Essential Elements of an Effective Job Search

Tips on Improving Your Chances of Finding a Job

Have the right attitude.
A pleasant personality is a necessary asset. Smile, be friendly and polite to everyone with whom you come in contact. (Frequently, well-qualified people don’t get the job because of the way they treated the receptionist.) Your eagerness to adapt and to be a team player is essential. Show that you are flexible. A sense of humor and positive attitude are also pluses. Realize that no one owes you a job – not life, not the government, not the community in which you live, and not the industry or organization you used to work for.

Take the label off yourself.

Don’t limit yourself by believing statements like “I am a steelworker,” or “I am a teacher.” Instead think of yourself in terms of your skills. For instance, “I am good with my hands,” or “I am good at explaining things to others.”

Never put all your eggs in one basket.

Don’t stick to just one method of job-hunting. Use as many different avenues as possible. Don’t rely on just one source of advice, rely on as many different sources as possible. Don’t look for just one kind of job, look for many different kinds (that use your best skills). Don’t hang all your hopes on just one place of work, approach as many different places as you can.

Do your homework!

The job-hunt is essentially a hunt for information. Everything you know about how to “find out stuff” is of use to you in your job-hunt. Research job trends, potential employers, and their businesses, and complete and compare labor market surveys. Figure out what product, service, or entertainment people are willing to spend their money on, what they are willing to spend for it, and who is offering those goods or services in your city, town, or geographical area. Make use of library resources, and read trade and business publications. Equally as important, assess yourself by identifying your own skills, talents, and interests.

Network. Network. Network.

Maintain and continuously strive to broaden your network. If you are working, network inside the company. Join professional groups. Going face-to-face with prospective employers is the most effective method of job-hunting. It is more effective than sending letters, more effective than mailing out résumés, more effective than using the telephone, more effective than using some go-between.

Acknowledge your strengths.

Know what makes you different from the others who apply for the job(s) you are seeking. What makes you stand out? Are you more of a perfectionist about your work? Are you more painstaking? Are you more persistent about solving problems? If you quietly know your outstanding characteristics and can communicate this clearly and gracefully during interviews with employers, you greatly increase your chances of being the one chosen when there is a vacancy.

Don’t ask. Sell.

Remember that you are not asking for a job, you are selling your services. You must think of yourself as productive energy on which an employer can make a profit. You are offering the employer a fair exchange – your projective energy for a salary.

Learn from your experiences.

If one of your preferred companies doesn’t hire you, minimize discouragement by using the experience to improve upon your marketability and to obtain leads to similar jobs with other companies.

Get computer literate.

Increasing your technical computer skills increases your marketability in the job market. Also, online job searches are usually very fruitful. Visit employers’ webpages and key Internet job sites:

Use effective techniques when composing and submitting your résumé and cover letter.

Always apply for a specific position. Customize your résumé to reflect the assets you bring to each job. Select a résumé format that minimizes any gaps in your employment history. Lack of qualifications is not as negative as a bad presentation of one’s self. Mailing out a number of résumés with cover letters to companies that are not advertising positions is a waste of time and money. Most companies file them away and never refer to them again.

Pay attention to detail.

Locating a job is a full-time endeavor. Give full attention to all that you do. Errors (e.g. typos in résumés, cover letters, etc.) will knock you out of the running. Always show your best work.

Use effective practices when interviewing.

Look your best from head to toe. Dress conservatively. Be brief and to the point when answering interview questions. Maintain a demeanor of success and reflect the company image when you respond. Have full confidence in what you bring to the employer and show how your skills meet the company’s specific hiring needs. Ask thoughtful questions about the job and the company. Never say anything negative. Follow up immediately with a thank-you letter or email transmission.