Your uniqueness can help you find work

What can you do for the employer that no-one else can? What is the uniqueness you bring to this job? Knowing that can make all the difference to your job search.

There will be a great many things that anyone looking for the same job as you will, presumably, be able to do.

For an receptionist job, for example, it is to be hoped that all applicants will be able answer phones, speak politely to clients in person or on the phone, relay messages, and many other typical reception duties.

But what is your uniqueness?

For example, if you have a second language or have lived for any length of time in another country, then when you apply for a job, mention your language and cultural experience, even if it's not requested.

If you have past experience working as a "techie" in IT, and are now looking for an office job, again especially if it is a small company you are applying with, mentioning your ability to keep computers running might make all the difference to your chances of landing an interview.

I am not suggesting it will get you into a job for which you are not well qualified, but if you have the qualifications, it might just be the thing that swings it for you if you also do a good job of the interview.

Employers, especially smaller companies, are very interested in the "freebies" employees might bring with them. So each time you see a job advertisement that interests you, think what else you have to offer that might make all the difference to this employer.

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Find work in the hidden job market creatively

Here are three ways to find work that is part of the "Hidden Job Market" (i.e. not advertised)

1. Go in person to any place you think might hire people with your skills and experience. If it's a small company, you may be lucky and see the owner or the manager. In a larger company this is more difficult.

Take along your resume and cover letter, and ask for the manager/ owner. If you have to, leave your resume with reception and ask that it be passed along to the hiring manager.

While you are there, if you don't see the manager, ask the name of the person who will ultimately receive your resume. A few days later, phone and ask for that person and ask if they have had a chance to read your resume.

Be prepared. If they say that they have not read it yet, be ready to tell them, briefly of your skills and experience and how you can help their business succeed.

This is the most effective way.

2. Another way is to telephone. Ask for the hiring manager and be prepared with your 30 second introduction, and ask if you can come in for a brief meeting or if all else fails, ask if you can send in your resume.

3. The third way is to send in your resume to the Hiring Manager of a company. If you do not know the person's name, phone up and ask. You do not want to speak to him/ her, you just want the name, and correct spelling for your cover letter.

Then mail your cover letter and resume and follow up a week later with a phone call to ask if you can arrange a meeting. Again, be prepared for the hiring manager to not have read your resume and be prepared with your 30 second introduction.

Don't just look for the advertised jobs. You have a much better chance of finding the job you want if you employ the above methods.

For more help in finding work check out Wow-You're Hired!

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A Positive Attitude is crucial to your job search

Do you know the number one thing that employers hire for?

Attitude.

You can teach someone skills such as how to use a computer, welding or landscaping, but how can you teach someone to have a great attitude?

Obviously attitude is not all there is. If you go in for brain surgery you hope the surgeon has something other than just a great atttitude ... but would you want one with a bad attitude?

So do an attitude check and if you think you have anything other than a positively terrific attitude, work at changing it.

A great attitude will take you farther than you can possibly imagine.

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Informational Interviews: What not to ask.

Informational Interviews: What not to ask.

Do not ask for a job. Do not produce your resume (which is just another way of asking for a job)

Your goal is to find out where the jobs are so you can then apply in the usual, recognized manner, probably through a human resources department.

If you are doing the information interview with the person you should be doing it with, namely someone in the job you want, or their immediate supervisor, they will not be in a position to hire you anyway, unless you are applying to work in human resources.

The informational interview is to uncover unadvertised jobs, or jobs which are coming up soon but as yet are not advertised.

So do not in any way shape or form ask for a job. Just ask if they person knows of any possibilities either in this company or any other company where someone with your skills & experience might find work.

That's it. That's the information you are seeking.

When you hear of a job, phone up human resources and ask how to apply - this is not an information interview. It is you actively following up on a job lead.

More help in finding that great job.

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Informational Interviews: question for the job seeker to ask.

Informational Interviews: questions for the job seeker to ask.

So you're looking for a job, and you've bought into the idea (the GOOD idea) to do informational interviews. You've phoned the appropriate person and arranged a 10 - 15 minute meeting.

What are you going to ask when you get there?

Before you go, write down everything you really want to know from this person.

• How did you get your job?
• What are ways, other than the formal way, to get into this job?
• Have you any tips that might help me get into this type of work?
• What do you like most?
• What is most challenging?
• What do you like least?
• What advice would you give someone getting into this work?
• Any job specific questions, such as what accounting software do you use/ is most widely used in this work?
• What is the salary range? Or, what is a good starting salary?
• Are there any short courses I could take that would make me more employable?
• Is there anything else you think it would be helpful for me to know?
• Do you know of anyone who is hiring at the moment for this work?
  

And the last questions, never to be missed:

• Can you tell me two other people I can talk to about this type of work? and
• Can I mention your name?

Leave when you're time is up, even though you haven't finished your questions ... just jump to the last two ask them, thank the person for their time and their help and leave.

Send a thank you letter within 24 hours, and if you end up through one of the people they recommended, send them another note then to let them know you appreciated the referral.

Remember that you are talking to someone in the same position as you want, or their immediate supervisor. Unless the work you want is in Human Resources, so the people you are interviewing are also in human resources, the person to whom you are talking cannot hire you.

If they say their company is hiring, ask if you may mention you spoke to them when you apply officially to HR for a job.

Keep going. Ask everyone you speak to for 2 other names, and then ask these 2 for 2 other names, etc. This not only has the best chance of landing you a job, it also builds you a network, that properly nurtured can last you a lifetime.

Informational interviews work. Yes, you may get a few rejections, but so what. Keep on going till you find the job you want.

More help finding work.

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Decide what you want to do and are qualified to do right now.

Yes, you want a job you like. I am 100% behind that choice. However, you also need to choose a job you CAN do!

Why should an employer hire you to do something he has to train you for when he could hire someone else who can already do it?

Some jobs, of course, need in house training or orientation. Some jobs will be advertised with the offer of "Will train." That's fine.

However, if you see a job that requires a specific skill, there is not much point in applying with the promise that you are a quick learner or will later take a course.

For now, go for the jobs you can do right now.

If you have aspirations for something else you can find a job that allows you to train on the job and eventually move up. Or you can take courses in the evening or online, and ultimately find the job you like.

Be patient. You can get there is that's what you want to do. But you are just asking for rejection by constantly applying for jobs for which you are not qualified.

Find out how to enjoy your job and find what you would love to do as a career.

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