Thread: Getting a Job
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Old 02-09-2006, 12:42 PM   #8 (permalink)
Martian
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Location: Canada
networking and tailoring your resume are the two biggest tips and have already been covered. Some more general info...

First off, cover letters! They are essential. Your cover letter needs to sell you. If the cover letter is bad, the employer may not even look at your resume.

Basically, you want your cover letter to detail your experience and abilities and how they will benefit a prospective employer. Avoid weak working, like may, wish or want and definitely make sure you sell yourself! This is not a time to be modest.

Have someone look them over before you send them out. Another individual can critique the letter and spot errors that you may miss or offer constructive criticism. The ideal candidate is someone who is familiar with your background and has a strong grasp of the english language; an english major is best if you know one. I use my sister for the purpose.

You're already making follow-up calls, which is good. Keep that going; persistence pays off.

In regards to the degree, a lot of employers are less concerned what your degree is in and more concerned that you have one to begin with. This is especially true in regards to clerical work. That you went through the four or five years of university to get a BA shows that you have strong organizational skills, as well as a good work ethic (arguably both essential to do well in post-secondary education). Unless there are specific skills imparted by a degree that you don't have, the actual major doesn't really matter that much (in other words, those engineering jobs are out, but any clerical or secreterial work is a given).

Basically I've found that the two most important aspects of job hunting are confidence and persistence. Confidence comes in selling yourself to a potential boss; you may know you're the ideal candidate for the position, but he doesn't and you need to make him aware of the fact. Persistence is the next phase; the little details (follow-up phone calls, thank you letters after interviews, etc) make you stand out. You're no longer a face in the crowd; you suddenly have a name, as 'that girl who called back'.

Keep at it. A job search on average takes about three months. So long as you keep up that determination, you should find something.
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