Persistence is the key to finding a job. Researching jobs and learning as much as you can about employers and the job search process are important to finding a job as well. Knowing what you want also plays an important role in determining whether you get a job that you like.
Know Yourself
Know what your strengths and weaknesses are, what you are good at and what you like to do. Take a free online career test to help you identify what motivates you to work and what type of work environment you like. A career test also can help you identify specific job titles that are likely to appeal to you. One career test can be found on the CareerPath or Color Wize websites (see Resources).
Workforce Centers
Take advantage of your local workforce center. Workforce centers offer resume writing and interview workshops and Internet access to help you find and apply for jobs online. They also offer access to a database of jobs across the state, which you can access from your home as well.
Search
Talk to your acquaintances, attend professional seminars to network with industry colleagues, read the newspaper's classifieds and look for jobs in trade journals and on professional association websites. Check out niche job boards for the type of position you want. If you are looking for a nonprofit position, for example, visit your state's nonprofit association job board to see if it offers a list of current nonprofit job openings across the state.
Resume and Cover Letter
Tailor your cover letters and resumes to individual jobs for which you apply. Include the name of the person the cover letter should be directed to. Call the company to make sure you have the correct spelling before you mail it. Go over cover letters and resumes carefully to ensure you have no typos, missing information, spelling or grammatical errors. Follow up on each cover letter and resume you send out. Call the employers to see if they received your resume and try to arrange an interview.
Interview
Prepare your answers to common interview questions ahead of time. Enter each interview confident in yourself. You would not have been asked to interview if the employer thought you were not a good job candidate. Dress professionally, smile, make eye contact with interviewers, relax, and keep hand gestures to a minimum to avoid overemphasizing everything you say. Send a thank you letter within a day of the interview by regular mail or email (depending on the method of previous communication with the employer). If you do not get the job, contact the employer to find out what you could have done better in the interview. The feedback you receive could help you have a successful interview next time.
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