Job Search Methods

People look for jobs for many different reasons: they are laid off, seeking a new career,
wish to advance in their current job, or they are entering the labor force for the first time.
The following provide guidelines to assist you in preparing for and conducting a job
search. Steps discussed include the following:

 Developing a resume
 Locating prospective employers
 Applying for the job
 Interviewing
 Following up with the employer

These are only guidelines; you can find additional detailed information at the public
library, Counseling Services (HSS 2nd floor), the Haselwood Library, and the Career
Center Career Services website.

Developing a Resume

A resume is a selling tool that outlines your skills and experiences so that a future
employer can see, at a glance, how you can contribute to the workplace.

A resume creates a picture for the employer and could mean the difference between you
and someone else obtaining an interview.

A resume should include the following information:

 Your name, address, telephone number & professional email address

 Job objective or career goals
 Education history, including military service (skills and experience)
 Memberships related to your job objective & volunteer experience

Depending on the position for which you are applying, it might also include work-related
honors or achievements, knowledge of foreign languages, ability to travel or relocate,
and security clearance information.

Job Application Forms

Some jobs do not require a formal resume but may call for a written application. Most
application forms require basic information such as:

 Your name, address and telephone number

 Social Security number
 Dates of previous jobs
 Names and addresses of former employers
 Dates of schooling or training

Before you begin to fill out the application, read it through to be sure that you have all the
required information. It is very important that you print the information neatly and legibly.
If your application makes a poor impression, you are unlikely to get further with that
employer.

Olympic College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability,
sexual orientation, or age in its programs and activities.
Although not every job calls for letters of reference, you should ask people if they would
be willing to write one for you. Do not list someone as a reference unless you have his
or her permission to do so. Candidates for references include:

 Former employers
 Teachers
 Volunteer Supervisors
 Other people who can promote your character or have knowledge of your
skills and abilities.

Locating Employers

When you have determined the kind of job you want, you must locate potential
employers. Among the most frequently used methods of finding them are:

 Direct contact with employers (cold calls)

 Networking (friends, family, colleagues)
 Classified newspaper ads
 Employment agencies
 Career Center
 Internet

Usually, more than one source will be used and there are advantages and
disadvantages to all methods.

“Cold Calls”

This technique involves visiting employers to see if there are any openings. A person
using this method of finding a job needs high motivation and good interpersonal skills.
Sometimes talking directly to the person who makes the hiring decision rather than the
personnel office produces better results.

Before calling on small companies, it is a good idea to call or write ahead of time; they
may not appreciate interruptions. Letters followed by phone calls can be effective for
small and medium sized businesses.

Advantages of cold calls are that some jobs are not listed anywhere else, the opening
may be new, and you may be in the right place at the right time. Disadvantages include
the time involved and the high rejection rate.

Networking

Learning about an opening through friends, relatives or co-workers is the most

successful way to get a job. One of the reasons for this is that employers do not like to
hire strangers. They know that people who are referred to a company tend to be more
stable. Therefore, they stay longer on the job. Advantages of networking are that
referrals often guarantee an interview, jobs offered often are better with higher pay, and it
is easier to develop a relationship with the potential employer when referred by a
colleague.

Olympic College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability,
sexual orientation, or age in its programs and activities.
Newspaper Ads

Many people start their job search with the want ads. This is unfortunate because it is
frequently the last resort for the employers. Advantages of classified ads are that they
list specific openings and have frequent new listings. Disadvantages are that the jobs
are often undesirable, hard to fill, or have a high turnover rate; positions are often at the
high and low ends of the skill/experience spectrum, few in the middle; there is little
information about the employer; there is intense competition; and ads list a small
proportion of available jobs.

Employment Agencies

Private/temporary agencies will, for a fee, try to match employers and employees.
Depending on the agency and the position offered the fee may be paid entirely by the
employer or by the employee, or they may split it. Some agencies specialize in a
particular field such as clerical workers or sales people. Private agencies tend to be
more successful with experienced people with sharply defined skills, good work
histories, and employment in a single field.
Advantages are that they offer a chance for employer and prospective employee to
explore the possibility of a permanent relationship and they may list positions not offered
elsewhere. The main disadvantage is the fee.

Applying and Interviewing for Jobs

Once you have found a job that sounds good to you, you must apply for it. This involves
writing to the company offering the job and including your resume or a job application.
With either, your cover letter is very important. It is the first thing your prospective
employer will see. The letter should be personalized and contain information such as:

 Where you heard about the job and indication of your interests.
 Why you are suited for the position.
 Your interest in interviewing.
 Your name, address and phone number.

The next step in the job search is the job interview, which involves the exchange
between people trying to find out whether they can work together in a mutual benefit.
Before you go to the interview, learn as much as you can about the prospective
employer by reading brochures, talking to present employees, calling the chamber of
commerce, reading their web page, or visiting the public library.

Interviewing Do’s and Don’ts

 Do be honest
 Do be prompt
 Do use a firm handshake
 Do dress appropriately
 Do make eye contact
 Do address interviewer by name
 Do use good grammar
 Do ask thoughtful questions

Olympic College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability,
sexual orientation, or age in its programs and activities.
  Do ask for the job
 Do prepare to answer commonly asked questions
 Don’t sound arrogant
 Don’t be too personal
 Don’t smoke or chew gum
 Don’t make excuses
 Don’t bring up salary at the first interview

After the interview, it is important to maintain contact with the prospective employer.
Write a thank you letter, indicating that you will call at a specific time to find out your
status regarding the position. Make sure that you call when you say you are going to. If
the answer is no, ask why. Knowing why you did not get a job may help you get the next
one.

Additional job search resources are found in the Haselwood Library. Here are a few
good examples:

 Margaret Riley Dikel, Frances E Roehm. Guide to Internet Job

Searching, New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006

 L. Michelle Tullier, Networking for Job Search and Career Success

(electronic resource): 2004

 Ron and Caryl Krannich, Job Hunting Guide (electronic resource):

Transitioning from college to career, 2003

 Deborah P. Bloch, How to Get Your First Job and Keep It, Chicago: VGM
Career Books, 2002

 Michael Farr, Very Quick Job Search (electronic resource): Get a better
job in half the time, 2004

Olympic College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability,
sexual orientation, or age in its programs and activities.