Jumpstarting Your Job Search…or updating your records

Are your training, experience, resume and interview skills good enough to reel in the job you may be seeking? Within the first few seconds of an interview, most Human Resource [HR] professionals know whether or not they are interested in a job applicant. So, regardless of whether your education and training are first rate, your work record without flaw, and your recommendations superb, finding an optimal position is not assured in today's complex marketplace!

Research Everything!

Career changes are always challenging.  Even if you are fortunate enough to be shifting jobs or even careers willingly, it requires time and energy to research your options and go through the process.

Start by asking, "Do my skills, and experience match the standards of my industry?  Determine how your profile compares to your competitors and the expectations of potential employers.  Consider individual study or institutional retraining to overcome any gaps.

Research potential employers.  Research the employers in need of your abilities and talents.  Beyond posted job ads in print and on-line, research leading firms in your industry, or those that are large enough to have a department that relies on your skill set.

Examine all aspects of an advertised job, and the general needs and goals of each employer you will contact.  Compare your skills with the employer's job description and balance this information against industry standards.

Don't forget to research yourself.  Check each employer's key players, and run a Web search on yourself--including social media and your credit rating.  Correct errors you find; be prepared for questions that may arise in an interview.  Consider changing or eliminating any social networking websites that contain inappropriate info or images that a potential employer might see.  Photos you…or anyone else…may have uploaded to the Internet may be there for eternity...

Use every means to determine potential employers.  Access social networking; check address books and email contact lists for anyone who can help you. It might take a long time to find a job yourself; hiring a headhunter may prove cost-effective.  Alert contacts if you have not informed your employer of your desire for a career change.  This begs another question--Are there opportunities to consider within your current employer's organization?.

Preparing Resumées and documentation

Remember, you will have to satisfy the Human Resource specialists prior to getting a job interview.  Ensure you follow all procedural requirements for submitting your resume, curriculum vitae [CV] and/or job applications.

Create a summary of skills, work history, education, training, awards, volunteerism and other community involvement. Create a master list of life experience in reverse-chronology layout. This can be updated periodically to help generate personalized submission materials as distinctive job opportunities arise.

Follow each employer's application procedures.  Prepare a one or two-page reverse chronology resume for each employer.  Since a cover letter or application form will provide the opportunity to state your goals, open your resume with a listing of the skills and unique knowledge you possess that parallel those required for the position you are seeking.  Use sentence fragments, avoid acronyms, abbreviations and jargon unfamiliar to a generalist in the HR department.

Write clear cover letters when possible for both hardcopy and electronic resume submissions [this may be the email with which you submit your resume or application].  Express knowledgeable interest in the potential employer.  Conclude by saying you will call to verify receipt of your materials and to learn if further information is required.

Prepare samples of your work.  When being interviewed, be prepared to tangibly demonstrate your skills.  Show the difference between you and the next applicant with a presentation of your creative and technical abilities.  Even "dummy" examples will show your ability with letters, forms, reports and promo pieces.

Proofread and Review.  Run software spell-check repeatedly; determine whether industry-specific jargon can be replaced with generic terms HR staff will understand easily.  Have colleagues plus non-specialists review all your submission materials.

Submitting Resumées

Quality control is very important in this phase of any job search. Print everything on quality printers or copiers, for hardcopy mailings or personal delivery.  Off-white paper is acceptable if it has high reflectivity (allows clear copying); use plain linen paper without artwork (unless you have a personal logo) and absolutely no screened backgrounds that prevent ease in reading. For electronic delivery, a PDF file (Portable Document Format) is usually acceptable, but many government agencies and large companies may insist job applications be executed through website forms, or require a plain text layout in ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange).

Interviews

Despite a potential employer’s stated needs or corporate style, present yourself professionally.  While you can always remove a tie or jacket to demonstrate compatibility with a casual work environment, you have only one chance to make a first and hopefully best impression!  If the firm is noted for staff dressing in aloha wear or even T-shirts, you could put a jacket over a shirt or blouse that is artistic and includes their corporate colors.  [See Wearing Your Brand and Bios To Empower You for further career-enhancing information.

~ Eat a nourishing, light meal before interviews and drink enough water to ensure alertness, without a need for awkward trips to a restroom.  Have fresh breath and clean hands.

~ Carry copies of the job listing, your cover letter and resume or CV, plus two pens and a pencil, and examples of your creative and technical abilities.  Be prepared to leave copies of sample materials, if you are not concerned about copyright issues.

~ Be focused, confident and respectful; follow directions. Use good posture and shake hands firmly, but not hard. Smile and make easy eye contact.  
Listen. Speak in a well-modulated voice; rephrase difficult questions.

~ Show active interest with opening remarks demonstrating research about the firm. Ask a few questions—NOT about salary or benefits. Interviewers will specify aspects of employment, like pay and benefits.

~ Demonstrating your interest in the firm is more than merely showing you have good manners. Making significant contacts is useful; sending post-interview thank-yous affirms your interest in a firm, helping in future hiring--or even referrals to other firms.  Even if you do not get the job you seek, each contact expands your knowledge of your industry and introduces potential colleagues.  So go beyond the polite handshake and take the time and effort to write a sincere thank you card.  Finally, if you are young, or shifting fields, a sequencing of lesser jobs can help you reach your goal for the one that will compensate you fully for the varied skills and talents you possess.

 Practice interviewing in front of a mirror or with a friend.  For
more practice, apply for a job you don't want simply for the
experience of going through the process.