Careful preparation is vital to the success your job-seeking campaign.

Whether you are looking for a first job, a change in career or a promotion, you are making a job search. A successful approach involves knowing yourself and knowing how to find available positions. Prepare for the job-seeking process by assessing your strength and weakness, studying the newspaper and contacting employment agencies.

Searching for a position

When searching for a position, you have the option of consulting various established services, or using contacts and your own initiative. NEWSPAPER The most common way to finding a position is to check the Positions Vacant section in newspaper. National, metropolitan and local newspapers advertise jobs, particularly on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Government organizations advertise as early as August or September for the general intake of employees for the next year. EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES Many employers avoid advertising in the press because such large numbers of people apply for each position. It is too time consuming to sort through all the applications and choose the best applicants to interview. NETWORKING Many vacant positions are never advertised. Employers fill the position through their own networks of professional and business contacts, social or family contacts. This way, people in your network can pass on the information to co-worker and associates. PUBLICATIONS Most professional associations publish journals, and many of these carry advertisements for positions. Use the computer facilities at the library to find journals published by companies and potential employers. The library also government gazettes such as: the Public Service Notices

DIRECT MAIL CAMPAIGN (COLD CANVASSING) The first step of your campaign is to determine the skills you have and the type of position suited to them. Then decide what companies might offer employment suited to your qualifications and aspirations. Search for your targets in the index of the Yellow Pages telephone book to choose the area of work that may interest you, and note what employment agencies are listed there. If your resume is ready, the next step is to prepare the unsolicited letter of application. Resumes are discussed later in this chapter. Unsolicited letter of application An unsolicited letter of application is the most important part of your direct mail campaign. It is difficult to write. Its purpose is to find a position that has not been advertised, and you do not know whether are position is available. The unsolicited letter of application is your initial contact with a potential employer. It is covering letter and has four main parts. 1. A paragraph introducing yourself. 2. An explanation of the type of position you are looking for and are qualified for. State what you have to offer the employer. 3. A paragraph saying why you have asked this particular organization for work. 4. A statement indicating where and how you may be contracted. In the covering letter, emphasize your main strength and write no more than one page. If you write too much or too little you defeat your purpose.

Evaluating yourself
Assess your qualifications, skills, interests, values, and attitudes towards, different sorts of work. Before you can develop this comprehensive lists, you need to know what you do well and what you like doing. See Table 23.1 INTERESTS AND EXPERIENCE Evaluated all your experience and interests to reveal your major strengths and weakness and any talents or skills you may have overlooked or considered unimportant. TABLE 23.1 Job skills checklist SKILLS Planning Problem solving Working with other Supervising Delegating Receiving feedback Managing time Following trough Reporting Using computer and technology Operating machinery

OTHER SKILLS Organizing Selling ideas Directing Coaching Assessing Giving feedback Working under pressure Setting priorities Writing Dealing with customers Building or constructing

People who feel they have little or no work experience relevant to an advertised position, or those who have been out of the workforce for some time, may under-rate their skills and abilities. For example, women returning to the paid workforce after management, organization, planning and getting along with others. Many school leadership and teamwork is sporting activities. School leavers also know how to manage time, set goals and work under pressure.

Writing a good job application

The written application is the only source of information a potential employer can assess when it comes to deciding whether you should be invited to an interview. A job application has two parts: 1. The resume. 2. The covering letter or letter of application.
RESUME

The resume is the document that contains all your qualifications, experience and achievements. A well-designed resume presents the information in sections with headings. Choose a structure that suits your particular qualifications and experience and makes the resume informative and interesting. The three most common types of resume are: Basic (general0 Functional Specific More detail on these three types of resume is given later in the chapter. Headings The resume is organized into sections, each with a heading. The main sections could be headed ads follows: Name, address, telephone number Employment objective Educational qualifications Work experience Achievements Activities and interests Referees Research the position When a job advertisement provides contact telephone number, use it to find out more about the position before you prepare the resume. Even if a contact number is not provided, you could telephone the organization and ask for more details. Basic resume A basic resume includes all the normal parts of a resume with appropriate headings, but is simpler and shorter than the functional and specific types of the resume. Functional resume The functional resume uses a different order of presentation, to make the most of a wide range of skills and work experience-job functions (see Figure 23.2)

FIGURE 23.1 Layout and function of each part of a basic resume Name

Address

Telephone

Date

Employment objective

Open with a sentence or paragraph sating your reasons for wanting this position. Write the objective with a clear and confident style that shows you have something to offer the potential employer. List all your certificates, the subjects they cover, the year each was completed, and the name of the institution that awarded each one. Never assume that the interviewer is familiar with your courses. Present copies of these to support your application, with the most recent one on top and the rest in reverse chronological order. Mention all work experience, including voluntary, parttime, and student vacation work. Highlight your particular strengths. Identify any special achievements from school or other organizations-for example, School Captaincy, Prefect or a local club leader. Highlight special communication skill (e.g. public speaking, debating), as these are essential to most positions. Present your most recent activities first, with the rest following in reverse order. The employer is interested in your interests and special skills. Nominate people who have agreed to recommend your skills and recent work.

Educational qualifications

Work experience

Achievements

Activities and interests

Referees

Specific resume The specific is prepared for a specific job, so its presentation emphasizes all the qualifications, skills and experience that are particularly relevant to the job.

FIGURE 23.2 Layout of a functional resume Name

Address

Telephone

Date

Employment objective Employment experience

State your reason for waiting the position. Present your employment history, starting with the most recent position, then proceeding in reverse to your first position. Your most recent job functions and achievements are of greatest interest to the employer or selection panel. Give the title of each position, then briefly describe each job function, particularly those relevant to the position you are applying for. Indicate any specific achievements or initiatives you accomplished in any of your previous positions. Fully identify your qualifications, the institutions where they were gained, and the details of course subject. Again, present these in reverse chronological order, starting with most recent. Emphasize any that are particularly important to your potential employer. offer potential employers evidence of your ability to mix with others and mention any special skill that may be relevant-for example, community involvement or sporting interests. List any membership of professional associations as there indicate that you keeping up with the latest developments in your industry or occupation. Present at least one who is professional and work-related, and one who will provide a character reference. An academic reference could also be useful.

Educational qualifications

Activities and interests

Professional membership

Referees

It is essential to make a careful study of the job advertisement first, so that you can present your experiences in terms criteria it describes. When preparing this kind of resume, bear in mind that prospective employers cull applicants to decide who to call for an interview. If you use the headings suggested in Figure 23.3, it is easy to record your latest and previous positions and to describe the responsibilities and achievements FIGURE 23.3 Layout and function of each part of a specific resume Name Address Telephone Date Employment objective Educational qualifications You may present these in reverse chronological order, or present those most relevant to the position, such as degree, diploma or trade certificate, in their order of importance. Emphasize your particular skills and relate them to the position. Draw attention to any employer reference to these skills, to support your claims. Mention any other skills. Duties and responsibilities A brief outline of your duties and the job title of the person you were responsible to Achievements Indicate special capacities and abilities; emphasize any authority you have held

Skills experience

Work experience Date Position held A brief description of them job

Personal interests and hobbies

List interests or hobbies that indicate your ability to mix with other people. Other interests may show that you are capable of working alone. You need to decide if these will help your application for the position. This section should be informative, simple and clear. try to provide the names and contact numbers of at least two referees. It is important to seek the approval of these people before you name them as referees. Send photocopies of written references, and keep the originals for the interview.

Referees/references

LETTER OF APPLICATION The letter of application is the covering letter for your application. It should make a good first impression and should be brief (about one page). The aim is to achieve a balance between your belief that you are suitable for the job and potential employers needs. It should persuade the reader to consider your application carefully, as someone potentially well-suited to the advertised position. The covering letter, or letter of application, should contain three main parts. 1. The introduction expresses your interest in the job. 2. The body points out specific qualities, qualifications and experience mentioned in your resume, and states your interest in this organization. 3. The conclusion indicates where and how you can be reached for interview. Frederick Surface 18/206 Waterson Parade SOUTH HURSTVILLE NSW 2220 16 July 2000 Chief Accountant GPO Box 2001 SIDNEY NSW 2001 Dear Ms Smith Position: Accounts Clerk I wish to apply for the position of Account Clerk advertised in the Sydney Morning Herald on 13 July 2001. I have a Certificate in Office Skills-Information Processing, and I am currently studying for the Associate Diploma in Accounting. I have extensive experience as a Clerk in the Accounts Payable section of a large company. My duties have include accounts payable, accounts receivable, petty cash, bank reconciliations and general accounting functions. I have also gained experience3 in the creation and use of spreadsheet and ledger balances. I am very keen to secure the advertised position with your company. The rest of my qualifications and experience are outlined in the accompanying resume. The duties of my present position range from the payment of accounts to reconciliation of creditors statements. The accounts are prepared reconciled on the Attached computing program. I also use spreadsheets. The accounts payable and accounts receivable system involves a high level of communication skills. I have also liaised with suppliers and other sections of or organization. Over the past ten years I have developed similar skills in previous positions as an Accounts Payable Clerk. These are supported by the enclosed references. I look forward to discussing my application at an interview. Yours sincerely

FIGURE 23.4 Example of letter of application or covering letter

Frederick Surface

The potential employer is trying to achieve two things: 1. To identify the person with the required personal attributes. 2. To choose someone who has the appropriate qualifications, experience and motivation to do the job, or to be trained for it. About two weeks after you have sent off a job application, it is appropriate to make an inquiry about it, by letter of telephone. State again, courteously and clearly, your interest in the organization and the fact that you are available and would like an interview. REFERENCES A potential employer usually checks these references to establish your stability, loyalty, capabilities, personality and ability to accept and carry out instructions. Before you offer someones name as referee, or present a written reference, it is business courtesy to warn them in advance. In the job application, it is wiser to include photocopies of references, not your originals. However, be prepared to present the originals at the interview. A reference is a form of report from a previous employer or co-worker that verifies your suitability for the position. Before you leave a position, think about who you will ask to be a referee. They should be willing to recommend you and able to assess your abilities competently. A well-presented resume is the first step towards reaching the interview. Good verbal references are invaluable when it comes to applying for a position. References from previous employers can confirm the claims you make in your resume, particularly references highlight the most relevant experience or skills. APPLICATION FORMS Some employers prefer applicants to fill out a job application form, for at least four reasons. 1. The form provides standard questions, which makes it easier to compare each applicant. 2. The applicants answers provide the same sort of information about them all. 3. The potential employer can see if an applicant can interpret and answer written questions. 4. The company places the question in such as a way that the answers can be used in the order required for processing. Temping Temping is a growing part of the job market. Many job hunters and recruitment agencies are now using the Internet to find and place specialist temporary staff. Interviews, assessment of applicants, reference checks and other methods of matching people and roles are a long way from being replaced by the Internet. Recruitment agencies the Internet let candidates display their relevant work experiences via a questionnaire and, on occasions, web site designs. Some agencies also display candidates resumes on the web. This way they can email details of permanent and temporary positions to suitable people. The candidates can respond by email and attachment as soon as they receive the email. The turnaround is much faster than ordinary post (snail mail). Up to 30% of positions are filled by the email network.

Freelancing Freelance telecommuting from, home is another growing sector of the job placement market. People working from home save the employer a lot of floorspace, equipment and overhead costs. Most of their communication is done by telephone, fax and email. Up to 50% of temporary placements are telecommuting positions. When surfing the web for job opportunities, try starting at one of the generalist sites that list vacancies published in the leading newspapers. For example: www.faiffax.com.au or www.monsterboard.com for global vacancies. For jobs in Australia or New Zealand, try www.monsterboard.com.au.