Job Search 101
- 1. JOB SEARCH 101 Your beginners’ guide to job-hunting
- 2. Foreword Job search is beyond sending your job applications. It entails a multi-step process starting with a good understanding about yourself and the employment landscape. In this guide, you will: • Learn the 4 effective steps to secure a job • Get tips to differentiate yourself from other candidates • Acquire techniques to reframe your mind and stay motivated • Get information on the various support schemes available for your job search journey
- 3. 01 Know Yourself 02 Explore Your Options 03 Build Job Search Strategies 04 Keep a Positive Spirit05 Outline Help Is Always Available06 Connect with Employers
- 4. KNOW YOURSELF 01 Understand the key factors that will help you make an informed career choice and find the right job fit.
- 5. Values are beliefs & principles that guide our priorities and actions Interests are what keeps us motivated and excited everyday Personality reveals who we are, our work style and preferences Motivated Skills shows the skills you enjoy using and are good at Understanding your V.I.P.S
- 6. What are your values? Work- Life Integration Change and Variety Practicality Exercise Competence Personal Safety Status High Earnings / Profits & Gain Recognition Power and Authority Challenging Problems Precision Work Pursue Knowledge Excitement Friendships Honesty and Integrity Diversity Steep Learning Curve / Fast Pace Family Team Work Creativity Help others / society Time Freedom Advancement Work Alone / Independence Competition Job Security Influence people Stability in work routine Take the assessment at myskillsfuture.sg to find out more Adapted from Richard Knowdell’s Career Values Card Sort
- 7. Interests tell you what you might enjoy doing Identify 3 of the characteristics (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Conventional) that most sounds like you Take the assessment at myskillsfuture.sg to find out more Adapted from John Holland’s RIASEC occupational themes
- 8. Personality reveals your work style & preferences Take the assessment at truity.com to find out more I like lots of human interaction Which describes you better? I prefer a quiet environment VSI like prefer regular routine I like prefer flexibility VS VS VS I like appreciate the finer details I rely on data I look at the big picture I follow my instincts Adapted from Carl Jung’s Myer Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
- 9. Skills tell you what you are good at Take the assessment at myskillsfuture.sg to find out more Teach, Train Motivate Observe Generate Ideas Innovate / Invent Plan, Organize Analyse Customer Service Strategise Counsel Make Arrangements Initiate Change Delegate Use Mechanical Abilities Adapt to Change Research Budget Team Work Entertain / Perform Work with Numbers Expedite Interview for Information Monitor Multi-Task Classify Deal with Ambiguity Make Decision Sell What sort of transferrable skills might you possess? What other technical skills / hard skills do you also have? Adapted from Richard Knowdell’s Motivated Skills Card Sort
- 10. EXPLORE OPTIONS 02 Now that you know your VIPS. The next step is to scan the labour market landscape and explore what are the potential jobs that can fit your VIPS
- 11. How can I find out my job options? 1. List down potential jobs that suit well with your V.I.P.S 2. Find out which industries/ companies are hiring 3. Gather facts about the jobs available: • Nature of work • Skills required • Company culture • Benefits • Progression opportunities 4. Use the information gathered in (2) to evaluate if the job is a good fit for you based on your V.I.PS
- 12. Where can I gather more information about the job? • Company’s website • Job description from job search site • Talking to an insider • News and industry publications
- 13. STRATEGISE03 Being a successful jobseeker means equipping yourself with the job search strategies to get yourself noticed by potential employers
- 14. Build Your Personal Brand 1. Using your VIPS as a guide, list down your: • Skills and Competencies • Values • Personality • Experience • Achievements 2. Develop your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) using the above information Your brand is what set you apart from other Job Seekers!
- 15. Develop Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) • Your USP encapsulates your biggest strengths and accomplishments • It conveys what makes you unique and valuable to an organisation • Your USP should appear in your resume, and your social media profile i.e. LinkedIn. It can also be used during your interview. Regional Operations and Marketing professional with global brands for over a decade, driving go-to-market sales and successfully implemented business process design and workflow optimisation. Example:
- 16. Did you know that Employers spend, on average, only 6 seconds to read your resume? Ensure that you…. Put key info on the top third of your resume Include a career summary/ objective Use the keywords of the job or industry (Zety 2019) Draft a Well-Written Resume
- 17. Work Experience Company XX, 1989-2017 Project Manager, • Managed project budget of $300+ million and minimised risk in buyout processes, reducing costs by 15% a year Mr/Ms/Mdm/Miss ABC Email: 123@gmail.com Contact No: 65 12345678 (Mobile) 65-12345678 (Residential) Skills & Competencies • Cost & Capacity planning • Risk Management • SAP (ERP system) Career Summary Highly accomplished 6 sigma certified Project Manager with more than 10 years of experience, and a proven track record in maximising business profitability. Accomplishments Successfully led a team of 70 subcontractors to manage twenty $1m to $10m projects. • Increased profit margin by 20% (from 10%) through implementing cost control projects Education and Credentials ABC University, 1985 Bachelor in Business Management What makes a good resume? Contact Details Name Email Address Mobile Number Summary Your job title, experience, expertise, domain knowledge, desired attributes Accomplishments Cite key achievements backed by numbers Skills & Competencies Skills relevant to the job role 1 2 4 3
- 18. C.A.R: Technique to answering Interview Questions Context State the background, the situation or task and time in which the candidate took his action (Relevance) Action Talk about what was done and how (Proficiency of Behaviour) Result Share the impact of the actions taken (Impact) Employers look for evidence of past behaviour Hence, our answers need to provide the evidence.
- 19. Example of using the C.A.R approach Context Action Results During the crisis last year, food and beverage business was badly affected and it had an impact on our sales. Instead of waiting for directions, I decided to work with my team to come up with solutions such as a price promotion and new recipe. I submitted the plan to my boss. The plan was approved and implemented. We managed to keep our sales while our competitors’ dropped by 30%. Q: Tell me about a time when you were in a stressful work situation A:
- 20. Top 3 tricky questions • Don’t’ share unrelated details like your family background or hobbies • Focus on sharing about related work experiences, relevant skills, USP, that will contribute to their organisation Tell me about yourself Why did you leave your last job? • Don’t complain about your former bosses / colleagues • Focus on the pull factors, what you look forward in working in the new company What is your greatest weakness? • Don’t say ‘nothing’ • Don’t say anything that is key to the success of the job role • Show how you have made attempts to improve in your weakness
- 21. Interview Dos & Don’ts Arrive 15 minutes before your interview slot Write a personalised “Thank You” email to the interviewers within 24 hours Speak negatively about ex-colleagues or bosses Answer questions with a simple “yes” or “no” Bring up or discuss personal issues or family problems Be prepared to ask at least 1 question to the interviewer
- 22. CONNECT WITH EMPLOYERS 04 The final stage is to understand where employers look for candidates, and get yourself connected with potential employers
- 23. Where Do Employers Get Their Talent? Internal Employee Hiring Employee Referral Talent Acquisitions, Headhunters, Recruiters Unsolicited Resumes Job ads Jobseekers Employers While most jobseekers turn to job portals & job ads to look for jobs.. In reality, employers prefer to hire through word-of- mouth and referrals!
- 24. A Guide to Networking 1. Identify and evaluate your network • Bosses / Supervisors • Peers & colleagues • Suppliers / Business partners • Customers • Alumni networks • Professional organizations • Family & Friends 2. Reach out and connect with your network over various stages and platforms to warm-up the relationship and establish trust 3. Share your career aspirations and interests to your network through F2F or social media platforms “Your network can alert you about job openings, advise you about the skills required, or recommend you to their contacts who are recruiting.”
- 25. Look for job postings on MyCareersFuture.sg
- 26. KEEP A POSITIVE SPIRIT 05 Job Search is a long process and the uncertainty of not knowing when the search will end can take a toll on our well-being. Practice self-care & look for ways to stay motivated!
- 27. What sort of mindset are you geared towards? Adapted from Carol S Dweck’s “Mindset”
- 28. Remember, your Emotions, Thoughts and Behaviour are inter-connected T BE Thoughts What we THINK affects how we act and feel Behaviour What we DO affects how we think and feel Emotions How we FEEL affects what we think and do Adapted from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- 29. We have 60,000 – 80,000 thoughts a day Reframe your Thoughts to Stay Positive When you experience a negative thought i.e. No one will recruit me because of my age, ask yourself… 1. What makes you feel this way? 2. Is it true? Think of possible examples to counter your negative thoughts. 3. What other ways could I think of? Eg. My age gives me a wealth of experience. I may have not sufficiently highlight my USP and experience to potential employers 4. How will the new thoughts affect your job search?
- 30. Focus on things that are in your control – Your time, your energy, your self-worth, who you surround yourself with. Establish a daily routine – set aside time to do your job search daily, research on the company. Manage Your Well Being Through Positive Actions Surround yourself with positive people – attend networking events, volunteer. Get moving – establish a regular exercise regime and eat healthy.
- 31. HELP IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE 06 Make full use of the government support schemes to complement your job search efforts
- 32. Government Support • Re-skill to move into jobs in growth sectors with the Professional Conversion Programmes • Assess your job fit in a role that interests you through a short work stint with Career Trial • Access jobs with salary & training support with the Career Support Programme • Widen your network and opportunity by participating in Career Preparatory workshops and Career Events by WSG
- 33. Speak To a Professional Career Coaching is a collaboration between you and a professionally- certified Career Coach who will guide you in discovering your strengths and interests, so that you can make informed career decisions and realise your goals. Your commitment is needed for a strong client-coach partnership. Find out more about WSG’s Career Coaching and Advice at mycareersfuture.sg/careercoaching
- 34. Thank you for journeying with us… Best of luck on your job search!