  • Time Management
  • Momentum Tasking
  • If you miss deadline, forgive yourself & make new deadline

TIP #10 Getting Job Opportunities

  • Constant Networking
  • Sign Up for Panther Works
  • Craig’s List has replace Monster.com in importance
  • Use Indeed.com
  • Career Center Resources
  • Target Specific Employers
  • Staffing Services
  • Plethora of web site links

TIP #11 Customized Marketing Materials

- Research & Insider Information First

- Focus on What's In It For Them (not you)

- Customized Cover Letters

- Resumes

- Business Cards

- References & Recommendations

- Portfolios

- Thank You Note/Letter

TIP #12 Follow-Up Required

  • Contact One Week After Closed or 3 Days After Contact
  • Use Company Preferred Method
  • Thank You Note Within 24 Hours
  • Follow-up After No Offer to learn ways to improve competitiveness
  • Opportunity for Name Brand Familiarity
  • Opportunity for Reselling Interest & Value

TIP #13 Look the Part

  • Do a drive-by to see what they are wearing & other cultural fit factors
  • Ask insider information & study website images
  • Dress one notch above how employee's dress at work - be appropriate
  • Don't forget perfect grooming & hygiene

TIP #14 Be Selective

  • Meet at least 80% of the requirements for job & preferences are bonus points
  • Get current employer referral which will increase your chances of getting job by 65%

TIP #15 10-Second Pitch

  • Quickly communicate 4 parts of sales:
  • Who: Hi, my name is ______ (unique brand-name familiarity)
  • What: I love to or am great at ______ (do not use job title but describe what you do)
  • Why: People who use my service ________ (give a statement of specific impact(s) of my service)
  • Call to Action: Ask for an interview or a time to talk to someone about the value that you could bring to their company OR ask for referrals, ideas, opportunities, informational interviews, etc.

TIP #16 Effective Interview

This is a mutual relationship-building conversation. Prepare & Shine!

TIP #17 Prepare for Exposure of Private Issues

  • 80-95% of Employers do criminal background checks (know what's on your police report, expunge when you can, know employer policies, answer truthfully with no story)
  • 40-85% of Employers are doing credit history checks (know what's on your credit history, clean up any inaccurate information, consider using consumer credit counseling to assist in getting out of debt, pay bills on time)
  • 40-60% of Employers are doing drug tests
  • If you left company in a negative way, know what the company is saying to the general public about you. Make attempt to clean-up past mistakes with past employers/supervisors

TIP #18 Be Persistent

  • Takes 1 month of job search for every $10,000 in salary
  • Statistical game (10 applications/resumes = 1 response; 10 responses = 1 interview; 10 interviews = 1 offer; 10 offers = Get 1 you want)
  • Free Agent Economy (6 months+ between jobs now more acceptable)

TIP #19 Power of Commitment

You are responsible - commit to your goals & to all the actions necessary to realize them!

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back.

Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.

All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way.

I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe’s couplets: “Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”

                                                                      W. H. Murray
The Scottish Himalayan Expedition

The information in this section is meant to provide you with up-to-date strategies, tools, resources, examples & approaches for the "new labor market" and to support you in successfully securing your next co-op, internship or job. It will focus on the Business & Computer Technologies fields with the goal of increasing your chances of being screened in & reducing your chances of being screened out with no guarantees.

Please utilize these materials, as needed, in your ongoing professional career transitions!

Send any comments or suggestions for continually improving this dynamic information to: Ava Stevens