Career Advice Service
- Hunting for the Right Job
- Organizing your CV
- Writing an Application Letter
- Preparing for an Interview
Looking for the right job for you requires: (P’s)
1. Planning
2. Preparation
3. Persistence
4. Packaging the application and Bio-data
5. Presentation during the interview
6. Performance
Hunting for the Right Job
When hunting for the right job consider the following factors:
1. That job should make your years of preparation seem worthwhile
2. That you are qualified for the job
3. That you will be proud and happy to accept that job
4. That job will give you an awareness of being needed
5. That job will give you an opportunity for professional growth
6. That job will give you a feeling of financial satisfaction
Steps in Job Hunting
1. Understand your potentials and your goals.
2. Know the different job sources.
3. Know the company and the requirements.
4. Prepare your Bio-Data and application letter.
5. Prepare yourself for the interview.
Sources of Job Prospects
1. Friends, Acquaintances and Relatives
2. College Placement Office or School’s Employment Assistance Office
3. Employment Agencies
4. Newspaper Advertisement
5. Civil Service Announcements
6. Direct Application (Signboard and Billboards of Companies)
How to Communicate With a Prospective Employer as an Applicant
1. Make a personal appearance.
2. Place a telephone call.
3. Answer a newspaper advertisement.
4. Write a letter of application asking for an appointment and enclosing a data sheet.
Your CV is your passport to a job interview. It is your chance to show an employer you have got the skills and experience required, and that you are the right person for the job.
Whether you are writing your first CV or tweaking your existing one, you may have questions about what to include, how to word your CV and how to lay it out.
1. You can make use of a CV builder, choose from among hundreds of different CV builder available online.
2. Put your information section-by-section, information should contain the following:
a. Career Objective – this should be as specific as possible--your objective on what type of job you are looking for. This should also be relevant to the position you are applying for.
b.Work Experiences – chronological line-up (from present to previous) of the organizations/companies you have worked for, including your detailed job description.
c. List of trainings / workshop and seminars that you have attended.
d. Educational attainment – information of the schools you have attended including the degree and any awards/honor you have received in the institution.
e. Skills – any additional skills and/or knowledge you have acquired from past experiences.
f. Personal Information – may contain your birth date, marital status, nationality, religious views, and personal identification numbers.
g. Other Information that may contribute to best sell your strengths.
3. Choose the layout that best sells your strengths, choose from among the different CV formats available online.
4. Make your CV stand out from the crowd.
After having prepared the resume, the next thing for an applicant to attend to is the preparation of his application letter. An effective application letter should tell the prospective employer why an application would want to join his organization and it should not duplicate the information stated in the resume.
Purpose Of An Application Letter
1. The primary purpose of an application letter is to obtain an interview.
2. To accomplish the above objective, the letter and the data sheet must function as a sales letter. You will sell your qualification to the prospective buyer – the employer.
3. Your application letter and data sheet must achieve the AIDA principle of sales:
A – attract attention of the prospective employer
I – arouse his interest about your skills and abilities
D- develop his desire to see you personally because you are the person he is seeking to fill the job vacancy
A-move him into action to call you for an interview
Appearance Of An Application Letter
1. Make sure that when an employer opens your letter of an application, it would create a favorable first impression.
2. Use plain, good quality paper.
3.The letter should reflect your neatness, your sense of design and composition, and your typing ability.
4. Proofread your letter carefully and type accurately with no smudges and erasures is preferable.
Outline Of An Effective Application Letter
1. First Paragraph – Should be businesslike manner
Example - Mr. Balushi informed me that you are in need of an Administrative Assistant. I am interested to apply for the position.
2. Second Paragraph – State what the qualifications are as described to you.
Example - I was also informed that you need someone who is familiar with Administrative skills including literacy in computer and have some bookkeeping knowledge.
3. Third Paragraph – Sell yourself. Assure the prospective employer that you possess all the qualifications they are looking for. Give the highlights of yur qualifications particularly those related to the job you are applying for.
4. Fourth Paragraph – State all the related accomplishments you have. Enclose a BIO-DATA for further information about the qualifications.
5. Fifth Paragraph – Request for an appointment and specify where and how they can get in touch with you.
THE DO’S AND DON’TS
An interview is a way to determine and to find out if you can do and are suitable to the job. This is a discussion between you and an employer. However, there are certain rules and conventions to follow in interviews. Here is a checklist of the main do's and don'ts during interview:
The Do’s:
1. Statistically, 7% of the interviewer's opinion of you is based from what you say - the rest is judged on how you look, act and sound, so dress smartly, look bright and attentive, and speak clearly and confidently.
2. Get your outfit ready the night before.
3. Find out how to get to the venue and how long it takes.
4. Find out what kind of interview it will be, so you can prepare.
5. Examine the person’s specification and your CV/application form, and think about what type of questions they will ask of you.
6. Prepare answers for the main questions - for example, why do you want the job, what are your strengths and weaknesses, what are the main tasks in this job. Make about three or four points in each answer.
7. It is not enough to just say you have got a skill, quote real examples of when you've used certain skills.
8. Make sure you understand the question and take your time if you need to think, take your time when answering the questions.
9. Sell yourself. No-one else is going to! Be positive about yourself and your experiences.
10. Be confident, but not too confident to the point of boasting yourself.
11. Prepare some questions to ask at the end - use it as an opportunity to find out more about the role and the company. But don't ask about money or perks just yet!
12. When discussing salary, know your market worth and start by quoting a little higher than this.
13. Get feedback on your performance, whether you were successful or not.
14. Give the interviewee your undivided attention. Treat them with respect. turn off your mobile!
15. Keep your answers focused on what you can do for the employer, not what they can do for you.
The Don’ts:
1. Don't be late!
2. Don't swear or use slang words.
3. Don't slouch in your seat or do anything else that makes you look disinterested.
4. Don't smoke.
5. Don't lie! The interviewer may see through you. Even if you get the job, your employer can dismiss you if they find out .
6. Don't let your nerves show too much. A few nerves are normal but extreme nerves will affect your performance. Use breathing techniques and try to remember that it's not a life and death situation - there are plenty of jobs out there!
7. Don't be arrogant and assume you've got the job. Nothing turns off employers more than someone who is disrespectful and over-confident.
8. Don't discuss controversial topics such as religion, politics and gender relations .
9. Don't read from notes or your CV. You should be familiar enough with your own history to be able to talk about it unprompted.
10. Don't criticise former employers or colleagues. Interviewers may mark you down as a troublemaker and a gossip.
11. Don't argue with the interviewer, no matter what. Remember to keep things positive!
These rules apply for most jobs. However, employers in some industries can use more relaxed and informal interviewing techniques. In some creative fields (design and media for example) it may be expected that you turn up for the interview in casual clothes, as that is the dress code in the office. If you are in any doubt, do some research on typical interview technique in your line of work.
Above all, preparation is the key to performing well in interviews. Research the role and organisation, and prepare evidence and examples of your skills and competencies.