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 Employment is sought through printed ads, online job boards and networking. While searching online is quick, be aware of what information you are transmitting, and to whom you are sending it.
Before you begin your search or create your resume, start by being prepared and organized to reduce your stress as well as spam, scams and even phishing (unsolicited email, fake job postings, etc). If you do find yourself unemployed, one of most difficult things is not knowing where to begin or what’s involved during your search. You will want to create lists because you will be asked for the same information repeatedly as you complete applications.
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| Tips for Job Searching - Getting Started: |
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Apply for unemployment benefits with IDES. You must decide when to have federal and state taxes withheld; it is not automatic. Our counselors may help you decide. Inquire about extended benefits toward the end of your exhausted the initial 26 weeks. |
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Complete the outplacement program if offered or you seek a program on your own. Some programs may require you to use landlines only and have ability to be online at the same time; cell phones may not be permitted. Check with your outplacement coordinator. |
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Purchase at least 2 reams of paper, 2 ink cartridges and a few expandable folders. |
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Create a separate email address to use specifically for job searching. |
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If you don’t own a computer, create an email account using a public library computer (i.e., hotmail, yahoo, netzero, aol, etc) |
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Research your targeted industry or company’s website address to view daily. |
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Create a separate ‘unemployment’ favorite to store your frequently searched internet sites. You may even want to create subfolders to categorize your search, (i.e., schools, job boards, companies). |
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Create a reference list including name, work phone, home phone, years known, title, email ID and relationship. |
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Create a list of prior jobs including company, title, dates worked as title, salary of title, company address. |
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Create a list of education including high school and college with addresses and dates attended. |
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Contact your alumni career services department to see if they have a website for job searching. |
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Contact employment agencies such as Arlington Resources, Flexexecs, or Kelly Services at www.arlingtonresources.com, www.flexexecs.com or www.kellyservices.com. |
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If you are represented by an agency to a company, you will not be able to contact that employer on your own since the employer already has your resume. The reverse is also true – if you apply to a company directly, an employment agency cannot represent you to that perspective employer. |
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If you are placed by an employment agency and your contract ends with their client, you MUST contact same employment agency otherwise your unemployment benefits may be discontinued and you have to fight to get them back |
| Tips During Your Job Search: |
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Search for jobs using job boards but apply to jobs via the real company website (avoids spam and phishing). |
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If you are unsure about the background of a company, research the organization on www.hoovers.com. If you suspect fraudulent activity, contact the Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.org. |
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Google/Maps for approximate distance and time. |
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Copy posting from website into Word, format to a single page, include the salary search, distance and time, and record your references on the document. Job postings are often removed from websites at the closing date. Your hard copy will assist you through the interview process. |
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Print all documentation including the job posting, cover letter, resume, all company correspondence and sequence number (see Excel job log below). You may alter and tailor your cover letter and resume for different jobs. By printing all your documentation, you will have the correct information in front of you when employers call. Staple all correspondence for the specific job. File your documentation in numerical sequence in expandable folders. |
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Log all job searches on your official unemployment record. |
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Create an Excel log of all job searches with the sequence number, company, position, location, contact, phone, date and comments – comments include user name, password, salary information, explanation of activity (follow up voice mail, interview dates, etc). This log will help tremendously so you know what companies you have applied to with titles and dates so you don’t duplicate your efforts. Additionally the sequence number will help you locate the posting quickly when an employer calls. Record the sequence number on your printed copy of the job posting. |
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Common job board sites including spider sites (a site that search multiple job boards) include www.indeed.com, www.indeed.com/salary, www.simplyhired.com, www.careerbuilder.com, jobsearch.monster.com, www.jobsinchicago.com, www.hotjobs.yahoo.com, www.dice.com, www.worldatwork.org, and www.shrm.org for human source positions. |
| Miscellaneous Job Searching Tips: |
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Create a log in Excel to record your unemployment expenses – yes, these may be tax deductible. Include date, miles traveled, phone calls and, company name, city and job title as well as career-related coaching. Also list your supplies (paper, ink and stamps). A portion of your internet bill may also be tax deductible. Companies will generally pay for air travel and hotel for interviews. If they do not, record these expenses as well. Relocation expenses are also generally paid for by the company. Again if they don’t, keep track of these costs. |
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Use discretion when stating your education level. If job posting requires a Bachelor’s degree, do not claim you have a Master’s degree as you may be considered overqualified. |
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Create a chronological and functional resume. Use the appropriate resume depending on the type of job you are applying for. |
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Including cover letters with your resume exhibits your written communication skills. State your clear objective in a concise sentence. Avoid turning your cover letter into another resume by restating all the contents; be brief. Make sure you spell check all your documents you submit to employers or employment agencies. |
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Be prepared before your phone or on-site interview by researching information about the organization and practicing your questions and answers about yourself and the company out loud. |
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During the interview remain calm and confident, be a good listener and be succinct when answering questions. Always thank the interviewer for the opportunity. |
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Learn MS Office (including MS Word, MS Excel, etc. 2007 or other releases) for free at the library. |
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Visit www.mchenrycountyworkforce.com or call 815-338-7100 x 203 for help with vocational training and job placement. |
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