Seven Job Searching Tips

These tips are not listed in any ranked order. I’m not saying that the first tip is any better than any of the others. It’s simply a case of something had to be first. With that said let’s dive right into these ideas intended to help you with your job search.

Staffing Agencies

There are a great many reasons to get connected with a staffing agency. I’m going to list four of the most common reasons.

1.    It’s a great place to get experience

2.    It allows you the opportunity to see if you like working at an organization

3.    Employers prefer to hire people who are already working, even if the job is a temporary or part time position.

4.    It helps you expand your network.

Training/Education

There is so much free education available on the internet that there is no reason to not learn the things you’ve always wanted to learn. For those few of you who have nothing you want to learn, there are always the things you need to learn for your career or perhaps there are some gaps in your everyday life skills. Instruction to help with that can also be found online.

Below is the path to follow to find a variety of FREE online training.

Below is just a small taste of what’s out there.

Go to www.onestops.com

On the left side of the home page is a gray box containing links. The first link is Employ Florida Marketplace. Click on that link and log in to Employ Florida.

Under Services for Individuals, click on the third link down. It’s titled Education and Training. Move the mouse across to the menu and down to the link for Online Learning Resources.

 

Scroll through this page and explore the different opportunities available.

When you’re exploring the open courseware of the colleges and universities, keep in mind that even though you aren’t going to get college credit for any of the courses offered, you may be able to use the knowledge you gain to test out of some classes at your local college. Paying for a CLEP test is much less expensive than paying for a class and it will take less time to complete.

If you want to explore what CLEP Exams are available you can go to https://clep.collegeboard.org/exam and start learning what CLEPs are available. Or visit the school you’re thinking of attending and ask them about how you can CLEP out of some classes.

Networking Organizations

Seventy to eighty percent of jobs are found through networking. While networking does include social media, it’s not exclusive to social media. We are still a society where face-to-face, real time, in person networking is important.

There are a great many organizations designed specifically for networking. Do your research and find one that is suited to your needs. Of course, that means that the first thing you need to figure out is what you are looking for in such an organization.

Are you job searching? If so, what type of employment are you seeking? Or are you planning on starting your own business? What kind of business? The answers to those and other questions will determine the organization best suited for you.

Some networking groups can be found by exploring www.meetup.com.

LinkedIn

While LinkedIn is a form of social media, its purpose is to serve as a networking resource for professionals. It can be used for business-to-business networking, business-to-customer networking and many people use it for job searching. While the majority of its users have college degrees this resource has tools to offer almost any job seeker. You can find out what’s going on at that company you’ve always wanted to work for and maybe even connect with someone working there. Those are the kind of connections that lead to jobs.

Community Organizations (volunteer)

Volunteering is a good way to expand your network. You meet people that, if you’re unemployed, you’re not likely to have the chance to meet elsewhere. These are the people with job leads.

Remember, no one wants to hire a stranger. People want to hire people they know, like and trust. As a volunteer you’ll meet other volunteers, some of them will be fairly high up the corporate ladder. These are individuals that not only hear about jobs that other companies have, they are also in a position to recommend candidates for jobs within their own organizations.

Volunteering also helps you keep your workplace skills sharp and who knows you might even learn some new skills that will help with your next position.

Build Your Network

Some people don’t think they need an active network until they’re out of work and start job hunting. That is not the time when you want to have to build your network from the ground up. If you are currently employed, now is the time to grow your network and not let it die. If you are unemployed and you don’t already have a network you’re behind schedule, get busy building your network. Once you find that next job make sure to keep your network active. Networking will help you move into that next position and then it’s your turn to help others in your network. It may be that no one in your network needs to find a job at the moment but we all know how quickly that can change. Stay in touch with the members of your network. It can be something as simple as knowing that one your network members is an avid bird watcher and you come across an article on a rare bird that was recently spotted. Send them a short note and include the link to the article.

Find a Mentor

Personally, I have many mentors, some I see in person; others aren’t even aware of my existence. Here’s a short list of some people who have mentored me without even knowing me. Here is a short list of some of my mentors.

Randy Gage

Ali Brown

Wayne Dyer

Stephen Covey

Marcia Bench

Donald Trump

While a precise definition of Mentor is elusive, in our society it has come to mean an adviser who imparts wisdom to and shares knowledge with others. It’s not generally a one-time event. With a Mentor you build an ongoing relationship.

Find people whom you admire, people who are successful and read about them. Learn how they think, find out what it is they do that’s different from what most people do and then emulate them.

It’s also helpful to have someone that you can meet with in person to talk over your plans and iron out challenges you’re facing. It may be that instead of a single individual you join a Mastermind Group.

If you can’t find a Mastermind Group to join in your area perhaps you should think about starting one.

As a short review here are the seven elements I’ve gone over here.

1.    Staffing Agencies

2.    Training/Education

3.    Networking Organizations

4.    LinkedIn

5.    Community Organizations (volunteer)

6.    Build Your Network

7.    Find a Mentor

 

 

 

Make Your Workday a Healthy One

By Suzy Kridner
Career Specialist
We all try to eat healthy ... well sometimes. Exercise regularly ... well sometimes. And in general take care of ourselves and keep stress under control.
The new year is a time when many of us are thinking about changing our bad habits.
Whether you’re employed but worried about keeping your job, or unemployed and hoping to find a job this year, here are some tips from web entrepreneur Justine Grey for a healthier workday.
Your workday may be job hunting, but it’s still good to treat it like work.
Taking a break for a few minutes is one of my favorite stress relievers. Grey says when you do take a break, consider stepping outside your home or office. And here we don’t have to contend with snow or freezing temperatures (except for a few days a year.)
A quick way to help settle anxiety and mental stress is mediatation, according to Grey. Find a quiet spot to sit in a chair or on the floor. Keep your spine straight and close your eyes. Then, focus on breathing in deeply, holding your breath for two seconds, and letting the breath out slowly. Repeat this deep breathing for five minutes. Deep breathing can help refocus and regroup the mind while squashing stresses of the day.
Locally, Mental Health America of East Central Florida is sponsoring new Live Your Life Well Support groups in Daytona Beach and DeLand. The groups are for those having difficulty or experiencing stress in their lives, or for those who would like to learn new skills to improve their lives. For information, call 386-252-5785.
Read more of Grey’s tips in her web article, “8 Ways to a Healthier Workday.”

Turn Back Clocks Saturday Night (Or 2 a.m. Sunday Morning)

By Suzy Kridner
Career Specialist
Daylight savings time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday so don't forget to set your clocks back.
It's easy to lose track of time when you're unemployed and busy applying for jobs.
The days often run together and you don't even realize it's the weekend.
This weekend also is important as a reminder to check the batteries in your smoke detectors.
Most of us don't think about them until the smoke detector starts beeping in the middle of the night. Who wants to get up, go the garage, get a ladder and replace the batteries at 3 a.m.?
With an extra hour on Sunday, take a break from job searching and do something for yourself for an hour. Read a book, take a walk, call a friend or bake cookies.
Or you could use that hour to sleep, although many of us still wake up at the same time.
Me, I hope to get to the gym, since I always say I don't have time. Now I have an extra hour -- and no excuses.

Some Myths About Job Interviews

By Suzy Kridner
Career Specialist
Interviewing for a job is stressful for both the job candidate and the employer.
In Career Coach David Couper’s book, “ Outsiders on the Inside,” he lists some of the myths associated with job interviews.
You may have trouble finding the right job for you if you believe these myths:
Myth 1: The Interviewer Is Prepared
"The person interviewing you is likely overworked and stressed because he needs to hire someone," Couper says. "He may have barely glanced at your resume and given no thought to your qualifications."
Myth 2: The Interviewer Will Ask the Right Questions
Many interviewers prepare no questions beyond 'tell me about yourself,'" says Couper. And in some cases, you may be interviewing with a human resources representative or a high-level manager who doesn't have a lot of specific information about the open job's duties.
Myth 3: The Most Qualified Person Gets the Job
No one believes this myth any more, right? As Couper says, "Less-qualified but more outgoing candidates may win over an interviewer's heart."
Couper tells how to combat these myths in his book.
He also advises that job candidates should be well groomed and dressed to impress.
Read more about Couper’s myths in an article from Charles Purdy, Monster+HotJobs Senior Editor.