JOB TOPICS AND JOB HUNTING
Work is something all of us need. It not only supplies the money we need to pay our bills and provide for our needs and those of our families, it gives us a sense of purpose, nurtures self-esteem and provides focus. Without work, things can become difficult and that’s why we’re adding this page. On it we will provide everything from how to do a job search, where to look for the jobs with a future, how to prepare for an interview and how to handle on-the-job situations. We hope this is going to be a very useful one-stop shop for your job-related needs and, in the future, we will expand this section to include tips you may want to leave for others on what’s worked or didn’t work out. So, look for changes as we begin to get our sections set up.
What Jobs in the Future?
No one wants to plan on a career or a job change unless they know that all their hard work, training and dedication is going to pay off in future security. Whatever interests or skills you may have, they have to match well with the needs of corporate America or the various levels of government for you to be able to stem the tide of change that will come and go. So, where do you begin to look for this information?
Local library - Reference Librarian (your new, very best friend) - this person is an enormously talented aide in your job efforts. Ask for some help, schedule an appointment or just begin to browse the “careers” section. The one book you want to look for is the “Dictionary of Occupational Titles.” This book provides information on thousands of job titles. One internet site you must bookmark and which is related to this is O*NET: Occupational Information Network which has a link to “Employment Projections by Occupation.”
These are two resources that you don’t want to miss. Ask the Reference Librarian what other materials on job projections and availability the library has or which the library might be able to get on loan for you. Your library card is just as important as a bank card.
Jobs and Success--how do you do it?
A wise professor I once had the good fortune to meet was talking to his class one day as I listened. “How can you become a success and how will you insure that people want to hire you,” he asked his students. Blank looks all around the room. He waited; no response. They weren’t there to get career guidance; they were there for advanced something-or-other and this wasn’t it.
“What you do,” he said, undeterred by their silence, “is look for your snail.” Snails? They were supposed to look for snails now? Was this guy nuts or did he stay in the campus restaurant a bit too long this evening?
“Let me tell you what I mean,” he continued. “Anyone can be fairly good at something and they’ll fit in and get along, but they won’t have people constantly coming to them for help. If you find some little thing that you know more about than anyone else, you’ll always be in demand. They will come to you and you’ll have to turn them away. I know because I have seen it happen in the sciences. Don’t dismiss anything, everything’s in play.”
So, where will you find your snail? Start looking for it.
Let me say just a few words about “success” and “failure” because I think it needs to be redefined. I know there’s always a pollyanna saying there’s no such thing as “failure” and, you know what? I agree. If you label something a “failure,” I guess you can keep that orientation and make yourself miserable in the process.
But, if you see those experiences as a weeding out process where you find out what you like and what you’re both good at and not so good at, it becomes like money in the bank for you. There is such a thing as “career exploration” and that means that you try different jobs out to find the one which best suits your abilities and needs. How else are you going to know? All of us need to do that, not just kids still in high school taking summer jobs or kids in college deciding on a major.
So, snails are often found by looking at a lot of different job areas and listening to a lot of instructors, scouring the internet and searching for that little bit of information (I call it the “crumb” which I hope to get at any seminar) that will prove to be the turning point you seek.
2. Interview Questions and Answers
Okay, after you’ve decided what you might like to do and where you might apply, how do you prepare? About.com: Job Searching is a site that provides this and more. What questions to expect, how to handle them, perhaps how to practice at home in front of a mirror or with a camcorder? Yes, it’s all here, but you can also use your ingenuity in this prep.
How do attorneys prepare for closing arguments in court or for questioning a witness? They get up in front of their fellow attorneys and have them grill them. It’s prep work and you need to do it, too. No one goes into an interview cold unless they are related to the boss and assured of the job.
I recommend this site highly. Go over the questions and answers with a friend or colleague and you will be prepared for whatever they ask--well almost, there’s always some unexpected question, but you can learn to handle those, too.
Another page you don’t want to miss is Best Job Search Tips - Top Tips for a Winning Job Search. Don’t forget to see their page on resume tips, templates and cover letters (Resume Samples).
Remember, if the secret to real estate value is location, location, location, the secret to getting a job is prepare, prepare, prepare.
How Do You Handle the Anxiety?
You go to my Self-help page and begin practicing, right now, not later, the relaxation breathing exercise. You do it every day, several times a day and you do it before the interview. Keep a positive attitude, do a bit of positive self-talk and be sure to tell yourself all of your good points regarding employment. Write those down on a pad and keep reviewing them. Do you have shortcomings? Of course, you do, everyone does. No one’s perfect and everyone needs a chance to learn new skills, but you can build on what you’ve already done and that shows you have what it takes.
Do You Need a Headhunter or an Employment Agency?
Headhunters are like employment agencies with one major exception; they are hired by companies to find people to fill jobs and the corporation pays the fee. They specialize in certain areas like pharmaceuticals, publishing, technology, etc. and they keep lengthy lists of people for whom they have gotten jobs before--because they push their careers along for them and call when they think that person is ready for a change. Your friendly Reference librarian will have books on headhunters in any number of business areas.
Employment agencies may work two ways; fee paid (by the employer) or fee from you. You always want the first one since the second choice can mean up to a month’s salary as a fee.
What About Government Jobs?
There are any number of government jobs; Federal, State, local. Usually, they pay well, have benefits and a certain degree of security. How do you find them? U.S. Government Jobs is a website where you can find any type of employment in any state, working for different agencies and you can get on their email list.