Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Section Two
YOUR JOB IS OUT THERE
In This Section:
Don’t think that you should use just one of the methods listed in the table. You
will want to use as many methods as seem effective in your situation.
Method 1: Create a Network of
Contacts
Your network of contacts is people you know or
are referred to-people who can help you identify
possible job leads. The people in your network do
not give you jobs themselves. Instead, they tell
you what they know about a specific job field or
about companies that are expanding or hiring.
They also five you other relevant job search
information. Creating a large network of contacts
is the best way to learn about job opportunities
and find a job that works for you. The list that
follows will help you think of people and
organizations you may want to include.
Questions to Ask Contacts
Many people do not like to network because they do not want to
advertise the fact that they are unemployed. If networking
bothers you, remember that you are not asking the people in
your network for a job. You are just letting them know that you
are looking for work and that you need information. Most people
will not have a job to offer, but they will have valuable
information to share.
Ask your contacts questions about these topics:
What they know about a certain career
Who they know
Who they can introduce or refer you to
Which companies are hiring
What the future looks like for the occupation
Which companies are expanding
Try to get at least one piece of useful information from every
person you contact. This way you keep gathering information and
Steps for Creating a Network
Contacts Record
Step One: To begin building your network of contacts, make a list
of individuals who can help you lean about companies and obtain
job leads.
Step Two: In the left column of the record, write the names and
phone numbers of individuals and associations you know and will
contact.
Step Three: in the right Column, write the names of people,
companies, and organizations your contact referred you to, as
shown in the example.
EXAMPLE
Network Contacts Record
(You Can Print This Slide)
Method 2: Make Cold Calls to
Find the Hidden Job Market
The phone is a great tool for obtaining job leads and information
about jobs and companies. Many people feel uncomfortable
calling strangers. They fear rejection and are afraid they will get
tongue-tied when they have a potential employer on the line. This
section will help you become more effective in using the phone to
fine a good job.
Use cold calls to get information
o Chances are that the people you call do not get a lot of calls from
job seekers. Treat them as experts in their fields, and do so in a
friendly manner. They will probably be pleasant, and they might
even be flattered that you are seeking their advice. Be brief and
specific about the purpose of your call. You can get information
about a particular occupation or organization, or details about
what it takes to qualify for a certain job. Also, as you talk to more
and more people, you will develop an overall understanding of
the industry you are researching.
o A cold call may lead to a visit to an organization and an
Make Practice Calls
You may be worried about getting tongue-tied while you are
on the phone with someone you really want to work for. If so,
try calling people at companies you do not want to work for.
Practice asking them about their industry; about the
equipment and technology they use; and about job
qualifications, hiring practices, and trends in their industry.
Write down information as you speak to them. This will help
you get used to taking notes while on the phone. By making
practice calls, you will become familiar with industry
terminology. You might be surprised at how much people are
willing to tell you about their work.
Make Phone Contacts That
Count
Getting through to the right person on the phone is
sometimes difficult. Remember these points:
v Prepare an outline or script
v Be courteous and businesslike with everyone
v Smile. Relax, and speak with confidence so that your call
will reach its goal
v Expect the receptionist to ask who you are and who and
what you want.
v Ask for the appropriate manager and, if you don’t already
know the persons name, try to get it before you are
transferred,
v Ask for a good time to call back if your contact is not
available
v Leave a message if you absolutely cannot get through.
Here is an example of a phone
script:
When your call gets through,
do following:
Use your outline or script.
Introduce yourself and mention who referred you.
Give a brief description of your interests and background.
Have a list of topics and questions you want to discuss.
When the person is willing to
talk ask questions like these:
What qualifications do people who work in this position have?
What qualifications do entry-level people have?
I am planning to attend ______ school. Have you ever hired
anyone who attended that school?
How many ______ [job title] work in your department?
When you have an opening for _______ [job title], how tough is the
competition?
How many people have you hired in the last six months?
What type growth do you project for your industry?
May I have the name and number of someone else who works in
this field?
May I stop by and ask a few more questions?
Take nores during the call. You will need them to create contact
records, discussed in the next section.
Use E-mail messages
If your network contact gave you an e-mail address for a
contact, you may want to use an e-mail message as the
way to contact the employer. If you do use e-mail, follow
these guidelines:
Organization: _______________________
Address: _____________________________
Phone: _______________________________
Web Address: _________________________
Contact Person And Title:
_______________________________________
E-mail Address:
________________________
Method 4: Research
Organizations on Your Own
While having a network contact refer you to
employers can really speed up your job search,
you can’t wait until you get the perfect referable.
You can research organizations or companies on
your own. Begin by creating a list of companies
where you would like to work. Prioritize the list
and spend time researching these companies.
Look for information about the organization in
libraries, in book stores, at college career
centers, or at your state department of labor.
Information to Research
Before contacting an organization, find out as much of the following
as you can about the organization:
The organization’s locations – headquarters, branch offices,
international offices, and retail outlets
What the organization does – its services and/or products
Titles of positions that interest you and requirements for
qualifying people who got those positions
The salary range or hourly rates paid for various positions
Contact names- department heads, the human resources
manager, people you know who work there, and former
employees
The organizations history and future plans
Employment activity-recent employments, firing, or layoffs
The organizations competitors
Information to Research
Continued
Ask your librarian how to get information on
specific companies. The business section of
newspaper, the Chamber of Commerce, trade
journals, employment agencies, and professional
associations are other great sources of
information. Also, record any information you get
from cold calls and informational interviews.
As you research companies, keep important
information on one of the Organization
Information Records shown on the next slide.
Keep this information organized and easily
accessible. Make extra copies of the blank page,
and fill out one record for each organization you
Sample Organization
Information Record
Organization Name: Air Quality, Inc.
Address: 1122 Broadway, Denver, Colorado
Phone: (303) 893-2126 Web Site Address:
www.airquality.com
Types of Services and/or products offered:
evaluation, design of air pollution control
equipment
Position of interest: Mechanic
Required skills, certification, Education, Work
Experience: Stat licensed smog-certified
technician or advanced emission specialist
Organization Information
Record
Organization Name:______________________________________________
Address:_________________________________________________________
_
Phone:__________________________
Web Site Address:___________________________________
Types of Services and/or Products Offered:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Position of Interest:
_______________________________________________
Required Skills, Certification, Education, Work
Experience:______________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
_
Also Available in long format on Word
Method 5: Respond to Want
Ads
Want ads announce job openings in the classified sections of
newspapers and certain industry publications. Although ads are
not the best method, sometimes job seekers do find employment
by responding to want ads.
Looking through want ads can give you a good idea of available
jobs in various industries. You may be able to get information on
the experience, qualifications, and skills you need and salary you
can expect. Job openings may exist in a certain field even though
no specific positions are listed in the want ads.
Most ads first appear on Wednesday or Sunday, so pay attention
on those days. Read all the want ads, because jobs that interest
you may be listed under construction, painters, laborers, home
builders, carpenters, or other job categories.
When reading and responding to wants ads,
be aware of the following:
Some ads list a post office box instead of an organization name.
This prevents you from doing any research on the organization.
Ads that promise a big paycheck usually are for sales positions,
which involve being paid on commission, not a salary or hourly
wage.
If the contact for the ad is an employment agency, find out
whether the agency will charge you a fee. Some agencies charge
the employer a fee; some charge the job seeker a fee.
Multiple position ads usually indicate a new or expanding
organization. Many people will be competing for these positions.
Some ads use the word preferred as in degree preferred or two
years of experience preferred. This usually mean you can apply
even if you do not have that particular skill or ability, if you do
have other qualifications.
Be sure you meet the minimum requirements listed in the want
ad. If it says that a certification, license, degree, or experience is
Abbreviations In the Want Ads
Abbreviations In the Want Ads Continued
Abbreviations In the Want Ads Continued
Abbreviations In the Want Ads Continued
Abbreviations In the Want Ads
Continued