Let’s be honest job hunting is hard. If you are looking for a job you are probably doing so because you have grown tired of your current job or have had the unfortunate circumstance of losing your job, either way it is a stressful time. You might not have had to look for a job in a long time or you have been looking with little success so you need to look at your strategies and figure out what you are doing wrong and how to correct the problems.
Job Hunting Strategies
Job Inquiry Letters – Sending out letters is a good way to get the attention of decision makers at a business. However, you can’t just send out hundreds of letters and hope they get to the right person. Instead, figure out which companies you are interested in working for and find out who makes the hiring decisions. Then send a letter addressed to that specific person that includes an excellent cover letter that makes you look great. Include with the letter your resume and contact information so that they can reach you to set up an interview. You will also want to follow up your letters with a phone call to make sure that it was received, but really to get your name in the heads of the potential employer. Resist the temptation to send out more letters then you can follow up on, that will waste both yours and the companies time.
Hitting The Phones – Calling businesses is a difficult task because it can be hard to get the right person on the line. But, once you get that person you will want to talk to them intelligently and concisely. A good trick is to come up with a list of questions and answers that inform the potential employer of your skills and your knowledge of their business. Come prepared to the phone call with strategies to answer most any question and do your best to remain calm. You do not want to sound nervous or frustrated while you are on the phone, remain upbeat and composed no matter what happens. Once the phone call is complete send a thank you note to the person you spoke to so that they are reminded of your conversation and can be on the look out for further communication.
Going To Job Fairs – Job fairs used to be only for recent college graduates, but in the current economy they are populated by people at all stages of employment. A job fair can be confusing if you are not well prepared so do plenty of research ahead of time. Treat a job fair just like you would an interview and dress to impress in professional clothes, but comfortable shoes. Carry thirty or more copies of your resume and cover letter and keep them handy so you can give them out in an instant. Most important is to do research on the companies that will be there so you can speak intelligently about them and make your way to their tables in order of importance. After you meet someone take the time to write down their name and some points about your conversation. Follow up these meeting with a phone call to the company within a week after the event.
Remember that it is never enough to want a job you have to be willing to do the job hunting work it takes to get it. If you do that the job of your dreams will be yours in no time at all.
This article was written by William Eve. William writes about saving money, investment loans and real estate for Home Loan Finder.