I) Traditional Job Search Methods: - Which Includes:
II) Active Job Search Methods:
-Which Includes:
The Traditional Job Search Methods is where you will encounter the most competition for jobs, because these are all jobs that have been advertised and are open to the general public. Only 25 percent of all jobs are actually advertised. Therefore, it is better to use Active Job Search Methods because you will tap into the Hidden Job Market. Seventy five percent of all jobs are found in the Hidden Job Market.
This section provides information on developing active job seeking methods.
To be successful at networking you must make good use of both warm and cold contacts. Warm contacts are people you already have a relationship with, while cold contacts are people you don't know, but can help you.
- Friends - Relatives - Former employers - Former co-workers - Classmates from school - Members of my political party - Members of my church - Members of my social club(s) - Present or former teachers - Neighbors - People in my athletic club - People I play sports with - Members of a professional - People who sell me things (at the organization I belong to (or store, insurance, etc.) could join) - Fraternity/sorority members - Teachers/advisors
Use all of your contacts--let them know you are actively searching for a job. Tell them what you are looking for, and that you would like them to keep you in mind if they hear of anything. Make sure that your important contacts know how to get in touch with you, and give them a copy of your resume if possible.
Step 2: Present Yourself Well. Be friendly, well organized, polite and act interested in what they have to say.
Step 3: Learn Something. Be open to learn something from your contact, even if they know very little about the field you are interested in.
Step 4: Get two referrals. Get the names of two other people you don't know who might be able to help you find a job in your field of interest.
Step 5: Follow up on referrals. Call the people and say something like this: "Hello, my name is ___________, a friend/associate of ___________. He/she suggested I call and ask you for information. I am looking for a position as a __________ and he/she thought you might be able to see me and give me a few ideas..." (See "Sample Questions for Information Interviews")
Step 6: Write a thank-you note. This will help the person you interviewed remember you. They will be more likely to consider you as "thoughtful," "well organized," or in other positive terms, which will work in your favor if they learn of a job opening for which you might be qualified. (See sample Thank You note)
Using the telephone book as a resource to find the names of companies you might be qualified to work for is an excellent idea. The phone book lists virtually every business, both public and private, and it is a free resource guide.
Taken from Farr, J.M. (1991). The very Quick job search: Get a good job in less time. JIST Works, Inc.
For example:
"Hello. My name is __________. I am interested in a ____________ position with your company. I have experience in _____________. May I please speak to the person who does the hiring for that department? And may I please have that person's name?"**
**For future reference make sure that you write that person's name (get the correct spelling) as well as their job title
For example:
"That would be ___________. He/she is not available at the moment. May I ask what this is regarding?"
C. Marketing Yourself
Marketing yourself is the same as advertising and 'selling' yourself to an employer... Much like any other product.
For example, imagine that you are selling laundry soap. There are many types of soap available at the store, right? So how are you going to make your product stand out among the competition?
The first step is to determine your audience, that is, who do you want to buy the product? You research the area where you want to sell your product, and determine who buys the most laundry soap. You will probably find that women, especially those with children, buy the most soap.
The next thing to do is to determine what are the needs of these women? Maybe your research shows that many are working mothers within a particular income level, and therefore saving time and money is important.
After doing an analysis of your product and the benefits if using it, you develop an advertising campaign that targets how your product meets the needs of your audience. It is important that you make sure how you package your soap is attractive to your audience.
Once your product hits the stores, you must be constantly evaluating your marketing approach. Be prepared to make changes if you find that you are not hitting your target audience, or if the target group changes in your area.
So, now lets apply these same principles to marketing yourself as the product in your job search. The steps are exactly the same.
If possible, contact people you interviewed with who did not hire you and ask them for feedback as to how you can improve your 'package.'
For example:
* If you have a speech impairment and the job you are applying for requires making contact with other departments, you may use a fax machine or fax modem on your computer to get the information to them. Having a 'hard copy' to work from decreases miscommunications between departments.
* Increasing access for someone who uses a wheelchair increases mobility access for everyone, just like increasing lighting for someone who has low vision also benefits more than just themselves.
It is not always easy to see the benefits that your disability may have for a company where you are applying. A good way to approach this issue is to use the "Disability Assessment" and "Self-Assessment Summary Sheet" from the Self-Assessment workshop. Once you have a good understanding of your disability and accommodation needs, try to write down a benefit to the employer for each. Ask friends, family, teachers, classmates, counselors, etc. for help in determining possible benefits. Study your list, and use it when disclosing your disability to an employer.
D. Locating Jobs
Studies show that 75% of all job seekers look for vacancies through the newspapers, yet employers fill only 25% of their vacancies using this method. This means that most people looking for work are actually looking at the least amount of vacancies - Making the competition high for each position.
How we look for work:
Newspapers, Human Resources Offices, Placement Agencies (including College Placement Centers) add up to 75%.
Friends, family, co-workers and business associates add up to 25%.
How Employers Fill Vacancies:
Human Resources, Placement Agencies and Newspapers add up to 25%.
Other Supervisors and co-workers add up to 75%.
J. Michael Farr (1991) had divided a job opening into four stages. In the first stage, there is no job open now. In the second stage, there are no formal openings, but insiders know of the possibility that an opening exists. In the third stage, a formal opening now exists, but it has not been advertised. In the fourth stage, the job opening is advertised.
With this in mind, it is important that even if there are no job openings advertised, schedule an informational interview with the employer. This is the perfect opportunity to learn more about the company, make yourself known and also to express an interest in any future job openings. See "Sample Questions for Information Interviews".
When calling about possible openings, NEVER settle for a simple "No, we don't have any vacancies at this time..." Always ask follow up questions such as:
"Are you anticipating any vacancies in the near future?"
"If so, when should I call back?"
"Can you recommend other companies I can contact regarding possible vacancies?"
"Who should I talk to at this other company?" and
"May I use your name when calling?"
Employers don't like to hire or interview strangers. They prefer to hire someone who comes highly recommended or someone who's work and qualifications they are already familiar with.
It's been found that 75 percent of all jobs get filled during the first three stages listed above. That means that only 25 percent of all jobs actually get advertised to the general public.
Therefore, it's important to use a proactive job search!
J. Michael Farr (1991). The very quick job search: Get a good job in less time. JIST Works Inc.
E. Finding Internships
Before discussing how to find an internship... let's take a moment to discuss what an internship IS...
Test your understanding of internships by answering the following questions:
A. What is an internship? Better yet, what's the difference between an internship and a part time job?
Answer: While a part time job is a way to earn money and develop general work skills, an internship is related in some way to your career goals. Internships are career related experiences.
B. Can a part time job be an internship? Or rather, when can a job be an internship? For example, can a job at Mc Donalds be an internship? If so, when?
Answer: A part time job can be an internship if it relates in some way to your career goals. A job at Mc Donalds can be an internship if the person wants to get into management, especially food service management. The difference between a part time job at Mc Donalds and an internship at Mc Donalds is that the intern should be spending a portion of their time at work directly with the manager, learning as much as they can about the manager's job.
C. Is an internship only non-paid? Paid??
Answer: An internship can be either paid or unpaid depending on the employer. Some companies offer only non paid internships, some offer only paid positions, and some have a mixture of both.
Often, companies that offer only unpaid internships (common in the entertainment industry) ask that the intern be receiving class credit. The idea behind this is that the intern will be a better worker if they are accountable to someone. Since the company is not paying you, what is there to keep you showing up on time and doing your work? By making credit mandatory, you will get a bad grade if you do not complete your work as agreed.
Companies that offer only paid internships are concerned about possibly violating state hour and wage laws, as well as wanting to maintain a way to keep the interns accountable for their work.
It is important for prospective interns to be flexible and open to either paid or unpaid positions, if possible. This will increase your chances of locating an internship.
Sometimes if an intern is hired (i.e. paid) for a specific position, they are stuck in that task. However, if they are not paid, and hence not tied to one department's budget, they have more freedom to move around, assist others and learn more about the industry.
When considering possible placements, it is vitally important that the 'large picture' be taken into consideration, not only the actual internship tasks. For example, the intern may be delivering mail through the company (a tedious task), but it affords the opportunity to meet people throughout the company and learn about their particular job and relation to the company.
As a prospective intern, you should consider things like:
An internship is work that is monitored by the employer in which an individual has intentional learning objectives to satisfy. Therefore, the main objective of an internship is to gain experience in a chosen field, rather than to earn a salary.
Additional Resources for Finding Internships:
* The National Directory of Internships
* Current and past job vacancy announcements
* United States Office of Personnel Management
Note: Many larger companies have someone in their personnel department that specifically handles internships. It is a good idea when making phone calls to inform the person who answers the phone that you are seeking an internship, and ask if there is someone who specifically handles internship placements.
If there is no person who specifically handles internships, explain your field (i.e. accounting, graphics, etc.) and ask who you should speak to about an internship in that area.
F. Keeping Going
Finding the right position takes time! Understand that fact and prepare yourself to hear some "thanks -but-no-thanks"... and also an occasional flat out "No". Not taking things too personally, yet being prepared to make improvements in your approach is crucial.
On occasion, keeping yourself going on your job or internship search may become difficult, and this may be especially true for some people who have disabilities.
Self esteem is defined by the American Heritage dictionary as "pride in one self and self respect." Successful people believe in their own abilities. If you do not think you have any abilities think again.
Take a quick glance at what you have listed in the Tasks Composite as well as major and minor accomplishments you have made over the years. Just because you have a disability does not mean that you are unable to do your job. The main thing that limits you from doing what you want is yourself.
One way to develop positive self esteem is through a thought process called "positive reframing." Positive reframing is when you change your irrational, or negative beliefs to rational, or more realistic and positive beliefs. It is moving away from the negative beliefs and moving towards positive beliefs. Reframing your beliefs can empower yourself which helps to give you self confidence.
Examples of reframing your thought process and beliefs:
Negative beliefs......Reframed into.......Positive Beliefs
Employers don't want to hire someone Employers want to hire with a disability. qualified applicants.
I'm qualified and will
make a dedicated
hardworking employee.I can't compete with applicants who ADA levels the playing don't disabilities. field. Now is the best
time in history to sell
myself in an interview.The competition is overwhelming. Nine out of ten people
won't take the time to
learn how to become a
skilled job seeker. I
will. This will give me an edge.
Following are tips to help keep your spirit and self esteem alive when the tough gets going:
Listed below are some suggestions to help you take an active approach to your job or internship search. Keep in mind that these are only suggestions, and you have may have a different ideas for taking an active approach.
Active Job Search Methods Include: