CHAPTER 2: Finding Job Leads

CHAPTER 2: Finding Job Leads Using what you learned about yourself in the previous chapter, it s time to start your job search. The Big Picture Step 1: Identifying the Job You Would Like Step 2: Getting Organized for Your Job Search Step 3: Finding Job Openings You can fi nd jobs by using many different methods, such as asking people you know for job leads, responding to advertisements in the newspaper or online, or using employment agencies. Regardless of how you learn of a job opening, you need to identify The requirements or job duties of the position How your skills match with the responsibilities or job duties of the position Why you are the best person for the position It may be very helpful if you can get a copy of the job description. The job description should include a list of all responsibilities for that position and the percentage of time spent on each one. It may list whether the job is for a full-time employee (FTE), part-time employee (PTE), or limited-time employee (LTE). It may also include any educational requirements of the position. By reading the job description, you can get a full picture of the job and be able to more completely show how your skills and knowledge make you the right person for the job. Step 1: Identifying the Job You Would Like Based on the information about yourself in the last chapter, what kind of job do you think you d like? What other jobs might be similar to this job? What in your past experience may have helped you prepare for this job? Is there any additional training or education you ll need for this job? Yes No If yes, what kind of training or education is it? Where could you get this training or education? Additional things to consider: Are you willing to relocate (move) for a job? If yes, how far are you willing to move? Are you willing to commute a long distance? Do you have access to reliable transportation? 9

Step 2: Getting Organized for Your Job Search In order to make your job search more effi cient (and quicker!) here is a checklist of some basic supplies and resources you may wish to have on hand. You ll use these to take notes about job openings and companies, print your resume and cover letter, and make it easier for employers to contact you for an interview. Paper, white or off-white, for printing your resume and cover letter 3 by 5 note cards or a notepad for taking notes about companies and job openings. You may also make photocopies of the Job Lead Worksheet on page 14 Pens and pencils Access to a computer and printer or a typewriter for job application forms (check at a copy shop or your local library) A mailing address where employers can contact you A phone number so employers can contact you A current address so employers can contact you Have an address that is appropriate and businesslike, and a voice mail or answering machine message that is appropriate and businesslike as well. Check both your and voice mail regularly. It is okay to use a cell phone number as the phone number you give out to employers, as long as you have voice mail so they can leave messages if your phone is off or you don t answer. Step 3: Finding Job Openings It may surprise you that most jobs aren t fi lled through ads in the newspaper. Newspaper ads can be very expensive for employers, and many would prefer to fi nd good job candidates through other methods (such as networking). Ways of fi nding a job include Networking (also called informal job seeking) Visiting or sending resumes to employers who may or may not have current job openings The want ads or classifi eds, help wanted signs, the Yellow Pages, and the internet Employment agencies, Job Service offi ces, Civil Service offi ces, and career fairs Personnel offi ces Keep in mind the more methods you use to fi nd a job and the more employers you contact, the greater your chances of getting an interview. Expect to spend a lot of time looking for a job. If you are currently employed, try to fi gure out how much time you can spend each day looking for a job. Can you set aside an hour or two each day? If you are not currently employed, you can think of your new full-time job as looking for a job. The Power of Your Network Maybe you ve heard of the expression six degrees of separation? The theory is that everyone in the world is at most six people away from knowing everyone else in the world. Think about how this applies to your job search. To put yourself in the best position to fi nd a job you ll enjoy, you think fi rst about who you already know who may know someone (who may know someone else) who may know of a job opening. This is called networking. Networking is a very successful way of fi nding a job, because employers like to hire people who have been recommended to them by people they know. Your network consists of people you would be comfortable asking for job leads your family, friends, co-workers from other jobs, case managers, previous employers, neighbors, and so on. Your network can also support you emotionally as you work through your job search. It really helps to have friends and family to encourage you if you start feeling like job hunting isn t going well. People in your network can also help you by reading your resume and cover letter to fi nd and correct errors, which is called proofreading. They can give you feedback on your resume and cover letter and help you role play job interviews. Remember to thank them for helping you! Incidentally, networks work on two levels you use yours to try to fi nd a job, and hiring managers and employers use theirs to try to fi ll positions. The closer you can get to being in the hiring manager s network the fewer degrees of separation, the better off you are in terms of fi nding a job. 10 Your Network School Parents Friends Employers Neighbors Co-workers Sports

Example of how a network can help fi nd job leads. You love animals and would like to fi nd a job working with animals. Your Aunt Mary mentions to her friends that you are looking for a job working with animals. One of your Aunt Mary s friends knows a manager at a pet store looking for an assistant. Why aren t all jobs advertised? Job openings may not be advertised for many reasons. Sometimes the position is in the process of being created, the person currently in the position will be leaving but not for a few months, or the employer has been thinking about creating the position and hasn t gotten around to it yet. Use the Networking Worksheet on the next page to identify people who might be able to help you fi nd job leads. Visiting Employers, Sending Resumes, and Cold-Calling Another option is to use the Yellow Pages to fi nd all the companies in your area who hire people for the job you want and send them your cover letter and resume. You could also call them, explaining what you can do for them as their employee. This shows employers that you are a go-getter and highly motivated. Use the Job Lead Worksheet on page 14 to keep track of employers you ve contacted. It pays to have researched the companies before you send your resume, visit, or call, particularly if you can fi nd out what that employer s challenges or needs are right now. That way you can address how you, as their employee, can help them overcome those challenges. Naturally, the more employers you contact, the greater your chances of fi nding a job. If you are getting a lot of no responses, remember that it s probably not about you personally, but that the company may not currently have any job openings for someone with your qualifi cations. Keep trying. The next phone call you make could be the yes you re waiting for. Cold-Calling Many people struggle with the thought of calling a complete stranger to ask for a job. It may help to remind yourself that your call might be the answer to the company s need. Use the script below to help you to think of what to say. Fill in the underlined words with your correct information. For other suggestions, refer to page 29. You may change the wording to refl ect your current situation (for example, if you re in school). Practice your script a few times so you re comfortable with it before you call. Example of a Cold-Calling Script Hello, Mr. / Ms.. My name is. I am a with of experience, and I would like to work for your company. occupation name number of years In my job I responsible for, current/previous am/was list of job duties which resulted in. mention something good that you helped the company to do I am looking for more challenging work and more responsibility. When may I come in for an interview? (Remember to write down the date,time, and location.) Thank you for speaking with me today. Good-bye. 11

i List name and phone # s or addresses Group Family Group Friends Networking Worksheet Group Co-workers Group School/College Group 12

The Want Ads, Help Wanted Signs, the Yellow Pages, and the Internet The want ads or classifi eds are where many job-seekers start their searches. Other options are responding to Help Wanted or Now Hiring signs in businesses, or researching companies using your phone book s Yellow Pages. The Yellow Pages can be very helpful if you decide to send resumes to businesses or cold-call them about job openings. You can also research job openings on the internet or in trade magazines in your fi eld. Newspaper/Trade Magazine Leads Helpful information to locate for your job search 1. Find the names of local or state newspapers 2. Check to see if the newspaper or trade magazine has a website that includes job listings 3. Write down the days of the week or month the job openings are published Yellow Page Leads Copy information about companies you re interested in from the Yellow Pages onto a Job Lead Worksheet (next page), including the Yellow Pages section title where you found the companies. Internet Leads Check out the website of a company you are interested in. Many companies post job openings on their websites. Other websites are collections of job postings from many companies, and those sites may charge you a fee to look at the jobs listed. Other sites may require you to set up a username and password. Make sure to write them down for future use. Employment Agencies Employment agencies can help you fi nd jobs as well. Agencies may offer full-time, part-time, and temporary positions. Some agencies work to place people only into management positions or some other specifi c fi eld. Be careful when you consider an agency many are paid by the employer (so they are free to you) but some will want money from you in order to help you find a job. Personnel Offices, Your Local Job Service or Workforce Development Offices, Civil Service, and Career Fairs Personnel or human resources offi ces of companies are another place to find out about job openings. Many post their job openings online as well, so as mentioned in Internet Leads, it s worth checking the company s website to see if they include their position listings before you make the trip. Your Local Job Service or Workforce Deveopment Offices It s also a good idea to check with your local Job Service or Workforce Development offices to see if the staff there can help you fi nd jobs. They may not have listings for every job in your state, but they often have many local job openings. Additionally, employers often contact these offi ces directly with position openings. The staff there also teaches classes on how to write a resume and cover letter, job search tips, and so on. You may find these services helpful as you start your job search. Use the phone book or internet to fi nd your local offi ce and its business hours. If you have been in the military, you can seek assistance from the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program (DVOP) or your Local Veterans Employment Representative (LVER), also located at your local Job Service office. Civil Service Civil service is working for federal, state, or local government. For many civil service jobs, you are required to pass an exam. Positions with the federal government are posted on the USAJOBS website www.usajobs.opm.gov. For positions with state and local governments, check their websites. Career Fairs Career or job fairs are another resource for you. At a career fair, you ll be able to learn about many different companies and perhaps speak with a representative. If you decide to visit a career fair, be sure that the fair is in your field (if you re a salesperson, you probably wouldn t fi nd many job leads at a career fair for teachers). Also bring many copies of your resume to hand out to employers. Career fairs are often advertised in the newspaper or on local TV. You could also try searching the Internet to see if there are any career fairs in your area. 13

Job Lead Worksheet i Make a photocopy for each company you have a lead for. Company INSIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY Address City State Zip # ( ) - - Website Found lead: Cold Call Newspaper Visit Internet My Network Yellow Pages/Section Other Job Title Job Duties/Skills/Requirements Why I am the best fi t DATE I CONTACTED THE COMPANY Contact by: In Person Date: / / Contact What happened? Follow up needed? INTERVIEW Interview Date / / Interview Time AM PM Interviewers Interviewers # ( ) - - Interview Location Directions Approximate time to get to location How many employees does the company have? What products or services does the company provide? Are they local, statewide, national, or international? Where? How many years has the company been in business? Has the company recently expanded or laid off workers? Why? What are the job titles of other people at the company? Supervisors name and title for this position? Who are the company s competitors? How are the competitors the same or different from the company? What facts or details about the company relate to your skills, experience, education, or training? 14