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Job Search
Strategies
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1. Think
about your skills, knowledge and abilities. Make a list of them.
Be sure to include skills that might apply to a number of jobs.
These are called “transferable skills.”
2. Identify
realistic work goals. Perhaps you want to work as a graphic designer
eventually, but first you may have to learn the basics in a print
shop.
3. Treat finding a job as a full-time job. Complete a weekly job
plan and monitor your goals.
4. Make sure you have a clean, neat resume and a reference sheet.
5. Your cover
letter should be neat, to the point, and error-free.
6. Network,
network, network! Talk to friends, family, associations, people in
coffee shops, business owners. Ask if they know who is hiring.
7. Answer ads,
fill out application forms, send out cover letters and resumes.
8. Be well
prepared for interviews. Know your stuff, and know something about
the company to which you are applying.
9. Have a system
for follow-up. Use telephone, email, or thank you notes.
10.
Stay motivated. Your job search will be successful.
Discipline Wise Job Places Information
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Cover Letter Writing
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A cover letter
is a letter of introduction to an employer, which is used to
formally submit a resume for employer review. The purposely of the
cover letter is to identify your intent to "apply for" or "seek out"
a specific position within a company. it alsoformally presents
yourself as available for a job position or range of positions
within a company.
Cover Letter Tips
1. Be brief and
to be the point
Most of the time
a cover letter for a job application only has to state that you are
applying for a position and that the application and supporting
materials are enclosed. That's it.
2. Make no
mistake about it
The most
important caveat in a cover letter? Make no mistake about it!
Absolutely no errors! Your cover letter must be perfection itself. A
typo, a poor printing job, a misspelling - mistakes will make a poor
impression because they imply that you don't care.
3. Use a word
processor
Never hand write
a cover letter. Never! Prepare your cover letter on a computer using
Microsoft Word. Don't have a computer? Borrow a friend's or go to a
business center and rent one for an hour or two!
4. Avoid fancy
fonts and colors
You are not
creating a flyer or a poster. So use a business font such as Arial.
No colors. Black on white reproduces easily. Use a plain white
paper. No deckled finishes or colors either. Print your cover letter
and resume on a laser printer. DeskJet printer ink smudges.
5. Keep it Short
Your cover letter
should be one page in length and perfectly centered. The cover
letter and resume are never folded. They are placed in an envelope
large enough to accommodate them unfolded.
Cover Letter Format
A cover letter is posted with the resume when you are applying for a
job. Your cover letter is your first (and best) chance to make a
good impression!
Your
Contact Information
you should write your bio data in the cover letter which includes
name, address, contact number, email address and the date at which
you are writing the letter. This would be a brief introduction of
yours to the employer
Employer
Contact Information
This is a
very important part of the cover letter. At least name of the
company should be mentioned. It is better if you write the name of
the concerned authority with its title. It is really appreciated if
you write the address and contact information of the employer
Introduction
It is
prudent if you write the title and the name of the hiring authority.
First
Paragraph
First
paragraph should be impressive and must be relevant and appealing.
An effective cover letter should begin by explaining the reasons for
your aims and interests in the organization and in the job for which
you are applying.
Middle
Paragraph
this section
is the interpretation of your resume. In this paragraph you should
write to prove that your skills, abilities and credentials are
directly aligned with the job for which you are applying. In this
section you should write to prove that you are the most suitable
person for this job. It is wise to mention only those skills that
are related to the nature of job. It is advised that you should
completely understand the nature of job before you write a cover
letter. Make sure that your letter should explain how your skills
relate to the criteria listed in job postings
Final
Paragraph
you should
conclude cover letter by thanking the employer for giving you the
rewarding opportunity to apply in the competitive and progressive
environment.
Complimentary Close along with Signature
Resume Writing
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A resume is a one or two page summary of your education,
skills, accomplishments, and experience. A resume is a powerful tool
in the job search process. A resume is a professional demonstration
of the abilities to articulate yourself in a concise manner. It’s
purpose is to get you an interview. It is a formal summary of the
education, experience & skills. It creates their first impression to
employer. Please
Click Here
for sample resume
Resume Tips
1.
Resume
should be a concise summary of the high points of your education,
work experience, and other qualifications relevant to needs of
employer’s interests.
2.
The
skills & abilities should be effectively highlighted.
3.
Be
honest and accurate, but not overly modest.
4.
Put
name, address, and phone number at the top of the page. If you have
a 2nd page, repeat your name at the top.
5.
Be
honest and accurate, but not overly modest.
6.
Use
action verbs and strong adjectives.
7.
Be
careful when you use abbreviations - they can be misunderstood.
8.
The
information presented should be logical.
9.
Resume
should be visually appealing.
10. Résumé’s
length depends upon the work experience of the candidate. But it
should be tried maximum that the resume should be concise & brief.
Job Interviews Guidelines
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Interview Skills
Interview is face to face interaction with the employer,
who evaluates candidates:
Job Interview
Tips
1. Self Knowledge
Prior to interviewing, a candidate should be able to answer
each of the following questions:-
-
How do your
education and work history relate to this organization?
-
How to your
interest, values, skills, personality and goals match the
organization or job description?
-
What are your
achievements? Accomplishments?
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What are your
personal strengths? Weakness?
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What kind of
Job do you want, and what do u want from the Job?
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What attract
you to this Job? Organization a filed?
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What skills
do u have and enjoy using?
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What are your
short-term and long term goals
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What are your
salary requirements?
The first open ended question an interviewer will ask
“Tell me about yourself”
2. Knowledge about the Organization
Different Type of Organizations will require that you
locate different typed of information for an interview.
For each, it is important that you find the organization’s
mission statement or guiding philosophy. e.g.
Higher Education Institutions
-
What major
programs and concentration are offered?
-
What emphasis
is placed on teaching, research and public service?
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What are the
funding sources (Private or Public)?
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What is the
Institutions reputation and accreditation status?
Non – Profit Organizations
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What are the
objections of the agency?
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When does it
receive funding?
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What are some
of its programmes?
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What services
do they offer?
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What are the
plans for future?
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What is the
organization’s financial status?
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What is the
growth record?
Types of Interview
1. Screening Interview
2. General Interview
3. Second or selection Interview
4. Phone
1. A short-term interview designed basically to eliminate
unqualified candidates. Based on these brief interviews, a
determination is made to invite the candidate in for a second
interview or selection interview.
2. One half-hour one hour in duration a general interview
provides for an exchange of enough information to enable both
employer and candidate to determination if the contact is warranted.
This interview may be conducted by a personal representative or s
member of selection team or committee.
3. One hour to an entire day in duration, both employer
and candidate engage in more in-depth discussion of qualification,
responsibilities and other aspects of the position and the
organization. The candidates in seriously being considered for the
position and the interviewer must gain as much information as
possible to make a final discussion. After other members of the
staff or selection committee will participate in this interview
session.
For Profit Company
-
What services
or products do they offer?
-
What is their
organizational structure?
-
When one the
home offices and branches?
-
How old is
the organization?
-
What are its
plans and goals for the future?
-
What is the
organizations financial status?
-
What is
growth record?
-
What are its
relocation policies?
-
What is the
percent of annual growth in earnings?
-
What is a
typical Career?
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Who are the
main competitors?
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Company’s
Culture
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How
employees dress
Other Common turn-offs include:
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Lack of
initiative
-
Ask no
question about the position or organization
-
Lack of
Confidence
-
Lack of
career focus / goals
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Failure to
express thanks
-
Indecisiveness
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Overbearing,
concerted tone
-
Narrow
interests
-
Strange
Prejudices
-
Cynical
attitude
-
Lack of
Participation or interest.
4.
Phone – Increasingly, employers are performing general and
screening, interviews by phone. Phone interview can be different
because you receive little non-verbal feedback from the person
asking questions. Matters can be made even worse of you are on a
speaker phone. In this type of situation make sure that you are in a
quite area and can speak freely and loudly.
Negative Interview Factors
Observe that none of these are directly related to your
skills and abilities.
These are sociable relationship oriented items.
Post a Resume/job
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For Employers
Post Jobs
placement.gcu@gmail.com
For Students
Post Resume
Important Job Links
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