The document provides guidance on finding work when unemployed. It discusses strategies for different job search scenarios, including when not getting interviews or offers. Specific tips covered include accessing the hidden job market through personal and professional networks, tailoring resumes and applications to each job, preparing for common interview questions, negotiating salary successfully, and maintaining a positive mental attitude during job seeking. The document aims to equip job seekers with effective techniques and advice for securing employment.

1. How To Find Work
by Ralph Snider
© Ralph Snider 2014

2. Introduction
 What do you want to gain out of today’s
workshop

3. What to do when you can’t
find work?
 No interviews, so change strategy
 Access hidden job market
 Aim for realistic jobs
 Interviews but no offers, so
 Improve your answers to interview
questions
 Cultural differences

4. Job Search Methods
 Employment office 14%
 Mailing resumes to employers 7%
 Trade magazines 7%
 Job Ads
 Newspaper
24%
 Internet 4%

5. Job Search Methods
continued
 Yellow pages
65%
 Door knock 47%
 Personal contacts 33%
 Recruitment agency 28%

6. Access the hidden job market
 Family
 Friends
 Colleagues
 Directly approach employers
 Marketing letters
 Phone calls
 Door knock

7. Resumes
 Use power words when describing
duties: managed, created, initiated
 Tailor past job duties to look like the job
you are applying for
 A different resume for each occupation
you apply for

8. Resumes continued
 Write it yourself but get someone else
to check it
 Be specific eg. size of report
 Accomplishment/achievement
statements
 Gaps

9. Job Applications
 Respond to selection criteria using
STAR
 Situation
 Task
 Action
 Result
 (Learning)

10. Job Applications continued
 If no selection criteria, then pick out key
requirements in the job ad and respond
in cover letter
 Social media
 LinkedIn
 Facebook

11. Interviews
 Read the position description
 Browse the company website
 Prepare answers to interview questions
before the interview
 Tell us about yourself? How to
respond?
 Why do you want to work for us?

12. Interviews continued
 What is your weakness?
 When the interviewers start nodding
then you can finish your answer
 Give real examples
 If unsuccessful then ask for feedback
(not at the interview!)

13. How to avoid companies with
poor culture?
 Ask questions:
 How long has each person in the
team been working there?
 What is it about your leadership style
which keeps your team together?

14. How to work with recruiters
 10% of jobs
 Are they interested: depends on jobs
they have
 Not all ads are real jobs
 Ask them how they work and meet with
recruiter who works with the employers
 75% do not read cover letters

15. The mental side of job seeking
 Don’t give up
 Maintain your professionalism – you
have experience and skills which are
useful to employers
 Treat it like a job and put in the hours

16. Negotiating Salary
 If: is it realistic for you to negotiate
 When: after an offer of employment
 How? Be the last to say a number
 Research the market

17. Summary
 What to do when you can’t find work
 Job search methods
 Networking
 Resume
 Job Applications
 Interviews

18. Summary continued
 How to work with recruiters
 The mental side of job seeking
 Negotiating salary

19. Questions?

20. Contact
 Ralph Snider
 ralph.snider@careergenie.net.au
 Phone 0402 972 857
 www.careergenie.net.au