Job hunt. Advice for job seekers

(By Robert M. Hochheiser)

Whether you are out of work or just looking for a better-paying opportunity, there is no such thing as a foolproof way to get hired. You can, however, boost your chances іf you are willing to work hard at aggressively promoting yourself. Here are some guidelines.

Apply in quantity. Oil people know that to get a gusher they have to drill a lot of holes. As a job-seeker, you must operate the same way. To get an offer for a good job, you must be prepared to apply (one at a time) to an army of potential employers. If you are sending fewer than several dozen applications every week, you're not trying hard enough. For if you don’t make the contacts, someone else will. Aside from going after every advertised job appropriate to your field, make yourself known to recruiters and employment agencies.

Tailor your sales pitch to the reader. With the exception of companies looking for a trainee or a corporate president, few employers will be interested in a well-rounded jack-of-all-trades. Usually, prospective bosses will be impressed only if your skills, achievements, educational background and experience are first rate and directly applicable to the specific job they want to be done as well as to their specific business. They don't care about anything else. When you include in a resume or letter information that is not pertinent, you waste space that you could otherwise use to focus on job-related strengths. You also waste the reader’s time, an accomplishment that never makes a good impression.

Don’t promise to deliver more than the employer requires. If employers want more, they’ll ask for it. Should you offer too much or your claims be too extravagant, you may be viewed as either a dreamer or someone who pursues unrealistic goals. Similarly, if you look too good on paper, the reader may erroneously conclude that your salary requirements are too high or that you would not be satisfied with the job for long.

They may be right. Perhaps the job is not a good one for you. But why prejudge? Don’t oversell, get your foot in the door and decide for yourself.

Task 1. Learn the following words and word-combinations:

foolproof – простий;

to boost – різко збільшувати, підвищувати;

gusher – нафтовий фонтан;

pitch – рівень;

jack-of-all-trades – майстер на всі руки;

specific – конкретний;

pertinent – відповідний, по суті;

strengths – позитивні якості;

claim – вимога;

to pursue – мати на меті;

erroneously – помилково;

requirement – вимога, умова;

Дата добавления: 2015-10-21