Tips to Help You Find a Job
The Hidden Job Market
There are two ways you can go about your job search. You can take a passive approach which entails only applying for positions that are advertised. These can be in the newspaper, internet or advertised at a job search agency. You can also take an active approach to your job search. An active approach requires you to look beyond advertised vacancies and into the ‘hidden’ job market. The ‘hidden’ job market is positions that are available or will become available but are not yet advertised. This requires you to cold call employers, and take your resume around to places you would like to work.
Did you know that 80% of jobs are actually found within the ‘hidden’ job market?
Accessing the ‘hidden’ job market is a far more effective way of finding yourself a job. It can be the difference between responding to an advertised position with hundreds of other applicants, or being the first one with your foot in the door for a position that has not yet been advertised. If you have the required qualifications and skills and make a good first impression, the position may never need to be advertised. You may have the job!
Cold calling is not always easy. Firstly try to ensure your résumé is given to the person in charge of the department for which you want to work. This can be difficult. The first step is to do your research and find out who you should address your application to. To source this information a phone call to the organisation should help. Address your cover letter to this individual with their name on the envelope. Seal the envelope with the cover letter and résumé inside, and hand deliver it in person.
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Networking
What is Networking?
Networking is about creating relationships with people who can help propel your career or expand your professional knowledge. Volunteering in a field that you are interested in, or with an organisation you would like to work for, is good way to help build your networks. Also, individuals such as co-workers, friends and family as they can provide great networking opportunities.
Your ability to find the job you're looking for is enhanced immensely by building your network of contacts. The more eyes and ears you have looking for you, the better your chances of finding work.
Once the relationships are formed, you must develop them. Create a two way relationship where you assist the people in your network and they assist you, and they will be more willing to help.
You must inform your network about what help you need or what position you are looking for. If you want a particular kind of position in a specific setting, tell them. If your network doesn't know what you want, they can not help you.
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The Interview
Congratulations. You have reached the interview stage. Remember getting the interview is only the first step. Now you need to be successful in your interview. An interview gives you the opportunity to showcase your qualifications to an employer. So it pays to be well prepared.
Before Your Job Interview:
Learn all you can about the company or organisation. Research helps you formulate appropriate questions to ask in your interview. Read the company’s annual report (which can be obtained by telephoning them) or search on the internet. You have to be able to answer the critical question of why you would like to work for that employer - be specific.
Personal presentation:
Prepare your clothes for your interview, making sure they are clean and ironed and that your hair and nails are trimmed and clean. When in doubt about what to wear always dress more professionally rather than casually. Be well groomed. Personal hygiene is very important so make sure you present to your interview with a very high standard of personal hygiene. Do not chew gum, smoke or smell of smoke.
Getting to the interview:
Make sure you leave home earlier than you need to on the day of the interview - you may be delayed by traffic or for other reasons. Arrive 10 to 15 minutes early. Don't take any chances that you might be even one minute late. If necessary, arrive 30 minutes early and wait in your car.
What to bring to your interview:
- Extra copies of your resume
- Pen and note pad for taking notes
- Written references and any copies of certificates, education results or any other material that you feel will be relevant to the interview.
- Names and phone numbers of verbal referees.
Make sure you have the individual's permission to use them as a referee. Try to avoid using friends or relatives. Make sure you have contacted your referees and let them know what position you are being interviewed for. Most of all talk to your referees first and make sure they will contribute to your application positively.
A few tips for the interview:
- Make sure you turn off your mobile phone before the interview.
- Be courteous to all people you encounter in the company. This includes the receptionist, cleaner or visitors to the company (their opinion may make or break your chances).
- Learn the name of your interviewer and shake hands as you meet (Only call the interviewer by their first name if you are invited to do so).
- Use good manners.
- Sit straight, smile and maintain eye contact.
- Do not fidget or slouch.
- Listen carefully. If you feel the question is unclear, ask politely for clarification. It is OK to take a few moments of silence to gather your thoughts before answering.
- Always offer positive information; avoid negativity at all times. Get directly to the point. Ask if the interviewer would like you to go into great detail before you do.
Remember the interview is a two-way process. Ask questions about the position and the organisation. Some example questions are:
- What will be my responsibilities?
- Where will I fit into the overall organisational structure?
- Who will I report to?
- What do you expect me to do in the first 6 months?
- What level of performance do you expect from me?
- Where is the company going? Upwards? Expansion plans?
- What are the chances of advancement/promotion in this position? When?
- What training do you provide?
- When will you decide on the appointment?
- What is the next step?
When the interviewer concludes the interview, thank them for their time, offer a firm handshake and make eye contact. Make sure you understand the employer's next step in the hiring process and know when and from whom you should expect to hear next.
After the interview:
If you are unsuccessful in the position you may wish to phone the company and ask for some feedback on why you did not get the position. This may help you in future interviews. You may also wish to let them know that you would be interested in future opportunities that may arise within the organisation.
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Sample interview questions
You should always prepare and think about questions you may be asked. Before attending an interview you should think about your responses to the following questions.
Tell me about yourself?
The interviewer wants to hear about your experience, accomplishments and skills. Make sure you relate these back to the position you are being interviewed for.
Why do you want this job?
Emphasise the positive aspects which have attracted you to applying for this position. Do not mention the negative aspects of your current job or the job in question.
What can you contribute to the organisation?
Tell them about your achievements in your previous position(s) which are relevant to the new position you are applying for.
Why do you want to work for this company?
This is where your background research on the company will be helpful. Emphasise the positive reasons why you want to join their company.
Why should we employ you?
The answer to this question will be based on your previous experience and achievements which relate to the company. Think about how your skills would fit the job and how well you would fit into the organisation.
Why did you choose a career in …?
Be positive about your reasons. If you have changed careers make a logical argument as to why you did so.
Why are you changing careers?
This question will only be asked if you are making a radical change in your career. Always stress the positive aspects of the change rather than the negative aspects of your previous career - you do not want to come across as someone who is moving just because you dislike your old career. Emphasise your attributes that will help you in your new career choice.
Why did you leave/ want to leave your previous/current position?
Always be positive about your reasons for joining and leaving a company. Be very careful that you do not say anything negative about your present or past employer/s. You could say that you are looking for a new challenge. Think about how this company will present you with the challenges you are looking for.
How would you describe yourself? How would others describe you?
Pick your best attributes and achievements from your career.
What are your strengths?
You should pick achievements which are relative to the position you are applying for.
What are your weaknesses?
Try to pick a failure that you were later able to correct or something that is not really important to the current role. However don't fall into the trap of trying to make yourself look like the perfect employee by saying for instance, that your only weakness is working too hard or being too committed to your work. Most interviewers will be suspicious about this and it may reflect negatively upon you.
Do you prefer to work independently or as part of a team?
You need to say that you are happy working both individually and as part of a team. Most positions will require you to do some of both.
How many hours are you prepared to work?
You would be prepared to work the necessary hours to get the job done on time. Once you have been offered the position you can then negotiate the exact working hours.
What are your career goals?
Link in your goals with the company who is interviewing you. If you have changed jobs a lot you may be asked how long you would stay in the new job. You should state that you are looking for a long-term opportunity where you can learn and develop. You could then ask them if this applies to the job being discussed.
Have you ever been fired?
If you have, you will need to handle this question with great care. Try and put yourself in as favourable a light as possible without being too dismissive. If you have later been able to correct any deficiency which resulted in you being fired you should tell the interviewer.
You may be over qualified for this position?
Tell them that you feel that your extra experience would enable you to make a bigger contribution sooner than someone with less experience.
What have you been doing since you left your last job?
If you have been out of work for a while make sure you tell them about any volunteer work you have done, courses or certificates that you have completed or any other job-related activities you have engaged in.
Why do you believe that you are the best candidate for this job?
Make sure you just go over your skills and attributes that you feel will contribute to the position/company.
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Behavioural Interviews
Many employers are now doing "behavioural interviews". A behavioural interview will involve the interviewer asking you open-ended questions that will cause you to describe real circumstances and your responses to them, rather than relying only on your resume. You will need to describe in detail a particular event, project, or experience and you dealt with the situation, and what the outcome was.
You should review your past successes and give concrete examples of your accomplishments. Work on honesty and sincerity.
Some examples of beahvioural interview questions are listed below:
- Tell me about a time that you demonstrated initiative?
- Describe a situation when have you motivated yourself to complete an assignment or task that you did not want to do?
- Can you tell me about an occasion where you needed to work with a group to get a job done?
- What were the challenges and difficulties and how did you face these?
- Describe a situation when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done.
In all behavioural answers, the interviewer wants to hear:
- A brief description of the problem, challenge or situation.
- What your action was & how you decided on that action.
- A brief description of the result of your action and your assessment of its result.
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Group Interview Tests
Group tests are used by an employer to see how you react in a group. They will want to see if you help or hinder the group in reaching its objectives. An observer will be watching to see how you take criticism, whether you take on leadership roles and involve less communicative group members. If you chair the meeting the observer will be checking on how you plan and keep control of the meeting. If you are leading a group activity the observer will be interested in seeing how good you are at delegating tasks and how much of the work you keep for yourself.
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