Job Search Success Tips

Hey Folk... This is important... Job seekers learned some ‘Steps to Getting a Job in This Turbulent Economy' at a free seminar Monday.

Linda Conklin, certified career coach and author of Career Coach: Getting the Right Job Right Now, told the group at Wake County's North Regional Library to think about the hiring process from the employer's perspective.

"You are selling a product, and that product is you," Conklin said.

Know Your Own Value
One exercise Conklin recommends is making a chart with three columns, mapping out ten things you do well, what you can do with those skills, and what kind of employers could benefit from those results.

The chart is meant to help you articulate your value to employers.

"Sometimes when you are out of a job, you start to lose that sense of value," Conklin said.

Strategies to Find Jobs

According to Conklin:

The Internet: The web can be useful for gathering information about which companies are hiring and the kinds of positions available.

Job Fairs: Go in with a goal of gathering information. Don't expect on-site interviews, but ask for representatives' contact information so that you can contact them personally when applying for jobs.

Networking: Get out into your community to meet as many people as possible. Try volunteering or joining professional, civic, or alumni organizations. Being referred to a potential employer by someone who knows you can be much more effective than hoping your resume stands out in a stack of hundreds.

Professional Internship: You can try get your foot in the door by arranging to work at a company for a few months for no pay. If you can build relationships and prove your value to the company, it could lead to a permanent job. Even if it doesn't, you'll have new skills to add to your resume.

Create Your Own Job: Keep an eye out for gaps in services in your community. You may find opportunities to create your own niche business.

Good Luck
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Reference:wake.mync.com