sELF-ASSESSMENTSelf-assessment is considered as fi rst part of career planning. According to Kotter, career development is a systematic process designed to generate the type of accu-rate self awareness needed to make rational job and career decisions. This method is similar to that used by many professional career management consultants. You will not only acquire skills in assessing people for career decision making purposes, but you will also learn how to assess yourself.

WhatdoI

want? Am I ready?

Who am I?

I want to be...

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How to Decide on a Career?

Deciding on a career may seem daunting but it is easier when you give yourself a lot of options and time to consider them. Although the idea of a “job for life” is fast be-coming a thing of the past, the fi eld of work which you choose is important because it will be where you will spend a good deal of your working life; it may also be where you learn other job options. So, choose wisely and select a fi eld that encompasses as many of your talents as possible to allow you the greatest freedom to use your basic skills and gain confi dence in your abilities.

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Some steps to follow in deciding on what career fi eld to choose from:

1. Begin by determining what you like to do. This may sound basic but a lot of people look to others to determine their career paths: teachers, parents, neighbors and peers. This is a big no-no because you are not those other people. Instead, take the time to map out your wants and match your skills with those that are demanded by a certain fi eld of work. This will involve a bit of research but it is well worth it.

2. Identify the skills you use when you’re doing the thing(s) you enjoy. Look at the things you are good at doing already. These will give you a very good indication of what you are likely to enjoy doing by way of a career.

3. Think of fi elds broadly. A fi eld of work is far more than a single job. It is an area in which many jobs are possible and you should be able to consider your training and interests in terms of looking for a career path that will give you a chance to at least fi ve other related jobs within that fi eld. Realize that the breadth of the fi eld will be determined in part by the training you receive and also by your own personal, up-to-date “skills set”, as well as your willingness to try new things and to be retrained.

4. Consider cross-fi eld work. When working out what you would like to be and what you will need to study, give consideration to the possibilities involved in crossing fi elds.

5. Learn as much as possible about the qualifi cations required for fi elds that interest you. Library, internet and direct contact research will be required here. Your thorough research will help you determine quickly which areas you want to study in, as well as the depth of study required.

F O L L O W Y O U R H E A R T . 6

E X P L O R E .

6. Find people who work in the fi eld and learn from them. Once you have worked out which specifi c jobs interest you, speak to those already working in these areas. This will enable you to hear their suggestions and to ask them what they like and dislike about the fi eld in which they work. Sometimes you may even have an op-portunity to do some work experience with a place that interests you, to help you to “get a feel” for the work involved.

7. Evaluate your choice of fi eld according to your own perceptions and the information you have gathered. Assess the comments you’ve received, weigh these up with your research work and add your own feelings about your poten-tial career path. This is now the time to decide whether this career continues to appeal to you. Do not forget to include the type of lifestyle you would like in the balancing equation. As such, it is wise to try and combine your career choice with a lifestyle bal-ance, with minor or short-term compromises rather than major, long-term ones.

8. Sign up for an educational or training program in the career of your choice. While studying, do not neglect to take advantage of networking opportunities and chances to work in your career fi eld either as a volunteer or in short-term paid positions.

9. Keep positive. When you are fi nally trained and ready to fi nd that dream ca-reer, the most important thing is to maintain a positive outlook about your life and to be ready for change, difference and shifts in your comfort zones. This is the real world and it moves rapidly; it is important to keep up with changes and to take a positive approach by making opportunities out of challenges. However, always keep what is unique about you because at the end of the day, that is the special something many employers are looking for while they choose from many skilled and educated workers available to them.

T R U ST Y O U R I N ST I N CT .

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RESUME WRITING

What do you do when you see or hear that your ideal job is up for grabs? What you don’t do is just drop in unannounced, leave your curriculum vitae with the company or demand to meet the person in charge. The proper thing to do is to write an ap-plication letter fi rst to introduce yourself to a possible employer. This way, you can highlight your qualifi cations, arrange for an interview and convince the reader to hire you.

The letter should be simple and easy to read, refl ecting your professionalism. To write clearly and state your business in the fewest possible words, follow this:

Three-step Outline (Cover Letter)IntroductionBegin by announcing your intention to apply for the position. State where or how you learned of the opening.

BodyDocument your qualifi cations and skills. Enumerate accomplishments, signifi cant work and educational experience in logical order.

ConclusionAffi rm your willingness to be interviewed. Thank the reader for considering your appli-cation and ask him to look at your résumé (which should be submitted with the letter) and other related documents.

You may follow up an application if your initial letter has not been acknowledged or if you do not receive feedback after an interview. An inquiry would remind the reader of your recent communication, reiterate your interest in the available position and keep your identity alive in the employer’s mind.

In your subsequent letter, mention the date and nature of the previous exchange or meeting. Point out your suitability for the job and talk about your continued interest in the position. End your note by requesting permission to keep in touch and express hope for a response. Offer your contact information (address, telephone numbers and email address) again lest your documents be misplaced and so that company repre-sentatives can easily reach you.

T O W R I T E A C OV E R L E T T E R . . .

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IMPORTANTUse a professional

e-mail address only. It should not have words like “babe,” “hot,” “#s,” “an-

gel,” “chick,” etc.It will make you appear

unprofessional.

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Tips on Crafting that ONLINE RESUME

The difference between the electronic resume and the printed version is who -- or what -- gets to see it fi rst. The job hunter wanting to post online must fi rst under-stand this difference before he can prepare a resume suited for an electronic me-dium. Just as you can now conveniently use the computer to shop or pay online, so can you use it to send your resume to potential employers.

The electronic resume does not differ from the traditional printed version in pur-pose: Both are powerful selling tools that outline your work skills and experience so an employer can see, at a glance, how you can contribute to the company’s growth. (Jobstreet.com)

A Marked DifferenceThere is, however, a marked difference in who -- or what -- gets to see it fi rst: While the old-fashioned resume is written for quick skimming by the human eye, the Web -- or scannable -- resume is written to be searched by the digital eye. The job hunter wanting to post online must fi rst understand this difference before he can craft a resume suited for an electronic environment.

You may well ask: Is there really a need to prepare an electronic resume? With almost everything now being done via the Net, it would be foolish not to do so.

An electronic resume is vital in today’s times because an increasing number of busi-nesses have started using the Internet for hiring purposes.

And online recruitment isn’t likely to fade away anytime soon either. For hiring managers, it represents convenience, effi ciency and 24-hour connection to the job market.

“With automated resume submission, we are sure that we get the maximum number of applicants. We can reach out to as many prospective applicants as possible,” stresses Dona Yap, the personnel head of a computer fi rm.

With an electronic resume, therefore, you are well poised to take advantage of this boom in Internet hiring and send your e-resume instantaneously to any potential employer in any part of the world.

“The Internet is truly amazing. I just fi lled in my resume details and applied online. To my surprise, they contacted me, and eventually hired me for the job,” she narrates.

Still need convincing? Jobstreet.com, the leading e-recruitment site in the Asia-Pacifi c region, receives many success testimonials from jobseekers, saying they were able to land a job after registering their resumes with the website.

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Making a Web-compatible ResumeHow do I make a Web-compatible resume that will impress the digital recruiter? Reyes, a veteran at online job application, says there are two ways of submitting your electronic resume:

a. direct e-mail to a hiring fi rm or by fi lling an electronic form and b. entering it in an online resume bank.

At JobStreet.com, for instance, SiVA does automated searches and segregates resumes based on keywords that indicate the candidate’s skill, education, knowledge levels and other specifi c standards set by the hiring employer. This enables the employer to save a sizable amount of time traditionally spent going through each resume and separating the qualifi ed from the unqualifi ed.

Focus on nouns

Programmer Ruby Alcala says that knowing this, you must remember to focus on nouns, not verbs. “Computers do searches by scanning your resume for keywords and phrases describing skills and work experience needed for the job -- and most of these are nouns,” Alcala says.

“Buzzwords help a lot in the initial scanning stage, but make sure you balance this with a description of your personality and attitude intended for human eyes,” says recruitment offi cer Tristan Ocampo.

This is because after the computer has done an initial search and drawn up the shortlist of qualifi ed applicants, an HR offi cer will be the next to handle your resume. So be sure to include in it as well your competitive human qualities such as dependability, responsibility and initiative.

“If you wish to increase your selection chances, highlight relevant and related accomplish-ments,” Ocampo says. Avoid potential screen-out elements such as unrelated work expe-riences or a list of brief jobs giving the impression you’re a job hopper.

Save as plain text

On the fi le format, job seekers are enjoined to send their Web resumes in plain ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Exchange) text format to ensure all operating systems can read your resumé. Some job seekers also develop resumes in HTML format so they can exist as a web page, and rather than submit an online resume, the applicant can just direct the employer to its URL address.

Attachments are not recommended, not only because the recipient’s operating system may not be able to read it, but also because most employers are wary of them for fear of contracting viruses.

Protecting your privacy

One last thing before you hit that send button: Be warned that once released on the Web, your resume is fair game for browsing by anyone. So if you feel the need to protect your privacy, career counselor Pinky Madrigal suggests indicating only your e-mail address, withholding your personal address and phone number.

“Remember that once posted, your resume becomes a public document whose readership is beyond your control,” Madrigal says.

JobStreet.com, for instance, has the Truste seal which guarantees privacy and confi denti-ality for registered resumes. In essence, the jobseeker has the fi nal say on who to send the resume to or who shall have access to its contents.

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Lot 2 Blk 7 Narra St. Greenview Heights Fairview, Quezon CityApril 22, 2006

Ms. Luisa P. BautistaRecruitment SupervisorHuman Resources DepartmentDetron Philippines Inc.268 Makati Ave. corner Ayala, Makati City

Dear Ms. Bautista:

I am applying for the position of Human Resources Assistant described in your advertisement in the April 15 issue of the Bulletin Today. I believe that my experience and education qualify me for this position.

During the past summer, I was employed as a Human Resources Clerk by Mitsubishi Motors Philippines and assisted in the training of their employees. I have recently received a B.S Psychology degree from Miriam College.

Additional information and references related to my personal characteristics, work experience, and educational background are given in the enclosed resume.

I would be pleased to have an interview with you at your earliest convenience. I can be reached at the above address or by phone at 932-4836.

Thank you very much.

Very truly yours,

(signature)Mary Beth J. Infante

Sample Application Letter

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Sample Resume

MARY BETH J. INFANTE Lot 2 Blk 7 Narra St. Greenview Heights Fairview, Quezon City931-9476/0918-8257634beth@mailcity.com

OBJECTIVE To be associated with a multinational company in pursuing a human resources management career in the areas of organizational development, training, recruitment and employee communications.

EDUCATION MIRIAM COLLEGE Bachelor of Science (2006) Major in Psychology

Dean’s Lister (SY 2002-2003) Best Facilitator, Group Dynamics Practicum

ST. JAMES SCHOOL High School Graduate (2002) Consistent Offi cer of the Year Awardee

CO- 2003-2004 Council of LeadersCURRICULAR Membership Committee Chairperson, MC PEOPLEACTIVITIES Member, Psychological Federation of the Philippines

WORK On-the-Job Trainee (Summer 2005)EXPERIENCE Human Resources Department MITSUBISHI MOTORS PHILIPPINES

Test Administrator (October 2005) Human Resources Department MAKRO PHILIPPINES

Recentcolored

2x2 ID

picture

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SKILLS & I am profi cient with Windows applications like Word, Excel and INTERESTS Powerpoint among others. I have the creativity to tackle people- oriented issues and the drive to handle projects, which have a strong impact on the groups, and organizations I belong to. In addition, I enjoy singing, playing the piano, being with friends, and sports.

Sample Resume

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Be Mentally Prepared to Interviewby Regina Gozar-Posadas

Tips on getting ready for the interview:

1. Do some research. Learn as much as you can about the position, the company and the industry so you can assess and justify your suitability for the job. Be friendly and professional to employees you meet or speak with on the phone-they can be your allies in securing that coveted job.

2. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Review the skills, character traits and abilities you possess that can contribute to the company’s cause. Envision yourself in the position and think realistically of what you can do, improve or add to benefi t the com-pany.

3. Study your employment history so you can describe your work experi-ence in detail. Get excellent references and bring samples of your work to show the interviewer. Practice enumerating your duties and accomplishments at each job.

4. Be familiar with the questions. Prepare yourself for both the usual suspects (“Tell me about yourself.”) and tough-to-answer questions (“What are the benefi ts of hiring you over someone else?” Or “What can you do for the company?”) and try to answer these positively.

5. Ask your own questions. Interviewers are not just after answers; they also want to know how you think and thus, are interested to hear intelligent, job-related inquiries from applicants.

6. Finally, try to imagine how the entire interview will go. Visualize yourself performing calmly and confi dently from start to fi nish. Psych yourself up for anything that may happen, but always hope for the best. Good luck!

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10 Most Popular Questions during the Interview

1.Tell Me Something About Yourself.

Give them a good initial run down of who you are and your “hidden” characteristics, dem-onstrated in the way you present this self-story.

Prepare a 2 to 3 minute presentation that briefl y introduces yourself (where you’re from), your personal interests (hobbies, community involvement etc), your work history, and recent career experience. The most time should be spent on the accomplishments in the last two areas.

Interviewers look out for three things: a. Your conversational style. b. Your confi dence level.c. Your ability to organize and present information.

2. Why Do You Want To Join This Company?

First, do your research on the company, its culture and market. Not enough job seekers do enough or ANY of this which is a real no-no! Make sure you understand who you are being interviewed by.

Second, DON’T give answers such as “Oh, because it’s such a cool place to work!”, “I like your salary and benefi ts package,” or “My friends are already there and it makes it easier for us to hang out together.”

Third, DO demonstrate to them how you can contribute to the company’s goals and how your skills and experience match their requirements. Similarly, if research shows that the company is trying to be market leader, tell them how your experience/skills will be able to let you contribute to adding market share for the company.

R E A D O N A N D L E A R N . 28

3. What Kind Of Position Are You Looking For?

Avoid vague answers such as “I want an exciting job” or “I want to grow my skills in this area”. Focus on your desired position and how your skills and experience can help you be an asset within that position.

For example: “I have a strong ability to communicate and market a product as proven in my 2 years experience as marketing offi cer at University/company A. I believe that I under-stand the consumer industry and can add value to your company’s marketing efforts.”

4. What Do You Consider Your Strengths and Weaknesses?

This is a time to be honest, but don’t go to extremes either way. Be clear and concise about qualities that demonstrate you take responsibility for your work ethic, actions, and experi-ences learned (or failures) on the job, problem-solving ability, and values.

5. What Do You Know About Our Company?

This is where your research has come in handy. It is a way to demonstrate that you are serious about joining the company and was motivated enough to learn about it before the interview.

Do mention its major product, markets and latest development. Keep things positive. Also try to show your eagerness to learn more about the company by asking some questions to the interviewer him/herself.

6. What Do You Consider Your Greatest Achievements?

Try to mention about 2-3 achievements. This is a way for interviewers to gauge how you managed people/projects/yourself in a successful manner - which can translate into how you may be able to succeed in the company if they hire you.

Try to choose a set of achievements that allow you to display a variety of strengths. For ex-ample, a successful event that you set up showing your organizational skills, successfully resolving a situation at work which demonstrates your problem solving skills and delivering an important report under diffi cult circumstances which shows your ability to handle pres-sure.

7. Why Are You Looking For A New Job?

This may seem like a straightforward question to answer, but look again. Most people seek another job because they are unhappy/unsatisfi ed with their current employment. But relating ANYTHING in a negative light at an interview is bad form. Most interviewers don’t look so much for the reason you left, but the way you deliver your response. So, always be honest and positive.

Even if you got fi red from your last job, try to keep it brief yet honest. If you start ranting on about how your ex boss/company was a terrible employer, they may be thinking “Is he still dealing with bitter or sad feelings, or has he been able to focus his energy on the future and the next position? Does she place total blame on others for her situation or does she accept at least some responsibility for it?” Further, most terminations happen because of an ill-fi t between company and employee, not so much performance.

If you left voluntarily, don’t dwell on the negative reasons for leaving, and focus on how you can contribute better to your new company/role.

Some examples of answers that would work are below:“I wanted to move my career in a new direction. (Make sure you mention what this new direction is.) My company was restructuring and I chose to seek better opportunities else-where.”

“I want to keep developing new skills but was unable to pursue this in my previous com-pany. I decided to make a change to allow this to happen.” 8. Where Do You See Yourself One / Five Years From Now?

State realistic expectations and propose a real plan of where you intend to go within the company. Never sound overly confi dent, fearful or confused.

9. What Type Of Job Assignments Did You Perform In Your Last Job?

Be honest and to the point answering this, even if the assignments performed don’t exactly match those required in the new position. (The key point here is to try to tell them about experience gained in areas that might be relevant to your new position.)

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10. When You Start A New Job, How Do You Establish Good Relationships With Your New Colleagues and Supervisors?

Be enthusiastic and positive. Tell them how you worked well with your past colleagues or peers in projects etc. Networking skills is important so show how you used yours in your past to good stead.

The bottomline is, be prepared, do your research, and understand the job you are being interviewed for and how your skills / personality / experience match the job’s requirements.

Close the interview with any last questions, pass on your namecard if you have one, thank them for their time and give a fi rm handshake before smiling and saying goodbye.

The fi rst interview is just a lead into the second interview or offer to a job. Not everyone is suited for the job or the company. So don’t be discouraged if you were not offered a posi-tion right away. Keep your chin up and your cool, and don’t give up on yourself!

I N A N U T S H E L L ,

T I P : A LW A Y S C O M E P R E P A R E D .

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Top 6 Interview Bloopersby Jobstreet

1. Being unprepared. Going to the meeting knowing nothing about the company but its name or having only a vague idea of what the position entails predisposes you to a hasty, unceremonious exit.

Being ready also means planning for any contingency. Bring along extra resumes, your portfolio, your references’ contact numbers and your social security or tax number in case you need to fi ll out an application form.

2. Dressing unprofessionally. First impressions can make or break you, so always meet company representatives in your professional suit.

Do look neat and clean. Avoid in particular chunky jewelry, loud prints and overpowering cologne.

3. Acting uncool. Employers will quickly lose interest in someone who appears des-perate for work.

It’s also so uncalled for to be self-deprecating or self-apologetic. The best approach: Strive to appear calm and in control, even as you convey warmth and enthu-siasm. Smile, maintain eye contact, sit up straight and answer slowly and clearly. Don’t fi dget, chew gum or make other nervous movements.

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4. Rambling on and on and on. Employers have a hearty dislike for those who over-talk during the interview. They get the impression that you either can’t organize your thoughts, are stalling for time, or are glossing over some inadequacy.

The solution: Practice your answers to frequently asked questions and role-play the interview scenario with a friend.

5. Talking money too soon. If it’s your fi rst interview, resist the urge to ask how much you might earn. It shows you’re primarily interested in the salary, not the work. If you prove yourself capable, you’ll get an offer and the chance to negotiate the salary you desire. But while you shouldn’t ask just yet, you must already have a fair idea of what the position should be worth. Include salary matters when you do pre-interview research so that you can haggle well if you do receive that offer.

6. Being too honest. Being totally honest during the interview is courting disaster. For instance, if you’re asked why you left your previous employer, you shouldn’t say that you resigned because your boss is a pain in the neck or the company is the pits. Remember that you’re selling yourself: Couch your replies with care, being mindful to project a professional image at all times.

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APPEARANCEThe fi rst impression your interviewer makes about you is based on the way you look, and you know what they say about fi rst impressions. According to Joe Hodowanes, J.M. Wanes and Associates career strategy advisor, “The way a person dresses is the single biggest non-verbal communication you make about yourself.”

The right dressing is a measure of the seriousness that you place on the position. “Al-though proper dressing by itself will not get you the job, a poor dress sense may exclude you from further consideration,” warns Gerry Ditching, managing partner of Filgifts.com.

The following are some tips to give you a good start. Follow them if you want a good impression.

WomenThree-piece business suits, blouse and skirt or slacks. Do not wear skirts too short or too high. Short-sleeved blouses are okay when they are tailor-cut or have features such as a sports collar or double breast design to create a business-like look.

Wear panty-hose or stockings. Bring an extra one just in case the ones you are wearing run.

Wear closed shoes or pumps with at least 1½-inch heels. These give a more professional look. (Dark colors are best.)

Hair longer than shoulder length should be worn up or pulled back. Don’t let it fall in front of your face. Don’t keep trying to fi x it during the interview.

Keep your make-up simple and subtle. Natural is the key word.

Nail polish are recommended.

Jewelry. If you have to wear them, studs or gold, silver or pearls are best.

Folders and bags should blend well with the total professional look.

MenWear long-sleeved shirt (acceptable colors: pale shades such as beige, blue, and other pastels).

Tuck in the shirt and do not roll up the sleeves. Short-sleeved shirt will destroy your executive colors.

Ties are optional. But if you do wear one, choose a conservative pattern such as solids, small repeating shapes, subtle plaids, and paisleys.

Belts should match your shoes. Choose those with smaller buckles with squared lines look more professional.

Black socks are the best (blue and gray are also acceptable) depending on your attire. Never wear white socks! No skin should show when you sit down or cross your legs.

Wear black or burgundy leather shoes with laces on them. Other suitable colors are brown, cordovan and navy.

Hair. Keep neat, short and preferably parted on the side. And shave off all those facial hair.

Do not wear too much of jewelry. Watch and wedding ring are the only acceptable pieces of jewelry. Defi nitely no pierced body parts, and cover up your tattoos!

Use leather briefcases or folders to hold copies of your resume. Use narrow briefcases and avoid plastic folders and plastic ball pens as they are out of place.

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REFERENCES

I Can. SY 2011-2012

Prepared byMIRIAM COLLEGE GUIDANCE CENTERCareer Development & Placement Offi ce

Cover and Layout by MCRAndres© 2012

Books Kotter, John P. Self-assessment and career development. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Inc., 1978

Internet Hiatt Career Cebter (2003) Career Guide Overview. Retrieved December 2003 from http:// www.brandeis.edu/hiatt/overguide.html www.jobstreet.com www.wikihow.com

Others www.cv-writer.biz/Resume.jpg www.international-job-search.com/resume.jpg www.yahoo.com/images www.google.com/images www.vectorstock.com/girl_with_laptop

Image (Mariang Katipunera) created by MC External Affairs Offi ce

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