INTRODUCTION
The average person will change jobs between 10 and 15 times and change careers three times. Employers integrate technology into hiring practices and require specific skill sets from their employees. In order to compete for openings, job seekers need to enhance their techniques in contacting and marketing themselves to employers. These techniques involve: • Uploading resumes • Completing online applications • Interviewing • Testing • Using social media to project a professional image The person hired is not always the most qualified, but rather the person who has convinced the employer that he/she is the best candidate. Planning Your Time Securing a position may take more time than you anticipate. Even if you are under no economic pressure to find a job quickly, starting your search early is a good idea. Delays may hurt your chances of finding the job you want. If you have just finished school, you are competing for similar positions with other new graduates in your field. A long delay between graduation or your last job and your application for work may give an employer the impression that his organization is one of your last choices. Once you start your search, you should treat it as a full-time job.
A successful job search is more than just a resume and a job application. It is a series of positive contacts with prospective employers, and it will involve some work on your part. This is some of the most important work that you will ever do, so it is important that you not only take it seriously, but that you give yourself enough time to get it right. • Plan to write, and then review, your resume and cover letter every time you apply for a job. Work with your campus Career Services team to review your resume, cover letters and reference sheet. • Adapt your resumes and cover letters to match the requirements of job descriptions (see page 34). • Be sure to do a lot of research on your target industry. Select companies that may have potential positions for you and certainly those companies with which you have scheduled interviews. • Work on your 30-second “elevator speech” (see page 7), which is vital in tight time situations, such as career fairs, and professional and social networking events. This is your opportunity to present your qualifications, your background and yourself in a positive manner. The following pages will guide you through the job search process. This manual is divided into sections that focus on specific steps to assist you to reach your objective of securing a job in your chosen career field. Many people begin or return to school with a goal of career advancement. The culmination of this time spent is not just receiving a degree or certificate but securing a new career. This process may be as simple as using new skills and credentials for advancement within the same career area and company. It may also be as complex as making a radical career change, such as going from being a school teacher to a systems analyst.
CCAC Job Search Manual 1
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