Now you've got your new résumé, how do you start your job search?

Most people find a job search very stressful. They lack confidence in themselves, whether they are employed or unemployed. One of the main reasons for this is a lack of belief, emphasised by a poorly constructed résumé. If your résumé does not make you feel good about yourself, then you need a new one. If you haven't already done so, consider using my professional résumé service to kickstart your job search. Click here for more information about my résumé service.

A good résumé helps to build self-confidence. It gives you a head start in the job search. You want to get it out there. Now it's time to put a plan together to find your next job. There are a number of methods you can use. These are:

  • newspaper advertisements
  • Internet job sites
  • networking
  • recruitment firms
  • cold calling
  • utilising a job search service

I'll elaborate on some of these.

Job search services
'I didn't know they existed', is what you're probably saying to yourself. Well, they do, and I provide this service. To find out more, click here.

Internet job sites
The day is not far off when virtually all vacancies will be listed on these sites, rather than in newspapers, so it's worthwhile getting used to them. It is best to set up your own account so you can set up job alerts for the types of role which interest you. This saves you so much time in your job search. You set up your own criteria and, when an employer posts a job matching those criteria, you immediately receive an email alerting you to the vacancy. Several alerts can be established, so take advantage if you're an all-rounder capable of filling a variety of roles.

The sites also allow you to upload several résumés and you can create your own résumé according to a designated style. The drawback to the latter is that, in my opinion, the style used is not necessarily the best.

When applying for a position, you can upload a cover letter but you also have the opportunity to write a cover letter as part of the process.

One advantage of these sites is that there is plenty of information to draw upon on subjects such as cover letters and interview skills. Click here for links to Internet job search sites in Australia.

Networking
It is said that some 75-80% of vacancies are never advertised. When I look back on my own career, more than 50% of my jobs were found through my network. So networking cannot be underestimated. What you need to do is write down a list of all the people you know, from relatives to friends to associates. Even the bus driver or your local newsagent is part of your network. That said, out of all the people you know, can you honestly say you know what they all do? Therein lies the problem. Many of your friends will not know what YOU do, what you really enjoy doing, and what you want to do in the future. So you need to have the courage to tell them. If they are going to help you in your job search, they need to know. For your network to be effective, not only do you have to tell people but you also have to give them a concise, written summary (either a profile or a résumé) about YOU. By understanding you, and knowing what you're looking for, people will be in a position to help. Once you've established that contact, stay in touch and follow up, and make sure you thank people for any assistance, however slight, that is rendered.

Recruitment firms
I've worked for them and I've written articles (click here for an example) about the industry. Recruiters are commission driven and interested only in filling the role for the client in the shortest time possible. They have very little interest in the individual jobseeker, unless you happen to match the selection criteria for a vacancy they are handling. Thus, if you send in your résumé 'cold', don't expect an acknowledgement and don't expect a phone call. Even if you follow up with a phone call, you'll be lucky to get past the gatekeeper. One other point. Don't expect them to keep your résumé on file. It is a massive job collating and updating all the résumés that recruiters receive, and it's only a few that maintain efficient databases. Recruiters like to advertise - it's good for their image, and it makes life easy for them, so what's the point of keeping a database which is out of date within a short period?

Cold calling
Believe it or not, this can work, as long as it's done properly. For some insights and strategies I've devised, click here.

FINALLY,TWO IMPORTANT LINKS

Click here if you need to improve your INTERVIEW SKILLS.

Click here if you need help with SELECTION CRITERIA.