Career centres/job centres

The career centre will offer a wide variety of jobs from all industries and are always worth checking on a regular basis as listings or postings are usually updated on a daily basis, depending on the size of the centre. Staff working in the office is there to help you in any way they can and are able to match your criteria with jobs that are on offer.

Job centres are much like the career centre but usually focus on the younger person under the age of 21, they will usually have jobs aimed more at the younger person, though some do now extend this to help anyone, however quite a few of the postings only offer minimum wage.

However, it is a good place to start if you’re looking to get your foot in the door or return to work after a break. Younger people can very often go on training courses to further their choice of career and most job centres hold registers on computers where jobs are matched to your particular skills and requirements.

Employer’s premises

It is worth checking the premises of the type of work you are looking for as many will post job openings on notice boards within the premises, larger stores such as DIY or food retailers will have notice boards and help desks where you can pick up forms to apply for openings. Some companies will take your name and number even if they don’t currently have any openings and will call you for interviews when positions open.

Newspapers

Local newspapers will advertise positions on offer listed by category, there are a lot of smaller local companies who will only list job openings in newspapers instead of using job centres so it is worth checking these on a weekly basis. If you are using newspapers for a source of job hunting then it is worthwhile checking out your local library, most libraries will have several daily newspapers and these can be checked free of charge.

The World Wide Web

The internet can be an invaluable source for those looking for work, local companies will usually list job openings on their websites, as do most of the larger retail stores. Recruitment agencies can also be found online with a popular choice being monster.com, jobs will be listed by industry and most of them offer posting of CV`s or resumes. Advice can also be found on sites such as these when looking for work and some great tips can be gained with many positions giving you the opportunity to apply online for the position.

Resume writing software

If you can afford it then choose a good resume writing software package, the more costly packages are a full job-hunting tool. The software will allow you to write you resume, distribute to online banks, keep track of where you posted it and when, write cover and thank you notes, an address book and have virtual reality built in which allows you to practice for interviews.

Use a resume writing service

For a more professional resume then you could choose a resume writing service, a full service will write your resume for you while some will go over a resume you have written and correct any mistakes or point out areas in which you could do better.

Remember which banks you submit too

If you are submitting your resume to several resume banks then write down or bookmark where you have submitted too, by keeping track you wont be submitting to them again which will save time and effort and you will be able to go back to the sites and check, modify or remove your resume if and when needed.

Remember to update your resume on a regular basis

If your resume is continually being overlooked then the reason it may be overlooked is because it is older, regularly check sites you have submitted your resume and update it. If you haven’t got any new information to put on the resume then just alter the wording around a little. Most sites should have an edit option and this will then flag the resume as being updated or new which could attract an employer’s eye more than one which has been sitting around for a while.

Never use abbreviations

Never be tempted to use emoticons, shorthand or abbreviations in your resume, always make sure the resume looks clean and professional looking, never highlight words by using italics, bold or capitol letters and leave spacing between paragraphs.

Choose one of the more well known sites

There are a lot of websites offering to post your resume online for you but some are more successful than others, always choose the more well known and popular sites which advertise their services widely. Employers are more likely to visit those sites which advertise on radio broadcasts, newspapers and TV than the smaller ones.

Options you should consider when looking for work are the internet, employment agencies, newspapers, contacting employers directly, unemployment offices and job centres. You should use as many different options as you can in your search because this will give you a much wider scope, some tips to help you get the most out of your hunt are:

* Persistency – if you keep attending interviews and aren’t successful then keep trying and don’t give up, be persistent in your search and keep applying for jobs and attending interviews, you will eventually succeed.

* Apply to both big and small companies – remember that while the larger companies might be better known and well established the newer smaller companies are still growing so you should check with the smaller ones too and not forget about them.

* Research companies – before you attend interviews you should do a little research into the particular company you are attending the interview for, find out what achievements they have gained in the past and what their hopes are for the future and make sure you let the interviewer knows you have done your homework during the interview.

* Get into a schedule – while you are looking for work treat it just as you would a job, set out certain times when you will search for work online, looking through papers and visiting the job centre. Keep a written account of the jobs you have applied for and when and who you contacted.

* Let people know you are looking for work – the more people who know you are looking for work the better, a lot of interviews are acquired by word of mouth and if people don’t know your interested then you might miss an opportunity.

* Send out thank you notes – if you have attended an interview then wait a couple of days and send out a thank you note for attending the interview, this will show the company or interviewer that you are polite and thoughtful and it will also keep you in their minds.

* Enlist support from family and friends – job hunting can be a particularly stressful time so if you can, get plenty of support from family and friends, they can also help with proof reading your resume and help in searching through adverts for positions if there are many on a daily basis.

* Contact potential employers yourself – some employers don’t advertise positions but instead only advertise them internally, it is worth going to companies and asking specifically if they have openings.

Make clear headings

Once you have got all the relevant information together then its time to practice putting it all together, many people find it takes several attempts to get their resume perfect so don’t be discouraged. Choose headings such as achievements, skills, honours and activities, once you have this then start listing your information clearly under each heading.

Match what the employer needs with what you’ve got

Make sure that you list all the experience, skills and achievements you have made than relate them to the position you are going for. If you have had any special training and have attended courses then list these too, examples of this could be any language skills you have, computer software training in office software or programming.

Place emphasis on your skills

Pay special attention to any details that emphasise your capabilities and skills which relate to the position on offer, if you have done your homework you will know the company and what they expect to achieve in the future, so work this to your advantage with skills you have previously earned.

Choose your words carefully

Make sure that you make good use of active verbs which describe your achievements and yourself in a positive way, great positive words which you could use are resourceful, capable and analytical.

Double check the presentation

Once you have completed your resume, make sure you go over it with a fine toothcomb and check the spelling, punctuation and also the overall presentation of it. Make sure all fonts are clear and easily readable with good spacing and margins on the sides, top and bottom. When you are ready to print, use only the best quality paper, preferably pure white and good quality ink. When you have printed your resume, re read it to make sure fonts show clearly and check again for spelling mistakes.

Give your resume a trial run

Make good use of reliable and honest family members and friends, once you have written the first draft of your resume ask them their honest opinion about your resume and be prepared for their honest advice and if necessary to make changes. Once you have corrected then ask them to re read again, you could also ask them for their input as you might have missed something which they think could improve the overall appearance or quality of your resume.
Getting started with your resume
Home
8 mistakes NOT to make on your resume
5 mistakes commonly made during interviews
A guide to writing a successful resume
Key strategies for a successful job interview
Overcoming nervousness during job interviews
Planning a strategy for job hunting
Putting together a portfolio
Recovering from a disastrous job interview
Selling yourself through your resume & at interviews
Submitting your online resume
The different types of resumes
The top 10 qualities that employers look for
Tips for students & third party recruiters
Tips for successful job hunting
Tips when attending behavioural interviews
Understanding the interview process
What are the benefits of using a resume bank
What is the difference between a resume and a CV
Writing a successful cover letter

Free resume guide, job search articles etc.
Online learning, distance learning & online degrees guide