Job Search Process What is the Job Search Process?

It is a process through which every person goes through to get a job maintaining its life standards and expectations.

Your job search process begins the moment you start thinking about life and continues until you have accepted a job offer. Over your lifespan you are likely to find yourself going through the process several times. In fact, on the average, you can expect to have between three and five career changes during your lifetime, and up to six job changes within a career. Each time you change jobs, for whatever reason, you need to start at the beginning of the process and work through it again. The specifics of your job search will change each time but the process remains the same. Since these changes will happen despite careful planning, learning what the job search process entails now will arm you with a valuable lifelong skill. How Much Time Will the Job Search Take? In general, job finding success is directly proportional to the amount of time you are willing to spend in your search and the number of strategies you use to identify potential openings. Sources suggest that you:

Prepare for a long job hunt 8-23 weeks Spend at least 20 hours per week on your job hunt Have an alternative plan.

What Job Search Techniques Work?

Your plan of action will include a variety of job search techniques. You should find those you believe will best help you get the job you want. Networking -- Let people know you are looking! Talk to family, faculty, and friends. Contact Career Services and ask about the Connections program - a newly created data base of alumni who have volunteered to be contacted by students for information about what they do and who they work for. Remember - everyone is a potential contact.

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Cold Calls -- This is the old "knocking on doors" technique where you call companies or go in person to personnel offices to inquire about possible openings. Using this technique, however, requires careful preparation as you will leave an impression with every person you meet in the process. You need to be prepared to interview on the spot. Field Specific Listings -- These are job announcements found in professional journals and newsletters. They are more career specific than those found in daily newspapers. Have you surf up the Internet yet? An increasing number of field specific listings can be found there. Mass Mailing -- Sending out a large number of cover letters and resumes is a common but passive strategy. It is important that you know the odds - for every 80 letters you mail out you can expect 2 - 4 positive replies. You need to consider how much time and money you want to spend for this kind of return. Want Ads -- This is probably still the most widely used job search technique. Like mass mailing, want ads do not always yield a high positive return although some fields use them more regularly than others. A better use of newspapers is often for the information you can gain about an area through its news. Subscribing to a paper in a city or state where you hope to work can be a useful strategy if you plan to relocate. On-Campus Recruiting -- If there is a company coming to campus with a position that interests you - pursue it! Many recruiters are looking for students with all majors, so if you think you are qualified explore this opportunity in Career Services. Career Fairs -- Career Information Conferences and Internship Mania are held annually. There you go and meet employers to network and position yourself for a later application. Some representatives may even take your resume. Experiential Learning -- This includes opportunities such as internships, volunteer work, research and even student employment in your field of interest. More and more employers are looking for people who already have experience or related experience in their field, and some have begun to hire only from their interns. Information Interviews -- Although the focus of information interviews is to find out more about a company or a career field, a hoped for by-product is to also find out about specific openings and how the organization does its hiring. Resume Referral Systems -- Registering for such a system puts you in a database from which employers can request matches for their job openings. If your skills/interests match their requirements, your resume is reviewed for consideration by employers.

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Steps in Job Search Process

Different steps included in job search process are:-

1) Do a Self Assessment
Self-assessment is the first and the most important step in choosing an occupation or major, planning your career, and starting a job search. Communicating and articulating your interests, skills, achievements, and values to an employer is critical to a successful job search, whether it is in writing (such as your C.V.) or verbally (during an interview). Interests and Experiences Reflecting on all the activities you have participated in during the last five years, including school, work, volunteering and leisure, will help you gain insight on your pattern of interests. Ask yourself the following questions and look for themes (e.g. a preference for activities that involve working with your hands):

What have you liked and disliked about each activity? What did you learn from each activity? Which (if any) aspects of the activity would you like to remain involved with?

Skills & Achievements There are two types of skills: hard skills and soft (or transferable) skills.

Hard skills are easily measured and consist of factual knowledge that is usually learned during formal training or at school. Hard skills include technical expertise, laboratory techniques, computer skills, and languages.

Soft skills are somewhat less tangible and can be acquired in various areas of ones life, such as school, work, or extra-curricular activities. These skills, which include your interpersonal and communication capabilities, can be transferred to various work situations.

An excellent way to identify your strengths is to consider your achievements. Achievements are occasions where you recognized a problem or a situation, that could have been improved, and you

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acted on it. Achievements illustrate your abilities and skills, and are indicative of your potential for taking initiative and solving problems. To help you identify these, think of things you are proud of. The following questions can be used to trigger your memory of past achievements:

Did you receive some form of recognition (award, title, trophy, etc.)? Did you intervene in a situation that could have become a serious problem had you not detected it?

Did you make a suggestion that was adopted by your classmates, team or co-workers? Did you accomplish a task using fewer resources than usual? Did you satisfy a particularly demanding client? Did you initiate something? Have you trained or taught people?

Values Values are beliefs we develop early in life that make up our fundamental beliefs about what is right and wrong, good and bad. They are shaped by our family, culture, education, religion, and different socialization processes. Some values are maintained throughout our lives, while others may change and become more or less important over time. There are countless values, including having a family, having financial stability, being healthy, following our religious beliefs, having job security, etc. Take the time to consider and list what is most important to you. Once you have listed your values, identify those:

that you must have at work; that you would like to have at work, but are not necessary; and That is least important to you.

2) Explore Careers
With over 30,000 job titles to choose from, it is no wonder that it is hard to identify your ideal career path. Once you have completed a self assessment, identified your skills, interests, and values, it will be easier for you to assess whether a particular occupation is the right fit for you.

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Start by using the resources below to explore some of your options. We have information and resources listed by degree and, if you already know which sector you are interested in, you can consult our industry reports for career path and job search suggestions. What can I do with my major? The following resources have been compiled by our Career Planning Service staff to assist you in thinking about what you can do with your major. By selecting your major, you will be provided with a list of handouts, recommended books and websites relating to your area of study. Career Cruising We are pleased to subscribe to Career Cruising - an interactive career resource designed to help you explore different career options, plan future education and training, and find the right career. To obtain the username and password for Career Cruising, please log-in to my Future. Click on the "Documents" tab and then the "Career Resources" tab. Search "Career Cruising." Instructions will be provided on how to log-in. Vault Guide Vault is the world's leading source of career information. It will make your efforts at researching employers, industries and career subjects infinitely easier and more efficient. This new online resource contains career and employer profiles, industry overviews, advice articles, an internship database, and much more.

3) Engage in New Experiences

As central and important as academic work is, the university experience is ideally about much more than lectures, papers and exams. Employers and graduate schools look at the complete package an applicant presents academic work, relevant experience, skills, and interests. By definition, relevant experiences can take many forms from summer and part-time work, internships and academic experiences to volunteering, extracurricular activities and international experience the important thing is to get involved and develop your skills. Engaging in new experiences also gives you the chance to test drive different career ideas and

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enhance your self-knowledge, making it more likely that you will find a truly satisfying and appropriate career path.

The following sections are designed to help you to become more informed about the many opportunities you can take advantage of. These opportunities could be on a volunteer, internship or part time basis, and are available on campus, in Montreal and around the world.

Internships International Opportunities Volunteering Teaching Abroad Summer and Part-Time Jobs Taking a Year Off Research Opportunities for Science Students Entrepreneurship

4) Research Employers & Target Organizations

Identifying the kind of organization you would ideally like to work for is an essential step in making your job search a success. As you begin researching employers and potential job postings, consult your list of values and goals from your self-assessment to help create your ideal job environment and profile. Consider these factors to ensure the employer you plan to target matches your interests, values, skills, and overall goals: Size and type of organization: e.g. local, national, international, non-profit, service-oriented, unionized, etc.; Position characteristics: e.g. challenging, solitary, part of a team, prestige, responsibility, variety of tasks, project-oriented work, opportunity for advancement, etc; Geographic location; Type of supervision: e.g. formal vs. causal supervisor, set own schedule, autonomous work duties, etc; Working hours: e.g. regular, flexible, long, shift work, company scheduled vacation, opportunity to work from home, etc; Salary and benefits: e.g. financial security, health and dental insurance, pension plan, child care, educational support, company car, etc; Travel; Work environment: e.g. indoors, outdoors, fast-paced, dress code, etc.

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Research the Industry

Researching your desired field is as important as knowing yourself and what you have to offer. Before you research a specific organization, acquaint yourself with the larger industry. You may wish to consult the literature of professional organizations, business councils and other relevant websites to find out about salary scales, working conditions and current market trends. Another excellent way to gather information on an industry is to conduct informational interviews with individuals currently working in that sector. Informational interviews provide you with a chance to informally ask questions about the work and market conditions of a particular industry. Research the Employer Doing research on the organization is an important step to better know them and uncover how you will fit in. Most companies and organizations now offer a wealth of information on their websites and you are expected to consult them in depth. When researching, keep the following questions in mind:

What are the major products or services provided by the organization? What are the organizations goals and values? What is the history of the organization? What are the organizations community interests and involvement? Who are the organizations major competitors? What is the staff turnover rate? What opportunities are there for advancement?

Research the Position Researching the position for which you are applying can help you prepare your CV and anticipate the type of questions you may be asked in an interview. You should be able to communicate your interest in the job and its impact on your career goals. In preparation:

Research the general tasks and responsibilities of the position Research other aspects of the job that will have an impact on your decision (travel, overtime, shift work, etc.)

Research salary ranges and other benefits

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Job Search Process 5) Develop Your Networking Skills

Networking is an important part of any job search. It is the process of establishing contacts for the purpose of gathering information, communicating your career goals, seeking advice, and obtaining leads on jobs. Unsurprisingly, the larger your network is, the more likely you are to be successful. Below is a general overview of how to build your network. For comprehensive, step by step help with networking, consult our handouts below, watch our recommended podcasts, attend our Networking workshops, and meet with a career advisor to help you customize your approach. Expand Your Network 1. Create a list of primary contacts. Your primary contacts are family members and friends with whom you already have a relationship. Let these individuals know about your career goals and ask them whether they know of anyone who works in your target area and who might be helpful in your job search. The names they provide you are known as your secondary contacts. 2. Create new contacts. Start by getting in touch with the secondary contacts referred to you by your family and friends. Be prepared to talk about your career goals, skills and experiences. You may want to ask your secondary contacts whether they would be willing to have an informational interview with you. Another way of making new contacts is by joining a professional association, attending conferences in your target field and doing volunteer work. 3. Make cold calls. Calling companies and organizations of interest and attempting to meet with the person who has the decision-making power to hire you, or with someone who is knowledgeable about the field, is a great way to expand your network. If you are extremely uncomfortable making cold calls, you can also write to the organization or company. However, networking by email is much less effective than networking in person or over the phone. 4. Conduct informational interviews. An informational interview involves meeting with an individual in a field or occupation of interest for the purpose of gaining current, regional and/or specialized information. They are a great way of making new contacts and finding out more about the position, organization and industry you are interested in. They can also help you explore possibilities if you are in the process of choosing a major, narrowing down career options or beginning a job hunt. The goal of an informational interview is to probe your contact for information, not necessarily to ask about job openings. If you are interested in

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conducting information interviews, review the handouts section for tips and advice on how to get started, and ideas on appropriate questions to ask.

6) Look for Job Opportunities

Want to know which employers would be a good fit for you? While job listing databases and search engines are only a component of the job search process, they are nonetheless an excellent place to begin looking for job opportunities. Employers who post on these sites are actively looking to fill positions and you may find an opportunity that seems just right for you. Job listings can also provide you with useful information about companies and organizations in your field such as job titles, salary ranges, and the skills and experiences sought by employers. The following links include national and international sites, as well as sites specific to industry sectors or geographic areas. If you do not find a good fit, remember that on average public job postings usually represent only fifteen to twenty percent of the jobs available at any given time.

7) Write a C.V. and Cover Letter

Your C.V. and cover letter are crucial documents in that they usually determine whether or not you will be invited for an interview. As such, they must showcase your most impressive skills and accomplishments. Therefore it is extremely important to tailor your CV and cover letter to the position you are targeting so employers know how your skills meet their needs. Before developing your C.V. these points should be kept in mind: Present your heading in phrases than in full sentences. Focus on your job related achievements Push the positive but be honest

Choose the parts that best fit your background There is no proper path you have to use, only a simple layout can be proposed over here

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Job Search Process C.V. Writing:

Opening Section Heading

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It includes the basic information of the applicant, As where to contact to the applicant. Basically it includes: Name of the applicant Address of the applicant Phone no. of the applicant

Some individual specifically persons doing a job also include their e-mail or fax number etc. similarly gender, age etc., can also be used as with the requirement of the job. Faiza Ehsan Address: University of Gujrat, Hafiz Hayat Campus, Gujrat. Ph #: 09040920-103 Job and career objective A general or specific statement based on self-assessment presenting your goals and objective. e.g.: a marketing manager in a multinational company. This is a general career objective statement. e.g.: A marketing manager in a multinational food and beverage company. This is specific statement. Education It includes: Name of the institute, location, date of commencement and degrees of certificates.

While writing your education, these points should be kept in deep focus: Use abbreviations of your degree instead of complete names. Specifically write your grade points if the average is good. Otherwise omit it. Also note down your honours and scholarship-from your institute.

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Work Experience

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These are the evaluative statements dictating your working background, for the employer, to make you stand capable or incapable for the current job. This portion should be accomplished as: Name, location and date of employment for the each company. Your position and title, if you have been given in the company.

On the other hand these specifications should be kept in deep focus: Write your work experiences in reverse chronological order-put the current position as recent first. Arrange the facts for the each job and put the most important first. Use the job titles instead of job activities. e.g. manager instead of managing.

Achievement, Awards, Service Activities: If some extraordinary awards and achievements are there in your life then these should be notified as this is not the time to be humble with any kind of opportunity. Awards that can be regarding athletes, debates, student organizations and community services, can be written in it. Personal Data This is not a very required part of the C.V. while Civil Rights Laws prohibits such information requirements e.g. age, gender, race, religion, marital status. References A reference is sometime required by the employer either he is sure that you will reference the persons that will evaluate you positively. On the other hand references will be proposed if required; statement is also very preferred one.

Cover letter:
One has only 30 seconds to impress or capture the readers attention. For this cover letter to resume is used.

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Cover letter is also known as cold contact or the job application letter. Cover letter is used for determining the precise points of your resume. It is consisted on three parts as: Opening, Middle, and Last paragraph.

Opening: In this part we include Summary- two or more job related experiences are discussed. Name-name that is involved in your network and asked you to apply, e.g. a news ad. Question-questions about the problem you desire to solve, showing your understanding to the organization problem News item openings-things about which you are interested and are applying.

Middle Paragraph: This part includes: Education Work experiences Personal attitudes, interests

Last Paragraph: Make the action easy. It includes phone number, e-mail, or fax number. Different suggestion like you can visit the employers office etc., can be written

8) Prepare for the Interview

The interview is in many ways the final stage in the job search process and certainly an important aspect to focus on. Your CV and cover letter are designed to lay the groundwork of your application and secure you the interview, which allows you a chance to really shine and impress your potential employer. If you have been offered an interview, the employer views you as hireable on paper, and now wants to meet you in person to further evaluate your qualifications and experience, and assess your personality, motivation, and communication/interpersonal skills. Your job is to convey a good sense of which you are and what you have to offer, and to discover if the job and organization mesh

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well with your values, interests and skills. Thus, an interview is a forum for two-way communication between you and your prospective employer. Interview Preparation Once you have received a call about an interview, you must prepare. This cannot be emphasized enough. Many job applicants spend very little time preparing for an interview and, unsurprisingly, this often leads to poor results. Thorough preparation will increase your confidence and help you improve your performance and job prospects. 1. Know yourself review the self-assessment work you completed when writing your CV and cover letter. Carefully consider how you want to convey this information verbally and think of specific examples from your past experiences which highlight your skills, qualifications and achievements. 2. Research researching the industry, the employer and the position, for which you are applying for, prior to an interview, is extremely important. It reflects well on your enthusiasm and the information you gain from professional organizations, business councils and relevant websites will help you prepare questions for the employer and give you a good sense of salary levels, working conditions and current market trends. 3. Practice prepare and practice answers to possible interview questions. You can schedule an appointment for a mock interview with a career advisor or you can practice with a friend to get feedback on your verbal and non-verbal communication skills. 4. Contact your references it is a good idea to reconnect with your references during the job search process so that they know what positions you are applying for and are aware they may be contacted in the near future. 5. The day of the interview - dress for success and bring along any documents or information you may need, such as extra copies of your CV and a list of references. Arrive ten to fifteen minutes prior to the interview and be friendly, respectful and positive with everyone you meet. 6. Follow-up - once your interview is over, you can breathe more easily, but your work is not quite finished. Many candidates miss a valuable opportunity by failing to follow up with an organization after an interview. Send a thank-you note to the interviewers within a day or two to thank them for their time and indicate your continued interest in the position.

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Job Search Process 9) Know Salary and Labour Information

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Obtaining a good understanding of todays salary scales and labour market trends is important to your job search, and more specifically, to your interview. In being able to comfortably answer to the questions like what are your salary expectations or where do you see yourself in five years can be crucial to the employers decision making.

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