Finding a Job

Job hunting is a lot like climbing Mt Everest: The effort is in the journey but the pay off when you reach the top is fantastic! If you prepare, you can rest assured that the view will be amazing. Whether you’re just entering the job hunt, or a seasoned professional, it pays to plan.

• Have a strategy – You simply can’t fly blind when it comes to your career. Decide the job you want using a targeted search of industries and professions that best suit your interests and personality.
   
• Look good on paper – It’s the person (i.e., the recruiter or hiring manager) who gets you the job, but it’s your application that gets you the interview. Prepare a professional looking resume and cover letter that can be emailed, printed and faxed, or mailed.
   
• Practice makes perfect – Great actors don’t appear nervous on stage or film because they rehearse. Practice for the interview with a friend or family member to help you get comfortable answering questions about yourself. Don’t memorise answers as it can sound pre-planned in the interview.
   
• Stand out in the crowd – collect business cards as you meet people, thank each person you meet individually or even send thank you letters, and don’t forget to proof read each and every communication you send, as typos even at this stage can cost you a job.
   

Why hire me

Recruiters and hiring managers get hundreds of e-mails from job seekers every day. When you’re looking for a job, no matter what form of communication you use, you only have 30 to 60 seconds to really grab someone’s attention. You need to get to the point: Why should they hire you?

• Old Fashioned approach – so much time is spent sending countless resumes via email. The old-fashioned personal call is the new way to go these days. Be sure to follow up each resume you have sent with a phone call to the hiring contact.
   
• Be Confident – You need to feel confident that what you have to offer someone is important. Attitude is the key: Everything you say, and how you say it, should convey self-confidence. Make a list of things that you’ve done that set you apart from others and then be prepared to talk about them.
   
• Be Persistent – Are you going to sit around and wait for a company to call you back?  Never give up too soon. The best time to call a potential contact is before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m. – when assistants have gone home and hiring managers answer their phones.
   

Where do I look?

There are many tips for finding out about job vacancies online and offline. Some you’ll already know, but there may be others you’ve not thought of.

• Newspapers – Many newspapers both local and national have job vacancy adverts, usually near the back under the classifieds section. The local paper that lands on your front lawn is a great source for jobs around your area.
   
• Employment agencies - they recruit and fill vacancies on behalf of employers. Employers use agencies to save time and resources.
   
• Contact employers directly – Use yellow pages or other business directories to get names and contact details for suitable employers.
   
• Word of mouth – Networking is all about making the most of contacts. These could be work contacts of friends and family. Let everyone know what you’re looking for and watch the leads roll in