Your Job Search Project

THE CAREER SEARCH PROCESS

THEJOB SEARCH STEPS

Job Search Preparation

The Job Search

The Job Application

The Job Interview

Leave The Results In God’s Hands

JOB SEARCH PREPARATION

Pray First! Pray for God’s will in your life and ask Him to direct and bless your Job Search.

Strengthen and Expand Your Personal Support Group:

Strengthen ties with family and friends and rely on them for prayers, love, emotional support, ideas, job leads and possible financial aid.
Consider joining one or more of your Church’s small groups.

Prepare Financially to be unemployed for 6-24 months:

Make a budget and adjust your spending accordingly.
Consider selling those assets that you really don’t need.
If necessary, look for part-time temporary work.

Establish a list of 3 or more reliable people who agree to serve as Job References:

Pray that God will help you select people for your JobReferences who will have a positive influence on your job hunting success.
If possible pick your references from your former managers and supervisors,otherwise pick fellow employees or professionals such as school teachers, college professors, etc.
Call each person and get permission to use them as a Job Reference. Make a record of their day and nightphone numbers.
Call them again each time you use them and tell them who may call them, what kind of a job you are looking for and why you think you are qualified for that job. Ask them to promptly return all voice mails from your prospective employers.

Practice filling out a typical Job Application Form:

Download and print out or otherwise obtain a typical Job Application Form. Fill in all of the blanks. Keep it for future reference. You can download a comprehensive Job Application form from:

JOB SEARCH PREPARATION (CONT’D.)

Prepare Your Résumé:

The mainpurpose of your Résumé is to get you a job interview.
Its submission may be your only chance to make a good impression on the HR and Hiring Managers who read it.
Since it is such an important document, get help in its preparation: Attend Workshops and read books on creating an effective Résumé. Be sure to also pray and ask God’s help and direction. Before you send it out, ask others to proof read and critique it.
If possible, attend the Résumé Writing Workshop at North Coast Calvary Chapel’s Career Transition Workshop.
Some commonrules for writing a Résumé include:

1-2 pages in length.

It should be written in the present tense, with short, bulleted sentences.

It should be neat, easy to read, accurate and totally honest,and free from grammar and spelling errors.

One goal is to make it so well-written and easy to understand that a reader in 20 to 40 seconds,can read and understand its contents.

It must have your name and contact information on the first page.

It must clearly state the type of job and career that you are seeking.

It must include a chronological employment history.

It should tell of the main duties and accomplishments for each jobyou have held.When possible, use action verbs such as “decreased”, “improved”, “completed”, etc.when describing your accomplishments.

It should list education and job trainingthat you have completed that is relevant to the job or career that you are seeking.

It should be essentially free of irrelevant information.

Free RésuméTemplates of various formats can be downloaded from:

THE JOB SEARCH

Job Search Techniques:

Networking:

Networking is the process of connecting with people who in turn connect you to others.
It is reportedly the most successful of all Job Search techniques.Statistics indicate that more that 60% of the jobs filled were found through networking.
Learn effective Networking Techniques- If possible, attend the Networking Workshop at North Coast Calvary Chapel’s Career Transition Workshop. In addition, attend other workshops, read books and articles, search the internet for ideas and practice with friends and professional associates.
Startby making a list of nearly everyone you know and contact them by phone or Email. These are your Primary Contacts. The people to whom they refer you are your Secondary contacts.
Continue to expand your list of Primary and Secondary contacts by meeting new people.
Before you attempt to make a contact, plan what to say and ask for God’s help and blessings on your efforts.
Contact each person on your Contacts listsby telephone or if that isn’t practical, by Email.
Continually seek new contacts: Temporary work, Volunteering and taking Classes offer opportunities to meet new Primary Contacts. They also help you stay busy, keep your spirits up and improve your personal skills.

Search for Existing and Upcoming Job Openings:

Contact former co-employees, bosses and HR personnel in companies where you were previously employed.
Make “Cold Calls” to companies asking if they have now or plan in the near futureto have job openings that you may be able to fill.
Look for jobs on the internet, frequently check:

Craigslist,

Newspapers such as The North CountyTimes and San Diego Union Tribune

A Google search of the various titles of jobs you are seeking.

Monstor.com and other internet job posting websites (lots of competition but a good place to find out which companies are hiring for Networking and Cold Calls).

San Diego Workforce Partnership:

THE JOB SEARCH (CONT’D.)

Make a practice of checking for contacts and job openings in everyplace that comes to mind: Professional Periodicals and Journals, Retail Store Bulletin Boards, Career Services at your former College or University, the U.S. Department of Labor, etc.

Consider contacting Employment Agencies, Temporary Agencies and Headhunters:

Screen them first and try to select those who specialize in your job field.
Never agree to pay them for their services
If you pick multiple recruiters/services, let them each know who you are also working with.
Also tell them of all employers whoyou have previously contacted or are planning to contact on your own.
Request feedbackon where they have sent your Résumé
Terminate their services if you are not satisfied.
Be careful with internet services, your Résumé may be posted along with hundreds or thousands of others.
Temp Services may have “Temp to Perm” jobs that lead to permanent employment.

Keepgoodrecords of your Job Search Activities, including:

Names, occupations, titles, phone numbers and Email addresses of contacts.
Jobopeningdates and descriptions of their required job skills, duties and expectations. Company information,
Email correspondence, records of telephone conversations, etc.

THE JOB APPLICATION

Investigate each company as thoroughly as possibleprior to submitting a job application:

Determine their location, type of business, competitors, financial status and types of job openings that might be of interest to you. Try to learn the names of theirhiring authorities and if possible,contact present and former employees of the company for information about the company, types of jobs available and work environment. This information will help you to write your custom cover letter and if necessary, to modify your Résumé to emphasize your skills and experience that may apply to the job opening you are applying for.

Write a custom Cover Letter for each Job Application:

Your Cover Letter should motivate the reader to study your Résumé. It should, in a few words summarize your experience, strengths and qualifications for the job. If appropriate, mention the names any of their employees who may know of you and of your capabilities.
If possible, attend the Résumé Writing Workshop at North Coast Calvary Chapel’s Career Transition Workshop to learn more about writing effective Cover Letters.
A website with a Cover Letter template can be found at:

Ensure that your Résumé’ is properly worded to show that you are a good candidate for the job for which you are applying.

Submit your Resume and Cover Letter:

You will probably send your Resume and Cover Letter by US Mail., If you decide however to send your Résumé’ by Email, Insert a copy in the body following the cover letter for easy access by the recipient, and also Attach it as a File attachment for easy saving to the recipient’s Résumé file.
Pray and ask God’s help in putting your Résuméin the hands of the right people and in its successful in fulfilling His will for you.
A few follow-up Emails or phone calls may be appropriate to check on the status of your application butbeing a pest may reduce your chances of getting the job you are applying for.

THE JOB INTERVIEW

Prepare ahead for each Job Interview:

Learn effective interviewing skills ahead of time-

If possible, attend the Interviewing Workshop at North Coast Calvary Chapel’s Career Transition Workshop.

Also, attend other workshops, read books and articles, search the internet for ideas and practice with friends.

Pray and ask Godto give you self-confidence, to provide you with the right words to sayand to make this interview a success.

Complete your research on the company and the job prior to the interview.

Be prepared to attend multiple interviews or interview with more than one person.

Be prepared to answer tough questions- Questions about everything on your Résumé, especially gaps in employment, about yourself, your career goals, how you achieved prior goals and how you have handled tough situations.Write out and practice youranswers.

Prepare and memorize a list of thoughtful andsincere questions regarding the job you are interviewing for, the department your would be working in, the long term employment and career growth prospects of the job and about the company in general.

Prepare to write a ThankYou note (or notes) at the end of the interview.

Dress well and appropriately for the job you are interviewing for.

Be prepared to take a few notes during the interview.

Arrive 10- 15 minutes early.

The Interview:

If you have done your homework, you are as well prepared as possible.
Silently ask for God’s guidance, be upbeat and confident,and try to enjoy the interview.
Be as relaxed as possible but stay alert and try maintain eye contact throughout the Interview.
Answer all questions as clearly, accurately and honestly as possible.
Always be positive and if possible, don’t say anything negative about your previous employers.
Ask your prepared questions and other questions that you think are appropriate during the interview.
At the end of the interview, If you think you would like the job, tell the interviewer with enthusiasm and confidence, that you want the job.
Complete your ThankYou note and leave itat the front desk or mail it on the way home.

LEAVE THE RESULTS IN GOD’S HANDS

After the Interview, thank God for being with you throughout the job interview and be sure to ask Him to guide those involved in filling the job opening to fully understand and carefully consider your personal qualifications when making their selection.
Then, immediately begin your quest for another job interview. The longer your are out of work, the more difficult it may be to find a job.
After a few days, follow-up with a phone call to the interviewer or the HR representative to learn of the status of your application. Don’t be a pest.

Never Give Up!

ADDENDUM