1 CHAPTER 6 JOB HUNT: PROCESS

2 Planning and Organizing Job Search The energy you put into organizing your job search directly affects the speed and success of your search for a job. The techniques and steps of planning and organizing a job search are: 1.Compile Your List of Prospects - You need resources to identify your prospective employers. Use any suggestions that apply to your occupational field. Focus your job search efficiently.

3 Planning and Organizing Job Search (cont.) 2. Develop Prospective Employee Records - To identify prospective employers to contact in your job search, research each source on your job lists. To best organize your job search, access the “Prospective Employee Record”. File all your records in one folder, and use them to monitor your employer contacts and follow-up activities effectively. - When it is time to make calls or send cover letters and resumes, you can search for the records you marked as “Hot Prospects” to maximize your potential and your time in the job search. Use coloured file tags to mark “hot prospects”.

4 Planning and Organizing Job Search (cont.) 3. Narrow Your List - After completing your “Prospective Employee Records”, concentrate on the employers who could best use your abilities. - For now, eliminate the long shots, those who offer a slim chance for employment. - If you plan to do direct mailing in your job search, narrowing your lists of prospects is especially important. Note that a direct mailing of unsolicited resumes is statistically not a productive job search method unless you have the skills that are in high demand.

5 Planning and Organizing Job Search (cont.) 4. The Job Market is Not Always Organized – You Must Be - Employers use a variety of hiring techniques. Their processes may be simple or complex, well or poorly organized, short or long. - You, the job applicant must be well organized, even if the job market is not. - Use the job seeking tools to develop an efficient, speedy and successful job-seeking campaign.

6 Networking and Getting Contacts Myth #1 The job search consists of looking for job openings - It does NOT. Instead the job search should consist of talking to people who are in a position to hire you (or who are likely to know of someone else who is) even if they don’t have a job opening now. Myth #2 Most job searchers believe they should behave like a sheep in the job search….they should do what they are told, be passive, respond only to job openings that are advertised or formally open, and fill-out applications to get interviews -These passive-dependent behaviors don’t work very well.

7 Networking and Getting Contacts (cont.) Myth #3 Networking is begging for a job - Networking is not asking for a job but rather seeking out information that may lead to a job - Usually your network contacts are not potential employers but are people who know about potential employment opportunities Truth The average person will change careers about three times in their life and jobs about every five years

8 Networking and Getting Contacts (cont.) Survey results from US Dept of Labor –63.4% contacted employers directly –13.9%sent out resumes/ applications –12.2%contacted employment agency –10.5%other The two common reasons why most jobs were not advertised: 1. Employers don’t like to…: –end up interviewing strangers (New hires are more likely to stay on a job if recruited through inside sources instead of ads and employment agencies).

9 Networking and Getting Contacts (cont.) –Most employers are not trained interviewers and don’t enjoy it –Screening and interviewing takes lots of time and many times background checks are not reliable –Process can be very expensive 2. Employers often don’t need to. –They would rather hire people they know –Many jobs are filled before they are even advertised or very shortly after they are advertised Approximately, 65-75% of job openings are never advertised. These unadvertised jobs are often the best jobs and knowing how to find them can make a big difference to you.

10 Networking and Getting Contacts (cont.)

11 Networking and Getting Contacts (cont.) Be clear about what type of job or internship you want Treat job seeking as a full-time job Use nontraditional job-seeking methods Remember that jobs are available and employers are hiring The traditional job search methods won’t uncover most jobs

12 Networking and Getting Contacts (cont.) A network is an informal group of people who have something in common…it is a systematic pursuit of new contacts and information. Key points: –People you already know will help you as well as the people they know –These people will refer to you others they think may be even more helpful –If you persist, you can meet hundreds of people –One of these people will know of a job opening that you qualify for

13 Networking and Getting Contacts (cont.) Warm vs. Cold Contacts Warm contacts first…. –Groups of people you already know can form a support group –Friends, relatives and people you know –Friends of parents –Friend so relatives –Former co-workers –Members of religious group –People who sell me things –Neighbors –People I went to school with –Former teachers and their friends –Social clubs –Sports or hobby groups –Professional organization

14 Networking and Getting Contacts (cont.) Cold contacts second This is the hardest and requires a lot of courage and confidence on your part Where to start… –Library –Books on specific careers –Reference books –Magazines and journals –Newspapers –Associations –Yellow pages

15 Networking and Getting Contacts (cont.) 3 essential questions to get referrals –Do you know of anyone who might have a job opening in my field? If no, then ask… –Do you know of anyone who might know of someone who would? If still no, then ask… –Do you know someone who knows a lot of people?