3. Failing To Plan Means Planning To Fail!
• What is my goal (in months) to be employed?
• How many interviews do I want to strive for in one month?
• How many contacts do I want to make in one week?
• Have I completed a skills assessment to identify my skills (transferrable and
adaptable)?
• Have I completed a career assessment to identify other potential career
fields?
• Have I compiled a list of potential employers?
4. Know Yourself!
• What skills (transferrable and adaptable) do I have to
offer an employer?
• Do I have the education/training that makes me
attractive to a potential employer?
• Is this position the right “fit” for me?
• Have I done a career assessment to determine what
careers I may be best suited for?
5. Skills Employers Want
• Communications (oral and written)
• Analytical
• Technical
• Teamwork
• Work Ethic
7. Prepare For The Interview
• Know what to do before, during and after the interview
• Be able to handle the tough interview questions
• “Dress For Success!!”
8. Interview Questions
• Tell me about yourself?
• What you do for me?
• What are your major strengths?
• What are your weaknesses?
• What salary do you expect to receive?
• Where do you see yourself 3-5 years from now?
9. Questions To Ask
• What would a typical day on the job be like for me?
• What challenges to you foresee in the future and how to
you see me helping to overcome those challenges?
• How will I be trained for the position?
• What are the next steps in the hiring process?
• When/How do I need to follow up with you?
10. Résumé
Gets You To The Interview!
• Must be targeted to the job
• Format selected (chronological, functional) must sell the best picture of you
• Keywords matter!
• Always include a cover letter (unless instructed otherwise)
11. Career Portfolio
Used by anyone with a story to tell
Shows employers what you have accomplished, learned, published, or
produced
Illustrates your skills, knowledge, and experience
Fully sells “you” to an employer
Use as a part of the interview
Have copies available for interviewer
12. Career Portfolio Contents
Title page
Résumé (traditional and text)
Short/long term career goals
Accomplishments (detailed list)
Letters of recommendation
Awards and honors
Transcripts, degrees, licenses,
certifications
Military honors, badges, records
List/letters from references
15. Networking
It’s Who You Know and Who Knows You!
• Relatives
• Close Friends
• Neighbors
• Other Friends
• Church Members
• Civic Club Members
• Alumni Associations
• Former Teachers
• Former Co-workers
• Personal Service
17. Social Networking
• 95 percent of all employers use social media when looking for new
employees
linkedin.com
facebook.com
twitter.com
youtube.com (video résumé)
18. Social Networking
(linkedin.com)
• Post a professional looking photograph
• Have a professional looking “handle” (twitter)
• List job-related information only
• Protect your security
• Beware of “fake” websites
19. Facebook
• About Me – “Why should I hire you?”
• Work History – self explanatory
• Timeline – significant dates in work history
• Photos – photos of important documents (certificates, plaques, newspaper
articles, DD-214)
• Likes – Companies of interest
• Friends - References
20. Twitter Hashtags (#)
• #JobSearch or #JobHunt
• #JobOpening
• #Hiring or #NowHiring
• #Resume
• #Job or #Jobs
• #Careers
• #Employment
• #HR or #HumanResources
• #TweetMyJobs
21. Telephone
• Start selling yourself when you hear a voice
• Do not ask if the employer is hiring, taking applications or taking résumés
22. First Person
• Introduce yourself using your first and last name
• Tell the person the exact position you’re looking for and how it was
discovered
• Ask for the contact person
23. Second Person
• Introduce yourself (first and last name)
• Tell the person you’re looking for
• Briefly describe your skills and abilities that qualify you for the job
• Ask for the interview
24. Job Fairs
Sharpen-Have your résumé objectively critiqued
Study - Research participating employers
Suit up - Look the part
Smell Check - avoid fragrances
Smile - Make them want to smile at you
Survey - Look for interviewing booths, restrooms, etc.
Streamline - look for targeted employers
Scope out - spy on the recruiters
Sight/Share - make eye contact/shake hands
25. Job Fairs (cont’d)
Salutation - Remember your “elevator” speech
Check your résumé - pinpoint the pros
Sell yourself - showcase skills; score with value
Set up - next steps in hiring process
Stop back by - revisit contacted employers
30. Five Deadly Sins
“Image Is Everything”
• Ringtone
• Voicemail
• Telephone Etiquette
• E-mail Address
• Online Content
31. Other Pitfalls
• ATTITUDE!!!
• Unreasonable expectations
• Relying on one job search technique
• Overusing “I” in cover letter (focus on employer)
• Unknowingly repeating mistakes (interview, application, résumé)
• Not rehearsing the interview
• Putting job search on hold to hear back from employer
32. “It’s Not About You!”
• The entire job hunting process is about the value you can bring to the
organization
• It’s not about what you THINK you can do-it’s about what you have done!
