The following article has been brought
to you courtesy of the staff at A and A Resume
a premier resume writing service with more than
80 years of combined experience helping advance
the careers of professionals around the world!
Relish the Job Hunt!
Times change. Years ago, a person would get a job
straight out of school and plan on retiring from
that company years later. The loyalty went both
ways. The company would keep its workers on the
payroll, through boom times and bust. Not anymore.
Large companies continually trim their payroll as
they see fit. Jobs are moved wherever the wages
are lower. Full-time positions are cut and
replaced by part-time workers who receive lower
wages and fewer benefits. The employer is driven by the bottom line.
Does that mean that employees today are
discovering it's much harder to find a rewarding
career? No! The employee simply needs to be more
creative. Finding your dream job doesn't have to be an uphill struggle!
As an owner of a resume writing service, I have
seen many different types of jobseekers, from
college students hoping to land a summer job to
executives who command a six-figure salary. Yet
most of them have one thing in common - they feel
intimidated when it comes to finding a new job or career.
They have the wrong attitude. If you think of the
job search as a life and death struggle between
David and Goliath, with you being David and
having just run out of rocks, no wonder you feel
intimidated. You need to change your mindset. The
job search is not a struggle, it's a game. When
you play a game you need a plan, one that will
enable you to win the game. Let's cover some of the basics.
First and foremost, you need an income because
sometimes the job search game can last longer
than you want. To stay in the game you need to
have money to meet your basic needs. That means
you may have to go out and find a job, any job
that will bring in some money. Taking the
inferior job now allows you the opportunity to continue playing.
Next you need to decide if you are willing to
relocate. Some people will and some people won't.
If you choose not to relocate it doesn't mean
that you are a bad person, it simply means that
you have different priorities than others. But,
if you aren't willing to relocate, your
employment opportunities are much fewer.
Now that you have decided where you want to live,
what do you want to do with your life? Spending
1/3 to 1/2 of your life at a career you hate is
not fun. Sit down and analyze where you want to
be in 10, 20 or 30 years. How can you reach those
goals? Do you need more training or education?
What companies can help you reach those goals?
Make a list of companies you want to work for and
then research those companies. Find out
everything you can about them and the industry
they are in. If you have to, spend your free time
at the library doing research on them. Knowledge Is Power.
Who is responsible for hiring at these companies?
Find out. A personnel manager hates to see a
cover letter addressed to "Dear Sir or Madam".
Call and talk to this person directly, usually
early morning before their day becomes hectic.
Let them know who you are and why you are calling
and tell them you would like to send in a resume.
They will not automatically say, "Sure, send it
in and we'll call you for an interview", but you
would be surprised at how many people get the job
they want without the job ever being advertised.
If you have the skills to fit their needs, they
won't bother spending money to advertise a position.
Once you're this far into the game, don't lose it
by sending in an inferior resume. If you are
confident in your resume writing abilities, spend
the time and create a resume you will be proud
of. If not, have your resume professionally
prepared. It will be one of the best investments you will ever make.
Interview fun? Sounds like an oxymoron doesn't
it? But remember, as nervous as you are during
the interview, just imagine the nerves of the
interviewer. Whether he/she is the owner or just
the head of the personnel department, they have a
lot riding on who they hire. If they hire the
wrong person, they might find themselves
unemployed, or worse yet, end up losing their own
business. He/she is very fearful when it comes
time to interview for a new employee.
You want the job? You alleviate their fears.
Convince them that you have the qualifications to
do the job better then anyone else they will
interview. Be confident. Be prepared. This is
where your research will pay dividends.
Remember, when going through the job search
process, it really is nothing more than a game.
And with every game, the player who is most prepared will win.
About the Author:
Author of Relish the Job Hunt and many other job
and resume related articles James Aure would be
honored to assist you with your career resume,
CV, cover letter and other job search needs.
Please contact James at
webmaster@aandaresume.com, 1-800-947-2410 or visit A and A Resume at http://www.aandaresume.com
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