Proven tips on how to land that job and keep it
10. Think about your skills, knowledge and abilities. Make a list of them. Be sure to include skills that might apply to a number of jobs. These are called "transferable skills."
9. Identify realistic work goals. Perhaps you want to work as a graphic designer eventually, but first you may have to learn the basics in a print shop.
8. Treat finding employment like a full-time job. Complete a weekly job plan and monitor your goals.
7. Make sure you have a clean, neat résumé and reference list.
6. Your cover letter should be neat, to the point and error-free. We’ve included a sample cover letter for you to consult.
5. Network, network, network! Talk to friends, family, associations, people in coffee shops, business owners. Ask if they know who is hiring.
4. Answer ads, fill out application forms, send out cover letters and résumés.
3. Be well prepared for interviews. Know your stuff, and know something about the company to which you are applying.
2. Have a system for follow-up. Use the telephone, e-mail or thank-you notes.
1. Stay motivated!
What do employers really want?
No matter what field you enter, employers are looking for a number of qualities in their potential employees. Employers want employees who:
- have great attitudes
- set high standards for themselves
- welcome hard work and want to learn new skills and continue to improve their job performance
- recognize and solve problems
- listen to directions and communicate their thoughts and ideas
- are enthusiastic, cheerful, motivated and work well on a team
Get to know yourself. What do you have to offer an employer? Knowing yourself will help you answer this question and decide what type of job is right for you.
Your skills can be separated into two categories: TECHNICAL SKILLS and PERSONAL SKILLS.
Technical skills are skills you learned in past jobs, in volunteer positions, in school and in life. These skills can help you get a job and keep it. Some technical skills are:
- driving a car or truck
- working extended and rotating shifts
- operating machinery, special equipment or power tools
- overhauling small engines
- supervising and training others
- designing window displays
- fabricating, constructing, designing
- coordinating activities or events
- operating a cash register
- operating office equipment
- providing excellent customer service
- bookkeeping
Personal skills include attitude, personality and work habits. These skills affect how you do your job and what kind of work suits you best. Some personal skills are:
- having a sense of humour
- being kind and caring
- being organized
- being responsible
- being reliable
- being creative
- communicating well
- working well with others
- solving problems
- being a hard worker
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Networking is the process of developing and nurturing personal
and professional contacts to obtain referrals, advice, information and support.
- The larger your network, the better your chances of achieving your goals
- Be sure to include friends, relatives, former teachers, classmates, neighbours, former bosses and co-workers in your network
- Networking can occur anywhere, so be prepared
- When networking, never assume that a person will not be able to help you. Sometimes well-connected and helpful people are missed because of assumptions
- Make sure to thank people who help you
- Keep your network posted on developments
- When you are given leads or referrals, ask the people providing them for permission to use their names
Why should you network?
- A network replaces the weakness of the individual with the strength of a group
- Your network provides you with contacts
- Your network gives you feedback that you need
- You gain new experiences and knowledge
- You gain new friends
- Networking can help you help others
- Networking is an essential component of a job search as the majority of jobs are referred by word-of-mouth, not through want ads or agencies
Tips for finding job leads
As a JobWave participant, you will have access to our exclusive job bank. With the
support of our Customer Solutions team and our relationship with 65,000 businesses,
we generate more successful job leads than any other organization in the province!
While JobWave will be an excellent source of job leads for you, it’s also important to continue your own job search. Why not double your chances of success? Some good bets for job leads include:
- telephone book yellow pages and blue pages
- chamber of commerce directories
- Municipal Economic Development Office (you may be able to get a current list of companies registered, a listing of those who have applied for building permits in the past month, etc.)
- local schools, colleges and/or universities
- trade and business magazines
- directories of professional associations, business and trade associations, etc.
- Human Resources Development Canada
- classified newspaper ads and business-related articles
- community-based organizations
- the internet
A résumé sells your skills to potential employers. A good résumé will catch an employer’s eye and may get you an interview. Follow the pointers below to create a focused, energetic and memorable résumé:
- keep your résumé short and to the point (no more than 2-3 pages)
- keep your sentences short and avoid too much description
- describe past jobs (make sure your personal and technical skills are clearly described)
- pay attention to the presentation of your résumé:
- your résumé should not have any spelling errors
- your résumé should be neatly typed on white paper
- your name should be on each page
- an interviewer may want to speak with your past employers to ask about your skills and abilities. Check with three or four people (past employers, teachers or volunteer coordinators) to see if they will be positive references for you
- be honest. Employers often check references. Never lie about your qualifications
- it may be necessary to rewrite your résumé for different job applications. You can change the order of your skills to reflect each job description
- all résumés should include name, address and phone number. If you don’t have a phone or an answering machine, include a number where messages can be left
- your résumés should also include your work history:
- a list of previous jobs, including a brief description of your duties
- names, addresses and phone numbers of previous employers
Résumé styles
Choose the right résumé for you. You will need the free download of Acrobat Reader to view the résumé
styles. Download Acrobate Reader by clicking here.
There are three basic résumé styles: chronological, functional and combination. Choose the format that best highlights your strengths to employers.
Chronological
Lists your work history, starting with the most recent, and focuses on where and
how your skills were learned. It’s effective to use this style when:
- your last employer or school is well-known
- applying to very traditional companies
- staying in the same industry
- past job/leadership titles are impressive
This style may not be effective when:
- you’ve worked on and off
- you’ve changed employers frequently
- you have no previous work experience in your target field
Functional
Lists your skills and accomplishments and focuses on "transferable skills"
instead of listing specific jobs.
A functional résumé is best is when:
- you’re changing careers
- you’re entering the job market for the first time
- you have a variety of different, unrelated work experiences
This style may not be effective when:
- your accomplishments and capabilities are unclear
- previous employers and job titles are impressive
- your growth in a field needs to be demonstrated
Combination
Combines the best from the chronological and functional styles by focusing on skills
and the jobs in which they were developed. A combination résumé is
best when:
- highlighting abilities not used in recent work experience
- your skills and where you developed them are your greatest strengths
- much of your work has been temporary, freelance or consulting
This style may not be effective when:
- you lack relevant work experience
- your capabilities and accomplishments are unclear
When you give your résumé to a potential employer, you must include a cover letter. A cover letter is an introduction to you, your skills and why you are applying for the job. Here’s your chance to make a great first impression!
Like résumés, cover letters should be short and written in direct, simple language. Your cover letter needs to convince the employer to read your résumé and call you for an interview.
Cover letters should be properly formatted and typed on plain white or off-white paper with no errors in spelling, punctuation or grammar. Get a friend to proofread for you.
Address your cover letter to a specific person and write a new cover letter for each job you apply for. This is your opportunity to show the employer you have researched the company.
Highlight skills and accomplishments that apply directly to the job. Do not mention everything that’s in your résumé, just key points. Include a phone number where you can be reached, or where employers can leave messages.
Personal marketing statements
Having a well-rehearsed personal marketing statement is a good way to initially
ease your nervousness when you’re cold-calling, networking, or talking to
a prospective employer.
Personal marketing statements are also known as "elevator statements" or "benefit statements." They allow you to introduce yourself in a confident and informative manner. They should be brief (under a minute) and contain your name and some information about your background and experience. In most instances, you would also include the type of work you’re looking for, although this might be omitted in a networking scenario.
Spend some time developing your own unique personal marketing statement. Practise it until you can deliver it naturally and with ease.
Examples:
Name: Hi my name is Jane Smith
Background/recent experience: Previously, I worked as a receptionist in a doctor’s office greeting the patients as they arrived and taking care of all their respective records. I’ve just completed the Unit Clerk’s training at Vancouver Island University.
What I want: I’m looking for a position within
the hospital as a unit clerk or one that will lead me to that position.
Name: Hi, my name is Robert Smith.
Background/recent experience: I’ve recently been volunteering with the local Family Life Association as a volunteer counsellor, helping people develop strategies for dealing with their teenage children.
What I want: I’m looking for a job that involves working with teens and their parents.
Before the interview
- Before the interview, take some time to organize things so you’re not wasting energy on last-minute glitches
- Research the company. It will provide a good basis for informed questions and provide a better sense of what type of employee they want. Make a list of questions you want to ask
- Think about the questions you might be asked. Practise handling concerns ahead of time
- Call the day before to reconfirm the time and place
- Decide what you’re going to wear; have everything cleaned and pressed. Pay special attention to grooming
- Plan how you’re going to get there; allow extra time for unexpected delays
- Don’t arrive too early; five to ten minutes ahead of the appointment is probably ideal. It gives you a chance to relax before the interview and to review your notes
- Introduce yourself; ask for the person who is interviewing you. Be polite and professional
- If you are kept waiting, don’t appear anxious. Smile and be friendly
- Even though you might like moral support, don’t take a buddy to the interview
- RELAX! If you’ve prepared properly, everything will go well
During the interview
- Greet the interviewer, shake hands, smile and introduce yourself. Provide copies of your résumé
- Think of the interview as a conversation, not an interrogation. The interviewer may also be nervous
- Be prepared for any type of interview. Interviews may be full of questions or casual conversation
- Follow the lead of the interviewer, stay on topic, ask for clarification if necessary. Pay attention and listen well!
- Ask a few questions to let the employer know you are enthusiastic and interested in the company
- Wait for the employer to bring up the subject of wages, hours, holidays, etc.
- Be attentive to body language and posture. Don’t cross your arms; maintain casual eye contact
- Don’t make negative comments about previous employers
- State your interest in the position and organization with enthusiasm
- Ensure the employer has all your required documentation before you leave the interview
- State your appreciation for the interview. Ask if you can phone in a few days to check on the status of your application. If they offer to contact you, politely ask when you can expect their call
- Smile, shake hands and say thank you
After the interview
- Promptly send a brief thank-you note. Mention some of the positive things you talked about in your interview
- Follow up with a phone call if you are not contacted within
a week of the committed time
Once your job search has ended and you find a job, there are things you can do to make your working life successful.
Communication skills
Working well with others requires effective communication skills, which can be learned
on the job. Listening well to what is being said and asking for clarification when
necessary are two particularly important skills in the workplace.
People skills
Good people skills are essential in the workplace and take time to develop. Here
are a few pointers to get you started:
Practise patience. In the workplace, you often have to depend on others to get the job done, just as others may have to rely on you. The modern workplace relies on teamwork, so you need to stay calm under pressure and respect your co-workers.
Learn to accept criticism. When your supervisor hands something back to you for corrections, or suggests a different way of doing something, don't get upset; constructive criticism is part of the learning process.
Give others space to do their jobs. Ask questions if you need to, but learn to trust in your own ability to make decisions. When first training for a job, everyone will understand if you have questions about how to do things. After you settle in, try to solve problems on your own before going to your boss. That will show the employer and the other employees that you have the resources and initiative to find things out for yourself.
Forgive the mistakes of others as well as your own. Everyone has days when things don't go the right way. Being able to forgive yourself and others when mistakes are made will make you a better team member.
Learning styles
When you start a new job, there is a lot to learn about the organization, your employer,
other employees and your position. That’s why it’s important to know
how you learn best. For example:
- Are you more likely to turn a computer on and start playing with it, or would you read the manual first?
- Do you learn best by hearing about tasks, reading about tasks or performing tasks?
Let your employer know how you learn best and ask for what you need if necessary. It’s also important to look at how you can add different techniques to your learning style, like slowing down before jumping into a task or asking someone to show you how best to perform a task.
The power of knowledge
Knowledge gives you more choices. The more you learn, the more valuable you become
to employers. You may be able to apply for higher positions within your organization
or to transfer into another job with more responsibility.
