Transcript
1
Finding a Job
When Jobs are
Hard to Find
The Secrets of Success
By Jurg Oppliger
and John Drake
© Copyright 2009, Jurg Oppliger/John Drake
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Skillbuilders
You can download and print all these Skillbuilders by going to the website
www.jobsearchskillbuilders.com
Page
1.
Listing of Job Search Expenses
3
2.
What I like to do
4
3.
My Success Stories
5
4.
My special Knowledge
7
5.
My five Best Strengths
8
6.
My Ideal Job
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7.
Networking Contacts File Card
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8.
Networking Contacts, Note book list
11
9.
My Work Plan
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10. Networking Contact Card
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11. Company Contact Card
14
12. My Strengths: Developing “One-Liners”
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13. Answers to “Tell me about yourself”
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14. Answers to the “Weaknesses Question”
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15. Lessons from your interview
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Skillbuilder 1
Listing of Job Search Expenses
Date
Expense and Purpose
Amount
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Skillbuilder 2
What I Like to Do
(Check as many as fit you)
Activity
Yes No
Work as part of a team
__
__
Work independently
__
__
Work as a supervisor or manager
__
__
Work with my hands—manual work
__
__
Work with ideas—creative thinking
__
__
__
__
Work in an organized, systematic way
__
__
Work in a fast-paced, action-oriented setting
__
__
Work at persuading others, for example sales
__
__
Work with others in a helpful, counseling way
Other preferences: ________________________________________________
Now look over your checkmarks and comment. Any patterns?
Any common threads? All told, it seems that I like jobs that allow me to:
______________________________________________________________________________
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Skillbuilder 3
My Success Stories
Story #1
Problem______________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Action I took
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Results______________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Story # 2
Problem______________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Action I took
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Results______________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
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Story # 3
Problem______________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Action I took
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Results______________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
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Skillbuilder 4
My Special Knowledge
1.___________________________________________________
2.___________________________________________________
3.___________________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________________
5.___________________________________________________
6.___________________________________________________
7.___________________________________________________
8.___________________________________________________
9.___________________________________________________
10.__________________________________________________
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Skillbuilder 5
My Five Best Strengths
1._________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2._________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3._________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
4._________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
5._________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
The strengths you have recorded here will be most useful when are preparing for your
interview (Chapter 16). You might even want to take a quick look at that chapter to see how
they might be used.
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Skillbuilder 6
My Ideal Job
Description_______________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Conditions_______________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Pay and Benefits______________________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
GrowthPotential______________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
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Skillbuilder 7
Networking Contacts
File Cards
______________________
Last Name
__________ _____
First
___/___/____
Title
Contact Date
________________
__________________ ________ ________
Telephone #
Location: City
State
Country
Interesting Information:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Follow-up Date ___/___/___
Source of Contact________________________
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Skillbuilder 8
Networking Contacts
Notebook Lists
Contact Date Last/First Name
Phone #
email address
Remarks
1._______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
2._______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
3._______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
4._______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
5._______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6._______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
7._______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Skillbuilder 9
My Workplan
Week
Phone calls
For Networking
Follow up
Personal Solicitation
Empl Agencies
Letters, emails
Target letters
Follow ups
Internet applications
Newspaper ads
Personal Solicitation
Meetings
Networking
Personal Solicitation
Interviews
Total activities
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2
3
4
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6
7
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Skillbuilder 10
Networking Contact Card
Networking Contacts, front of card
Name, first name______________________________________________
Home address________________________________________________
Home Phone_________________________________________________
Cell phone___________________________________________________
Email address________________________________________________
Business address_____________________________________________
Business phone_______________________________________________
Business Fax_________________________________________________
Networking contacts, back of card
Remarks____________________________________________________
Action
Summary
Next step When
________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
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Skillbuilder 11
Company Contact Card
Company Contacts, front of card
Company Name______________________________________________
Address____________________________________________________
Phone_____________________________________________________
Fax_______________________________________________________
Email_____________________________________________________
Important people, Name and Title_______________________________
Main Products______________________________________________
Annual Sales_______________________________________________
Trends____________________________________________________
Documents consulted________________________________________
Company Contacts, back of card
Under Action, use L for letter, E for Email, F for fax, P for phone, V for visit
Date
Action Contact Person
Summary
Next action When
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
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Skillbuilder 12
Cataloging Your Strengths
Developing “One-Liners”
In the spaces below, list two or three strengths in each of the four key factors:
intellect, know-how, personality, and motivation. Since you won’t know which of
these factors is most important to your interviewer, it’s important to include at least
one strength for each category. Try to write them so that each can be described in
one short sentence. We call them “one-liners”.
INTELLECT FACTOR. Your natural intellectual aptitudes (e.g., “words come easily
to me.” “I have a great aptitude for math.”) and how you typically process your
thoughts (e.g., “I can think quickly on my feet.” “I tend to be analytical—I like to think
in a logical, systematic way.”)
1. [Natural Aptitudes]
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2. [How I tend to think/solve problems]
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
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KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE FACTOR.
What you know very well (e.g., “I can quickly estimate materials from
blueprints.” And, exceptional experience (e.g., “I’ve had ten years of
increasingly responsible sales management experience, my last position
being Director of Sales.”)
1. [Knowledge/Expertise].
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2. [Good work experience in…]
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
PERSONALITY FACTOR.
Think about interpersonal skills (e.g., “I’m not afraid to step in and take charge.”
Also, helpful behavior patterns (e.g., “I find that I can gain quick acceptance from
employees at all levels.”)
1. [Interpersonal skills] (makes me effective in relating to others)
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2. [Typical, effective behavior patterns]
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
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MOTIVATION FACTOR. Include your interests (e.g., “I like jobs that keep my
physically active and on-the-go.”) Your drive (e.g., “My goal is to be a district
manager within two years.”) Your energy level (e.g., “I can work long hours
without tiring”).
1. [Interests]
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2. [Drive]
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
3. [Energy level]
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
You probably feel good after cataloging all those assets. Hopefully you awareness
of them will boost your confidence in your next interview. Seek every opportunity to
weave these strengths into your interview.
If you listed six or more attributes, now go back and circle the four or five that you
believe will have the most positive impact. Make sure, though, that you have at least
one for each factor. Then practice saying these attributes until they can be spoken
easily and confidently, in a concise, one-liner format.
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Skillbuilder 13
Shaping Answers to the Invitation:
“Tell Me About Yourself”
Remember our strategy for your answer: three steps and a bridge.
STEP 1. Very briefly discuss your early background.
Where were you brought up?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Any interesting and relevant facts about your parents/family or early achievements
(sports, scouts, awards, etc). If nothing strikes you as significant, skip comments on
this item.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
STEP 2. Describe your education:
If you are a college grad or have an advanced degree, skip comments about high
school unless you had some significant achievement (graduated cum laude, etc.). If
you are not a college grad, select only those aspects of high school that reveal
outstanding strengths such as writing, math, or leadership skills.
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High School:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
College/graduate school:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
STEP 3. Discuss your work experiences:
Mention only job title, company, and one or two significant achievements. Very
briefly explain the reason for any changes in employer (if the reason is positive, e.g.,
“was recruited away by another firm”). If you have a long work history, you don’t
need to mention more than the job title for early, less important positions.
If you are going for your first full-time job, name any part-time positions that will help
you mention a skill or experience that might be meaningful to your interviewer.
First job:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
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[Any significant achievements?]
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
I left because: _______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Second job:
__________________________________________________________________
[Any significant achievements?]
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
I left because:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Third job :___________________________________________________________
[Any significant achievements?)
___________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
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I left because:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Fourth job: __________________________________________________________
[Any significant achievements?]
__________________________________________________________________
I left because:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
End your review with the statement, “….and this combination of education, work
experiences, and (mention key personal traits and/or achievements) brings me here
to the position we are discussing today.”
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Skillbuilder 14
Answering the “Weaknesses” Question
Developing a good answer to this question takes some practice. The exercise below
will guide in successfully managing it.
SHORTCOMING #1:
__________________________________________________________________
How will I phrase it? (Remember to state the “upside” of the weakness first.
Now, read it over. Does your statement—
a. Suggest that the limitation is simply an overplay of a strength?
b. Sound like something that can easily be corrected or changed?
You should be able to answer yes” to either a or b. If you cannot, then you need to
revise your answer.
It is good practice to have a second shortcoming ready in case your interviewer
presses you, write one more.
SHORTCOMING # 2
________________________________________________________________
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How will I phrase it?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Does it fulfill either criterion a or b?
If you rehearse these answers (say them aloud to friend or spouse), you’ll be ready
for this question during your next interview.
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Skillbuilder 15
Lessons From Your Review
Now that your interview is over, writing about your observations can help you
become more successful in your next one. This Worksheet provides an excellent
way to debrief yourself after each interview.
Interview
Interview Date ____/____/______
Name of Company ___________________________________________
Job Title_____________________________________________________
Names of Other Interviewers: ___________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Name of Secretary or Receptionist _______________________________
Your Interviewer’s Reactions
My interviewer seemed to be impressed by my talents/experience/traits/attitude]
Be specific:
1._______________________________________________________
2._______________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________
Some things I said or did that did not seem to favorably impress my interviewer
were:
1. _______________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________
3._______________________________________________________
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Your Impressions
What appealed to me about the job/organization [pay, opportunity to learn,
advancement potential, etc.]?
1 _____________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________
What aspects of the job/organization were least appealing?
1.____________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________
Considering my experiences during this interview, what have I learned that I can
use during my next one?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
What can I do, specifically, to make my next interview even more effective?
1._______________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
You might find it profitable to share this review with a friend, outplacement counselor,
or executive recruiter. They may have additional constructive suggestions for
improvement.
