Maximizing Job Search Success: Tips, Strategies, and Resources

1. Unit 9 Securing and Maintaining Employment

2. Chapter 24 Job Leads and the Resume

3. Preparing for the Job Search • Invest time and effort • Develop positive attitude • Understand what you have to offer • Employers look for pleasant, enthusiastic, likeable employees

4. Question • True or False: • Job search professionals recommend that at least 20 hours per week should be devoted to the job search.

5. Answer • True • Job search professionals recommend at least 20 hours per week for job searching • Some even suggest up to 40 hours

6. Preparing for the Job Search • What do you have to offer? • Identify qualifications, create inventory • Technical skills • Personal characteristics

7. Preparing for the Job Search • Employers want employees who can: • Communicate • Solve problems • Work as effective team member

8. Preparing for the Job Search • Important employment characteristics: • Integrity • Responsibility • Dependability • Organization • Consideration • Willingness to learn

9. Preparing for the Job Search • Identify employment preferences • Size of facility • Work pace and hours • Time working with others versus alone • Amount of supervision • Type of specialty • Location • Orientation and training offered

10. Preparing for the Job Search • Determine financial needs • Track expenses • Create budget

11. Question • To determine your financial needs, it is recommended that you track your expenses for _____ . • A few days • A few weeks • A few months

12. Answer • C. A few months • To get most accurate picture of own finances, recommended to track expenses for a few months

13. Preparing for the Job Search • Organize own time • Focus on most productive activities • Allocate hours • Write to-do lists • Prepare ahead for interviews

14. Preparing for the Job Search • Organize own space • Dedicate area for job search materials and activities • Create system for recording information • Collect needed materials and resources

15. Preparing for the Job Search • Project professional image • Handle incoming calls professionally • If on social networking site, be sure to present self professionally • Maintain professional physical appearance during all contacts with potential employers

16. Question • True or False: • Most employers will understand that you really cannot control the phone manners of everyone in your household.

17. Answer • False • Employers may be put off if person answering phone at contact number is rude

18. Finding Job Leads • School career service center • Large percentage of graduates find employment working with staff • Offer many services • Follow up on all leads given • Advise school when you become employed

19. Question • The most important reason for letting your school know when you are hired for a job is so/that _____ . • They will stop sending you job leads • Schools are required to report graduate employment statistics to government and accrediting agencies • It will help the staff receive good performance evaluations

20. Answer • B. Schools are required to report graduate employment statistics to government and accrediting agencies • Accrediting status can depend on employment rates of graduates • As well as ability to qualify students for loans

21. Finding Job Leads • Community career centers • Government-sponsored resource centers • Career One Stop • U.S. Department of Labor • Links to nationwide career centers

22. Finding Job Leads • Networking • Tell everyone you are looking for a job • Contact health care professionals • Ask questions about field • Internet • Mailing lists • Newsgroups • Web forms • LinkedIn

23. Finding Job Leads • Clinical experience • E.g., externship, internship, fieldwork • Do not expect a job, but perform your best • Jobs sometimes offered or created for good students • May serve as reference for another employer

24. Finding Job Leads • Cold calls and visits • Identify job openings • Dress professionally • Bring resume • Do not expect interview at time of visit

25. Finding Job Leads • Job fairs and orientations • May be sponsored by school, local organizations, or large employers • Dress professionally • Bring copies of resume • Be prepared to ask questions • Gather information about employers

26. Question • True or False: • Career fairs are good places to interview for interesting jobs.

27. Answer • False • Job fairs designed to offer information about employers • Not conduct job interviews for applicants

28. Finding Job Leads • Internet • Learn job-search techniques • Find job openings • Get information about employers • Learn about professional organizations • Post resume

29. Finding Job Leads • Advertisements for job openings • Newspapers • Professional journals • Websites of employers, professional organizations, and job sites • Telephone joblines • Recorded announcements

30. Question • If a job posting asks that applicants fax their resumes, it is best to _____ . • Email your resume because it is easier than faxing • Mail your resume because it will look better than documents coming out of a fax machine • Arrange to fax your resume as quickly as possible

31. Answer • C. Arrange to fax your resume as quickly as possible • Follow employer’s instructions and fax resume • Demonstrates you follow directions

32. Resume • Written summary of professional qualifications • Must accurately represent skills • Include personal traits • Avoid canned resumes • Know exactly what it says

33. Resume Content • Heading • Name • Current contact information • Introduction • Summary of what you have to offer the employer

34. Resume Content • Education • List schools • Starting with most recent • May include grades, honors, and awards • Include special training related to job • May include courses taken or summary of health care program

35. Question • True or False: • You should only include your grades on your resume if you received all A’s or their equivalent.

36. Answer • False • Appropriate to include grades if 3.0 (B’s) or higher

37. Resume Content • Licenses and certifications • Include, if applicable • Omit if included in another section • E.g., education

38. Resume Content • Work experience • May be called employment history • List previous jobs • Starting with most recent • Use active verbs to describe accomplishments • May list clinical experience here or in education section • Indicate it was unpaid and part of training

39. Resume Content • Special skills • Optional section • List any skills related to job not included in other sections

40. Resume Content • Languages • Optional section • List languages spoken, written, or understood other than English • May include in special skills section • Rather than creating new section

41. Question • True or False: • When listing languages you know, it is a good idea to indicate the level at which you speak, read, write, and understand them.

42. Answer • True • Indicate levels at which you can communicate in language(s)

43. Resume Content • Awards and honors • Optional section • Do not repeat items if listed in education or work experience section • Community service or volunteer work • Optional section • Explain activities

44. Resume Content • Memberships • Optional section • Include professional organizations, offices held, etc. • Include community organizations as they relate to job

45. Resume Content • Hobbies and interests • Optional section • Include if they relate to job or demonstrate skills or desirable characteristics

46. Chronological Resume • Features work experience • Includes full list of jobs and accomplishments • Choose if have strong work history • Especially if jobs in or related to health care

47. Functional Resume • Highlights skills and abilities acquired from various experiences • May be personal, family, or hobbies • Organize skills in clusters • E.g., organizational skills, teaching experience, accounting skills

48. Resume Guidelines • Accurate • Perfect spelling and grammar • Correct contact information • Conservative • No fancy fonts • White, very light gray, or beige paper

49. Resume Guidelines • Neat • No corrections or smudges • Easy to read • Information not crowded • White space left

50. Resume Guidelines • Inappropriate information omitted • Why left previous job, if applicable • Salary information • Disability • Age, marital status, children • Do not include social security number • Properly spaced • Double-space between sections