News & Events

Let people know you are looking for work

It’s not easy to divulge your situation, but start connecting. Work whatever contacts you have to see if they know of openings. “This was incredibly uncomfortable for me,” says writer Lauren Deen. “I later realized this is nothing to be ashamed of—a strong work ethic is rare and valued and got me to where I am.”

Be conscious of your social media presence

Chelsea Castle, Marketing Manager at the branding agency Ologie, suggests applying a “grandma filter” on every social media post. Before hitting send, ask yourself: Would I want my grandma to see this tweet?  “That doesn’t mean you can’t show your personality,” she says. “But, keep it PG-13 and balance your content with professional vs. personal. Social media is your number one tool in job seeking and branding yourself, but you have to follow the rules and make it your own. Be professional, interact and engage–and sell yourself–but be direct, honest and genuine.”

Stop redesigning your resume

There’s a fine line between spell checking and splitting hairs. Deen suggests creating a supplementary sheet to list skill sets as titles and a result of these skill sets as bullets underneath. “This allows your prospective employer to see your skills,” she explains. Such a concept can be applied to any industry to show your value.

Figure out how to best help a company

Job-seekers tend to focus on what a job or internship will mean for their resume. Figure out what you have that no one else does.  It does not have to be major but what distinguishes you—basically why would the employer feel it would be a huge loss if they don’t hire you.

Fill the gaps in your resume with whatever you can

The one relief of working in a creative industry is the ability to freelance. Then you can point to something and say, “Look, see, I was doing things.’ Freelancing can also provide a measure of personal accountability between jobs. If your area of expertise does not lend itself to the in-between, Deen suggests other avenues like taking a class, or volunteering. “Do something with purpose that shows another side to you,” she says.

Court the prospective company or organization

“I read everything I can (on Social Media) and follow the thread to unexpected places,” says Deen.

Don’t let the hunt haunt you

“Basically reframe your mind for fresh ideas,” Deen says of her suggestions. “But map it out so each day, week, and month has a purpose. And let yourself take a few hours off from the search.”

Information on our Job Search Program at the YWCA Employment and Learning Center can be found at: www.ywcasaskatoon.com/employment-learning/

Employment & Learning

You can view the full original article by Media Bistro at:
www.mediabistro.com/get-hired/job-search/10-habits-of-successful-job-seekers/