5.1: The Job Search Process

Industry

Each industry has different subcategories. For example:

• Arts: visual/performing arts, museums, education, nonprofit or private organizations
• Energy: oil, gas, renewable energy, utilities, regulation, research
• Sports: teams, leagues, venues, sports companies, marketing agencies

Being specific helps you identify real organizations and job opportunities.

Function (what you do day-to-day)

Job function refers to the type of work you perform, such as:

• Management
• Marketing
• Sales
• Finance and accounting
• Human resources
• Operations
• Technology

Even within the same industry, different functions lead to very different jobs. For example, a museum could have roles in management, marketing, finance, HR, or operations.

Geography (where you work)

Geography refers to your physical work location and can significantly affect your job options.

If your desired location has limited opportunities in your target industry or role, you may need to adjust your expectations by:

• Expanding your industry options
• Changing your job function
• Expanding your location search

Some jobs also involve a second geography, such as working with clients or markets in other regions or countries.

Here is a list of possible subcategories for common industries:

Step 3: Develop your self-marketing campaign

Your marketing campaign includes how you present yourself both in person and on paper to prospective employers. Developing a strong resume and cover letter is crucial to getting an interview. Resume and cover letter writing and interview techniques will be addressed in greater detail later in this unit.

The way you dress, carry yourself, and physically behave also communicate your job potential. Your nonverbal communication either supports the things you say and how you say them, or it undermines you. If you are an articulate, well-spoken person but dress in a sloppy manner, slouch, and fidget, then your actions belie your verbal communication. Therefore, poise goes hand in hand with communication as a fundamental prerequisite for your search.

Professional Dress Signals Your Professional Maturity

What you wear to different job search functions signals neatness, professionalism, and understanding of general business protocol. A business suit in a dark neutral color is the standard. Black, blue, brown, and gray are neutral colors. Some industries and specific companies within industries dress more casually, so it is important to consult an experienced person in the specific industries and companies that interest you for the most relevant guidelines. For example, in media and fashion, your dress is a signal of how much you know and can fit into that field.

A dark suit would be too bland and look out of place at a fashion-forward company. For general functions, such as career fairs or professional mixers, stick to proper business attire. Even if there are a range of dress options in attendance, it’s best to be more formally dressed. In addition, most job seekers look more professional and put together with a business suit. You probably will carry yourself more professionally, have better posture, and be more alert in a business suit than in casual attire.

If you are attending an event or an interview where business casual is stipulated, this is still neater and more formal than casual attire. Khakis rather than jeans, dress slacks and a sport coat for men, and a sweater set for women are some examples of business casual.

Here is a checklist of things to remember about dressing professionally:

• Dark, neutral colors and a matching suit jacket and slacks or skirt are the standard.
• Shoes should be comfortable and polished. No open-toed styles or very high heels; even in dressy styles, shoes with open toes or very high heels look unprofessional.
• What you wear beneath the jacket will also be seen. For men, blue or white dress shirts are standard, though some other colors are acceptable. For women, stick to blouses with sleeves in case you take your jacket off (sleeveless is too casual). Women should also stay away from frilly camisoles—they can be seen under your jacket and still look like lingerie.
• Cover yourself. No body hair for men or cleavage for women should be visible. Women should make sure skirt lengths are not too short.
• Avoid overly printed ties, lots of jewelry, accessories, or too much makeup, all of which detract from a professional appearance.
• Have a professional briefcase or bag. A backpack or other casual bag diminishes the professional image.
• Fragrance is not recommended because some people are allergic.
• Keep hair neat and off your face so interviewers can see you.
• Don’t wait until you start your job search to make sure you have the appropriate clothes. It takes time to ensure the fit and length are right, and you may need tailoring or other services.

The Way You Carry Yourself Also Signals Professionalism

If you have a great suit but you slouch, that is an incomplete package. Good posture, steady eye contact, and a firm handshake are additional fundamentals to the job search process. Even if you think this is common sense, do not assume that you will be 100 percent put together once your search starts. If you are not used to dressing professionally and interacting with people in a formal business context, then you may have a weak handshake or poor eye contact and not realize it. Before you get busy with interviews, see if you can attend a business event just as a practice run.

Here is a checklist of things to remember about carrying yourself professionally:

• Maintain good posture. You don’t want to be stiff, but you want to stand and sit straight, as it keeps you looking and feeling alert. Practice maintaining good posture over time (interviews can last thirty minutes or longer).
• Maintain steady eye contact, but not 100 percent of the time. It’s preferable to look away from time to time, as glaring or staring at someone makes them uncomfortable.
• Have a firm handshake. Do not break the person’s hand, but do not be hesitant or limp, either.
• Develop a habit of turning off and not checking your cell phone when you are talking to someone.
• Practice eating and speaking formally. There will be situations where you are networking or even interviewing over a meal. You do not want a real interview to be the first time you experience formal dining and conversation.

Body Language and Nonverbal Communication Support or Undermine Your Words

You might look great, carry yourself well, and speak eloquently, but you also communicate with physical gestures and other nonverbal cues. Pay attention to how you use your body during conversations and meetings. You might find that you can’t sit still for long periods of time or that you use a lot of distracting hand gestures. You might be too still and miss opportunities to accentuate points with a nod of the head or finger movement. Some recruiter pet peeves include the following:

• Looking over the recruiter’s shoulder. What are you staring at?
• Fidgeting constantly. How are you going to appear to clients if you can’t sit still?
• Gesticulating in an overly dramatic way. Don’t slam your hands down emphatically on the recruiter’s desk. It looks threatening, not forceful.
• Lack of common courtesy, for example, not covering your mouth when you yawn, cough, or sneeze. How could an employer put you in front of a client with that unmannerly behavior?
• Checking cell phones during meetings or interviews. Is this job less important to you than your cell phone calls?

Start practicing good manners now so these habits are ingrained behaviors before your job search.

Ideas and Support Systems to Help You Set Up Your Work Space

Your job search is a project, so you need a comprehensive workspace. Stocking up supplies in advance of your search enables you to stay focused and not get derailed by a surprise trip to the store. You also want to prepare in advance for services you may need, such as printing, copying, mailing, and faxing. Know the hours of the closest post office and office supply and service store. Know where you can send and receive faxes and where you can do special copying, binding, or printing. Here is a checklist of ideas for a comprehensive workspace:

• Build a surplus of office essentials, such as paper, pens, mail supplies, staples, and so forth.
• Have a pen and paper by all phones if you share your workspace with others. This way, your cohabitants can easily take messages for you.
• Audit your computer, phone, and Internet access to ensure that your equipment and communication lines are in order. If you have a slow internet connection, research public access places, such as libraries, and list their availability.
• Create a professional voicemail message for all phones, including your cell phone.
• List post office, office supply, and service store addresses and hours.
• Figure out how to back up computer files, change printer ink, unblock paper jams, and provide any other minor but critical support services for your equipment. You do not want to be late for a meeting because you were printing a resume at the last minute and it got stuck in the printer.
• Check for privacy. If your work space is part of your bedroom and you will be making video calls, invest in a folding screen or figure out how to position the webcam to keep your environment looking professional.
• Check for quiet. Your job search will involve a lot of phone calls, including interviews. Plan now for a space where you can be heard, hear well, and concentrate.
• Make it a space that energizes and inspires you. Add pictures, fresh flowers, and so forth.

If you have a very organized friend, enlist his or her help in setting up and decorating your space.

Ideas and Support Systems to Help Manage Your Money

Know your budget for your job search essentials in advance. You can price out the workspace items listed previously and the professional dress requirements listed earlier. For job search events you already know about, budget for registration fees and transportation costs. If you want to work with a career coach, factor that into your budget.

Another financial consideration is the opportunity cost of the time spent on your search, as opposed to working. If you have to drop a part-time job to launch your search, there is the cost of lost wages. If you are a student and your job search extends past graduation, there is the cost of supporting yourself while you look. How will you pay for your living expenses? How long can you sustain yourself without a job?

Your financial situation affects the execution and timing of your job search, so you need to decide on these issues prior to your search. If you are relying on family or friends to help with your living expenses, have a candid conversation about both of your expectations before you start your search.

You Must Be Confident Your Job Search Will Be Successful

Having confidence in your job search means two things:

1. You believe you will get a job. You know with 100 percent certainty there is a job somewhere out there for you.
2. You believe you will get a job you want. You have a positive attitude about working. You are excited at the prospect of doing the job you are targeting, in the industry you are targeting, and for the companies you are targeting.

You have to know you will be successful, and you have to want that success. If you have just one of these two things, this is not sufficient to project enough confidence in your job search. If you believe you will get a job, but don’t believe it will be something you want, you will appear anxious, frustrated, and full of dread. If you are excited about what you want to do, but don’t believe you will get a job doing it, you will appear as if you are not good enough for your prospective employers.

A confident job seeker is someone who is energized at the prospect of finding his or her dream job. A confident job seeker may not be an expert on resume s, interviews, or other job search tactics, but he or she has an innate knowledge that he or she will be able to figure those things out. This is not arrogance. Prospective employers will shy away from arrogant job candidates who appear to be high-maintenance divas and poor team players. You don’t want to come across as someone who thinks you are better than your future boss or colleagues. Confidence is a healthy, positive attitude.

You Can Proactively Build Confidence into Your Job Search Strategy

Ideally, you have confidence before you start your job search. If confidence has been a struggle your whole life or if you feel overly depressed or anxious about your job search specifically, you should seek help from a guidance counselor, therapist, or other professional resource. You want to rule out any medical conditions, such as depression, as the root cause of your anxiety. If you have some nervousness, but not in a crippling way that keeps you from your job search, you can plan to proactively build and maintain your confidence throughout your job search by surrounding yourself with positive influences:

• Pair up with a job search buddy. Pick someone with a can-do attitude, and agree to support each other during your search. Maybe you can meet once a week or call each other right before a big event (e.g., job interview or career fair).
• Start a job search group. A larger group will have more energy than just one person. A group also has a range of personalities and perspectives that can contribute alternative points of view. A group will also have people at different stages of the search, enabling you all to see different outcomes unfolding.
• Enlist the support of a coach or mentor. A more experienced person can be a great sounding board for ideas and a champion for when you need a pick-me-up.
• Read about successful people. When you see other people’s achievements over adversity, you are able to see your own potential.
• Keep a journal that focuses on the positive. Write down things for which you are grateful. Write down past successes and wins. You will see that you have been successful in other areas, and this can give you the confidence that you can succeed in your job search as well.

Designate an allocated amount of time each day to your job search and don’t get discouraged if landing the job you want is taking longer than you had anticipated. There is something out there for everyone and with patience and hard work, you’ll find the right job!

Online Resources to Support your Job Search

The Career & Transfer Center is a great resource on campus to help you with your job search. They also host job fairs on campus throughout the year. Employers come to campus and share information about current positions they are recruiting for. Check the website for the next job fair.

You can also create an account through College Central Network to find part-time and full-time job opportunities and internships. This site also includes resources for resume writing, interviewing, and second chance workshops for students with a criminal record. To access CCN, you must log in with your Gavilan ID number and password.