How important are Job Search skills?

Statistically, people change jobs about every four years and the current prediction is that the average person will have between three and five major career changes over their working career.

This means that job search skills are essential on-going life skills.

The difference as to whether you find a job or not can have a big impact upon your finances and lifestyle (which also affect your relationships).

Looking at the longer term bigger project, I strongly suggest that you take steps to find a realistic on-going career.  However I am also a realist, at short notice many people have to take “any job” they can find.  Some of these jobs may be casual or part-time unskilled work just to keep money coming in.

The more desperate you are to find a job can often mean you lower your standards and take “anything”. The big danger for many is although they take anything to get started and then get in a “rut” and become too busy to start looking for a better job or taking the longer term objectives of studying or improving their skills to set them self up for the next Perfect Career job move.

Even if you are just looking for “any old job”, you still need the basic job search skills like

• how to create a resume
• how to answer interview questions
• telephone techniques
• record keeping
• dress and grooming
• door-knocking (if appropriate).

An important thing to be aware of is that the most successful job search method is to use your personal contact network.  In my E-Learning course we give you specific steps on how to maximize this successful job-search technique.

How to Find a Job: A collection of successful tips

The following is a short collection of tips to help you find a job or more importantly, work towards your perfect career.

Finding a job requires knowledge and a game plan

Many people find job search stressful, because they do not have a plan or know what to do.  Take the stress out of job search by learning proven techniques and creating a plan.

Knowledge is power

Remove the uncertainty from job searching by learning what to do, and following a proven method.  The reason why finding a job is stressful for many is because they have never taken the time to research what are the most appropriate career options available to them and then mastered the job search skills to peruse those objectives.

Being prepared gives you confidence

Many job seekers lack an important quality which is confidence.  Attitude, self esteem and positive thinking are also important when looking for work.  However it is harder to lift yourself and have a brave face if you have just been fired, recently missed out on a couple of jobs or don’t know what you are doing. Being prepared and following a plan gives you confidence.

Job- Search and career planning are ongoing life skills

The figures vary, but a broad average is that people change jobs about every four to five years and an increasing number of people are making big changes between careers and industries throughout their working life.  What this tells us is that the average person to be an ongoing success in life needs to have the knowledge of how to plan a career and find the appropriate jobs that fulfill that career.

If you are proactive you will not have to be reactive

Many are forced to find a job often when they are least prepared.

The need to find a job for many people is a stressful event, something to be feared and put off. That’s why many take any old job and are prepared to stay in a ‘rut’, putting off to another day the exercise to find their dream career.

The best time to learn career and job-search techniques is when you do not have an immediate time pressure like, i.e. you have just been fired and must find “anything ASAP”

Start now and work towards your dream career!!!

A career Vs a job

Most people associate a “job” with just:

• getting by,
• existing, and
• surviving from pay day to pay day to meet their basic bills.

The objective of finding a perfect career will not happen for some because they keep going from one job disaster to another without any sense of structure, direction or without any sense of an ongoing career plan.  If you have not created a “Career Plan” it is not too late to start.

Don’t fall into the trap of believing that successful careers are for everyone else

Instead of just getting another job, have a bigger view and plan, study, train and work to achieve your Perfect Career.

Have a plan to give you a sense of direction

Career plans are not always perfect and you may have to be prepared to change along the way.  One of the biggest mistakes for many is they have no plan or no objective to start off with as to who they are, what they can do or what sorts of tasks would make them happy.

People who travel in circles often find themselves back to where they started.

Everyone is different, do what suits you

Undertake a “Skills Audit” and career research to help you find your career options.  Some people are bored because they are underutilized, some people are stressed because they are overextended and attempting to do jobs and tasks that they are not suited to.

Never leave a job until you have found another

The longer you are unemployed the harder it is to find a job.  Therefore wherever possible, always line up a new position before you resign from your current position.

Have a longer term perspective

When people have to find a job at short notice, they usually are prepared to take ‘anything’ because they are desperate.

However they remained in a job and lifestyle that they are not happy with because they do not know how to get themselves out of that situation.

If you are not happy with your job or lifestyle, then start moving forward today.

For more information about Mike Creagan and The Career Company See my free report