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Contact Candace Davies -
Email
780-513-0010
Toll-free 877-738-8052
Fax 775-593-3556
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A Few Things That Will Make a Difference to Your Job Search
Treat your job
search like a job; take it seriously. Some people think conducting a
job search is as simple as applying to a few job postings or talking
to a couple of people in the industry. (Granted, if you are lucky,
sometimes that will work.) There are many simple things you can do
during your career transition to either jump-start your job search
or at least make the process easier.
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Get away from
the computer for a while—get out and meet as many people as
possible. Go to job fairs and talk to various school district
hiring personnel and learn about new openings. There are so many
job seekers that rely heavily on conducting their job search via
the Internet. Posting to school district websites and job boards
should be only one method of your search. It's a passive approach…
post, and then wait.
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Take stock of
your assets and pin point your unique selling point. Determine
what makes you more valuable to the school district and its
students.
-
Attend
association or other meetings, and network. Some associations have
job postings available to their members. Other times, you will
find leads directly from other association members.
-
Practice your
2-minute commercial about yourself (some refer to this as your
“elevator speech”). This will help you answer the question, “What
do you do?”
-
Set realistic
goals for yourself, and write them down. For example, you could
make a plan to contact 10 new schools per day or plan to send 20
resumes per week. Make sure you stick to the goals you set. Attend
2 job fairs this month.
-
Stay in a
good frame of mind. Having a positive attitude during your job
search will take you a long way. When things look bleak, look at
the positive side. Don't get down on yourself—finding the perfect
job takes time.
-
Make sure you
are easily accessible by potential hiring managers and networking
contacts. All phone calls need to be answered either via voicemail
/ answering machine or personally, and your recorded message must
be very professional. It should include your full name and when
you will be checking and returning messages. You may consider not
having your children answer your home phone during your job
search; if your budget allows for a separate line for your
children, it may be worth it. This will ensure they don't tie up
the line causing you to miss an important call.
-
Be good to
yourself and take care of yourself by exercising, eating healthy,
and avoiding excessive alcohol.
-
Like I said
at the beginning, treat your job search like a job. Each day, set
your plan of attack, determine the goals you want to obtain, and
follow through, just like you would at a job.
-
Prepare and
practice for the interview—I can't stress this enough. Think of
questions the interviewer might ask you and come up with responses
that include success stories that verify the authenticity of your
response and, of course, show your value to the interviewer's
district. Anticipate what the interviewer's concerns may be… job
hopping, no degree, a short stay at your last place of employment,
20 years with one district, etc. Whatever the obstacle, being
prepared will help you overcome it.
-
Get some
business cards made up with your name, address, and phone number.
You can get inexpensive cards and these will help you while you're
networking. (Don't include a job title.)
-
Write thank
you letters to those who have helped you with any part of your job
search. This includes networking contacts, references, association
members, decision makers, etc.
-
Keep your
references updated on how your search is going. Make sure they
know what positions you are applying and interviewing for. This
way, your references will be able to tailor their responses to
meet the requirements of particular jobs for which you're
interviewing.
-
Accurately
assess your skills, values, qualifications, and accomplishments,
and make sure your resume makes a great first impression and
focuses on your relevant outstanding credentials and
qualifications that target the position.
Take control of
your career destiny by implementing a few positive changes. Some of
the above suggestions may seem like little things, but they should
not be overlooked. Sometimes it is the little things that matter the
most.
For further
help with your resume,
contact A+
Resumes for Teachers. You can also review our
resume samples here.
Success Stories
"I got the job Candace. It is
remarkable, and I know it was the resume and cover letter that led them
to call and eventually hire me. A million thanks."
H. M.
"Perfect Candace! The documents are
exactly what I need. I appreciate your service."
Y. U.
"I took my resume to the job fair
and received many complements are the presentation. I do have a few
formal interviews coming up because of it."
G. M.
Contact
Information
Below is our
contact information, please don't hesitate to call or
email if you have questions or require assistance. We are here to
help you!
U.S./Canada -
Toll-Free: (877) 738-8052
International/Local: (780) 513-0010
Fax: (775) 593-3556
Email:
candoco@telus.net
"Go confidently
in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined."
- Henry David
Thoreau
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