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Employability Skills and Other Job Search Tips
Determine a Salary
Part of the job search process involves determining your salary requirements and earning potential. Developing a personal budget for the standard of living you can reasonably maintain, as well as researching salaries for the positions you’re considering, will ensure realistic salary expectations. This knowledge will be useful for the interview and job offer processes as well. Every position has a general salary range, based on what professionals in that position are currently earning. However, many factors affect salaries, such as: type of position/field/industry, state of the economy (national, regional, and local), and geographic location.
It is also important to understand that employers count benefits as part of the compensation package. These benefits may include medical insurance, 401(k) plans and stock options. Other perks can include vacation time, company car or vehicle allowance, flexible work schedules and tuition reimbursement.
Use the following resources to begin your salary research:
- Conduct an Informational Interview and speak to individuals in the profession: Ask what salary someone in an entry-level position should expect.
- Online resources such as the OOH and O*NET contain salary information, including starting salaries, average salaries, and top earning possibilities for various careers.
- Job Web - Provides information on salary ranges and additional links.
- Monster.com Salary Center allows you to create a basic salary report based on position and geographic location.
- Job Star - Includes information on salaries and salary negotiation.
- Salary.com - Calculates salary, bonuses and benefits based on job title and location.
- The Salary Calculator compares the cost of living for hundreads of US cities.
Research the Employer
Before you apply for a job with a particular company or organization, you should learn as much about that employer as you can. Researching the employer will give you the information you need to decide if this is an employer for whom you would like to work. It will also prepare you to discuss what you have learned about the employer in the interview – and the employer expects that you have researched their organization!
Use the following employer research resources to begin learning about prospective employers:
Follow Up
Many Human Resource Managers are busy and may not select and notify applicants immediately regarding their desire to schedule an interview. For each resume that you send, follow up! Following up will set you apart from other candidates and reaffirm your interest in the position.
- Call or email within two to three weeks of submitting your resume
- Make certain to demonstrate professionalism.
- State the position for which you’re applying, the date your materials were sent
- Reiterate your interest in the position, and request the status of your application.
- Give employers a few days to respond before contacting them again.
- While persistence is essential, you do not want to turn employers off by aggravating them.
Understanding the Job Market
The job market can be broken down into two major segments: the advertised job market and the hidden job market. The advertised market includes openings listed in newspapers, Internet job boards, employer websites, trade publications or other publications. While advertised job openings are the most obvious it also makes them the most competetive. Approximately 80% of available jobs are not publicly advertised. These openings comprise the hidden job market and are filled by candidates found through recommendations and referrals, a.k.a.networking.
Find Jobs in the Hidden Market
Identifying opportunities in the hidden job market requires time and persistence but can offer the most success. The strategies listed below will help make your search easier.
Networking is the key to tapping the hidden job market. Develop a list of people you know, inform them that you are conducting a job search, and ask for tips, leads and suggestions. Your networking contact list can include family members, neighbors, friends, professors, advisors of your student organizations, alumni, and other people who may be able to provide you with job leads or direct you to others they know who can assist you.
Also, attend college-sponsored events related to your field of interest, identify a professional in your field of interest and conduct an Informational Interview (see below), or join a professional organization and attend meetings and/or conferences to develop contacts. When making contact by mail, email or telephone, describe the type of job you are seeking and ask if the contact can provide you with information - or if they can refer you to others who can. Follow through on leads and suggestions, and check back with the contact occasionally. Always give them a copy of your resume and express your appreciation for their assistance.
While the primary purpose of an Informational Interview is to gather information about a career and/or field, and job search advice, from a professional with firsthand knowledge, it will also assist you in developing your network of contacts. When on an Informational Interview you should not ask for a job. Make it clear that you have no job expectations and are seeking information only, from them or others they may know in the field. In addition to developing your network, the professional may remember you when a position becomes available – either with their company or another one. Send a thank-you note or letter after the Informational Interview, typed on quality paper or neatly handwritten on a conservatively-designed note card, and include your address and phone number.
The focus of direct employer contact is to mail or email cover letters and resumes to hiring decision-makers. First, identify companies/organizations in your field of interest and the names of department managers - information available on the organization’s website or simply call for a contact name and address. Then, send your cover letter and resume directly to this contact - in your cover letter, state in the first paragraph, “I am contacting you regarding possible employment opportunities with (name of company or organization).” An alternative to emailing or mailing is dropping off your resume in person. However, arrive professionally dressed (or at the very least, in “business casual” dress), and be prepared to speak with the hiring manager should they be available. Finally, remember to follow up with each employer.
Find Jobs in the Advertised Market
Following are resources to identify opportunities in the advertised market. When you find a job that matches your qualifications, carefully follow the application instructions on the advertisement. NOTE: It is always a good idea to send a cover letter when targeting a particular company or organization – even if the job ad does not ask for a cover letter!
CareerLink is an online job search assistance service. Career Services posts Job Vacancies, some that may be exclusive to Davenport students and alumni. Career Services also offers a Resume Referral service and Industry specific Resume Books that are viewable to employer partners of DU.
Career fairs offer the opportunity to learn about employers and their current or future job openings. It is also a key opportunity to make a positive, face-to-face impression on an employer. An alternative to the "live" career fair is the "virtual" career fair where job seekers search for jobs and connct with employers online. Information on all types of upcoming career fairs is available on Career Services' Calendar of Events.
- Internet Job Boards and Online Newspapers
- Real Symple Syndicate (RSS) Feeds
- Professional Associations and Publications
- Chambers of Commerce
- Individual Employer Websites - create Bookmarks for major local employers
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