Getting a job doesn’t have to be stressful or difficult and there are often more places than you think looking for staff. You just have to know what you want, and how to market yourself for such. By learning how to….
- Find job opportunities
- Write your resume
- Hand in your resume
- Prepare for an interview
- Dress to impress
….in this series of 5 articles, getting your dream job will be easy!
So we’ll start with #1: How To Find Job Opportunities
WORK YOUR NETWORK
There are 5 different networks YOU have immediate access to, each offering their own connections to various workplaces.
- Your Personal Network
Your personal network is the simplest way to get connected to an available position, as all it requires is a friendly question.
Firstly, ask your friends.
There may be positions opening up at their workplace, or they may have heard of other places hiring. (It’s a bonus if their workplace is hiring, as they can potentially recommend you to their boss.)
Then comes the family – Parents, siblings and your Uncle George.
Just like your friends, members of your family may have positions opening up at their workplaces and may have heard of other places hiring. Make sure you don’t forget to chat to Uncle George at Christmas. Often, Uncle George is the CEO of a large company who could do with an assistant or something of the sort. Work all your connections – the least you have to look around, the better!
After asking every friend and family member you possibly can, go to your friendly neighbours.
Similarly, their workplace may be hiring, or they may know of another. However, neighbours differ in the fact that they can give you a workplace that differs to most. They may be an elderly couple who would love to pay you to mow their lawn every couple of weeks, or a couple with kids, who wouldn’t mind paying you to pick the kids up from school, or babysit them on date night – so it never hurts to stick your head over the fence and discuss your lack of employment.
Get friendly with the locals.
This point is for those of you on a first name basis with your baker or newsagent. Local businesses love supporting community and there is a good chance they need someone else to bake the bread or sell the newspapers every now and then. Casually let them know you’re looking for a job.
- Internet
The internet is FULL of potential jobs, you just have to find them.
Facebook (www.facebook.com) – What’s on your mind? “Anyone know of any places hiring?” Hopefully the comments start rolling in….
Seek (www.seek.com.au) – They call themselves Australia’s #1 job site, try and prove them wrong.
Gumtree (www.gumtree.com.au) – Gumtree is filled with various job opportunities, ranging from banking and finance to nanny/babysitting. They even have call centre jobs. Even if there isn’t a suitable job for you on there, it may give you ideas of other places to apply to.
Company sites – such as The Cotton On Group (http://shop.cottonon.com/careers/) – a website that lets you apply to 7 different companies from the one website, or sites for companies like MYER (http://www.myer.com.au/careers), that allow you to apply for retail, or office jobs.
- Print Sources
Your trusty local newspaper or Saturday paper will have a classifieds full of job opportunities staring you in the face – worth a squiz I say.
It may also be worth a stroll through your local shopping centre, taking note of any job ads in shop windows.
- Agencies
If you apply to the requirements, Centrelink can list you as a job seeker, and hook you up with one of their employees who will go through your resume with you and help you apply for jobs.
Private Recruitment Agencies such as http://www.kellyservices.com.au/ are another support service who can guide you through the job application process.
- Cold Calling
Approaching places of interest with your resume in hand and dressed to impress! (See: Getting Your Dream Job #3: How To Hand In Your Resume)
Copyright networkyou.org