While I'm stuck in limbo with my job search (the organisation I want to work for hasn't budgeted for my position, so I'm awaiting the finance dept to give the go ahead to the HR dept to give the go ahead to the relevant dept before I can be 'formally' interviewed), I've been reading to prepare myself for another job hunt, if necessary.
In the absence of a book called 'Bang Employment - More Ways to get Pay Days', I've had to search for some suitable alternatives. I will be rereading some stuff I have as well as reading new stuff, and I will post reviews and summaries, partly to reinforce the knowledge I've gained, partly to share whatever good stuff I've found.
To start off with, I will review the ebooklet 'Fastest way to the job interview' which is available for free download at:
http://bookboon.com/en/business-ebooks/c...-interview
This booklet is 35 pages long, and I managed to finish it in one reading session. The aim of the book is give an unemployed person a structure around which to base his job hunt. The book is sparse at only 35 pages, but in giving out only the basics of a job hunting plan it allows one to have a birds-eye view of the whole process. This is a good introduction the job search game, and while there are more detailed and in depth books available, if you need a quick starter package to get you up and running, then this is a good place to start. It even has some templates you can print out and fill in to get yourself organised.
It's surprisingly useful for free information; most of the free advice one gets from the net is rubbish. This booklet is an exception. It is paid for by advertising, so some of the pages have advertisments on them, but otherwise I am quite happy to recommend this quick-to-read and free ebooklet to anyone who needs a quick insight into job hunting game.
Summary of key points:
- There are 4 'Job channels,' ways of getting a job : via an ad, via networking, via unsolicited applications/getting your CV or resume on databases, or via agencies
- Only 25% of vacancies are advertised
- It's expensive to place an advertisement! It takes time to sift through multiple candidates! Most companies prefer NOT to spend time and money for a candidate.
- Ads represent all positions companies failed to fill by other means.
- Therefore, put in legwork to make it easier for a company to hire you than to place an ad.
- Preferred recruitment steps are, in order: 1) Internal promotion 2) Candidates found via management's network 3) Human resources recommendations based on CV's in their database 4) Advertisements
- Start by listing potential employers
- Divide your time between ads, networking, unsolicited applications, contacting agencies, and follow-up correspondence.
- HR people will typically only spend 15-20 seconds skimming your CV.
- For ads, start with google, then downsize yours search to only the most relevant job portals.
- Before applying for a job, call the company. Find out who is sifting the CV's and ask that person what they're looking for. Try to drop your qualification during the conversation, get a feel for what that person likes. This serves 2 purposes : they recognise your name on the CV when you submit, making it less likely to be instantly rejected; secondly, you can tailor your application according to the tastes of the person receiving it. Whether your CV is 'good' is more dependent on the subjective taste of the person reading it than anything else.
- When you call an organisation: See the people you contact as your friends and helpers, be friendly, be purposeful, have a simple message, get them to help you, shut up and listen from time to time, be ready for resistance and have something ready to say when encountering it, use names, push for a job interview until no longer possible, confirm all details before saying goodbye.
- You can apply for a job if you're 60-70% qualified for it.
- When applying, write or say: I'm applying because I have relevant experience in... Don't say stuff like 'I'm looking for a challenge'. No one cares what you're looking for, you need to show that you're the person they're looking for.
- Proofread all you write
- Don't take rejection personally. Learn from the experience, you can even ask the company why you were rejected and what may improve your chances in future.
I am busy rereading 'The $100 000+ career' by John Davies, and will probably review that next.
In the absence of a book called 'Bang Employment - More Ways to get Pay Days', I've had to search for some suitable alternatives. I will be rereading some stuff I have as well as reading new stuff, and I will post reviews and summaries, partly to reinforce the knowledge I've gained, partly to share whatever good stuff I've found.
To start off with, I will review the ebooklet 'Fastest way to the job interview' which is available for free download at:
http://bookboon.com/en/business-ebooks/c...-interview
This booklet is 35 pages long, and I managed to finish it in one reading session. The aim of the book is give an unemployed person a structure around which to base his job hunt. The book is sparse at only 35 pages, but in giving out only the basics of a job hunting plan it allows one to have a birds-eye view of the whole process. This is a good introduction the job search game, and while there are more detailed and in depth books available, if you need a quick starter package to get you up and running, then this is a good place to start. It even has some templates you can print out and fill in to get yourself organised.
It's surprisingly useful for free information; most of the free advice one gets from the net is rubbish. This booklet is an exception. It is paid for by advertising, so some of the pages have advertisments on them, but otherwise I am quite happy to recommend this quick-to-read and free ebooklet to anyone who needs a quick insight into job hunting game.
Summary of key points:
- There are 4 'Job channels,' ways of getting a job : via an ad, via networking, via unsolicited applications/getting your CV or resume on databases, or via agencies
- Only 25% of vacancies are advertised
- It's expensive to place an advertisement! It takes time to sift through multiple candidates! Most companies prefer NOT to spend time and money for a candidate.
- Ads represent all positions companies failed to fill by other means.
- Therefore, put in legwork to make it easier for a company to hire you than to place an ad.
- Preferred recruitment steps are, in order: 1) Internal promotion 2) Candidates found via management's network 3) Human resources recommendations based on CV's in their database 4) Advertisements
- Start by listing potential employers
- Divide your time between ads, networking, unsolicited applications, contacting agencies, and follow-up correspondence.
- HR people will typically only spend 15-20 seconds skimming your CV.
- For ads, start with google, then downsize yours search to only the most relevant job portals.
- Before applying for a job, call the company. Find out who is sifting the CV's and ask that person what they're looking for. Try to drop your qualification during the conversation, get a feel for what that person likes. This serves 2 purposes : they recognise your name on the CV when you submit, making it less likely to be instantly rejected; secondly, you can tailor your application according to the tastes of the person receiving it. Whether your CV is 'good' is more dependent on the subjective taste of the person reading it than anything else.
- When you call an organisation: See the people you contact as your friends and helpers, be friendly, be purposeful, have a simple message, get them to help you, shut up and listen from time to time, be ready for resistance and have something ready to say when encountering it, use names, push for a job interview until no longer possible, confirm all details before saying goodbye.
- You can apply for a job if you're 60-70% qualified for it.
- When applying, write or say: I'm applying because I have relevant experience in... Don't say stuff like 'I'm looking for a challenge'. No one cares what you're looking for, you need to show that you're the person they're looking for.
- Proofread all you write
- Don't take rejection personally. Learn from the experience, you can even ask the company why you were rejected and what may improve your chances in future.
I am busy rereading 'The $100 000+ career' by John Davies, and will probably review that next.
