Looking For Work?

If you have been having difficulty deciding what to do, it may be time for you to take some time to

Research and reflect 

Ask yourself:  Do your characteristics (skills, interests, motivations, temperament etc) fit with the requirements / characteristics of certain jobs? 

Are there some jobs you should avoid? 

The more you learn about jobs from reading, talking to people or hands-on work experience, the more discerning you become in identifying positive connections and negative mis-matches.

Here is an idea that will help you to focus on job areas which are most likely to interest you. Don't expect to find a perfect match. For most there isn't just one type of work which is suitable  - there may well be several, but it takes time and work to figure it out.

Themes 
·         Rather than trying to pinpoint the perfect job, look for themes. What interests you?  What do you do in your spare time that could lead to a job? 
·         For a few weeks, browse through job advertisements, note those which appeal to you and those which don't. 
·         Review this regularly to see if any broad patterns emerge. For example, do you automatically favour jobs which involve problem-solving or dealing with people and instantly discard those which require persuasive skills or working in the money markets? 

Discuss                                                             
·         Talk over your ideas with people who are both objective and supportive….family, friends, your career adviser. This "sounding board" approach may help clarify your career ideas. Talk to some people who work in the industry you are interested in (Informational Interview) to find out more.

Once you have clarified your ideas and looked at your options, it’s time to starting putting some plans in place. Whatever you’ve chosen to do, making it happen takes time.

Having a clear plan keeps you on track, allows you to see how much progress you’ve made and avoids wasting unnecessary time.  You will need to create a personal action plan that will help you achieve your goals. 

Once you have identified your career goals, you need to consider how to achieve them. Often there are a number of routes to your desired goal e.g. via further study, training programmes or "working your way up". If direct entry is not possible you may need to adopt a "stepping stones" approach. 

For example, sales experience could lead to marketing, voluntary work may increase chances of getting onto a post graduate course in social work, secretarial jobs might get you into the publishing field.

For more information click here

To your job search success

Fran Watson

Unique Way To Job Search

"I think a lot of employers are getting fed up with seeing the same sheet of paper coming through their door, and in some cases there's a need to grab attention," Pacitti says. Of course, you need to develop a story to tell and find a novel way to do it. But pull it off with flair and you too might land a job in the ultra competitive world of media -- or at a local butcher shop.  

Check out how Adam Pacitti landed a job and over 60 offers of employment.  Click here

Good luck on your job search.

Fran Watson

P.S.  Need help with your job search?  Contact me

Hidden Jobs

You have probably heard the term "Hidden Job Market".  Perhaps you have wondered where it is and how to access it.  The hidden job market is a term used to describe jobs that aren't posted online or advertised. Job seekers can tap the hidden job market by using networking connections to help find unadvertised job openings.

Do you have a company that you'd love to work for that hasn't advertised job openings? Whether you have heard through the grapevine that a company is hiring or if you don't know for certain, one way or the other, you can reach out to the organization to express your interest.

If you are aware that the company is hiring, but hasn't advertised the job you're interested in, or, if you have a company in mind that you would like to work for and don't know if they have job openings, the cover letters you write will need to have a different pitch than the letters you write to apply for an advertised job opening.

To your job search success!

Fran Watson
Career Counsellor

Summer Job Search

As many teenagers have recently found out, if you want a job for the summer, you have to begin searching at Christmas, or at least by the Spring Break.  Looking for a job takes time.  I'm not talking about the jobs at a fast food outlet, or a retail store - jobs that you only take on for a short time, I'm talking about a job that will last, one that you can build into a career.

To begin, you need to do some Self-Assessment.  You need to take a look at the skills and strengths you have developed through your school classes, your outside activities such as sports teams or hobbies, your personality, etc.

Once you have determined your strengths and skills, you need to look at your interests.  What subjects do you (did you) enjoy in school?  What activities made you happy?  Cutting and pasting?  That could lead to a career in Scrapbooking or at a magazine doing layout or maybe putting together special anniversary albums?  Do you like to talk with people and have an interest in history?  Maybe you can record videos for families to have of their grandparents lives.  Once you have determined your interests and personality (and there are various online tests to do this), you can start looking for careers in those fields.

Now that you know yourself - your strengths, skills, and interests, and you know the fields you want to work in, what next?

Next comes employer research.  What companies are there in the field you want to work in?  Will you have to move?  What kind of salaries do people make in the field you are interested in?  Is it enough money for you to live on?  Who can you talk to to find out more about the company?  Where can you find more information?  Company websites contain a great deal of information about the company's mission and vision and what they do.

Ok, so now you know yourself and the field you want to work in, what's next? 

Next is informational interviews - talking to people who are currently in the field to find out the pros and cons of the job and the company.  Find out how did that person get their job.  What type of training and/or education is required, what are the chances for future employment, is it a growing field or not.

Now, armed with all that information you are ready to begin your actual job search.  You will look for a job/career that matches who you are and what you want to do and you will select employers who fit your needs. 

Yes, it seems like a lot, but it is worth it in the end.  How many people do you know who have taken a job "for the summer" who ended up staying in the job because of the pay, but hated it their entire lives and worked there for 10, 20 or 30 years. 

Take the time to know yourself, your wants, your needs, your strengths and find that perfect career.  It may not happen overnight.  You might need to approach it step by step, gaining the required skills and education, but you will have your goal in sight and you will eventually achieve it.

Fran Watson
Career Counsellor

P.S.  I will post some of the sites you can go to for the various assessments in a little while..

What are you worth?

Recognizing your position of power with your employer – and leveraging it.

It is not entirely unsurprising that so many people feel that their employer “has all the power” and they, the employee, have no choice but to accept it.

Interestingly, more often than not, when you take a step back and truly take a look at your situation, you may find out that you have a lot more to bargain with – and a lot less to lose – than your boss does.

While we see regular news about the economy hurting and high unemployment, the fact of the matter is that many industries truly are an employees market – not the other way around. In other words, there are more than a small number of firms that are really hurting for more qualified staff.

So: How do you know if you're carrying a bigger stick than you may think ?

Firstly, you have to take an HONEST appraisal of your own performance at work; You don't have to share this with anyone, but you do have to tell yourself the truth:

1. Do you accomplish everything your job requires you to, every day ?
2. Do you often go above and beyond the call of duty in your job ?
3. Are you one of the more productive or skilled employees in your group ?
4. Do you notice that any time you are away, the departments workload to catch up is more than when someone else is away ?
5. Are you the 'go to' person for your colleagues ?

Second, what's the hiring situation like, both at your employer in specific and in your industry, in general ?

1. Is your company short-staffed, with near constant “for hire” ads running ?
2. Do you often receive contacts from recruiters, specifically looking to talk to you (or “someone in a position identical to yours”, nudge, nudge, wink, wink)
3. Do you notice employment ads for many of your competitors in employment sites like monster.com and linkedin.com ?
4. Have you noticed that when other people leave your firm, are they employed almost immediately after they leave where you work ?
5. Do you have an unusual churn rate where you work, despite pay and benefits being attractive ?

Finally, you need to make an honest self-appraisal of yourself-as-someone-to-work with:

1. Do you have a generally pleasant disposition ?
2. Do you avoid complaining about the little – or big – things frequently ?
3. Do you avoid gossiping about co-workers, or speaking negatively about them behind their backs ?
4. Do you generally have a “can do” attitude when asked to perform extra work, even if it isn't necessarily strictly in your job definition ?
5. Do you accept criticism well, taking it as an opportunity for professional growth, rather than a personal attack ?
6. Do you contribute to your work place, be that either/or in suggestions to improve projects in specific, or the company as a whole ?
7. Do you contribute to your co-workers, helping them get their jobs done better, faster or more efficiently, without necessarily “looking for the credit” all the time ?

If you answered yes to most or even all of the above, you have a LOT more “employee currency” than you might think; ...Read More

Thanks Mark Bissonette of Canadian ISP for this article

To your success

Fran Watson

 

Creative and Artistic Careers

Is your current job sapping your creative energy? Do you doodle all day on your notepad, or monopolize your whiteboard with dry-erase murals? Have you petitioned to get the office chairs upholstered? No matter how you express it, creativity is essential to your life. With a degree, you can turn your passion into a career that inspires.

1.      Animation

It's not just for flipbooks, anymore. Animators in the field today can expect to work mostly with computers to create characters, visual effects, and other three-dimensional work that can't be done on the movie set. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that animators have among the best job prospects in the motion picture industry.

2.      Video game design

You grew up on the classic consoles, but you might not realize everything involved in creating the games you love. Software publishers look for trained, imaginative designers to bring the game's story to life. The BLS notes that education influences earnings a great deal among workers in the software publishing industry, including video game designers.

3.      Fashion

If you've got every Project Runway on TiVo and you keep clothing catalogs on your coffee table, the fashion industry may already be a big part of your life. Artists for an eye for clothing design can make an average of $55,900 a year, according to the BLS. One in four designers were also self-employed, allowing you to vogue wherever you want.

4.      Web design

Web designers merge artistic invention with current technology to create a professional web presence for their clients. That expertise comes with a price: Salary.com estimates that web designers in New York bring home an average of $72,700 a year. Taking classes in CSS and HTML can give you the edge.

5.      Interior design

The BLS estimated that interior designers made an average of $40,700 in 2004. They make that paycheck by taking a client's style and translating it to the space - most airports, hotels, and offices require a professional designer's touch. If you're tuned to the frequencies of feng shui, a degree in interior design can revitalize your personal space.

These exciting, challenging, creative careers have one thing in common: they're all competitive. Getting an education in any of these fields can help give you the edge among applicants who are also looking to trade in their boring day-jobs for something a little more outside the lines.

Sources

§  The Bureau of Labor Statistics

§  Salary.com

To your job search success!!

Fran Watson

Bad Interview?

I am a recent college graduate, and I totally bombed my first real job interview. I was not prepared for there to be a group of interviewers. There were 5 interviewers, from different departments of the lab. The lab manager was the one who had called me in for the interview, but when she asked if I had true work experience besides my internship, I answered "no" and she seemed surprised, even though this was clearly stated on my resume. Also, I did not bring the correct paper to show my certification, I brought another (maybe less official) paper showing that I had passed the exam and was certified.

How Did the Interview Turn Out?

I was EXTREMELY nervous, and after their questioning my certification I was flustered. They told me then that they would not be offering me the position. If I was in their position, I would not have hired me either.  (Info from About.Com)

Have you had a bad interview lately?  Did you think you were prepared, but fell apart when they started asking questions?

Click here to get more information on how you can be successful at your next interview.  Pick up a copy of my Interview Planning Form.

To your job search success

Fran Watson
 

Your Prescription For A Healthy Career

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that eight of the 20 fastest growing occupations are in healthcare. In fact, more new healthcare jobs will be created by 2014 than in any other industry.

Why are healthcare careers so hot? Here are some of the major reasons:

§  Baby Boomers turn 60 this year. The population of elderly persons, who have greater healthcare needs, are increasing faster than the overall population.

§  In addition, Boomers' aging parents, whose life expectancies have increased in recent years, have caused the demand for home healthcare and residential care workers to increase significantly.

§  With the recent advances in medical technology, lifespans have increased, and new technologies make it possible to treat illnesses and injuries that in recent years may not have been treatable.

§  With federal law requiring that the healthcare industry technologically update its record-keeping practices and with health insurance becoming more complex, the need for administrative support in healthcare will also grow.

On top of these facts, many of those employed in healthcare will soon be retiring themselves, leaving vacancies in the industry. Now you can see why people interested in pursuing a healthcare career can be virtually ensured a lifetime of secure employment.

The Path to Healthcare

While it's not always necessary to complete a four-year degree program to work in the healthcare industry, the majority of occupations require completion of some kind of training program. Nurses, for example, may begin their careers with an associate's degree and Registered Nurse (RN) certification program.

According to a CareerBuilder.com job forecast, nearly one in five hiring managers in the fastest growing industries, including healthcare, will be hiring administrative and clerical staff. That's especially true in healthcare. Medical assistants, pharmacy assistants, dental assistants, and other administrative positions, which only require training programs of two years or less, will be among the fastest growing occupations.

With such a healthy future in the industry, the prognosis is good for those considering a career in healthcare.

To your job search success

Fran Watson
Career Coach

Resumes

Common Resume Blunders
by Kim Isaacs, MA, CPRW, NCRW

Make sure your resume is top-notch by avoiding the top resume blunders:

1. Too Focused on Job Duties

Your resume should not be a boring listing of job duties and responsibilities. Go beyond showing what was required and demonstrate how you made a difference at each company, providing specific examples. When developing your achievements, ask yourself:

• How did you perform the job better than others?
• What were the problems or challenges faced? How did you overcome them? What were the results? How did the company benefit from your performance?
• Did you receive any awards, special recognition or promotions as a result?

2. Flowery or General Objective Statement

Many candidates lose their readers in the beginning. Statements like "A challenging position enabling me to contribute to organizational goals while offering an opportunity for growth and advancement" are overused, too general and waste valuable space. If you’re on a career track, replace the objective with a tagline stating what you do or your expertise.

3. Too Short or Too Long

Many people try to squeeze their experiences onto one page, because they've heard resumes shouldn’t be longer. By doing this, job seekers may delete impressive achievements. There are also candidates who ramble on about irrelevant or redundant experiences. There is no rule about appropriate resume length. When writing your resume, ask yourself, "Will this statement help me land an interview?" Every word should sell you, so only include information that elicits a "yes."

4. Using Personal Pronouns and Articles

A resume is a form of business communication, so it should be concise and written in a telegraphic style. There should be no mentions of "I" or "me," and only minimal use of articles. For example:

I developed a new product that added $2 million in sales and increased the market segment’s gross margin by 12 percent.

should be changed to:

Developed new product that added $2 million in sales and increased market segment’s gross margin by 12 percent.

5. Listing Irrelevant Information

Many people include their interests, but they should only include those relating to the job. For example, if a candidate is applying for a position as a ski instructor, he should list cross-country skiing as a hobby.

Personal information, such as date of birth, marital status, height and weight, normally should not be on the resume unless you’re an entertainment professional or a job seeker outside the US.

6. Using a Functional Resume When You Have a Good Career History

It is irksome for hiring managers not to see the career progression and the impact made at each position. Unless you have an emergency situation, such as virtually no work history or excessive job-hopping, avoid the functional format.

The modified chronological format is often the most effective. Here’s the basic layout:

• Header (name, address, email address, phone number)
• Lead with a strong profile section detailing the scope of your experience and areas of proficiency
• Reverse chronological employment history emphasizing achievements in the past 10 to 15 years
• Education (New grads may put this at the top.)

7. Not Including a Summary Section that Makes an Initial Hard Sell

This is one of the job seeker’s greatest tools. Candidates who have done their homework will know the skills and competencies important to the position. The summary should demonstrate the skill level and experiences directly related to the position being sought.

To create a high-impact summary statement, peruse job openings to determine what’s important to employers. Next, write a list of your matching skills, experience and education. Incorporate these points into your summary.

8. Typos

One typo can land your resume in the garbage. Proofread and show your resume to several friends to have them proofread it as well. This document is a reflection of you and should be perfect. 

To your job search success!!

Fran

Job Search Stuck?

As a Careeer/Employment Counsellor/Coach, I try to keep ahead of what is going on in the job market, this involves reading articles and chatting with people.  Here is an excerpt from a recent article I read...

 

"If your job search is stuck, and it can happen regardless of how qualified you are and how many jobs you are applying for, one question that you should be asking yourself is "What can I do differently?"

Regardless of the type of job you are applying for, just sitting at your computer and applying for jobs isn't going to work. I've heard from job seekers who have submitted hundreds of applications and have heard nothing.

Whether you are applying for an hourly retail store position or a top level management position, there are things that you may able to do differently to get your job search back on track." (read more)

If you need help with your job search, I am available.  I do counselling/coaching via the internet and telephone, so it doesn't matter where you live. 

To your job search success

Fran
http://www.franwatson.ca/bio.html

Job Search Tips - Cover Letters

How do you write a cover letter for employment?


The job market can be very competitive which leads many people to ask, “How do you write a cover letter for employment?”

Sometimes it may seem that writing a compelling cover letter can be a daunting task.

Let's start with "What is a cover letter?" A cover letter introduces not only you but your resume as well. You want that cover letter to be interesting and make the person reading it not only WANT to read your resume but HAVE to read your resume.

So how do you write a cover letter for employment? Start out by referring to the job that you are applying for and note where you found the position opening. Remember that if you found it in a newspaper, underline the name of the newspaper.

Sometimes these little details really count! Then go on in your cover letter to say how excited you are to know that there is a job like this available and how interested in it you are.

Your resume should be concise, but your cover letter can be a little more personal. Basically your cover letter is 3 paragraphs.

1. Introduce yourself, tell the employer why you want the job

2. Let them know about your special skills that would make you perfect for the job, and

3. Express your eagerness for a personal interview. You should ALWAYS include a telephone number at the end of the cover letter so that the employer knows how to reach you. They may not always pay attention to the top part of your resume, but they most likely will see your contact number in your cover letter.

So, how do you write a cover letter for employment? Just speak from the heart and let the person reading the cover letter know that you are truly interested in the job and that you have the qualifications to do the job. Be sure and let them know, too, that what you do not know, you are eager to learn. Your cover letter should be professional and should match your resume with regard to font and heading, but it should also reflect your personality. That is what will get you the interview.

Once you are face to face with the person doing the hiring, your personality can shine. After all, it is your personality – as well as your abilities – that make you perfect for this job. When you are face to face, you can express that in ways that can never be shown on a simple piece of paper!

To your job search success

Fran Watson
P.S.  If you need more help with your job search, click here

Contact Point

Hi

I am always on the lookout for ideas to help people with their job search.  Recently while surfing I came across a site you might want to check out - Contact Point

Wondering about the Labour Market - what's growing and what isn't?  They have a section on Reports and Trends.

Looking for some articles on careers?  Check out the section entitled "Career Wise" where you will see such things as:  Top 5 Career Regrets, Virtual Offices are Altering the Future of Work, Job Stability & Job Satisfaction, and many more.

Blogger Central contains many more interesting and informative articles.

In The Bulletin, I noticed that they have some extensive information on Social Media, Career Advancement, Career Development and more.

Why not check out Contact Point today?

To your job search success!!

Fran Watson
P.S.  For more tips or some help with your job search, check out my webpage - Click here