Creative Job Search

How to Get the Job You Really Want

X420 Discussion Session # 19

Five Objectives of the Career Change System

• Set career objectives• Identify job

opportunities• Techniques of the

creative job search• How to position yourself• Control your own career

Seven Basic Principles of Career Change

• There is nothing wrong with being out of a job.

• The average successful person will have 10 full-time jobs and 4 career changes.

• There are always jobs available.• Unexpected job loss is an

opportunity.• Success in the job market is

predictable.• Do what other successful people

do.• There are always jobs for the

creative person.

Traditional Job Search

• Answering Newspaper Ads

• Sending Out Resumes• Using Employment

Services

Traditional Job Search … but, instead of that – or in

addition to that – let’s get a little creative…..

Creative Job Search • A different approach• Enables you to get a better job• Develops character, intelligence

and imagination• Makes you a better and more

optimistic person• Enables you to have more fun at

work• Begins with you

Where the Jobs AreJob Availability

There are always thousands of jobs available.

Every company is a job market.

Every department in every company is a job market.

Every individual who can hire is a job market.

What the Jobs Are

A job is an opportunity to render useful service.

A job is labor applied to achieve a certain result.

One person can help you create a job, if he uses the Universal Hiring Rule: An

employer will hire you if you contribute more in dollar value to the company than what it costs the company to employ you.

Qualities Most Desired by Employers

IntelligenceLeadership Ability

IntegritySincerity

CompetenceCourage

Determination

Creative Job Search Three Key Points:

Analyze your strengths and abilities.

Seek out opportunities to maximize your personal

potential.

Select a career with the same care that you would as if

you were getting married.

Prospecting

Identifying companies that can best use your talents, abilities,

background and experience.

List prospective companies.

Rank you prospects in order of their desirability, and allocate

your research time accordingly.

Creative Job Re-Search Begin by moving from the general to the

specific:Dictionary

EncyclopediaMagazines

BooksAsk for advice

Use your contactsInterview non-employers

Ask for referralsBecome an expert

NOTE: An earlier discussion presentation may be useful: #84, Researching the Job Market. You can view the PowerPoint on line – check your X420 syllabus.

Prospecting

Pre-Approach – gather information about each company

in which you are interested.

Approach – get an appointment with your networking contact.

Ask for informational interview.

Informational Interviewing You are the interviewer.

The first 30 seconds are the most important.

Next 4 minutes determines whether or not the person likes you.

Thank interviewee for his time.Go in with an agenda; questions.

Write down answers.After 15-30 minutes, excuse yourself

with thanks for the time.Leave door open, ask if you can come

back if you have more questions.Write thank-you note.

Never accept or respond to a job offer during informational interview.

Informational Interviewing – The Challenge

You are being judged

People are not stupid – if you treat the informational interview like a direct job-

hunting technique, they will feel used and it will do you no good.

People are flattered by honest interest in their work – a good informational

interview leaves them thinking well of you

People will remember – if your questions and comportment reflect intelligence, sincerity and competence….of if not.

Informational Interviewing – The Challenge

You are being judged

People are not stupid – They know, or will assume, that you are job hunting.

Diffuse this by honesty…. “Yes, I am looking for the perfect job. I hope our

interview today will help me define that for myself more clearly.”

People are flattered by honest interest in their work … “Hello, I am interested in

your field and wonder if you could spare a little time to help me decide whether it

is the field for me.”Remember - People will remember.

Getting the Job You Want • Where you want to work• Who you want to work for• What you want to be doing

1. Call back the person you interviewed.

2. Keep in touch 3. Leave “feelers”

Once you have chosen….

Sales Presentation

Tell how you can contribute to the organization.

Explain why you’ve chosen this company and this person to work for.

List problems you could solve.Explain how your knowledge and experience

relate to the job you want.Explain the benefits the company would get

from hiring you.

How to sell yourself to a person who has not thought of hiring you:

Evaluation Questions:

Discussion Session #19Creative Job Search

1) I found the presentation of material easy to understand.2) This discussion session increased my knowledge on the subject presented.3) I will be able to use some of the information from this discussion session in the future.4) The presenter was well prepared for this discussion session.5) This presentation should be repeated in future semesters.

Use:a. Strongly agreeb. Agreec. Disagreed. Strongly Disagreee. Don’t know