2. Overview
Creating a Job Search Strategy:
• Building a resume
• Building a virtual presence
• Finding opportunities
• Interviewing
3. Building a Resume
• 2 Formats:
– Chronological
– Functional
• Does your resume…
– Scream “Call me!!!”
– Have MSA’s?
(If not, get them!!!)
– Keywords
4. Made, Saved, and Achieved’s…
• Made:
• Products/Services you’ve created,
• Ideas you’ve created
• Sales
• Saved:
• Time
• Money
• Reduction in costs
• Achieved:
• Greatest Accomplishments
Quantifiable
5. MSA Example
What have you made, saved, or achieved for your
employers?
• Provide example
• Give quantifiable results
MSA Version
“I provided technical support to 300 employees with computer
difficulties locally and remotely using Altiris Remote Control,
resulting in a reduced response time from 3 ½ hours to 2 hours.
and I reduced number of service tickets 30% from 100 to 70 in my
first month.”
6. Building a Virtual Presence
Attract Attention
• Choose appropriate site
• Prepare profile carefully
• Post picture
• Experience and education
• MSA’s
• Keywords
• Contact information
• Create network
• Update frequently
7. Building a Virtual Presence
Create On-line Profiles on Social Media Sites
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Google
• You Tube
8. Finding Opportunities
Where do you find jobs?
What is the most effective method?
• Post and Pray?
• Submit to jobs on job boards?
• Networking?
9. Finding Opportunities
Where do you find jobs?
If your only answer is…
“Applying to
job ads and postings…”
…that’s NOT ENOUGH in
today’s economy.
10. Finding Opportunities
Apply directly to company websites
Apply directly using Job Aggregators
• Indeed.com
• Indeed.ca
• Simplyhired.com
Join groups to network
• Ning.com
• Google Groups
• Yahoo! Groups
• MSN Groups
11. Job Search Strategy
Take a comprehensive approach
• Update your resume with MSAs...Very important!!!!
• Add keywords to be searchable
• Post to the major job boards..i.e Monster, Workopolis,
CareerBuilder etc.
• Apply directly to target companies
• Network
• Family
• Friends (Friends of friends/family)
• Colleagues, Managers (Past and present)
• Associations/groups
12. Job Search Strategy
How will they find you?
• Tweak your resume for each job.
• Applying via e-mail…
• Include your resume and cover letter in
the body
AND
• Attach resume and cover letter soft copy
• Create a follow-up spreadsheet to track
applications
• Follow up with applications on a weekly
basis.
14. Interviewing for Success
• Know the job description
• Research the company
• What can you contribute? (MSA’s)
• To the position
• To the company
• What personal characteristics
make you successful? (Examples)
• Why do you want the position?
• Prepare questions
15. Interviewing for Success
• Be prompt
• Dress appropriately
• Treat everyone with
respect
• Bring your resume
• Turn off your phone
• Give a firm handshake
• Be positive and make it a
conversation
18. In Review
Creating a Job Search Strategy In a Tough Economy
Working Smarter not Harder
• Perfecting your resume and cover letter each time
• Building a virtual presence and networking
• Finding opportunities – use a comprehensive, proactive
approach
• Prepare and practice for interviewing
• Follow up
Made: Things you’ve created, ideas you’ve come up with that have made a quantifiable impact on the organization.
Save: Referring to commodities saved such as time, money or both. Reduction in costs, coming in under budget, beating a deadline by a certain time.
Achieve: Think about your greatest accomplishments throughout your career. What made them so great? What separated those from the other successes you’ve had?
Question: What have you Made, Saved, or Achieved for your current and previous employers?
Example: Provide operations support for employees with computer difficulties locally and remotely using Altiris remote control. What are the results of this action?
MSA Version: Provide technical support to 300 employees with computer difficulties locally and remotely using Altiris remote control, resulting in a 2 hour response time.
Reduced problem tickets by 30% within first month on assignment.
Appropriate site: Choose sites where potential hiring manager are’
Prepare Profiles carefully – they are your virtual presence.
Make sure your profile contains code words that a hiring manager would use to find a candidate.
Make sure that your profile contains direct contact info.
Network with people who are hiring authorities or know hiring authorities in your industry or target companies.
Your updates will refresh your information with your
Where is your potential hiring manager? Choose a site and network with those people who would be hiring managers or know hiring managers within your target companies. Where can you be seen or noticed.
Take a comprehensive approach
Update your resume with MSAs...very important!!!!
Put in keywords to be searchable
Maximize exposure by posting to the major job boards..i.e Monster, Workopolis, Careerbuilder etc.
Connect with other people in your network by contacting them. This includes family, friends, (friends of friends/family) previous colleagues, managers, and any other associations/groups you may belong to.
Tweak your resume for each job you apply to.
When applying for jobs via email, are you just attaching your resume and sending it off without anything in the body of the email? How will the person on the other end find your resume when over 100 people have applied?
Tip: Include your resume and cover letter in the body of the email in addition to attaching a copy.
Create a spreadsheet to track the jobs you’ve applied for and the people you’ve talked to. Follow up with them on a weekly basis.
