How to net a new position

[Badshah Mamun]

How to net a new position

By Jim Bright

It is about what you know but more about who you know.

The financial crisis has triggered an avalanche of well-intentioned but not necessarily well-informed advice on how to go about job hunting. This week's column is aimed at giving you the sound advice you need to look for a job. It is based not on opinion but on studies conducted with employers of what works and what doesn't.

Search

I've long been of the view that the vast majority of jobs are not advertised. The Australian Bureau of Statistics has published research suggesting about 80 per cent of job hunters find their positions through means other than adverts. (However, this doesn't necessarily mean the jobs weren't advertised.) The lesson is simple. To maximise your chances of landing a job, talk to as many people as possible.

Network

Write down the names of everyone you know. Rank them in order of how contactable they are.

Now, consider what you could do that would be pleasant or helpful to them. Offer this assistance to as many contacts as possible. And keep on offering.

Networking is about giving not taking. So why do it? Because if you sow enough seeds, you will reap some rewards.

Analyse the job

For most employers the successful candidate - politics not withstanding - is usually the one who fits best. "Fit" boils down to four factors: knowledge (what you know), skills (what you can do), abilities (how you use and transfer your skills) and attitudes (what makes you tick and what makes you sick).

Make a huge effort to fully understand those four requirements as they apply to each job. Call your contact, read the position description, Google the company, read the business press and talk to current and past employees. Assess which of the requirements you possess.

If an attitude, skill, ability or piece of knowledge is going to increase your fit in a position, then put it on your resume and raise it in the interview. If it reflects poorly on your suitability, don't mention it. If it doesn't affect your "fit" either way, include it only if there is room or time.

Resume

Your resume needs the following: name, contact details, career summary and objectives, job history (emphasise achievements and competencies), education and training.

Use Arial 11-point font, on white paper. Eliminate all typos and spelling mistakes. Generally keep it to two to three pages. If you are particularly experienced, you can extend to a maximum of five pages.

Save your resume as a PDF file when emailing to preserve format. See mycareer.com.au or an Australian resume book for layout tips and more information.

For every job responsibility, list two achievements. Write a few short paragraphs describing your key competencies for the job.

Include evidence by referring to a specific event - describe a time when you demonstrated outstanding customer service, for example. Put a couple of these on the resume and hold some back for the interview. Write them as very short stories. Stories are easier for you and the employer to remember.

Interview

Practise and rehearse as much as possible with friends and seek professional assistance. Practise your achievement stories. Think of two or three questions to ask at the end of the interview. Even if the interviewer has covered all your questions, you can say "Can you tell me a little more about . . .".

Just remember, interviews are only unnatural acts between two or more consenting adults done in public. They are not the Spanish Inquisition.

Jim Bright, Jim Bright is professor of career education and development at ACU National and a partner at Bright and Associates, a career management consultancy. Email ladder@brightandassociates.com.au.   

Published: 07 March 2009

Source: http://content.mycareer.com.au/advice-research/search/how-to-net-a-new-position.aspx