For Students
Job seeking strategies
Job seeking can take up a lot of time, so think of it as a job in itself and approach it creatively and professionally. There are many ways to look for work, so start by getting yourself organised.
Here are some tips
- Prepare an action plan. What are you going to do this week? How many applications will you submit? How many employers will you research? How many will you speak to?
- Be proactive – jobs don’t appear out of thin air. You must be prepared to put in the effort.
- Make sure you have a targeted resumé at hand. You never know when you may be asked for it.
- Remain positive - graduates do enjoy better job outcomes than those who do not have a degree.
- It may take time, but you will get there.
Deciding what sort of work you want to do first
Use the following questions to help you decide what you are looking for. Keep in mind that this is just a starting point - you may choose to make changes once you’ve started researching opportunities.
- What sort of work do you want to do in what industry?
- Where do you want your career to head in the future?
- What sort of organisation do you want to work in? e.g. small/medium size organisation, very large corporation, international company etc.
See if you can come up with a statement summarising this information – doing this will help you become clearer about what you want to do.
Example
I want a position which would give me a start in human resource management. At this stage, I am interested in developing my expertise in HRM information systems and a broad range of HRM areas relevant to a large corporation. I hope one day to work in a management role and to be involved in the organisation’s business development. I have a particular interest in businesses which are involved in tourism and travel.
You may want to include a few options at this stage.
If you’re feeling unsure about what you want to do, then you could do some career self-assessment.
Here are some approaches that you might try
CareerHub
Check out CareerHub for full-time, part-time and casual positions. You can save job search queries in the Advanced Job Search function so you can quickly check the latest jobs when next you log in.
Other web-based employment sites
Some of these sites are discipline-specific, while others are general employment sites. Many of these sites allow you to register your preferences so that jobs can be emailed to you; some also allow you to prepare a resumé or to post your own resumé that can then be viewed by an employer (if you give permission for this to happen) or used by you in job applications; some provide you with all sorts of job seeking advice as well.
Company websites
Many organisations advertise positions on their own website. If there is a company that you are interested in, you should regularly check their website for any new entries.
Newspapers
You need to think beyond just looking for a job with a specific title. Job titles don’t always give a clear idea of what the job actually involves, so spread your net further and look instead at the list of skills that the employer is looking for. There could be jobs advertised that you would never have thought of considering but for which you have the necessary skills.
Another job ad to watch out for is the one that asks for a bit more experience than you have. Perhaps the person junior to that position will apply for the advertised position and that would lead to a vacancy at your level. Be proactive and contact the company – the correct timing can be the key to your success. Similarly, if you are looking for an entry level HR position for example, and a company is advertising for an HR Manager, at least you know they have an HR department. Why not contact them and see if there are any positions available?
Newspapers can also be useful if you read beyond the employment pages when you are job seeking. Articles in other parts of the paper can give important clues about companies that may interest you. Perhaps they are planning to expand, diversify their business or move to a new area? Could this result in new positions? Why not write to them and ask?
‘On-spec’ or direct applications
This refers to the situation where no specific job has been advertised, but where you hope that the organisation may have something available. The best approach is probably to write to a company explaining the reason for your letter and attaching a resumé. At the end of the letter, say that you will follow up with a phone call in about a week. This may get them to read the resumé and gives you an introduction when you do call them. If there are no positions available at the time, ask if you may contact them again in, say, a month. Make sure you ask them if they can suggest someone else for you to contact if they are unable to help you.
With this kind of application you must be as specific as possible about what it is you can do. That is, name a position you could fill. Also, it is better to address your letter to a particular person in the organisation rather than just, for example, ‘The HR Manager’. Ring the organisation and find out the name of the person who manages the area in which you wish to work and address the letter to him/her. This shows initiative and will make that person more likely to read your letter!
When considering which employers to contact, the Yellow Pages is a good place to start, as are professional journals. Your lecturers and other people you know may also be able to give you some leads.
Recruitment Agencies
Register with an employment agency or human resource consultancy. These organisations are contracted by employers to act on their behalf and are paid by them so it won’t cost you anything. Check out the Yellow Pages for listings of ‘Employment Services’ or refer to other parts of this website. Have a look too in the employment section of the newspaper to find out which agencies tend to advertise jobs in your area of interest. If you are dealing with an agency or consultancy, try to establish an ongoing relationship with a particular consultant to increase your chances of being considered for all suitable vacancies as they arise. Remember, too, that temporary, casual or part-time work gained through a recruitment agency can lead to full-time opportunities.
Careers Fairs
Attend as many careers fairs as you can, whether they are run by universities or industry groups. Talk to the employer or industry representatives there to find out as much as you can about employment opportunities. Give them your resumé if this is appropriate. Take note of the name of the person to whom you have talked (or collect their business card) and refer to your conversation when you apply for a job with their organisation. For dates, see events.
Hidden Job Market
The majority of jobs (between 65% and 90% of jobs) are not found through newspapers or Internet sites. Below are a number of methods you can use to uncover these ’hidden’ vacancies.
Networking
This means building up a group of people who know you, your career interests and the sort of jobs in which you might be interested. It might include family, friends, or people you meet through study, sport, clubs or other activities – in fact, anyone you meet and spend some time talking to. They may just know someone who needs somebody with your personal qualities, skills and experience. Be as specific as possible when talking to people in your network about the kind of work you are looking for. You can’t assume that they will know exactly what you’re after unless you tell them.
Networking is not ‘using people’ because you will also one day be in a position to help your contacts; it is simply the most effective way of fitting the right person into a job. It can also be a very effective way for an employer to recruit a new employee; someone who comes recommended may be safer than someone who simply performs well at interview.
Networking can also come about from collecting business cards at various events. If you are given a business card, it is an invitation to use it – but do so wisely.
Find out more about networking.
Informational Interviewing
One way to increase your network and also find out more about an organisation or occupation is by conducting some informational interviews. Below are some ideas to help you in this process.
- It is a process that you initiate. YOU select the people with whom you want to talk, organise the appointments and ask the questions (guide the interview).
- Write a letter to the organisation. Follow this up with a phone call approximately one week later. Tell your contact that you are interested in finding out more about the type of work that they do and ask if they would be prepared to give you about twenty minutes of their time to answer some questions. If applicable, mention who referred you or how you chose them or their organisation.
- Learn as much as you can about the organisation before your meeting. Also try to find out something about the person that you are meeting. You should never ask for information that you could have discovered on your own.
- On the day of the meeting dress professionally, as though you are going to be interviewed. Bring a copy of your resumé. Although your purpose in conducting an informational interview is not to ask for a job, an opportunity to do some work experience (or a real job) may arise and you need to be prepared for this.
- Prepare your questions beforehand.
- Arrive on time and stick to the arranged time for the interview. It is important to make a favourable impression. You never know how this person may be able to help you!
- Never leave the interview without asking for the name of someone else who might be able to help you.
- Write a letter of thanks after the interview. Keep your contact informed as to your progress.
- Keep a record of who you met and what you learned from each interview.
Find out more about informational interviewing.
Voluntary Work
Offering your services in an area of interest has a number of benefits – for you as well as the organisation to which you are giving your time. You will increase the relevant information that you can include in your resumé, you will find out more about the job and the organisation and, once again, you will enlarge your network. It is not uncommon for voluntary jobs to result in permanent paid employment – so, treat it like a proper job.
Professional Associations
Joining a professional association relevant to your field of interest can provide you with skills, specialist knowledge and employment information AND contacts. Is there a professional association relevant to you?
Getting started
- Identify job titles that sound interesting. Consult newspapers, the Yellow Pages, the JobGuide and Graduate Opportunities.
- Identify your skills, and compare these to the requirements of the job.
- Find out about activities to help you to develop your skills
- Look at what past La Trobe graduates have done
- Consider where further study can take you
- Register with an internet job service or recruitment agency