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Work Smarter Not Harder
- 1. Work Smarter, Not Harder Creating a Job Search Strategy in a Tough Economy Usman Chaudry, Volt Workforce Solutions Presentation for APICS MM.DD.2008 | © 2008 Volt Information Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary & Confidential.
- 2. Overview Creating a Job Search Strategy: • Building a resume • Building a virtual presence • Finding opportunities • Interviewing
- 3. Building a Resume • 2 Formats: – Chronological – Functional • Does your resume… – Scream “Call me!!!” – Have MSA’s? (If not, get them!!!) – Keywords
- 4. Made, Saved, and Achieved’s… • Made: • Products/Services you’ve created, • Ideas you’ve created • Sales • Saved: • Time • Money • Reduction in costs • Achieved: • Greatest Accomplishments Quantifiable
- 5. MSA Example What have you made, saved, or achieved for your employers? • Provide example • Give quantifiable results MSA Version “I provided technical support to 300 employees with computer difficulties locally and remotely using Altiris Remote Control, resulting in a reduced response time from 3 ½ hours to 2 hours. and I reduced number of service tickets 30% from 100 to 70 in my first month.”
- 6. Building a Virtual Presence Attract Attention • Choose appropriate site • Prepare profile carefully • Post picture • Experience and education • MSA’s • Keywords • Contact information • Create network • Update frequently
- 7. Building a Virtual Presence Create On-line Profiles on Social Media Sites • LinkedIn • Facebook • Twitter • Google • You Tube
- 8. Finding Opportunities Where do you find jobs? What is the most effective method? • Post and Pray? • Submit to jobs on job boards? • Networking?
- 9. Finding Opportunities Where do you find jobs? If your only answer is… “Applying to job ads and postings…” …that’s NOT ENOUGH in today’s economy.
- 10. Finding Opportunities Apply directly to company websites Apply directly using Job Aggregators • Indeed.com • Indeed.ca • Simplyhired.com Join groups to network • Ning.com • Google Groups • Yahoo! Groups • MSN Groups
- 11. Job Search Strategy Take a comprehensive approach • Update your resume with MSAs...Very important!!!! • Add keywords to be searchable • Post to the major job boards..i.e Monster, Workopolis, CareerBuilder etc. • Apply directly to target companies • Network • Family • Friends (Friends of friends/family) • Colleagues, Managers (Past and present) • Associations/groups
- 12. Job Search Strategy How will they find you? • Tweak your resume for each job. • Applying via e-mail… • Include your resume and cover letter in the body AND • Attach resume and cover letter soft copy • Create a follow-up spreadsheet to track applications • Follow up with applications on a weekly basis.
- 14. Interviewing for Success • Know the job description • Research the company • What can you contribute? (MSA’s) • To the position • To the company • What personal characteristics make you successful? (Examples) • Why do you want the position? • Prepare questions
- 15. Interviewing for Success • Be prompt • Dress appropriately • Treat everyone with respect • Bring your resume • Turn off your phone • Give a firm handshake • Be positive and make it a conversation
- 16. Practice, Practice, Practice 5Ps: – James Baker TO INTERVIEW
- 17. Follow Up Thank everyone you spoke to
- 18. In Review Creating a Job Search Strategy In a Tough Economy Working Smarter not Harder • Perfecting your resume and cover letter each time • Building a virtual presence and networking • Finding opportunities – use a comprehensive, proactive approach • Prepare and practice for interviewing • Follow up
- 19. Questions
- 20. Thank you
Editor's Notes
- Made: Things you’ve created, ideas you’ve come up with that have made a quantifiable impact on the organization. Save: Referring to commodities saved such as time, money or both. Reduction in costs, coming in under budget, beating a deadline by a certain time. Achieve: Think about your greatest accomplishments throughout your career. What made them so great? What separated those from the other successes you’ve had?
- Question: What have you Made, Saved, or Achieved for your current and previous employers? Example: Provide operations support for employees with computer difficulties locally and remotely using Altiris remote control. What are the results of this action? MSA Version: Provide technical support to 300 employees with computer difficulties locally and remotely using Altiris remote control, resulting in a 2 hour response time. Reduced problem tickets by 30% within first month on assignment.
- Appropriate site: Choose sites where potential hiring manager are’ Prepare Profiles carefully – they are your virtual presence. Make sure your profile contains code words that a hiring manager would use to find a candidate. Make sure that your profile contains direct contact info. Network with people who are hiring authorities or know hiring authorities in your industry or target companies. Your updates will refresh your information with your
- Where is your potential hiring manager? Choose a site and network with those people who would be hiring managers or know hiring managers within your target companies. Where can you be seen or noticed.
- Take a comprehensive approach Update your resume with MSAs...very important!!!! Put in keywords to be searchable Maximize exposure by posting to the major job boards..i.e Monster, Workopolis, Careerbuilder etc. Connect with other people in your network by contacting them. This includes family, friends, (friends of friends/family) previous colleagues, managers, and any other associations/groups you may belong to.
- Tweak your resume for each job you apply to. When applying for jobs via email, are you just attaching your resume and sending it off without anything in the body of the email? How will the person on the other end find your resume when over 100 people have applied? Tip: Include your resume and cover letter in the body of the email in addition to attaching a copy. Create a spreadsheet to track the jobs you’ve applied for and the people you’ve talked to. Follow up with them on a weekly basis.