Job search

The overall job-search process involves taking a close look at yourself, your education, skills, past work experience, overall qualifications, and marketability. You will need to determine what types of jobs or positions you re qualified to fill. Next, through research, reading... 

One of the most challenging tasks you will embark upon during your job-search process is writing a resume. After all, it will likely be the information on one single-sided sheet of 8/ -by-ll-inch sheet of paper that determines whether or not an employer invites you to an interview. On one sheet of paper, you have to concisely summarize, using examples, all of the reasons why a potential employer should hire you. 

If your job search is to be kept secret from your current employer, never list your current work phone or fax numbers, or your work e-mail address. 

The use of charts, graphs, and other graphic elements do not belong on a resume. Although these visual aids can be used during a job interview, the majority of the time, they re simply not appropriate for use in a job-search situation. 

PUTTING TOGETHER AN awesome resume is an extremely important part of the overall job-search process. This short document needs to capture the attention of an employer quickly and then demonstrate, in no uncertain terms, that you re a qualified candidate for the job. Your resume needs to summarize who you are, what you know, what skills you have, what you ve already accomplished professionally list your career goals and demonstrate why you should be hired. 

Once you have your basic resume completely written, modifying it to fit another format will be a far less time-consuming task, but one that could make the difference between receiving a job offer and having to continue your job search. 

To use an electronic resume, you must have access to the Web as well as your own e-mail account. If you don t own your own computer, you can find connected computers at a public library, a college/university, an Internet cafe, or by visiting a friend or relative who owns a computer. It is not advisable to use the Web access or e-mail address at your current place of employment for your job search. 

No matter how busy and stressed you are about the job-search process, and even if you re 100% convinced that after participating in an interview that you re not getting hired, take a few minutes to write and send a personalized thank-you note within 24 hours after your interview. Sending a thank-you note is just one way you can set yourself apart from the competition, while demonstrating that you have strong follow-up skills and are a true professional. 

Creating a resume package, as you ve probably surmised, is a time-consuming task. Once this aspect of your job-search process is completed and you ve selected how you want your overall resume package to look, the next step involves finding the best job openings and then actually applying for those jobs. 

The Internet is also a powerful job search tool. Hundreds of career-related websites are available, such as The Monster Board (www.monster.com), offering literally thousands of job listings. These listings are updated on an ongoing basis. Appendix C at the end of this book is a listing of career-related websites worth visiting. 

AS IF YOU didn t have enough to deal with as you embark on the whole job-search process, in recent years the way people find job opportunities, research companies, communicate with potential employers, and apply for jobs has changed dramatically. The Internet has become an incredibly powerful job-search tool for virtually everyone with basic computer skills and access to a computer, the Internet, and e-mail. 

No matter how you plan on using the Internet as a job-search tool, to take advantage of everything it has to offer, you will first need access to a computer that has a web browser and your own e-mail account. 

Secondly, most employers can easily and legally track what you re doing with your computer, so they will be able to determine what websites you visit as well as read your e-mail messages if they choose. Thus, if you are trying to keep your job-search efforts a secret from your current employer, using your computer at work is often a sure way to get caught. 

Once you have the ability to browse websites, and send and receive e-mail, you will have one of the most powerful job-search tools available at your fingertips—24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

As a job seeker, it s typically free to post your resume to an online database. The primary exception to this is if you want to add your resume to a specialized resume database that caters to a specific industry or field. In most cases, however, posting your resume to an online database takes just a few minutes and is free. Although this is definitely not a sure-fire way of getting hired, there is always a chance that an employer will come across your resume and contact you. Pursuing this type of job search activity can t hurt, but it should definitely not be your primary way of finding opportunities. 

Aside from finding job opportunities, adding your resume to an online database, and being able to access free career-related advice, many of the specialized career-related websites also enable job seekers to perform company/industry research online. They offer a range of other services and features designed to make the job-search process faster, easier, and less stressful. 

Just a few years ago, using a computer to assist in your job-search efforts would have given you an incredible edge over other applicants. These days, however, not using a computer (and the Internet) as part of your overall job-search efforts puts you at a major disadvantage. 

Priced between 19.95 and 39.95, some of the more powerful resume-creation software packages are designed to assist you in virtually every aspect of your job-search process. For example, some have built-in contact management applications (for keeping track of potential employers) and an appointment book application (to handle the scheduling of interviews). Some packages are compatible with the various career-related websites and will automatically find the best job opportunities for you and help you apply for those jobs online. 

Several of the resume-creation software packages also have built-in tutorials designed to help you prepare for your interviews, do company research, create your resume, and write cover letters. Thus, in addition to using the Internet as a powerful job-search tool, your computer can help you create highly professional printed and electronic resumes. 

ResumeMaker is available for download from the company s website or can be purchased from software retailers nationwide. While the software is particularly useful for someone new to the whole job-search process, it can save anyone considerable time when it comes to creating, printing, and distributing resumes and cover letters. 

Other features of the website include job searches and alerts, career articles (providing useful information on interview tips, salary negotiation, career advice, etc), sample resumes and cover letters, and links to an expert resume-writing service (ResumeEdge.com). 

If using Microsoft Word (or another popular word processor) to create your resume, ACT 2000, one of the best contact management and scheduling software packages on the market, can also be used to make your whole job search easier. 

In the following interview, Erez Carmel, vice president of marketing for WinWay Corporation, explains some of the reasons why job seekers should purchase and use resume-writing software when embarking on a job search. 

Any job seeker will benefit from it because it will make their job search quicker and more efficient. I think any job seeker would love to get a higher-paying, more satisfying job faster. 

WinWay Resume contains an incredible amount of multimedia content to help job seekers prepare for their job searches. There are numerous videos on topics from choosing the right paper and font to how to dress for an interview. There is also interview simulation in full-motion video with answers to more than 200 most commonly asked questions. We recommend that if job seekers can afford the time, they should watch all the videos first so they get first-hand understanding of what employers are looking for and how to best address the employer s needs in their resumes and cover letters. They... 

Professional resume writers come from a wide range of backgrounds. Many are former educators, professional writers or editors, career counselors, headhunters, or human resource professionals. These people typically know exactly how the whole job-search process works and therefore can create resumes for their clients that are specifically designed to get attention. 

If you re already somewhat successful in your field and looking for a better job that offers greater career growth potential and the ability for you to earn a higher salary, investing in the services of a professional resume writer is just one additional thing you can do during your job-search process to ensure you will achieve your objectives. 

For people who will be job searching online, they will want to have an electronic resume created that takes full advantage of keywords. 

The job-search process is extremely stressful and time-consuming. If you re not willing to take the extra steps needed to ensure that you are making every effort to showcase yourself and your qualifications in the best way, why should an employer hire you ... 

Because most people look for new employment while still employed (and job seekers want to keep their job search a... 

Aside from your resume and cover letter, many other components to your overall job-search efforts require attention before actually receiving your first paycheck after landing a new job. Assuming your resume and cover letter achieve their objectives, you will be invited to participate in job interviews and will need to complete employment applications. 

This chapter helps you deal with some of the other aspects of the job-search process, once you ve written a resume and cover letter(s). As you embark on this whole process, take an organized approach and don t let the stress get to you. Also, don t underestimate the value and marketability of your skills and experience and settle for a job where you will be underutilized and underpaid. 

Begin by acquiring a personal planner, such as a Day-Timer, or a personal digital assistant (PDA), such as the Palm Pilot III, V, or VII. Before actually starting your job search, make a list of everything you will need to accomplish to land a job. Break down the big task into lots of smaller ones, which are easier to accomplish. If you have to write or update your resume, add it to your list. If you need to buy outfits to wear to interviews, that too goes on your list. Once your list is complete, write down how long you think each task will take to accomplish. 

Next, prioritize your list. Determine what tasks need to be done immediately and which ones can wait until later in the job-search process. Now that you know what you need to do and approximately how long it will take to accomplish each task, create a schedule for yourself and set deadlines. 

Using your personal planner, calendar, or PDA, start at today s date and enter in each job-search-related task, one at a time. Under your list of tasks to complete, add items like "check the help-wanted ads" and "update resume." Leave yourself enough time to accomplish each task, and in your planner, mark down the date by which each task should be completed. 

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