Job Search and Advancement

JOB SEARCHING

 Also known as Job Hunting or Job Seeking.

 Act of looking for employment, due to employment, discontent with a
current position or a desire for better position.

ADVANCEMENT
 The process of promoting a cause or plan.
 Promotion of a person in rank or status.
ASSESS YOURSELF!!!

Find Careers that match your skills, interest and values

 An assessment helps you to learn about yourself.
 Career Assessment Tools ask questions to help you learn about you and
careers that fit you.

ISEEK Skills Assessment

 Rate your skills and see which careers are a match for the skills that are
important to you.
Career One Stop Skills Profiler
 Use this tool to create a list of your skills and match them to job types
that use those skills.

Mn Careers Interest Assessment

 See how your interests related to the careers that fit you best.

ISEEK Career Cluster Interest Assessment

 Rate the activities you enjoy, your personal qualities and school
subjects you like to see which career clusters are a match for your
interests.
GETTING A JOB SOURCES OF CAREER
INFORMATION

1. Personal Contacts

 Families and friends can be extremely helpful in providing career

information. While they may not always have the information needed, they
may know other knowledgeable people and be able to put the job seeker
in touch with them. These contacts can lead to an “information interview”,
which usually means talking to someone who can provide information
about a company or career.
2. Libraries and Career Centers

 Libraries offer a great deal of information about careers and job training.
Begin by searching the catalog under “vocations” or “careers” and then look
under specific fields of work that match are interest. Trade publications and
magazines describe and discuss many kinds of work in various field.
School career centers often offer individual counselling and testing, guest
speakers, field trips, and career days.

3. Counselors
 Counselors are professionals trained to help clients assess their own
strengths and weaknesses, evaluate their goals and values and determine
what they want in a career. Counselors cam be found in:

 Placement offices in private vocational or technical schools.

 College career planning and placement offices.
 Vocational rehabilitation agencies.
 Counseling service offices offered by community organizations.
 Private counseling agencies.
 State employment service offices.

4. The Internet
 The internet provides much of the same job information that is available
through libraries, career centers and guidance offices. However no single
network or resource will contain all the desired information.
5. Organizations

 Professional societies, trade associations, labor unions, business firms

and educational institutions offer a variety of free or inexpensive career
materials. Trade organizations are particularly useful sources of
information if one already has a job and is seeking another or fears being
“downsized” by one’s present employer.

6. Education and Training Information

 All jobs require some kind of training, even those that primarily utilize
simple, everyday skills. Many people acquire these most basic job skills
during the process of growing up and through compulsory education.
Additional on-the-job training is often sufficient for success in a first part-
time job. Most career jobs, however require more education and training
that can be provided through basic life experience and new employee
orientation programs.
Letter of Application and Resume
 A letter of application, also known as cover letter is a document sent with
your resume to provide additional information on your skills and
experience.

What to include in a Letter of Application

When writing an application letter you should include:

 Subject (for an email letter)

List the job you are applying for and your name in the subject line of your
email message.

 First Paragraph: Why you are writing?

 Middle Paragraph(s): What you have to offer the employers?
 Last Paragraph: Say thankyou to the hiring manager for considering you.
Signature
 End your cover letter with your signature.

Resume

 A resume is a document used by persons to present their background

and skills. Resume can be used for a variety of reasons, but most often
they are used to be secure new employment.
DEVELOP YOUR INTERVIEW SKILLS

 It’s natural to feel nervous at an interview. The best way to alleviate your
anxiety and come across as confident and knowledgeable is to prepare
ahead of time and practice, practice, practice.

Some Basic Questions to ask yourself before preparing for an

interview:
 What are the most commonly asked interview questions?
 Do I know the difference between behavioral interview questions and
situational interview effectively answer either type of questions?
 How much information is too much and how much is to little?
 Is it okay to use examples from unpaid experiences. If I’ve never had a
paid job before?
 What should I wear?
What kind of impression do you give in an
interview?

 If you want to see what you look like while you’re answering interview
questions (you’d be surprised at how often say “um” or fidget with your hair
or hands) practice in front of the mirror.

Resources to help you strengthen your interview

skills
Polishing your interview skills workshop:
 This career centre workshop will help you approach your next interview
with increased confidence by putting your interview skills to the test in a
fun fact-paced environment alongside your peers.
Making a Great First Impression in your Interview
and Beyond Workshop:
Beyond Workshop
 This career centre workshop will help you make a positive impression and
increase your confidence when interacting with others to get the job you
want.

Career Cyber Guide

Basic Interview Skills:

 This great video by the Sunny Rockland Community College gives an
overview of the interview process, including tips on what you should do…
and do not what to do.
Getting Feedback When You Didn’t Get The Job:
 The Monster Career Approach explains how to find out what the employer
thought of you so you can use that feedback to improve your next
interview.
JOB ADVANCEMENT STRATEGIES
 Advancement, they cannot afford to take anything for granted.
 You can be a great at your job and never advance to the next level if you
don’t make a conscious effort to plan for career growth.

To advance yourself to the next level, create a clear and concise roadmap
that guides you through the process. Here are some specific strategies you
will want to adopt in order to succeed:

1. Create your Personal Brand

 Creating a brand that is in high demand is one of the most powerful things
you can do to fuel career advancement.
2. Convey Your Value

 Once you have a thorough picture of the image you wish to convey with
your personal brand, you must continue to refine the brand and establish
it as a common theme in all of your communications.

3. Update Your Career Documents

 Smart executives recognize that part of positioning their brand includes
creating outstanding career documents.
 A strong linked in profile and the development of a professional
biography can add value, and help with job advancement.
4. Public Speaking and Media Interaction
 I know that people hate the thought of speaking publicly, but the more you
get your face and name out in the world as a valued resource and industry
expert, the more likely you are to be remembered for new and interesting
opportunities.

 If you are quoted as a trusted resource in multiple publications, this will add
clout to your brand, as well.
THANK YOU!!!
Prepared by:
Group 5