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Job Searching Tips
Selecting jobs and work environment that best match what you want
Strategically planning a satisfying career path is highly dependent on three major factors:
- Knowing what you want in a job and work environment at different periods in your life.
- Identifying jobs and work environments that offer what you want.
- Selling yourself in the interview to obtain the job offer.
Knowing What You Want
As you move along your career path, you should continuously be identifying what you want in your present job as well as the next one. Early in your career, a good training program, an opportunity to take advance course work and a caring manager might be "key" factors. Later in your career, security and a good benefits package might be more important. Review the items listed below and rank them in importance as you decide what you want in each job you pursue:
- Responsibilities and authority
- Compensation package - salary, bonus, insurance, stock options, car, country club
- Location - What is the commuting time? In what part of the country is the job located?
- Supervisor - can I learn from him or her? Can I adapt to his or her management style?
- Opportunity - To be part of the planning process and define my own job as well as others.
- Advancement opportunities
- Work environment - fast or slow paced, team oriented, bureaucratic
- Independence - How much supervision would I receive?
- Security and stability of the job and organization
- Personal chemistry - Does my personality fit in with most of the personalities of the people in the department/office/firm?
- Travel - How much time will I spend on the road?
- Type of industry - Is the company in a growth industry?
- Professional growth - Does the organization offer in-house training? Programs or compensate continuing education?
- Work hours - How many hours per week will I work?
- Working at a variety of tasks vs. a single task
- Physical labour vs. mental work
- Doing detailed work and writing reports
- Line or staff position
Identifying Job and Work Environments
No matter whether you like or dislike the job, you should continually alert yourself to new growth opportunities. Jobs are advertised in college/university placement centers, employment agencies, newspapers, on job boards and in professional journals.
Selling Yourself in the Interview
The best thing you can do to sell yourself in high stress interviews is to prepare ahead of time.
- Schedule low stress interviews to learn about the job and how to talk about yourself more comfortable. By the time you get to your high stress interview you should be more confident, knowledgeable, and talk in specific language about your accomplishments.
- Research the offices, company and industry.
- Try to make the interview a 50-50 conversation. Attempt to find out what they want and tell them those things about you that pertain to the job.
- Communicate what you are looking for in the company and why you would be good at it.
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Remember the interviewer wants to know four things:
- Why are you here talking to me?
- What can you do for me?
- What kind of person are you?
- What would it cost to have you?
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