Job Searching Part 2

Job Searching Part 2

Find part 1 of Job Searching here

Reading the Job Ad

When you are job searching you need to take some time to discover what the employer is really looking for.   Check out the job ad. Highlight the skill sets.  Is there one word that is repeated several times such as “analyze”, “communicate”, “strategize”.  If so, then make sure those words show up in your Highlights section.

woman with laptop, notebook beside her
Checking Out Job Ads

For instance, what skills do you see in this job ad?

From Job Ad – A day in the life:

  • Assist the chief engineer in monitoring and carrying out the Delivery & Operations Division program to assure projects and initiatives are developed and communicated well, kept on schedule and that program-related issues that surface are handled promptly and, where necessary, with confidentiality and discretion.
  • Manage and maintain the chief engineer and Business Operations Section manager's schedules assuring there is appropriate time to review documents, prepare presentations or reports.
  • Monitor the chief engineer's email inbox, responding, tracking and researching information as needed.
  • Coordinate and review all documents requiring signature as well as maintaining records of all documents once signed.
  • Provide administrative and technical support to several executive meetings – this may include building agendas, scheduling presenters, following up on assignments and completing meeting minutes.
  • Serve as the partnership administrator.
  • The person in this position must build and maintain professional working relationships with several internal and external contacts.
  • Provide confidential HR assistance including recruitment preparation, interview support and onboarding coordination.

Some key words are:  communicate, manage, maintain, confidential, build and maintain professional relationships, respond, track, research.

Researching the Employer

Once you have found a job that you think you would like to do, it's time to do some research on the employer.

Check out this Biospace article which lists 12 different ways to research an employer.

The key is to spend some time finding out about the employer.  Check out their website to get a feel about the company.  Ask people who work there, if you know anyone.  Look for comments online.  Review Linked-in.  Check if they have been in the paper recently and for what.

This is an important step as one of the questions may be, “Why do you want to work for us?”  You'd better have a good answer if you want to be hired.

Next Step Interview Preparation

two women sitting at a desk
Interview Skills

The next step in job searching is preparing for the interview.  Many leave this until the last minute, when they get the call.  Unless you are very good at interviews, that is too late.  Act as if you are going to get an interview for the job as soon as you send out your resume and begin to prepare.

I recommend you set up a file on your computer for each job you apply to.  Give the file the name of the position and company.  Inside the file put a copy of the job ad and a copy of the resume you used to apply to that job.

Take another look at the skill sets they are looking for and look up some common interview questions.  Get someone to ask you the questions.  Even better, record yourself answering the questions and then review the video.

Best is to set up a Zoom session, record the interview and then review it 3 ways.  The first time watch and listen.  The second time turn off the sound and watch your body language.  The third time just listen.   That will give you a much better idea of how you come across to the employer.

Now you are much better prepared for job searching and finding the job that you want.

Good luck

Fran

P.S. If you missed part 1, click here

P.P.S.  If you need any help in this process, contact me.

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