Finding a job, or deciding on a job, is often one of the major milestones along a persons career path. Most people can safely assume that they will have to look for a job several times in their life as the modern workplace changes according to local and global economic changes.
Finding a job that pays well can be difficult and challenging. Finding one that also matches your interests and career aspirations is regarded by most as daunting. So when approaching the task of finding a job, it is important to do so with a healthy attitude (see Guiding Principles) and a good understanding of the process (see Realistic Expectations). This way you can set realistic goals for yourself without adding unnecessary stress.
Like just about anything, if you want a good result (a job offer) you are more likely to achieve it by planning carefully and making the most of the resourses available to you. If you are still employed, you will have the advantage of your current income to keep yourself going, but how you manage your time effectively is more challenging. If you are unemployed, you have more time on your hands, but how you manage your finances to keep yourself going is more challenging. In both cases getting organised for the task is a central part of the whole process.
Once you get yourself organised you will want to decide what exactly you should be looking for. To make the process more managable, it would be wise to become as clear as possible about what your requirements actually are. For example you will have to consider things like what locations are you willing to travel to, what sectors would suit you best and so on. You need to do some career research to clarify your mind and set up realistic goals.
Once you are clear about what you are looking for you can start to research available positions. There are many places to find jobs, and you owe it to yourself to be aware of the different sources of information in the current marketplace. We provide a guide to where to find vacancies here.
Once you see a vacancy for a job you are interested in you can make an application for the position. Chances are you are not the only one, so you have to compete for the position. As with all competitions, some preparation is necessary to give yourself a healthy chance of winning.
To make a job application you will need to prepare a letter indicating your interest in the position (known as the Cover Letter) and create or modify a copy of your CV for the position.
Your CV is a very important document. It is a summary of your personal details, educational qualifications and work experience. It should also include your key skills and other relevant information together with the names of 2 people who will provide a reference for you.
These two documents, your CV and cover letter, are critical to your success in catching the attention of a possible employer. There is a whole industry built up around how these two small documents should be written, and it is wise to familiarise yourself with some of the advice and pitfalls that can be found. We provide some useful links below to get you started.
CvTips.com is a job search info centre, Resume, CV, Cover Letter and Interview guide. Here you can find CV Examples and information on how to write a CV.
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