Guide to Finding Jobs

While many people are not fond of networking, it is still a very powerful job search method for most. May it be done online or offline, networking provides an opportunity to meet new contacts that would be helpful in your quest to find employment. As time goes by, your contacts should grow and you should become more competitive and stable in the workplace.

Networking is a give and take relationship. It is never a one-sided system. According to Rachel Solar-Tuttle, author of Table Talk: The Savvy Girl’s Alternative to Networking, networking is collaboration. This means that every time you seek help or meet with a potential contact, you should also think about how you can offer help in return. You may not be able to return the favor to the same contact that has helped you, but you can always give assistance to a different contact in one way or another.

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Job search requires that you send resume to your prospective companies so you may get scheduled for a job interview should your resume passes the screening. Aside from what can be read in a resume such as work experience, education, skills and past achievements, there are certain qualities that employers look for in job candidates. These qualities are intangible and cannot be put in writing.

Employers usually look for things that matters in the workplace. In order to pass the interview, job candidates should be able to communicate to the hiring manager that he has good communication and organizational skills, the capacity to make a productive interaction with fellow employees, the ability to work under pressure, a sense of loyalty and accountability to the company, and a forward-looking attitude. Unless you possess most or all of this, then your chance of getting hired remains slim.

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Even before a person finds a job, he has already a career plan in mind. That career plan is based on a set of desires and values stemming from his personality. While influences from family and friends exist, it is still the person looking for a job who has the final say on how he would like to handle his career.

One doesn’t have to be a career expert to figure out the link between personality and career. The more attuned one’s personality is to his career, the higher the chances of job satisfaction and career success. The reason why many people are not satisfied with their job or getting fulfillment in their career is that their personalities are not in harmony with the job they landed.

Here is a list of top 10 jobs based on one’s personality to give you more perspectives.

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Say your efforts have already died down due to several failed attempts to get a job, don’t surrender yet. In the present time where economic downturns are starting to become a daily staple, certain things could make your job search hopeful once again. I’m talking about industry changes here.

I suggest you take advantage of the opportunities that have emerged as a response to economic changes in the job market. These opportunities include small businesses, contingency work and self-employment. All you need to have is a set of eyes that know how to distinguish a pleasant opportunity from a bad one and you’re good.

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As what I have promised, here’s the conclusion to my previous post on job search stress. Below are tips to alleviate job search stress which job seekers may practice or observe:

1. Preparation is key. Complete your resume, make sure your cover letter is presentable, keep a list of your job applications and take care of other things related to job search. This way, your tasks will be lessened and you can go ahead to the next step.
2. Be optimistic. As what has been always taught to you whenever you are in a bad situation, optimism can help you see things in a pleasant manner.
3. Prioritize things. Put your organizational skills in action and set priorities. This is particularly important if you have applied to two or more jobs.

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If you think stress happens only after you’ve landed a job, think again. The fact is, stress can start the moment you begin your job search. Experts call it job search stress. It refers to the combined anxiety, exhaustion, pressure and fear that you feel whenever you start sending those job applications.

Every job seeker is susceptible to stress. Particularly if you’re a beginner, stress can be worse than you have ever expected. Fighting job search stress entails spiritual and psychological efforts. It is a personal endeavor that requires focus and a positive attitude. Remember that you can’t just take stress off your system using over-the-counter drugs. (to be concluded)

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