It is not by accident that the happiest people are those who make a conscious effort to live useful lives. Their happiness is a deep sense of inner peace that comes when they believe their lives have meaning and that they are making a difference for good in the world. ~Ernest Fitzgerald Job Search Tips Improving your job seeking skills can make you more effective and shorten your time unemployed. The links below connect you to advise to improve your job seeking skills. The Hidden Job Market An estimated 80% of available job openings are never advertised publicly. This is called the Hidden Job Market. These jobs are filled by direct contact with employers or by networking with friends, neighbors, relatives and people you know in the workplace.  The Internet is just one tool in a successful job search.  Estimates are that only 4% of people being hired found their job on the Internet.  Most people, 70 to 80 %, found their jobs by direct contact with an employer or by networking. Newspaper ads, employment agencies, and government services help many people but only account for 20-30% of hires. The Benefits of a Resume The Résumé has become an essential part of the work search process. A Resume is: A systematic assessment of your skills in terms of a specific work objective A marketing device used to gain an interview The purpose of the Résumé is to get an interview. It is like an advertisement: it should attract attention, create interest, describe accomplishments and invite a person to contact you. The average amount of time an employer takes to initially scan a Resume is 30 seconds. It is very important that the Resume be brief, one page if possible and two pages the limit. The Resume tells a potential employer what you can do and have done, who you are, and what you know. It also states what kind of work you seek. The key is that the Résumé must provide enough information for the employer to evaluate your qualifications and interest the employer enough to invite you for an interview. The Steps to Writing Your Resume Make detailed self-assessment notes and keep them together in a file. Obtain detailed job description information for the type(s) of work you want to do. Prepare a draft of a Chronological, Modified Chronological, or Functional Résumé. Organize major sections in order of importance, with Job Objective or Career Goal first and Summary of Qualifications or Skills Summary second. Have someone else proofread a draft of your Resume. It is important to tailor your qualifications to the work for which you are applying To do this, review your Self Assessment worksheets from Step 1 and the descriptions of the work information you have obtained from your research in Step 2 Before you start a draft of your Résumé, make sure you gather the following information: Resume Data 1. Personal data Name Local address Permanent address Phone number E-mail address Web page (if appropriate)   Additional Data for Co-op Student ID Level and Plan 2. Current work objective   3. Special skills & qualities related to objective Refer to your skills analysis from Section 1 Languages Computer skills, etc. Certificates received   4. Education Subjects related to your objective Samples of best work in classes related to your objective (e.g., team or individual projects) Other significant facts (e.g., honors, awards, credentials, achievements)   5. Work experience Employer Length of employment Position Accomplishments Samples of best work if relevant   6. Volunteer work, community involvement, association memberships Organization Length of involvement Role Accomplishments Samples of best work if relevant 7. Publications, presentations & reports 8. Activities & interests Extracurricular activities Positions of responsibility you have held Athletic accomplishments Range of general interests   A Functional format may be useful for individuals who have: Little or no related experience, but do have relevant qualifications for the job Relevant experience but these positions would be lost among the other jobs in a Chronological Résumé and the Modified Chronological format would not be suitable A number of similar work experiences which would require repeating the same points under several job listings Somuch material to say that it would take over three pages to do it It is essential that you have a good Chronological Resume from which to work as it is difficult to think creatively and evaluate the information at the same time Identify three to six major skill areas related to your objective (e.g., Supervision, Organization, Program Planning, Statistical Analysis, Report Writing, Scheduling, Managing, Teaching, Research, etc.); be consistent - use either all nouns or all adjectives Make sure there is no overlap in meaning when selecting the names for your skill sections; as you take each point from your Chronological Résumé, you will then find that it clearly fits in only one section Take each point in the job description section of Work Experience from your Chronological Resume and include it under one of the skill headings you created; ensure that each point starts with an appropriate action verb Since the points are removed from the employers they were associated with, you may have to add some generic information on setting, population, etc.; example: under ABC Parks and Recreation Department in your Chronological Résumé you have "organized Friday afternoon drop-in leisure activities for seniors" - in your Functional Résumé, add "in a recreational setting" so that the reader will not wonder in what context (medical, psychological, etc.) Try to combine points whenever possible to make clear, concise entries - the number of points for each function/skill ranges from three to seven In formulating the points for each thematic qualification, you can also draw upon your academics (projects, papers, etc.), extracurricular activities, and volunteer work as long as the reader knows the setting and does not think you have done the work in one of your paid positions The Work History section comprises, in reverse chronological order, a listing of your employment: Job title, Company/Organization, Location, Date - there are no job description details in this section. Your should have: Cover and broadcast letters Thank-you letters Letters in response to being declined for a job Withdrawing from consideration and declining job offer letters Accepting a job offer letter, thank you Letter Effective letter writing is an essential aspect of your job search. Do you want to convince a potential employer not to hire you? Send a Resume with no cover letter. Send a form letter addressed to The Hiring Manager. Or address your letter to Dear Sir, and have it opened by a female manager! Good writing takes time. Compose letters that reflect your own personality. Do not copy someone else's letters. Send handwritten correspondence only when requested by the employer. Letter Writing Strategies You may be in contact with several hundred people during your career exploration and work search activities. If you do not already know, obtain the name and title of the person to whom you should write and ensure that you have the correct spelling. Telephone the organization to ensure your information is current. Use Ms. to address a woman unless you know that she prefers Miss or Mrs. Your correspondence will be better received when addressed to the correct person and not to a job title. Decide on the focus of your letter, tailor your information to the reader, and ensure that all the points keep on topic. Base your correspondence to employers around what you can do for them, not on what you want them to do for you. One page is the maximum for letters. Let your enthusiasm be apparent. You do not want to lose the reader's interest before the person finishes the page. Avoid the words "as you can see", because the reader may not be able to "see" the point the way you do. Check your first draft for the number of times you have written "I". Overuse of "I", monotony of sentence structure, and rambling, boring text defeat your goal of writing an effective letter. Try to limit your paragraphs to no more than four or five sentences and your sentences to a maximum of two lines. The first sentence in a paragraph introduces the topic to be covered in that paragraph. Send an original, not copies that look mass-produced. Keep a copy of your correspondence. Follow-up at the appropriate time because the person to whom you have written may not contact you. The Purpose of an Interview The interview is a mutual exchange of information between an employer and a candidate for a position. The primary objectives are to: Supply information about yourself that is not contained in your Résumé Show that you understand yourself and have a sense of direction in your career Enable the employer to evaluate your personality and attitudes in terms of the demands of the organization and the position Allow you to gain information about the organization and the job, which is not available through other sources Give you and the employer an opportunity to discuss the desirability of further contact or an offer of employment Preparing for the Interview Know Yourself To impress an employer you must be well prepared and understand the value of what you have to offer. To relate your assets to the position and the organization, you must know yourself. Review your self-assessment sheets from Step 1 of the Manual and your Resume. Be prepared to substantiate all points with information. Rather than trying to determine only at what level you are currently functioning, some interviewers want to see how you have grown over time in areas related to their position(s) (e.g., interpersonal and work skills, motivation). Some interviewers will want you to talk about your mistakes to find out what you have learned to do differently. Know the Company / Organization You must be familiar with the position and the organization so that you can demonstrate how and why you will be an effective worker. Refer to the notes you made as you networked with people and reviewed print and online materials (see Section 4: Networks & Contacts). Obtain information, if you can, on whom you will be meeting with and the schedule for the interview period. If you can find out about your interviewer(s) (e.g., name, title, background) in advance, you will be able to use this information during the interviews. The interview: Be early. Learn the name of your interviewer and greet him or her with a firm handshake. Use good manners with everyone you meet. Relax and answer each question concisely. Use proper English—avoid slang. Be cooperative and enthusiastic. Use body language to show interest—use eye contact and don’t slouch. Ask questions about the position and the organization, but avoid questions whose answers can easily be found on the company Web site. Also avoid asking questions about salary and benefits unless a job offer is made. Thank the interviewer when you leave and shake hands. Send a short thank you note. Information to bring to an interview: Social Security card. Government-issued identification (driver’s license). Resume or application. Although not all employers require a resume, you should be able to furnish the interviewer information about your education, training, and previous employment. References. Employers typically require three references. Get permission before using anyone as a reference. Make sure that they will give you a good reference. Try to avoid using relatives as references. Transcripts. Employers may require an official copy of transcripts to verify grades, coursework, dates of attendance, and highest grade completed or degree awarded. Know your right There are clear human rights guidelines for employment interview questions. Applicants for employment may be asked to divulge only information that has relevance to the position applied for. Employers, by law, must focus on gathering relevant information in order to decide if the applicant is able to perform the functions of the position. Some employers erroneously believe that they have a right to ask any question they choose since they are paying the salary. Others are simply awkward in their technique and an unlawful question results. However, human rights law does not distinguish between the interviewer who is asking questions with the intent to discriminate, and the one who is just curious or inept at interviewing. There are questions that are appropriate and questions that are illegal. You do not have to answer questions that are illegal. The Ontario Human Rights Code prohibits discrimination in employment on the grounds of: Race Ancestry Place of origin Colour Ethnic origin Citizenship Creed Sex Sexual orientation Age Record of offenses Marital status Family status Disability Although it is ultimately the responsibility of the interviewer to know the law, this may not always be the case. It is to your advantage to be informed on the subject. You've done the reading and know your rights as they pertain to the interview. Now you're in the middle of one and have just been asked what is clearly an illegal question. What should you do? There is no clear-cut answer. Much depends on you. Ideas for Handling Illegal Questions In some cases, you may be able to answer the hidden question. Try to think of what information the employer is trying to elicit. Example:  Do you have or plan to have children? may be a disguise for Are you going to be able to work overtime?  or Will you be requesting time off for school holidays/events? In this example, your answer should convey your willingness to work overtime as required or make alternate child care arrangements. You may elect to say Why do you ask? or  Would you explain how this point is connected to the qualifications for this job? This may cause the employer to reconsider and/or clarify the question. This may offend some employers, but probably not the majority. If you feel that you should not answer the question (you shouldn't have to after all) or that you are not interested in working for the company, you may state, I do not feel obligated to answer that  or That question is inappropriate. If you choose this option, you will either enlighten (the employer may not realize it is illegal and will be happy that you pointed it out) or offend (the employer may not consider you for the position). The Ontario Human Rights Commission Keep in mind that the vast majority of employers strive to hire the most qualified staff and do so fairly. For employers who don't play by the rules, remember that assistance is available through the Ontario Human Rights Commission office. Contact them. To access the complaint procedure, visit the OHRC Web site at http://www.ohrc.on.ca