Job Seeking Skills

From University to Meaningful Employment

Before you even begin to search for employment, you have to know what's out there and where you fit in. Of course you will have to conduct a self-evaluation exercise, like what are you good at? What can you do? Each person has to develop his or her own successful style and system of job hunting, because there is no one right way of getting a job. If you want the essential elements first, however, then read on.

Identify "transferable" skills
Information Interviewing
Contacts and Hidden Employment Market
Employable Points

Identify "transferable" skills

Transferable skills are all of those attributes that you have developed through all the hard years of work at university and in your extra-curricular activities. In addition to technical training, employers will expect you to have developed communication skills, both oral and written, research and analytical skills, managerial skills, administrative skills and organisational skills.

You may think that you don't have any of these skills, but they have been developing all along. Have you ever given an oral presentation? Written a report/assignment? Interviewed people (for example, market surveys for a university assignment?) Have you ever done any peer counselling or teaching? These are examples of communication skills. Have you ever used the library or interviews as background research for an assignment or project or have you ever conducted a financial analysis or feasibility study? These are examples of research and analytical skills. Analytical skills are also seen to be problem-solving skills, such as conflict resolution or time management within financial or other constraints. Anything that you have done that shows leadership capability can be effectively transferred to managerial skills. For example, have you taken responsibility for other people in your job, or held an executive position in a club or association? Administrative skills are your ability to process paperwork accurately and to collate data for various projects. Have you ever coordinated or assisted in the coordination of a social or fund-raising event? This is an example of an organisational skill.

Are you thinking about your skills? You'll probably think of more and continue to develop skills as you go along, so keep track of your progress in a skills diary. Employers will expect you to have at least the fundamentals of these skills, which you will have to highlight with examples. Click here for more information on core skills.

Information Interviewing

When employers interview you, they are using the process as the only means to find out if your personality, experience and qualifications are a good match for the job they need to fill. They aren't the only ones who can conduct this kind of research - you can too.

Information interviewing is a process that allows you to develop interview skills, confidence, contacts in your industry and most importantly, knowledge about the industry you wish to enter, and the kinds of jobs available to people with your qualifications and experience. To organise an information interview, you must first do your research. Find out everything you can about a few companies or organisations that interest you. Who are the key people in your field? What kind of a company/organisation is it? What is its major product? Who are its competitors? What are the key issues affecting this industry now and in the future. You can find out this information through company reports, trade journals, newspapers and any other public information about the organisation.

If the company has a public relations department, ask them for information, they are usually happy to provide it. Once you have found out who the key people in your field are, write them a letter and explain that you are exploring career options and would like an opportunity to benefit from their wisdom and experience by discussing their career with you. If they refuse to see you, ask them who they recommend you see instead. Persistence can be a virtue!

Come to the interview well-prepared and ready to take notes. Ask questions such as: "What are your qualifications" "What did you do before you took up this position" "What do you do in a typical day" "Where do you see your career going next" and finally "Who else do you advise I speak with."

Be sure to follow-up each interview with a nice thank you note. You would be amazed how many people neglect to do this, and how important it is. Information interviewing is a great way to identify industry niches, and you will probably discover career opportunities that you did not realise existed! You are also building a network of people who know you, and who could be helpful in your search for employment.

Contacts and Hidden Employment Market

Only a third of all filled positions are advertised in newspapers. How then can you find these other opportunities? First of all, you need to build a network of people who know you, your abilities and interests, and that you are seeking employment. Beyond information interviewing - how do you do this?

Newspapers, while an excellent source of vacancies, also provide clues to the "hidden" job market. Articles about areas of expansion in companies, new ventures, record profits or just something particularly intriguing about someone or some company or organisation should be followed up. If there is a name in the article, write to that person. Tell them you are interested in whatever it is the story was about, and you'd like to discuss it with them. This takes initiative, but you have it!

Other ways of exploring potential occupations are to read and act upon trade and professional journals related to your discipline or area of interest so that you are well-versed in current trends and issues. They also reveal who the key people in the organisations are. Contact them!

It is also important to become an active member of relevant professional associations. Being a member doesn't mean just listing the membership on your resumé, it means becoming involved. The more people you meet, the greater the likelihood of finding employment. Not only that, you are actually building on your skills base - from problem solving to decision making; from working within a team to improving your professional communication skills.

Finding a career, and not just a job, in an ever-tightening employment market is daunting to even the most confident graduate. The more action you can take to expand your opportunities, the more marketable you will become. Be prepared for this process to take time as the benefits may not be immediately noticeable. Your career is at least as important as your studies have been, so make the effort!

Employable Points

When you write to employers, think about their needs; then think about yourself and what you can offer, and relate this to what you can do. Find a need and fill it (look at needs, not job titles).

Create your own destiny through ideas, inspiration and persistence.

It's not a question of where your degree will take you - it's where you will take your degree.

Your resumés, letters, interviews, and entire job campaign should be planned as if employers were consumers.

View your degree as a commodity and yourself as a resource.

Find the employers who are prospering. To find such employers, find the people who are investing in them or who are lending them money - and pump them! Prospering and growing organisations need money to finance growth. Organisations that are growing need talent. The point is made.