Lee Dobbins asked:


Graduation should be a time for rejoicing because a person has finally got the degree he has aspired and worked hard for several years. However, the lack of employment opportunities has made graduation a moment of truth. Graduation is in fact the start of a person’s quest for the best job he can find considering his educational attainment, talent and work experience.

A person who wants to find a good job should not just sit around and be complacent just because he already has a degree. Unless a person is a computer genius, employers will never knock on his door and bend down on his knees to hire him for a job.

Job hunting is an art and a person should use all the strategies he can muster to develop very good job hunting skills. Job hunting should not really be a hit and miss effort but it should be a skill that has to be developed.

A person on a job hunting mission should arm himself with a very good resume. New graduates do not have much work experience to build their resumes on but they can be creative and make their resumes effective and attention catching. The resume is one of the most important tools a person should have when on a job hunt.

Employers do not have all the time in the world to read novel-like resumes to make sure it is really just a preview of what you have to offer to the employer. The specifics can be discussed later on during the interview phase. However, an applicant will be scheduled for an interview if his resume is impressive enough for the employer.

Never submit a resume without a cover letter because it is some sort of an introduction to your resume. A cover letter is like a teaser and employers sometimes make a decision to interview an applicant just on the basis of his cover letter.

It is always advisable to do some research on the type of company a person is applying for. Research on the people behind the company; the history of the company and even the people working for the company. This can help any applicant especially during the interview and in determining his chances of being hired and of advancement in the company once hired.

Look out for career or job fairs because employers usually flock to these job fairs. In the same manner, job applicants also flock to these job fairs so make sure you come well prepared with several copies of your resumes and cover letter. Bring extra envelopes for your resumes and replace them when they get soiled. Making an impressive first impression can do a lot for your career.

Job fairs are usually held in universities especially when graduation time is near. These fairs are also held in malls or other public areas that are accessible to a greater number of people. Look out for announcements of job fairs on the radio, televisions and even posters in the park.

It is always wise to network. Keep in touch with family friends, with past classmates and with other contacts who may present you a job opportunity. People in your network may know of a job vacancy which fist your qualifications and getting in touch with them and letting them know that you are looking for work will remind them to call you up when an opportunity for such need presents itself.

Always read the papers because job vacancies are usually advertised on newspapers. In fact, make it a habit to check the papers everyday because there are plenty of job opportunities not just in the advertisement of classified ads section but also in the news reports.

A solicited job application is fine but there is no rule in submitting unsolicited job applications. Send your resumes to several companies in your areas of interest even though they have not advertised a vacancy. Some companies do not advertise their vacancies. Submitting a resume even if unsolicited can give the applicant an advantage over the others who will still wait for an advertisement.

There are a thousand and one ways to get a job but a person really has to be creative and industrious to land the best job the soonest possible time. SO go out, network with friends and associates, join job fairs and make sure you submit the best resume!



Amelia

Tony Jacowski asked:


If you want to portray yourself as a viable potential employee, then you need to market yourself well. This is generally referred to as “positioning”. Your self-marketing techniques will “make” or “break” your candidacy - and later on, they can do the same for your career.

There is a general myth surrounding marketing, where people generally misunderstand marketing as sales. A sale is just one part of marketing, while selling is considered as one of the most important tools of job hunting. By marketing yourself as a brand or a product, you will land the job that you want.

Marketing Strategy

Like any business, you should plan your self-marketing strategy well before you enter the job arena. Below are some questions that you should ask yourself in preparation:

-What is my position now and where would I like to see myself after 5 years

-What do I want from my career and where do I want my career to head?

-How can I convert my plans into actions?

-How do I succeed in my actions and how do I change them if I don’t get the necessary results?

Study the Market

Market research is very important to analyze the trends of the job market, as well as to gather details about the company you want to work for. You can also talk to a senior person from your field and ask for his or her opinion on the future potential of that job. To succeed in your job search, you must know your potential employers. This information will help you draft a good cover letter or even tailor your resume so you have the best chance of landing an interview.

Marketing Mix

Marketing focuses on the 4 P’s, which are product, promotion, price and place - this is called the marketing mix. These four points can be used to help you formulate a self-marketing strategy.

-Product- You need to examine your good and bad traits and make yourself indispensable or unique, so that you stand out from the crowd.

-Promotion- When it comes to your job search, promotion refers to the cover letter, resume, networking phone calls and interviewing. It includes all the tools you can use to get an initial interview call or job offer. So refine all your promotional tools and develop all of your skills.

-Place- Refers to distribution channels including cold calling, networking, web job hunting, job postings, headhunters and recruiters.

-Price- From a marketing point of view, price refers to all aspects of compensation you could expect from an employer, as well as strategies that could be applied to get your required salary package and compensation.

Marketing yourself well can catapult your career - and even the most adverse job-hunting environment can be overcome by good self-marketing strategies.



Brandon