Finding A New Job

Finding a New Job: Using Career Training to Your Advantage


Are you interested in changing careers or changing jobs? If you are, your first impulse may be to quit your current job and go out and apply for new jobs. Of course, the decision is yours to make, but I would suggest that you may want to refrain from taking this approach, as there are no guarantees that you will find something right away. Instead, you may want to take the time to find the perfect jobs to apply to, as well as use career training to your advantage.

Career training comes in a number of different formats and caters to a number of different careers. For instance, if you are looking for a career in healthcare, there are part-time and full-time options.  If you are interested in working as a secretary, your career training may involve courses that teach typing or office management skills. Colleges are offering more online and evening courses to accommodate people who are working full time and learning something new can dramatically improve your chances of successfully changing careers or jobs.

Career training, no matter what classes or courses you take, is designed to help educate you on one particular career field, such as nursing, accounting, or office management. Although career training courses can vary greatly, you often walk away with a large amount of skill and knowledge. In fact, depending on the career courses or classes that you take, you may be able to walk away with a degree or a certificate of completion. These are documents that you can give all prospective employers access to for verification of your training, knowledge, and skills.

One of the many reasons why career training can assist you when you are looking to change careers or even just jobs is because it can help you stand apart from your competition, as not as many job seekers take advantage of it. This means that you can really use career training to your advantage. For instance, if you are interested in applying for a job as a secretary, you can take a few office management classes, typing classes, or computer software classes before you start applying for new jobs. By taking this approach, your job training is new and fresh. This not only gives you an advantage over those who do not have career training behind them, but it also gives you an advantage over those who received training a year or more ago.

As ideal as it is to hear that career training can offer you assistance, when looking to change jobs or careers, you may be curious as to how you go about getting that training, especially if you are still currently employed. Career training is offered through a number of different centers, which are commonly referred to as career centers or vocational training centers. You may also be able to receive career training at your local community college. What is nice about many of these establishments is that they offer affordable and flexible training classes and courses. In fact, you will likely find that a good percentage of career training classes are taught at night or on the weekend. This is what essentially enables to you receive career training while still holding down your current job.  There are lots of online courses available as well.

As outlined above, it is relatively easy for you to go about enrolling yourself in career training courses, for a wide variety of different career fields. There are also a number of benefits to doing so. Of course, the decision as to whether or not you want to use career training to your advantage is your decision to make, but if you are serious about changing jobs or changing careers, it is something that you should seriously consider. In all honesty, what do you have to lose by at least examining all of your options first?   To your job search success   Fran   P.S.  If you need help with your resumes, cover letters or other aspects of your job search, click here

5 P's Of A Job Search

The 5 P’s of a Job Search – Plan, Prepare, Practice, Perform, Post-Mortem

Step One - Plan:

Most people spend more time planning a one to two week vacation than they do planning their lifetime career. When planning for a vacation, you look at where you want to go, what your reason is for wanting to go to that particular place, how long it will take to get there, whether or not you want to take any side trips, what type of budget you will need, and what type of clothes you will need to take. You may also speak with people who have been there to find out a little more about the destination and activities or do some research on the internet or at the library or a travel agency.

It is important to do the same type of planning for a career. You need to take a look at where you want to go and how you are going to get there. You will need to look at: whether or not you need post-secondary education or some type of training. How long will it take you to get the skills you need? What is the best way to get these skills? What kind of money do you require for the life style you want? Think about whether or not you know anyone who is currently working in this field or if you know anyone who knows anyone working in this field. Where else can you go to find out more information?

If you are still in school, speak to a guidance counsellor and ask for information. You can also do informational interviews with people working in the field you are interested in. Another option is speaking with a career counsellor or doing some career tests.

If you are out of school, contact an employment agency to speak with a counsellor or do some personal research at the library as well as networking and making good use of your contacts.

Step Two - Prepare:

Preparing for your job search involves doing a thorough personal inventory to determine your transferable and adaptive skills. Learning more about your skills prepares you so that you will be able to tell an employer the skills you have that match the job that you would like to have. This takes time. It may involve completing a questionnaire or sitting and writing down all the things you have done over the years. This is not simply listing your job description, as most people do more than what is listed on the job description, it also involves activities that you do at home.

Most of us take our skills for granted. We are so used to doing certain tasks that we do not recognize that not everyone can do what we are doing. We also do not always recognize the skills we are using in our daily activities – problem solving, decision making, driving, fixing appliances, preparing food, personal counseling. People may express amazement or be impressed by something that we take for granted. Listen to what they are saying. This is a strong skill for you and may be developed into a career goal.

Once you have reviewed your skills, you can work on developing a 30-second summary of these skills, also known as an “elevator speech”, which can be used during a telephone contact, in your cover letter, in an interview, or when talking to friends about your job search.

Preparing also means doing research on companies you might like to work for. This research may be done at the library, through personal contact, informational interviews, reading newspaper articles, or an informal visit or tour.

The development of a targeted resume is another crucial step. A targeted resume is one which highlights specific skills to demonstrate your suitability to an employer. It provides details of your work experiences which match the skills they might require. A cover letter should also be prepared for a targeted employer.

Another part of preparation is reviewing potential interview questions and determining the type of information you want to provide or you may be expected to provide to an employer. Following this, you need to practice speaking about yourself in order to be comfortable in presenting yourself to an employer.

People often think about getting a resume prepared, and maybe a cover letter in response to a job ad, but then they forget about preparing for the interview. Although a good resume and cover letter can get you in the door, the interview is what gets you the job.

Step Three - Practice:

Practice!! How many people would step on the ice in an NHL game without having practiced? How many people would step on stage to sing or act without several rehearsals? How many Olympic athletes would compete without any preparation? Very few, if any - and yet, when we fail to practice our interview techniques, it is comparable to doing one of the above.

Practicing can take place with a friend, family member or a counsellor. There are many books available that provide sample questions and sample answers. Feedback on your interview skills may involve peers, general comments, and/or videotape. Here are some sample questions for you to use:

· Tell me about yourself.
· What do you look for in a job?
· How long would it take for you to make a meaningful contribution?
· Why are you looking for a new career?
· How would your boss describe you?
· How would your colleagues describe you?
· What were the five most significant accomplishments in your last position?
· What are your strong points?
· What are your weak points?

A videotape is an excellent way for you to see yourself as an employer would see you. You can dress as you would for an interview and have someone you know act as the interviewer. You will then be able to notice how you handle yourself, how you sit, and how you respond to questions. For instance, did you give enough information or too much information. You can also note if you have any habits you are unaware of. This will help you become comfortable in presenting your skills to an employer.

When you think of the years of training it takes a hockey player to reach the skill level of an NHL player, or the years a ballerina spends in practicing before she performs at the NAC, a few hours of practicing your interview/presentation techniques isn’t asking too much.

Step Four - Perform:

Think of your interview as a performance. You must prepare for it (research the employer, practice interview questions), dress appropriately (dress for the job you are applying for), and have the proper equipment (copy of resume, references, portfolio, and pen) to show that you are ready to do the job.

The first two to three minutes of your interview are the most important. An employer usually makes a decision based on your appearance and your opening presentation. It is important that you make the most of these precious minutes.

A smile is a big part of your wardrobe. If smiling doesn’t come naturally to you, practice in front of a mirror until it feels comfortable. Ensure that your body language doesn’t send the wrong message. Don’t cross your arms across your chest, or keep checking the clock. Check your appearance, both standing and seated, in a mirror. It is important to try to relax, but do not slouch in your chair. Don’t chew gum during your interview, and if you are a smoker, try to have your last cigarette at least 10 minutes before your interview and freshen your breath with a breath mint.

Another important point is to never say anything negative about your previous employer. It may make the employer wonder what you would say about them, and you never know who is related to whom.

Make sure that you have some questions to ask the employer. Not “how much money will I make and how long do I get for vacation?”, but questions that show you have researched the employer and have some knowledge of their company. Make a list of potential questions to ask. If the interviewer has been very thorough and you can’t think of any questions, at least find out when they will be making a decision and ask if it is ok to follow up.

Here are some sample questions you can ask.

Why is this position open?
What are some of the more difficult problems one would have to face in this position?
What significant changes do you forsee in the near future?
What are some of the objectives you would like to see accomplished in this job?
What are some of the long-term objectives you would like to see completed?
How is one evaluated in this position?
What accounts for success within the company?

Step Five - Post-Mortem:

Once your interview is over, review it in your mind. Was there anything you should have said that you didn’t, or anything that you said that you shouldn’t have? Make a mental note, or write down how you felt about the interview. By reviewing your interview, you can prepare for the next one.

Once you get home, it’s time to prepare a thank you letter. In this letter you thank the interviewer(s) for their time and the opportunity to find out more about the company. Express appreciation for the way they handled the interview, the information provided, etc., as well as expressing your desire to work for the company. If there was anything you forgot to tell them about your skills during the interview, or any information you said you would provide them with, now is your opportunity to do so.

Don’t forget to follow up one to two weeks after your interview to indicate that you are still interested in being considered for the position and to check on whether or not a decision has been made. If they have hired, and you are not the successful candidate, ask permission to call back in case there are any other openings in the future and let them know that you would like to be considered.

Remember that you usually have to go through about 200 “no’s” before you get to a “yes”. Try to keep positive about your job search by sticking with a routine and talking with as many people as possible about looking for work. Let everyone know that you are currently unemployed and tell them the type of work you are looking for. Attend workshops on Job Search, or consider joining a Job Finding Club for extra support during your job search.

To your job search success

Fran

P.S. If you would like some help with your job search, leave a comment below.

Looking For Work

The first question to ask yourself is, “where am I looking?” If the newspaper is your only source, you are cheating yourself of some great opportunities. If you are searching on the internet, you are also short-changing yourself. Many companies do not use either of these methods for hiring; they use networking techniques. You have heard people say, “It’s who you know,” and this is true.

Think about it for a minute. Which would you choose, a complete stranger or a person referred by one of your employees or friends? If you had a choice between placing a job ad that costs $100 - $200 or paying an employee a bonus of $50 for a referral, which would you choose? It makes economic sense for employers to use networking, and it makes good sense for you to do it too.

How do you network? To start off you make a list of everyone that you know, even slightly – your barber/hairdresser, the bank teller, the cashier at the grocery store, your next-door neighbour. Keep writing until you can’t think of anyone else. Then look at your list again and try to figure out where each person works and what kind of information they could provide you with. These are probably not the people who will be hiring you, but they may be the link to the person who will.

Have you let everyone know that you are looking for work and the type of work you are looking for? Or do you just say you are looking for “anything.” People need to know more facts than that. Will you really do “anything” or are there some limits on what you are willing to do. Take some time to write down a short summary of your skills and experience and what you are looking for. Use this when contacting employers.

Is your resume up to date? Does it have all your skills and experience on it? Is it targeted for the specific work area you are looking for, or is it so general that people have to try to guess what it is you are applying for? Do you have extra copies that you can give to the people in your network? Or are you waiting until that perfect job appears before you write it up? You should always have a current resume ready as you never know when that perfect opportunity will arise.

If you need some help with your resume, get in touch with me and I will help you.

Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca