5 things you must do to find a job – part 5

The following is the fifth and final part of a FIVE PART SERIES consisting of five tips to help you get back into the workforce.

5. Follow-up with resume submissions and job interviews.

Perhaps you might think that this is the least important step of your job search. Wrong. You have to follow-up with your resume submissions and job interviews.

Instead of just blasting your resume to hundreds of employers and sitting back waiting for them to call you, you need to make that first step. After all, you are the one who is in need of a job. However, remember that the employer is also in need of a good worker, but you don’t want to sound too arrogant, eager, or desperate.

A confident follow-up phone call the next day to make sure that your resume was received would suffice. Ask about the application process, how many interviews (if more than one) will you need to go through and with whom you will be interviewing.

This is the opportunity to learn what to expect from the interview as well as the chance for you to show that you are really interested in the position. If you get to speak directly with the hiring authority, this will be your chance to convince them to schedule you for an interview. When you get that interview, don’t forget to ask for a business card from everyone you meet so that you’ll be sure to not forget their names.

In addition, you’ll have their full names, titles, and contact information for a follow-up phone call or letter. Remember to thank them for the interview and mention specific topics that you or they touched upon and answer specific concerns they may have raised during the interview. These follow-up techniques, if done right, will help them to remember you and differentiate you from other candidates.

LOSING A JOB IS A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE. It can leave you with a torrent of emotions including frustration, disappointment, anger, humility, shame, and hopelessness. By proactively taking the necessary steps to get back on your feet and to do everything in your power to re-enter the workforce, you can build up your confidence to face the next career challenge that faces you.

5 things you must do to find a job – part 4

The following is the fourth part of a FIVE PART SERIES consisting of five tips to help you get back into the workforce.

4. Network, network, network.

So, you’re unemployed and you don’t want anyone to know because you are ashamed. There is no shame if you were put in this situation through no fault of your own. Perhaps you were laid off. Perhaps you were in a bad work situation and you felt you deserved better. Either way, it is usually better to let others know that you are in the market for a better job.

Networking is another key element of your job search. Have you always wanted to work for a company in which a friend or acquaintance is currently employed? Do you have a friend who never complains about their job or their company?

Ask around to see if there are current openings at your friends’ places of employment. While there might not be an open position for you there, your friend might know about or come across someone who knows of an opportunity somewhere else. If you tell them that you are actively looking and that you need their help, they will be on the lookout for jobs for you.

If possible, also check with previous co-workers and employers for leads. Ask former teachers and classmates, churchgoers, social club members, anyone you are comfortable with telling about your current situation.

The more people helping in your job search the more likely that you’ll spend less time and be less frustrated. In addition, it is always easier and better to land an interview through a personal referral than it is to blindly submit your resume to XYZ Company.