Job seekers often encounter three major roadblocks to success: poor marketing, poor networking, and poor mind-set. Now, an expert has offered 10 New Year`s Resolutions aimed at overcoming those obstacles.
|Last Updated: Dec 27, 2009, 11:01 AM IST|Source: Bureau
Washington: Job seekers often encounter three major roadblocks to success: poor marketing, poor networking, and poor mind-set. Now, an expert has offered 10 New Year`s Resolutions aimed at overcoming those obstacles.Andy Chan, vice president for career development at Wake Forest University, said that adopting these 10 resolutions could help refresh and rejuvenate the job search, and get the New Year off to the best start possible.
Roadblock 1 - Poor marketing
"Many people don’t realize that the way they are marketing themselves just isn``t working, and they never get any feedback. The best way to get feedback is to ask for it from people who do a lot of hiring," said Chan.
1. I will ask friends or acquaintances who manage and hire people to evaluate my cover letter and resume and give me real feedback - even if it hurts to hear it.
2. I will ask these same friends to conduct a practice interview with me and give me "tough love" feedback.
3. When I find an attractive job on the Web, I will apply immediately (with a tailored cover letter and resume) and search for friends and colleagues who could act as referrals to help me network into the organization.
Roadblock 2 - Poor networking
"We make the assumption that if we apply on the Web, it will get us in the door. But the truth is, if your experience doesn’t line up perfectly with the job, the likelihood of getting seen is low. That`s why networking is important. People hire people; they don’t hire paper," Chan said.
4. I will be thoughtful about when to send my resume, and I will not send my resume to everyone I know.
5. I will be specific about the type of work and organizations, including names of target organizations that I find most interesting.
6. I will network 80 percent of the time and use the Web 20 percent of the time.
Roadblock 3 - Poor mind-set
"A lot of people are looking at jobs through a narrow lens. But as the old Rolling Stones song says, ``you can’t always get what you want.`` You may need to focus first on what you need and get the ideal job later," Chan said.
7. I will be open to exploring many options because an interesting opportunity may exist beyond what I can see on the surface.
8. I will re-examine what my real financial needs are so that I can be more open to opportunities that may pay me less than what I want.
9. I will evaluate opportunities by recognizing that this job can be a stepping stone to another job (inside or outside the company) - especially as the market improves.
10. Although I might want to quit and do a job search full-time, I am more attractive to employers when I am employed.
ANI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.