HOW TO GET A JOB?

PROVE THAT YOU ARE WORTH HIRING!!!

---

DEMONSTRATE AND PROVIDE EXAMPLES THAT YOU POSSESS:

GOOD COMMUNICATION SKILLS

LEADERSHIP SKILLS

GOOD ANALYTICAL SKILLS

THE ABILITY TO MANAGE RAPID CHANGE

A SENSE OF SOCIAL AND ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY

---

STEPS IN SEARCHING FOR A JOB?

STEP 1: PREPARING A RESUME

STEP 2: PRE-INTERVIEW PREPARATION

STEP 3: THE INTERVIEW

STEP 4: AFTER THE INTERVIEW

---

DEMONSTRATE AND PROVIDE EXAMPLES THAT YOU POSSESS:

---

GOOD COMMUNICATION SKILLS

• ARE YOU A GOOD BUSINESS WRITER?
• HAVE EXAMPLES OF LETTERS, MEMOS, REPORTS, ETC.
• DO YOU FUNCTION WELL IN SMALL GROUPS?
• DEMONSTRATE ABILITY TO WORK IN TEAMS?
• DO YOU SPEAK IN A CLEAR AND CONCISE MANNER?
• HOW DO YOU DO IN FRONT OF A GROUP?
• HAVE YOU EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATED DIRECTLY WITH BUSINESS EXECUTIVES? DEMONSTRATE YOUR EXPERIENCE.

---

LEADERSHIP SKILLS

• HAVE YOU BEEN A LEADER?
• (CLUBS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS)
• HOW DO YOU FUNCTION AS A LEADER? FACILITATOR?
• DO YOU ARRANGE RESOURCES TO ACCOMPLISH OBJECTIVES?

---

GOOD ANALYTICAL SKILLS

• PROVE HOW YOU CAN SYSTEMATICALLY OBTAIN AND ANALYZE RELEVANT INFORMATION?
• DO YOU FINISH TASKS ON TIME? (FOR EXAMPLE, PROJECTS)
• DO YOU COMPLETE AND MAINTAIN ACCURACY OF EVEN THE SMALLEST ASPECTS OF ASSIGNED TASKS? (WHEN DID YOU DO THIS?)

---

THE ABILITY TO MANAGE RAPID CHANGE

• DO YOU ADJUST TO MEET REQUIREMENTS EVEN WHEN CONDITIONS CHANGE? PROVIDE AN EXAMPLE.
• DO YOU INFLUENCE EVENTS TO ACHIEVE GOALS?
• DO YOU HAVE INITIATIVE?
• CAN YOU THINK ON YOUR FEET?

---

A SENSE OF SOCIAL AND ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY

• DO YOU DEMONSTRATE A CONSIDERATION FOR THE FEELING AND NEEDS OF OTHERS?
• DO YOU CRITICIZE ISSUES OR THE PERSON PRESENTING ISSUE?
• DO YOU BEHAVE IN LINE WITH FORMAL AND INFORMAL CODES OF ACCEPTABILITY?
• DO YOU HAVE INTEGRITY?
• WHAT KINDS OF VOLUNTEER WORK HAVE YOU DONE?

---

---

STEPS IN SEARCHING FOR A JOB?

---

STEP 1: RESUME

• BE CREATIVE, BUT NOT TOO CREATIVE,
• KEEP IT BRIEF (BULLET POINTS, USUALLY 1 PAGE),
• EASY TO READ,
• SHOW "RESULTS" THAT PROVE YOU POSSESS THE ABOVE CHARACTERISTICS,
• ATTACH A COVER LETTER THAT DEMONSTRATES HOW CONCISELY YOU CAN COMMUNICATE; (INDICATE WHAT POSITION(s) YOU ARE APPLYING FOR).

---

STEP 2: PRE-INTERVIEW

• SHOW ENTHUSIASM DURING INITIAL CALL FOR INTERVIEW,
• RESEARCH THE COMPANY (USE THE INTERNET AND LIBRARY),
• PREPARE FOR THE STANDARD INTERVIEW QUESTIONS,
• PREPARE A LIST OF REFERENCES TO GIVE TO THE INTERVIEWER AND
• CHANGE THE "SILLY", OR "CUTE" ANSWERING MACHINE RECORDING
• TELL ROOMMATES TO BE COURTEOUS WHEN ANSWERING THE PHONE.

---

STEP 3: THE INTERVIEW

• ARRIVE A FEW MINUTES EARLY,
• DRESS APPROPRIATELY (ALWAYS WEAR A SUIT),
• PRESENT A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION (HAND SHAKE, EYE CONTACT, AVOID READING FROM YOUR NOTES...)
• ANSWER QUESTIONS CONFIDENTLY, BUT SINCERELY,
• HAVE ORGANIZATION SPECIFIC QUESTIONS READY FOR THE INTERVIEWER, ASK ABOUT:
• TRAINING PROGRAMS
• COMMITMENT TO CONTINUING EDUCATION
• DO NOT ASK ABOUT SALARY/BENEFITS.
• IF YOUR ARE ASKED ABOUT SALARY ANSWER SOMETHING LIKE, "MY RESEARCH INDICATES THAT $20,000 TO $24,000 IS AN APPROPRIATE SALARY,"
• REMEMBER YOU ARE SELLING YOURSELF
• AVOID DISPLAYING A LACK OF SELF-CONFIDENCE
• BE PROFESSIONAL!

---

STEP 4: AFTER THE INTERVIEW

• ALWAYS-ALWAYS-ALWAYS SEND THANK YOU LETTER
• DEVELOP A STANDARD LETTER, THEN ADD SOMETHING SPECIFIC ABOUT THE INTERVIEW
• IF APPROPRIATE, PHONE INTERVIEWER TO EXPRESS APPRECIATION AND TO TELL THEM YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE JOB. IN YOUR CONVERSATION, BE ENTHUSIASTIC WITHOUT BEING OVERBEARING

Return to top of page

Steps in searching for a job

Return to home page