Landing a New
Job in the New Year:
Active Job Hunting Tips
Job
hunting is arduous, but you can make it easier on yourself.
The traditional job-hunting approach involves looking in
newspaper want ads, searching through help-wanted notices on
bulletin boards, going to employment agencies and applying for
available jobs at personnel departments. The key component is that
you are reacting to a publicly offered job.
With the nontraditional or active job-hunting strategy, you
do not wait until there is a job opening but use techniques that
lead you to jobs before they are ever publicly announced. When
you're proactive sometimes a new job may be created for you.
Active Job Hunting Top Ten
1. The best jobs go to the best job hunters and not necessarily to the most qualified people.
2. Thinking is vital to your finding a good job-your fears and anxiety about finding work may keep you from thinking.
3. People hire you because you have something to give to them, not because you need a job.
4. Ask potential employers and job contacts for advice. They love it. Ask for their advice about positions, companies and opportunities. Don't ask for a job!
5. Going strictly by the book is only likely to get you in the book and not the job. Think of new and creative solutions to an employer's problems or to your job hunt.
6. Use the Internet and telephone. These are fast ways to get enormous amounts of relevant information. Never ask for a job over the phone.
7. Resumes can be like junk mail. Do not rely on the resume as your only method of finding a job.
8. Learn to speak the language. Each field has words and phrases with special meaning.
9. The person at the top may be waiting for you. You will probably be rejected many times. However, the president, department head, chief executive officer or owner may be willing to talk directly to you about a future position.
10. Use the Division of Workforce Development's Missouri Career Centers. These centers are a great source for leads and labor market information. Call 1-888-728-JOBS or go to www.greathires.org to find a center near you.
