Which job do you take?

After three months of looking I still did not have a job- I have a good CV, many years of office experience and a degree and professional qualifications.  I did occasionally get invited for interview but more often than not the employer said that I was over qualified or asked if I would be bored doing such a low level job. I started to apply for jobs in education where at least my educational qualifications would be recognised. Within a few weeks I was offerred two jobs! Both of these jobs are quite low paid but don't have any responsibilities and both jobs have promotion prospects! Which job should I choose?
I think I have managed to avoid making the decision for  a few months! Both jobs have agreed to take me on a part time basis whilst I make my mind up which one I wish to make my "career" My family say it is called sitting on the fence but the way I look at it is that it is extending my experience within different learning environments, one in a college, one in a school and they compliment each other. So maybe its not a time to put all your eggs in one basket but to keep my options open.

Who to have as a reference?

Ok I had to provide two people to give references- one is usually your last employer- only thing is my last employer will not answer reference requests as they had a large number of temporary staff and its too much to do. Hopefully the job I had before that will give me a reference.
The real one that you have control over is a character reference. Think about the people that you know and trust. Is there anyone who has a good position in society or a recognised professional qualification. If you attend church is there a minister who will give you a reference. If you really don't have someone in a professional role then ask someone who has known you a long time and understands what makes you tick. Employers will be assurred by someone writing, I have known Mrs X since she was 15 and she has always been such a helpful person......

What to do when you get a job

Ok, it has happenned, I have been offerred a job!
What happens next?

The employer will want to check my references, so it reminds me to check that I have supplied the right contact details. Owing to the nature of the job, working with people with disabilities and learning difficulties I have to complete a CRB check which means I have to prove my identity and all records and police records are checked to see that I am a suitable person. I have found my tax forms and know who to tell when I start work.

Interview Questions

I went to an interview yesterday! Don't yet know how I did but I was really faced with a dilemna. I need a job- does not matter what it is, I need it. At the interview they told me that the hours were variable, but that they could ensure three days a week work. Great I thought but then I thought, will they contract 3 days per week or just stick to the variable hours contract. I wanted to ask them but I didn't want to do anything negative so I didn't ask the question. I decided that if they offer me the job I shall accept and if the conditions are not that good then I will keep applying until I get a better job- The bottom line is to keep my sanity I need to do some work!

Don't Give up hope of getting a job

Write a good covering letter

COVERING LETTERS.

Many job applications ask for a CV or resume accompanied by a covering letter. This is your opportunity to shine! Make sure that you write a good letter, well set out with NO spelling mistakes!


Before you write the letter look carefully at the job advert, what skills and experience are they looking for? Make sure that you highlight your skills and experience in the area that they are looking for! Tell them you have the skills rather than leaving them to try and work out from your resume if you have the skills. They might get it wrong and think that you do not have the skills when you don!

Use of Spellchecker on your Job Application Form

If you complete a Job Application Form online you will probably use the spell checker function on your computer. Be warned!! Make sure that your spell checker is in the correct language. I realised this today, whilst completing a form that my spell checker was an American version whilst I needed to use the British version. Needless to say I have asked the family nerd to change it, but until then , it is out with the dictionary!

Answering the questions in an interview

So, you get offerred an interview and you turn up looking smart and clean. You are pleasamt , they are pleasant and ask you to sit down...... that's when the hard part starts.
The point of an interview is for the prospective employer to see if they like you and  the prospective employee "you" to see if you like them.
The last two interviews I have had, I did not like the firm and could not imagine working there! This is a bad attitude if you really need a job. At an interview you should appear keen to work there, smile, and don't be too candid. For instance I was asked "what made you apply for this job". My answer "It is five minutes walk away" was not what they were looking for- so a better answer would have been " I have seen the work that your company does and I think they are a market leader who I would really like to work for".
Some questions seem a bit stupid- "can you use the e mail" (  I thought nearly everyone could) Yes I answered as if it was a stupid question which it was to someone who has done office work for 30 years, but the interviewer was not impressed- obviously as I didn't get the job.
Teamwork - do you work as part of a team or work alone. There is my standard answer borrowed from my nephew "there's no I in TEAM"  but the better answer must be,  "I can work alone and am happy to do so but there are many occassions when it is beneficial to ask for the assistance of others who have different skills to yourself"

Interview Preparation

So you are lucky, you have been granted an interview- now is the time to do some preparation work.
Look at the companies website if they have one and try and find out the spirit and the ethos of the company- and the tailor your answers to the replies as if you were working there. If they are big on customer service, think about how you have shown good customer service or if its your first job, think about times when you have had really good customer service and be able to explain why they think its so good.
If you are having to go for a job that is beneath your normal level of work then tailor your answers. I went for one yesterday, the poor woman asked me if I could send an e mail- I then started to explain an Search Engine Optimisation Project I was working on- I don't think she understood, all she wanted was "yes, I can and I can forward and add attachments".
Find out where you are going in advance and allow extra time. If you really want the job allow double the travelling time. I was called to an interview recently and it coincided with a strike of teachers and an University Open Day and students going home. I sat in traffic for 45 minutes unable to move and was half an hour late, having allowed only 15 minutes flexibility. In the end I didn't like the job so I was not disappointed that I didn't get the job, but I am sure if I had listened to her questions better, and answered what she had asked, and not been late I would have stood a better chance!

Job Application Form

The Job Application form is an important document. Without it you will probably not be invited for interview. Many companies will ask to see your CV or resume and then if they think that you might be suitable for their job, they will ask you to complete a Job Application Form. These forms are often sent in an online link. To complete your Job Application Form Online, read the instructions and then read them again. I have spent an hour completing a form and then broken to make a coffee only to find that it does not save and I have to start all over again.

Some forms are available in PDF only which means that you cannot type on them , so you have to print them out and then write on them,just the same as if you had received it in the post! A simple tip in completing any Job Application form is to use clear handwriting. If you have untidy writing using Capital letters.


The main thing is "Do not lie, you could be found out and it could cost you the job"
It may be inviting to put a few incorrect details on the form, increase your grades or make your responsibility in your previous job look so much more., well don't do it.
In my experience a  prospective employer will say well if they cheated on that what else did they cheat on- it just makes you appear dishonest.

The really important thing with the Job Application form is to send it to the correct address by the closing date or else you definitely won't get the job because they either have not got the form or have already appointed someone to the job

How to write a resume

HOW TO WRITE A RESUME

As soon as you start looking for jobs you will come to the crunch point- send me your resume or CV as they call it in the United Kingdom. This is basically a career history and is never easy to do. If, like me you have been working for years in several jobs there is so much to put in, yet what do you leave out? You could re write your resume for every job but that could be very time consumning If you are young, amybe just leaving college there wont be a lot to go in other than examinations and maybe holiday jobs so you may have to write a lot about your hobbies or any community work you have done.

There are quite a few free Resume templates on the internet- try looking at employment agencies as they often provide free Resume builders which help you and make sure that you don't overlook something important.If you want to build one from scratch read this How to writea resume

 Once you have your resume you really are ready to go Job hunting!
Some people have asked how to write a resume or as we call them in the UK a CV. I have a link here to something I have written that may help you.
Click on here to find out how to write a resume 

Do a Keyword search on the Internet

Do a Keyword search on the Internet

Open up your browser to the google search page and search for any internet job sites covering your area.
Search terms I have tried are,  full time jobs in .............., part time jobs in................., job sites................admin jobs, admin jobs in ...................

These all obtain results and may give you new areas to search and research.

Employment Agencies

Try and impress an Employment Agency

I have found that there are simple rules when dealing with Employment Agencies. The thing to remember is that they are there to make money by selling-  the product that they are selling is "you".

All staff at agencies are really nice and say that they will consider your CV, chances are they will look at their vacancies and if there is nothing that springs to mind, they will file it away and it might never see the light of day again. I really struggle with agencies, despite having the skills for the job they often won't forward yourCV to the employer so it often is the case that you do better with direct applications to Employers.
However if you are approach them at the right time in the right place they just might come up with something.Another golden rule is not to put all your eggs in one basket- Don't sit around awaiting that call from the Agency, register with as many as you can, either online or in person.

Realising that I was getting no response from my agency applications I dressed myself up for work and called upon them.  One or two noted my name in their books which means that they might just read my CV when it arrives electronically. They don't like hard copies they get too many! One lady told me she gets sent 100 a day which gives you an indication of how many are read- not many I think!

Good news! Today is Thursday and I had a call from an agency explaining that they had not got me a job but were still trying! Sort of made my day

Government Employment Office

ASK THE GOVERNMENT FOR HELP

What help you get from the government depends on where you  live. As we are really in an economic downturn most governments are eager for people to get work so that the unemployment benefits bill is reduced and it loods like the country is prospering.
Sometimes, unless you are trying to claim money you don't have to visit. Most people know who provide help with Job Seeking in their country but they might not know the services that they provide. Go to the website of the organisation and see what they do. In the UK our state organised Job Seeking department is JobCentrePlus they have a websitehttp://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/index.htm  this link tells you everything they do to help you get back into work. They have an internet service where job vacancies are placed. The important thing to remember is that the vacancies are placed all of the time, so just because there is not a vacancy when you look there might be one, say half an hour later.. well worth the time to search and it is relatively quick and easy and if you have an internet connection at home, you don't even need to get dressed.

Newspapers

LOOK IN THE PAPER
Six years ago when I used to help people find jobs, the paper was the biggest source of adverts. If a job was advertised I used to tell people to man the phone from 11am when the first edition of our local paper came out as the phone would be red hot with calls from people looking for jobs.
Things are a bit different now, with more and more people using the Internet. However there are still a lot of firms who publish job vacancies in local newspapers and some firms where they don't like IT only publish in the paper. I was amazed last week there was a job in a local school- it was published in the paper but not put on the Internet, don't ask me why?
Check out your local paper, do they have vacancies posted every day or a special job day on a weekly basis. Also check out where you can find a paper for free, libraries often get and keep copies of  local papers, so you can sit and get the details.

 You might be looking for a high powered high level job so check out any regional, national papers that may carry supplements on specific days for specific types of employment- well worth spending some time over and if you can find a library or a coffee shop you won't have to buy the paper!

Look around you

Do you look in shop/store and office windows?
If you are looking for a job it is a good idea. Shops always advertise vacancies in their windows, sometimes factories and offices will have a sign outside. If you are out and see an ad, stop and make a mental check. Have you just gone out to fetch some milk in your old clothes? Don't go into the shop and ask for a form or hand in your CV or resume as the assistant will not call the manager and will probably dump your form in the trash as soon as you have left.
Instead if you see a job, go home and get cleaned up, dress smartly and then visit, handing in your resume politely and taking time to make an impression on the assistant. If you are clean, clear and most of all have good eye contact and a nice smile, they may just call the manager over and you could be half way towards getting that job!

Perhaps the best way to find a job

Talk to your friends
Looking for work is hard, it can be like a full time job. You have to put the hours in to get the job. However the easiest way to get a job is to get help from friends. Talk to people, they will know if their place has a job opening and they know you, so a quiet recommendation may be all that is needed. Employers often like this because it means that they don't have to pay advertising costs or endure countless boring interviews where they can't tell the difference between candidates as they all seem to have the same talents.
Go out and meet your friends and acquaintances, tell them you need a job and what you are good at. You never know what might come through the door. My eldest was working at a Pizza restaurant and her little sister wanted a part time job, aged 16 with no qualifications. The manager said he would try her cos her sister was so good, and she got the job, working there for 3 years-.
Friends can tell you when adverts are being published, they can give you the inside information on what the company is looking for- use this information
I went to loads of Job Agencies yesterday, most of them didn't want to know, but in one I knew the receptionist, you can bet that my resume was seen by a consultant in preference over others- that is how it works. So get out there, meet people and talk- maybe you will be able to talk yourself into a new job!