How to apply for jobs
Applying for jobs should be as easy as choosing which socks you want to
wear today, however this is the real world and applying for positions has
become a complicated process. As we have discussed in the other
career sections, there are many elements to getting it all perfect.
All the elements have to be there to ensure your best chances at
getting that perfect job, the mind
preparation, a well written resume/CV,
well constructed application letters and
job interview preparation.
Now that you have everything prepared and ready to be mailed out, you need
to work out where to find those jobs.
It is a well known fact in the careers industry that only about 10% of
the jobs get advertised. The other 90% are in the hidden job market.
To make it even worse, about 80% of job seekers apply for the advertised
positions, therefore making it very competitive. The key to
successful job searching is to tap into the hidden job market.
The hidden job market consists of the following:
- Positions listed internally.
- Positions that are filled by hiring someone that knows someone.
- Employment Consultants that fill positions from their database of
applicants.
- Positions posted on the web via various internet sites.
- Employers using resumes submitted by people interested in future job
opportunities.
- Companies hawking employees from the opposition.
Networking is one of the most effective ways of tapping into the hidden
job market, the expression "being at the right place at the right
time" can be a useful tool when job searching. The key is to
ensure that you have a presence in companies and employment agencies just
in case something comes up.
Do your research and make a list of 10 companies that you would like to
work for, 10 companies that you feel would benefit from your knowledge and
experience, 10 employment agencies that specialise in your field of
expertise and a list of 10 industry contacts. Refer to our Engineering
Company Directory, Useful Links
Page for suitable recruitment agencies, or even our job
vacancy listings.
Once you have prepared your lists then make some notes next to each as
to why you have chosen them. Then prepare a customised application
letter for each telling them why they should consider you. Ensure
your letter tells them that you would like to be considered for any current
or future employment opportunities.
The selling point here is to tell them why you have chosen them.
Use phrases like: "innovative company", "at the edge of
technology", "market leaders" for companies you would like
to work for.
In the case of companies you feel you would be valuable to, use phrases
like: "extensive experience in your product range", "strong
leadership skills", "excellent communication skills" or
whatever it is you have to offer them. Don't be shy, if you did your
mind preparation properly, then you would have a list of phrases to use.
Do the same for employment agencies, but write your letters in a more
general manner. You want to open doors here, not limit yourself.
Employment agencies will use some key words to classify you into a
category or industry, make sure you tell them exactly what field you want
to be considered for.
The list of contacts will be used for networking, letting people know
that you are out there and looking for a job. Networking is probably
one of the most important aspects of job searching. These are people
that will be promoting you to their organisation as well as other
companies. This is where "being there at the right time and the
right place" comes in. It is also a way to get one of those
positions that get filled by "someone that knows someone".
Don't dismiss the newspapers and other media, a lot of positions still
do get advertised and you don't want to miss out on any of those.
These days of technology means that you should also search the internet,
many companies advertise in their own sites, so check these regularly.
There are also a number of web sites that provide listings of job
vacancies. Engineers International provides this service for free.
To view current job vacancies listed at Engineers International click here.
If you require professional assistance, our professional resume
writing service will be able to help.
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