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Where do you begin?

• Define your skills
• Assess your interests
• Define your job values
• Define your personality type
• What is your next step
• Problem Solving

Defining your skills

• What were/are your best subjects in school?
• Do you have specialized training?
• Do you have work-related hobbies?
• Have you taken an aptitude test?
• Are you better at oral or written communication?
• Are you well organized?

Skills assessment resources

• The Eastern Wyoming College Torrington campus offers the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB) and an interest inventory at no charge.
• Workforce Services Employment offices offer the GATB to job seekers.

What do you want to do?

Assess your interests

• Eliminate jobs you can’t imagine yourself doing.
• Would you rather speak or write?
• Do you prefer to do physical labor?
• Do you like to do research?
• Are you more interested in ideas than things?
• Do you like to find solutions to problems?
• Are you a verbal or numerical thinker?

• Verbal thinkers ­ prefer to write or speak, communicate thoughts
  • Professions: legal, English, history, communications
• Numerical thinkers ­solve problems, research, work with numbers
  • Professions: scientific and technical jobs, accounting, engineering, tool making

Interest assessment resources

• Eastern Wyoming College has free interest/aptitude inventories available.
• Online, visit Google, Yahoo, or AOL, type “online personality tests” in the search field. Free online tests try to match your personality with appropriate occupations.
• Contact employment counselor at Workforce Services office.
• Visit dol.gov— U. S. Department of Labor web site. Click on “Occupational Outlook Handbook,” to find the facts on hundreds of occupations; or, see a copy at your local library.

Define your job values

• Do you like to supervise or be supervised? (are you a leader or a follower?)
• What motivates you to work?
• What type of work environment do you prefer?
• What type of people (IF ANY) would you like to work with?
• Do you need training for the job you want?
• Are you willing to relocate?

Define your personality type

• Do you have good interpersonal skills?
• Are you a good negotiator?
• Are you a hard worker?
• Are you responsible?
• What type of work makes you happy?

Prioritize what you want from a job

• Satisfaction from your talents/skills
• Meeting and working with a variety of people
• Traveling or being with your family
• Working outside, working with animals
• Money

A matter of balance

You must balance your skills, values, interests and personality type to find your career choice

What is your next step?

Get the necessary education/ training

Find a job

• Put all your energy into finding a job.
• Strive for two interviews per day.
• Prepare to be rejected.
• Don’t get discouraged!

Resources

• State employment office
• Other employment agencies
• Want ads
• Job bulletin boards

Internet Resources

• To see want ads for all newspapers in the U.S. , visit 50states.com/news
• Look at America’s Job bank
• Visit the website of actual employer; state websites list government jobs, as do universities and other agencies.
• Other online job sites are monster, hotjobs, careerbuilder, and jobfinder; many have resumes for you to fill out online.

Networking

Other sources

• School and college placement offices.
• Make a list of companies where you would like to work; send them a resume with a letter requesting a job interview.
• Send your letter to the manager of the department where you would like to work.
• Follow-up with a personal phone call and ask for an interview.
• Find addresses in the yellow pages, or go online to 411.com.

What about dropping in?

Generally speaking, it is better to call or write ahead unless you have been invited to stop in.

1. Besides, the manager may not be available.
2. You can’t go wrong with old-fashioned manners and etiquette .

Show that you have the skills to qualify for the job you seek—you will have a lot of competition in most cases.

HOW?

Write your resume (See Presenting You! Writing your resume! on this website) The resume is your personal brochure.

• The job application will ask specific questions, but the resume will allow you to show accomplishments, abilities, and skills that many applications won’t cover.
• Fill it out, using your resume as a reference for dates, phone numbers, etc.

PROMOTE yourself

How do you do that? Promote your skills with details—

• NO: “I’m a good typist”;
• YES: “I type 70 words/ minute, under pressure, no errors.” (But only if it’s true!)

Problem solving

What about the tough issues or questions?

Examples: Guilt by association

Some applications will ask if you have a friend who works at the establishment.

Choose friends carefully; use the names of hard-working friends, but not of those who are not.

Criminal Record

If you have one, discuss it in person; explain what happened, what you’ve learned from it and how you’ve tried to make amends for your mistake.

Layoff, getting fired

• Layoff: Take credit for the job you had; explain that the reason you left was down-sizing.
• Fired: Getting fired is not that uncommon. Don’t omit the job. Explain what happened, do not lie.

Job Hopping

• Switching jobs often is not a problem if you’re a student or recent graduate—employers understand.
• If you’ve had more than 3 jobs in the last 5 years, have a good excuse for leaving each job—layoff, health, relocation are just a few.

Unemployment gaps

• Offer an explanation—retraining, job hunting, education.

No work history? No problem

• List volunteer, charitable, casual labor, hobbies, self employment on your resume; for example:

List your strengths under Skills and Abilities

• Writing skills :
  • Wrote advertising campaign for sugarless cookies
  • Wrote by-laws for PTA group
• People skills:
  • Served as president of Best People on Earth (BPOE)
  • Served as 4-H leader for ten years
• Computer skills:
  • Completed 3 computer applications classes
  • Contracted to set up computerized billing for a jewelry store

References

• Since employers WILL contact your references, determine who will do the best job for you, then ask their permission to use their name.
• If you know for certain your former boss won’t give you a decent recommendation, give the name of someone in the chain-of-command who will give you an impartial recommendation.

Money

• If the application asks for a money amount, write “open”. If you specify a dollar amount, you may price yourself out of the job if it’s too high; or, you may ask less than you would have been offered.
• If asked during the interview, ask, ”What is the normal pay range for the job?,” or “What do you normally pay someone with my qualifications?”

Bottom line: Put the question back in their court.

Off-Limit exceptions

Most employers know they cannot ask questions about age, gender, religion, etc.

But exceptions include that employers can ask about physical handicaps if you are applying for a job requiring heavy lifting; or, they can ask about your religious beliefs if you want to teach Sunday School.

The Interview (See The Interview- the spotlight is on you! on this website)

Prepare ahead.

Common sense dictates that you go to the interview clean, well-groomed, dressed appropriately, and get there a few minutes early.

Try to become familiar with the business and the job for which you are applying.

Remember to thank . . .

• Those who have helped you find job openings—your network people.
• Those who proofread your resume, cover letter.
• Those who interview you.

You never know when they may help you open another door in the future . . .

Remember - you may have to apply for several jobs and be interviewed several times before you find your niche.

Don’t worry about it, and don’t give up—it’s all a part of finding the right job for you!

Good luck choosing YOUR path!

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