I'm dedicating this part of my blog to free resources to help getting good employment. This may seem like a non sequitur, but showing what resources are provided by our government, volunteers, and our community to help give us a hand up, is central to the basic principle tenets of my Ask Not blog. Additionally, part of what I ask in my blog is for everyone to step up and do what they can do make the world a better place for everyone, and how can I expect anyone who is struggling to survive to manage that?
Sections, listed below, will cover all the steps to take in getting a good job.
Note that this content is fluid, as I research to add new, improve existing, and remove outdated information. Because of this, if you reference my blog, please be sure to include the update date in your source. If your document is important, it's recommended to print out the blog as it is at the moment you access it, and keep in handy in case it is needed for your sources.
Step One: You, on Paper: This section will focus on information you need for your résumé, what to have ready for your application (different from résumé), cover letters, references, thank-you letters, job acceptance letters, thanking references, and assembling a portfolio.
You must have this information assembled before you start applying for positions: I lost a job once, after a fantastic interview, because they handed me an application, which they required me to fill out immediately, and I forgot what my pay rate was at one of my temp jobs and what date I had started one of the others. Many people won't have this problem: if you've worked the same job for 15 years, you're pretty sure to know what you're getting paid and can find out the start date pretty easily. But when you've been working for five temp agencies at a time over the last couple years, it can be easy to mix up information if you don't have a printed reference handy!
Step Two: The Search: Effective job search strategies. What to use, what not to use, and how to know the difference. Web verses paper, and direct (applications) verses indirect (networking, Linked-In, et cetera). How and when to follow up.
Step Three: Interviewing.
Step Four: Improving Skills. Skills should be improved at every opportunity, while employed, unemployed, or underemployed. Even if you aren't trying to find a job, improve any skills possible and you'll get the prime promotion opportunities!
Step Five: Do Who You Are. This really should be Step One, but it's hard to figure out your best fit if you're running up thousands of dollars on your credit card just to pay rent and groceries while lacking employment. So get a job first, then do some serious self-analysis in your spare time (while still Improving Skills so you're as desirable to your perfect job as it is for you). If you find yourself mildly satisfied but never thrilled in your work, even when the working environment is great, you're probably in the wrong type of job. Use these resources to help you figure out what careers are good fits with your interests and skills.
Step Six: Career and Resource Centers. These are places you can go to for free assistance, classes, books, job listings, career-search-related computer use, et cetera.
Step Seven: Volunteerism. Volunteering gives you great opportunities to try out different kinds of work without making a long term commitment, learn new skills, and make connections, while doing good for worthy organizations.
Step Eight: Unemployment. This may not seem like a step toward employment, but is necessary to discuss because so many people are finding themselves out of work and struggling right now. Money struggles can create a vicious cycle: you have to choose between groceries or having your suit dry cleaned, so you choose groceries, and blow the interview, which leads to longer unemployment, less money, repeat. Many people face this or a similar issue. Getting unemployment pay and/or finding ways to cut bills while unemployed are vital to regaining employment. I divide the topic in two: first, Unemployed in Massachusetts discusses how and where to file for unemployment insurance and, second, Surviving Unemployment discusses various methods of cutting costs, finding public resources, and other ways to prevent cashing out your retirement funds early in order to survive while unemployed.
Last updated: 21 Feb. 2012
No comments:
Post a Comment