As an employment counselor, I observed many mistakes made by job seekers. Some job seekers would goof up their chances by something they did. Others would limit their job chances by something they did not do. After some time I realized that these blunders could be avoided if the job seeker took certain steps. Planning, preparation and practicing are steps that lead to job search success.
Job seekers who follow the three P’s will not suffer the job search frustrations that afflict many job seekers. These steps are not magic bullets but part of a common-sense approach to job seeking.
Plan
Planning is essential to the success of a job search both before it begins and on a daily basis throughout the hunt.
Recently unemployed job seekers need to assess themselves in order to arrive at a specific career choice. Failure to do this results in a lack of focus – just like a ship leaving port without a place of destination. Proper assessment will help the seeker avoid the common mistake of listing “anything” as a preference on an employment application. The assessment process involves looking at one’s skills, interests, temperaments and availability in order to arrive a career goal.
The job seeker also needs to examine the job market prior to starting to help determine if there is sufficient demand for the job that would fit the job seeker’s interests and skills. I became an employment counselor because of a low demand for social studies teachers, which had been my original goal. A job seeker with a low demand job goal may want to reconsider their plans or look into geographic areas where the demand is higher. For example, job seekers looking for public-school teaching jobs in western Pennsylvania will find there are states where the demand is higher.
Over the years, I have had to examine the record of employment contacts made by job seekers. I have been surprised at the haphazard nature of these efforts; I call them rabbit runs. One job seeker was seeking entry-level auto repair work. He drove 20 miles in one day to check in on two employers. Using the Yellow Pages, I showed him how he had driven passed six other potential employers. The job seeker needs to have a daily game plan of employer contacts to avoid running up job-search expenses while making too few contacts.
Prepare
One way job seekers can prepare for interviews is by researching the employer. This will enable you to make a favorable impression on the employer by showing your understanding of their business. On the contrary, the unprepared job seeker who does no research is likely to turn off an employer who sees his business as his baby.
I once had an interview at a certain building on the local university campus. I thought I knew where this building was located. However, when I arrived I discovered I was wrong. My lack of preparation made me hurry to get to the interview on time. I suggest making a dry run to the interview site, checking out the best route, the right building and where you will park.
Before one begins a job search, prepare a list of employers likely to have jobs such as you are seeking. The job seeker can use the newspaper, Yellow Pages, Internet, industrial directories and networking to develop such a list.
Practice
Practicing answers to anticipated questions for a job interview or a telephone contact with a friend pays multiple dividends. As a result of mock interviews the job seeker will be confident rather than nervous going into the job interview.
Also, if you have your partner say something negative in a mock interview you will be less likely to lose your cool if it happens in the real thing. For example, she could say, “You don’t have enough accounting background,” to test your response.
Practice also helps in the preparation of company applications. I recommend making a copy or two to practice completing the application. This will help you avoid going back to the employer asking for a second application because “I messed up the first one.”
Bob Lankard, a business columnist for the Indiana Gazette and former program manager at the state Job Center in Indiana, Pa., offers common-sense advice and innovative tactics to help all levels of job seekers satisfy their employment ambitions.
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