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 Whether you're a seasoned worker or right out of school, we're going to explain the right way to go about applying for a job. In fact, we've outlined an eight step process that starts with figuring out what kind of job is right for you all the way through writing thank you letters after an interview.
Applying for a Job
For some of you, taking a methodical approach to applying for a job sounds like a good idea. But others might be wondering why we're making such a big deal about this - just apply for a job - it's that simple.
For those of you that are new to the workplace the best reason is simply this - if you've never applied for a job before, it might be nice to understand all of the possible steps involved. If you're a seasoned worker and you've been having trouble finding a job, then a refresher like this might also be helpful.
But perhaps the most compelling reason to use a structured technique when applying for a job is this:
Your chances of being successful are greatly enhanced by taking a holistic approach to your job search.
Many times being the successful job candidate is all about beating the odds. That means when you're applying for a job, you want to have as many things working in your favor as possible - and that's what our eight step process is all about.
Apply for Jobs in Eight Simple Steps
Whether you're looking for an entry level job, full or part-time work, we're going to recommend that you apply for a job using these same eight steps:
- Select a Job / Career
- Research Companies and Job Openings
- Practice Job Networking / Circulate Your Resume
- Prepare a Resume and Cover Letter
- Prepare for a Job Interview
- Practice Filling Out Job Applications
- Send Thank You Letters
Do you have to follow all of these steps to find a job? No, it's not absolutely necessary to be successful. But just keep in mind that if you decide to skip a step, you could be reducing your chances of finding a job.
Selecting a Job or Career
If you're thinking about switching careers we'd like you to keep one thing in mind - the grass isn't always greener on the other side. That means when you're thinking about changing jobs or professions you really need to make sure it's for the right reasons.
The real challenge here is to try and remove some of the emotion from your career decisions. And a good way to accomplish this is through a job evaluation matrix.
Job Evaluation Matrix
You've probably used this technique used elsewhere at work or in school and here's how it works. First you need to write down all of the things that are important to you in a new job. This includes things such as commuting time, work hours, time for friends and family, and benefits such as vacation time. This list should include a mix of both lifestyle and career features.
The next step is to assign a weight to each attribute. For example, if work hours are important to you, then you'd assign them a higher weight. After you've gone through the process of identifying each attribute and assigning a weight to them, the final step is to start comparing different jobs and see how they measure up against your "ideal" job. To save you some time, we've already put together a Job Evaluation Matrix that you can download and use to help you get started selecting a job.
Research Companies and Job Openings
Now that you have a more objective view of an ideal job, you can start your job search. At this point, you're really just looking around to see what's available and evaluating the types of jobs that are a good fit with your career objectives. For example, you might want to consider relocating your home to be closer to work or finding a job that is closer to your existing home if commuting attributes are important to you.
You're also going to start practicing your networking skills. We've got some information on how to improve these skills and where you can go to practice this important part of your job search in our article on Job Search Networking.
If you don't think networking is important, consider this - research has shown that over 60% of job searchers found their new jobs via networking. We specifically include this step early in our process because it's never too early to start networking.
Prepare a Resume and Cover Letter
One of the biggest mistakes people make when applying for a job is sending out an ineffective resume. In fact, until you really understand your career objective it's impossible to predict which resume format will be the most effective.
Fortunately, we've got resume samples, templates and resume examples that you can download for free. But the best place to start is with our resume writing guide, which can help you choose the most effective resume format - one that's a good fit between your career objectives and work history.
Writing Cover Letters
You'll also need to prepare a cover letter before you apply for a job. Cover letters are often overlooked and are arguably more important than the resume itself. Once again, we've got cover letter samples that you can download to use as a reference. The most important aspect of writing an effective cover letter is to follow a prescribed format. We explain exactly how to do this in our article on How to Write a Cover Letter.
Practice Job Networking / Circulate Your Resume
This heading is not a typo - we cannot emphasize enough the importance of networking when it comes to finding a job. At the same time you're going to start to circulate your resume too.
Our article on resume posting service provides information on the techniques and costs for circulating your resume to prospective clients, recruiters and companies. While our article on electronic resumes helps you to prepare and convert your resume into a format that can be distributed and scanned into electronic databases.
Preparing for a Job Interview
If you think you can apply for a job and come in for an interview unprepared then you're really wasting your time. Most job interviews today involve more than just a casual conversation with the hiring manager to see if you're qualified for the job or fit with the company's corporate culture. Every detail is important including how to dress for an interview.
The use of behavioral interviews and the STAR interviewing technique's use in responding to interview questions are becoming more commonplace. The best way to prepare for this type of interview is to practice the technique. Our article on Behavioral Interview Technique can help you understand how to answer these questions in an effective manner during an interview.
We've also got an interview question database and more traditional interview questions that you can review. Remember, preparation is the key to success. If you think you can "wing it," then don't be too disappointed when you're not offered the job.
Filling Out Job Applications
If you're asked to come in for a job interview then either before or after the interview, you'll probably be asked to fill out a job application. As was the case with job interviews, applying for a job takes some preparation. You need to be aware of both how to fill out an application as well as some of the background materials you need to bring with you.
It's always helpful to be prepared when you're competing for a job and that does include filling out an application the right way. We've got resources that can help you to understand how to fill out a job application, as well as examples of job applications forms so that you know exactly what to expect when you're asked to fill out a form.
Sending Thank You Letters
Applying for a job doesn't end with the interview. The ideal job candidate will also follow up with thank you letters to those individuals they met at the prospective company. Once again, the best way to make sure you're being consistent and maximizing your chances of being offered a job is to follow a prescribed format for your thank you letters.
We outline a format that you can follow as well as offer several examples in our article on writing an interview thank you letter. In that article we explain the three most important elements of a thank you letter and show you how to use those elements in the examples we've provided.
About the Author - How to Apply for a Job
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