Day 2. Educate Us on Something You Are Good At.

 

 

Blogging Every Day in the Month of May over at 'Story of my Life' has set the topic for Day 2 as 'Educate us on something you are good at or know a lot about' ~ hrmmm.. That's a tricky one and after much consideration aside from making a good Spag Bol, applying for a job is my next area of speciality.

I don't know why, but Iv always had a knack for applying for & securing jobs.. Iv always got every job Iv been interviewed for, so much so that in the past I was fortunate to 'take my pick' from multiple offers. I'm a little out of practice now because I haven't really worked in a few years & being a relief teacher wasn't really a game of skill, however, here are my tips;

1. Create a great resume & cover letter. Don't waffle on too much in either, be concise and allow your resume to stand out. I found a decorative header with your personal details on it, always gave a nice touch. Start your cover letter with 'I'd like to introduce myself to both you & your company' ~ this line has worked every time, Mum even got a job based on this line & many have complimented me on the tone that this introduction sets. Whilst you should have a universal cover letter, you should also personalise it for each job you apply for.

2. Set yourself up a folder with copies of your resume, a universal cover letter for random handouts and pop in a page with all your important details on it for ease of filling out applications such as bank details, tax file # etc. Pop in your quals & certificates too for fast & easy reference during interviews.

3. Dress to impress.. Even when handing out resumes, first impressions count. Do not wear your daggies when meeting prospective employers, dress in interview attire even if your handing in an application at the jeans shop or Macca's, they need to know your a professional.

4. Go alone.. Do not hand out resumes with a bunch of your mates.

5. Be polite, when working in retail we once had a Mother/Daughter come into the store who were very rude. Later that day, the Daughter came back with her resume.. It was filed in the bin, because FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT & people remember!

6. Always hand your resume to the Manager, ask for them. If they aren't available, come back.

7. During the interview be calm & don't waffle.. Answer their questions and don't be too nervous, they want to catch a glimpse of the 'real you' ~ however, at all times remain professional. Fill them in about your weekend, AFTER you have secured a job, not at the interview!

8. Always put an open availability, you can change this later. But your application will appeal more if you appear flexible.

9. Get lots of experience. I found working many part time jobs in my younger years gave me great experience to gain jobs as I got older. Start off in take-away and build your way up, a lot of employers value the training program's that larger companies offer.

10. Enjoy! Whilst applying for jobs can be a tedious thing, particularly if there is financial pressures behind securing a position, but enjoy & don't be disheartened. If you lose the passion to job search, you will lose your spark. And it's that spark that will set you apart.. So remain cheerful & keep motivated. If you are knocked back 1 or 1500 times, the right job will be out there. Perseverance is all part of finding it.

I hope in part my tips have been useful.. Thanks :)