General Job Search Information

The A, B, C's of Job Hunting
Always assume a job hunt will take months, not days or weeks and plan accordingly.

Be punctual for all appointments - but arrive no earlier than five minutes before the scheduled time.

Career counselors can be very helpful - but don't necessarily limit yourself to using only one.

Don't relax just because you have just learned of a dream job. Keep researching, you might find one even better.

Expect far more rejections than acceptances - one job expert says you are lucky if you get one "maybe" after following up your first 20 leads.

Follow up every interview with a thank you letter, expressing interest in the job and highlighting one or two of your best qualifications.

Give feedback from your job contacts to career counselors and people in your network so they know about your status - and will think of you often.

Handshakes are important. Act like you have a high level of energy and look the interviewer in the eye.

Information interviews are a great way of making contacts and learning more about your chosen field, and possibly discovering new job leads.

Job hunting is a 40-plus hour a week process. Start early, work late, and intelligently.

Know exactly how to reach interview sites, to avoid any risk of getting lost and arriving late.

Listen carefully to interview questions and respond as clearly as possible.

Memorize the name of the interviewer and use it once or twice in the course of the conversation.

Network using your best contacts - and also be prepared to share leads with others, just as they may share with you.

Observe the way employees dress in an organization and appear for an interview in slightly more formal attire.

Positive reactions you express about your school, former employers, and other organizations will help create a more positive impression for you.

Quit worrying every time you receive a rejection - make each an excuse to develop three more leads.

Resumes should be slanted to the job in question - even if you have to create a number of different versions.

Sit alertly during the interview. Ron and Caryl Krannich recommend learning slightly foward - toward the interviewer.

Taking a temporary job may help pay the bills and keep up your morale during a long job search. Over 1.3 million Americans are "temping" today.

Use all possible sources of job leads: employment services, classified want ads, family, friends, etc.

Vary your job approach, if what you have done has not worked. If your letters or resumes are not getting results, try new formats.

Write down notes on all contacts and follow up required as soon as you leave an interview.

Xamine your job progress each week. Sit down and think over what you did. What mistakes did you make? What seems to work for you?

Your family and friends can be one of the best sources of job leads. Even though they may not be in the mainstream of your career field, seek their help.

Zero in on potential employers by doing research on their activities and show that you have studied them when having interviews.

Minichart prepared by the Career Opportunities News, Garrett Park Press, PO Box 190, Garrett Park, MD 20896. 301/946-2553.