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Networking is the most powerful job search tool that exists. Networking can open doors that you never thought possible.
Some helpful networking tips follow:
- Always be sincere and respect others’ time. Let people know that you are calling or e-mailing to get their advice and listen well to what they tell you.
- Look to all sorts of sources for networking contacts. From family and friends to the heads of trade organizations, opportunities abound.
- At the end of your conversation with each contact, ask if he or she can recommend other contacts that you should get in touch with.
- Follow up by sending each contact that you have been in touch with a thank you note.
- Network year round from here on out, whether you are employed or unemployed. This efforts can yield both great friends and great career benefits.
Find out a tremendous amount more about networking as a critical job search tool in Job Searches Beyond the Big Cities: Finding Employment in Medium to Small-Sized Markets.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of job search sites are available on the web. Some sites are well established and well known while others fill a role in a niche market and are only known to that market.
Some tips for job searching online follow:
- Look for employment sites that cover your specific job search geographic area. In the About Us section of most such sites, the site operators will generally explain what areas are covered.
- Wherever possible, set up an automatic job search agent that e-mails results to you. Not all sites offer this option, but it is a great time saver.
- Do not forget to check out individual company sites. Many offer a job listings section.
- Blogs, social networking sites and other newer technologies can be great tools or time wasters depending on how you use them. Work to quickly find those sites or blogs that are relevant and then move on. Do not get distracted by resources that take you off on a tangent.
For a full look at online job search resources, check out Job Searches Beyond the Big Cities: Finding Employment in Medium to Small-Sized Markets.
Cover letters and resumes offer an employer the first impression of you. With these documents, you want to stand out from the crowd and show that you are a true professional.
Some tips for making your cover letters and resumes the best that they can be follow:
- Always print your cover letter and resume on resume-grade paper. You can find this paper at most office supply or large multipurpose retail stores today.
- Send your job packet to a particular individual whenever possible. If you cannot find the name of an individual, address it to the search committee for a particular job.
- In your cover letter, specify a time that you will follow up with the employer and do so. Express your interest in speaking with the employer in person.
- Make sure that your resume and cover letter are free of spelling errors and include only relevant information (not the name of your pet or favorite flavor of ice cream). In my experience, spelling errors can kill your chances of advancing to an interview as quickly as anything else.
For lots more cover letter and resume tips, get your copy of Job Searches Beyond the Big Cities: Finding Employment in Medium to Small-Sized Markets today.
An interview is the opportunity to really shine and show the interviewer why he or she should hire you. Some tips for excelling at the interview include:
- Dress professionally from head to toe. The appearance of everything from your hair to shoes matters. No loud clunky jewelry or strong cologne or perfume.
- Maintain eye contact and confidentially shake the employer’s hand when you met him or her.
- Be prepared to answer both easy and tough questions. Lots of resources exist to walk you through a lot of the commonly asked questions and situations.
- Always thank the interviewer for his or her time at the end of the interview and reiterate your interest in the position.
For lots more cover letter and resume tips, get your copy of Job Searches Beyond the Big Cities: Finding Employment in Medium to Small-Sized Markets today.
Ah! The all important salary and related benefits. Of course, we all want to maximize the amount that we will be working for by negotiating the best salary package we can.
Some tips related to salary and benefits include:
- Let the interviewer bring up the salary discussion, not you.
- If asked to give a salary figure, first asked the interviewer what salary range the company has in mind. If you are given some figures, base your negotiations off of those figures. If you have nothing to go on, give a range with your desired salary somewhere in the middle.
- Remember that benefits can be very valuable. With the cost of health care seeming to grow everyday, good health insurance can be a great money-saver. Also, things like vacation time, personal days, sick days, use of a company vehicle, etc… can be negotiated and can easily raise the value of your overall salary package.
- Always try to negotiate where possible. Employers expect that you will and you will often be better off for it.
For lots more cover letter and resume tips, get your copy of Job Searches Beyond the Big Cities: Finding Employment in Medium to Small-Sized Markets today.