Information on Finding a Job

It takes some people a great deal of time and effort to find a job they enjoy. Others may walk right into an ideal employment situation. Do not be discouraged if you have to pursue many leads. Friends, neighbors, teachers, and counselors may know of available jobs in your field of interest. Read the classified ads. Consult State employment service offices and consider private employment agencies. You may also contact employers directly.

Classified ads. The "Help Wanted" ads in newspapers list hundreds of jobs. You should realize, however, that many other job openings are not listed, and that the classified ads sometimes do not give all important information. Many offer little or no description of the job, working conditions, or pay. Some ads do not identify the employer. They may simply give a post office box for sending your resume. This makes follow-up inquiries very difficult. Furthermore, some ads offer out-of-town jobs; others advertise employment agencies rather than actual employment openings.

Keep the following in mind when using classified ads:

Do not rely solely on the classifieds to find a job; follow other leads as well.

• Answer ads promptly, since openings may be filled quickly, even before the ad stops appearing in the paper.

Internet networks and resources. A variety of information is available on the Internet including jobs and job search resources and techniques. Internet resources are available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.

No single network or resource will contain all information on employment or career opportunities, so be prepared to search for what you need. Remember that job listings may be posted by field or discipline, so begin your search using keywords.

When searching employment databases on the Internet, it is sometimes possible to post your resume on-line or send it to an employer via electronic mail. Some sources provide this service free of charge; although be careful that you are not going to incur any additional charges for postings or updates.

A good place to start your job search is America's Job Bank. It can be found at: http://www.ajb.dni.us/

Public employment service. The State employment service, sometimes called the Job Service, operates in coordination with the U.S. Employment Service of the U.S. Department of Labor. About 1,700 local offices help jobseekers find jobs and help employers find qualified workers at no cost to themselves. To find the office nearest you, look in the State government telephone listings under "Job Service" or "Employment."

Job matching and referral. At the State employment service office, an interviewer will determine if you are "job ready" or if counseling and testing services would be helpful first. After you are "job ready," you may examine available job listings and select openings that interest you. A staff member can then describe the job openings in detail and arrange for interviews with prospective employers. Employment counselors can arrange for tests to assess your occupational aptitudes and interests. They will also help you choose and prepare for a

career.

America's Job Bank, run by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration, provides information on preparing your resume and using the Internet for your job search; trends in the U.S. job market and State occupational projections; and approximately 500,000 job openings on any given day. A wide range of jobs are listed all over the country, and most are full-time jobs in the private sector. Jobseekers can access these listings through the Internet; computers with access to the Internet are available to the public in

any local public employment service office, as well as in schools, libraries, and several hundred military installations.

Tips for Finding the Right Job, a U.S. Department of Labor pamphlet, offers advice on determining your job skills, organizing your job search, writing a resume, and making the most of an interview. Job Search Guide: Strategies For Professionals, another U.S. Department of Labor publication, discusses specific steps that jobseekers can follow to identify employment opportunities. This publication includes sections on such things as handling job loss, managing personal resources, assessing personal skills and interests, researching the job market, conducting the job search, and networking. Check with your State employment service office, or order a copy of these publications from the U.S. Government Printing Office's Superintendent of Documents. Phone: (202) 5121800 for price and ordering information.

Services for special groups. By law, veterans are entitled to priority at State employment service centers. Veterans' employment representatives can inform you of available assistance and help you deal with any problems.

State service centers refer youths between 16 and 21 and economically disadvantaged applicants to opportunities available under the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) of 1982, which prepares persons facing barriers to employment for jobs.

Federal job information. Information on getting a job with the Federal Government is available from the Office of Personnel Management through a telephone based system. Consult your telephone directory under U.S. Government for a local number or call (912) 757-3000 (TDD 912 744-2299. Information also is available on the Internet: http://www.usajobs.opm.gov

Private employment agencies. These agencies can be helpful, but they are in business to make money. Most agencies operate on a commission basis, with the fee dependent upon a percentage of the salary paid to a successful applicant. You or the hiring company will have to pay a sizable fee. Find out the exact cost and who is responsible for paying it before using the service.

While employment agencies can help you save time and contact employers who otherwise might be difficult to locate, in cases where you are responsible for the fee, your costs may outweigh the benefits. Consider any guarantee they offer when determining the cost.

College career planning and placement offices. College placement offices facilitate matching job openings for their students and alumni. They set up appointments and use the facilities for interviews with recruiters. Placement offices usually list part-time, temporary, and summer jobs offered on campus. They also list jobs in regional business, nonprofit, and government organizations. Students can receive career counseling and testing, job search advice, and use of the career resource library. Here you may attend workshops on such topics as job search strategy, resume writing, letter writing, and effective interviewing; critique drafts of resumes and watch videotapes of mock interviews; explore files of resumes and references; and attend job fairs conducted by the office.

Community agencies. Many nonprofit organizations, including churches and synagogues, and vocational rehabilitation agencies, offer counseling, career development, and job placement services, generally targeted to a particular group, such as women, youth, minorities, ex-offenders, or older workers.

Employers. It is possible to apply directly to employers without a referral. You may locate a potential employer in the Yellow Pages, in directories of local chambers of commerce, and in other directories that provide information about employers. When you find an employer you are interested in, you can send a cover letter and resume even if you are not certain that an opening exists.

Applying for a Job

Resumes and application forms. Resumes and application forms are two ways to provide employers with written evidence of your qualifications and skills. Most information appears on both the resume and application form, but the way it is presented differs. Some employers prefer a resume while others require an application form. The accompanying box presents the basic information you should include in your re

sume.

There are many ways of organizing a resume. Depending on the job, you should choose the format that best highlights your skills, training, and experience. It may be helpful to look in a variety of books and publications in your local library or bookstore for different examples.

What Goes Into a Resume

Name, address, and telephone number. Employment objective. State the type of work or specific job you are seeking.

Education, including school name and address, dates of attendance, curriculum, and highest grade completed or degree awarded.

Experience, paid or volunteer. Include the following for each job: Job title, name and location of employer, and dates of employment. Briefly describe your job duties. Special skills, proficiency in foreign languages, achievements, membership in organizations, and volunteer work. Note on your resume that "references available upon request."

In filling out an application form, make sure you fill it out completely and follow all instructions. Do not omit any information asked and make sure that all information provided is correct.

Cover letters. A cover letter is sent with a resume or application form, as a way to introduce yourself to employers. It should capture the employer's attention, follow a business letter format, and should usually include the following information:

• The name and address of the specific person to whom the letter is addressed.

• The reason for your interest in the company or position. Your main qualifications for the position (in brief).

difficult

Once you receive a job offer, you are faced with decision and must evaluate the offer carefully. Fortunately, most organizations will not expect you to accept or reject an offer immediately.

There are many issues to consider when assessing a job offer. Will the organization be a good place to work? Will the job be interesting? How are opportunities for advancement?

Is the salary fair? Does the employer offer good benefits? If you have not already figured out exactly what you want, the following discussion may help you develop a set of criteria for judging job offers, whether you are starting a career, reenter

ing the labor force after a long absence, or planning a career change.

The organization. Background information on an organization can help you decide whether it is a good place for you to work. Factors to consider include the organization's business or activity, financial condition, age, size, and location.

You can generally get background information on an organization, particularly a large organization, by telephoning its public relations office. A public company's annual report to the stockholders tells about its corporate philosophy, history, products or services, goals, and financial status. Most government agencies can furnish reports that describe their programs and missions. Press releases, company newsletters or magazines, and recruitment brochures also can be useful. Ask the organization for any other items that might interest a prospective employee.

If possible, speak to current or former employees of the organization. Background information on the organization also may be available on the Internet or at your public or school library. If you cannot get an annual report, check the library for reference directories that may provide basic facts about the company, such as earnings, products and services, and number of employees. Some directories widely available in libraries include the following:

The library also may have government publications that present projections of growth for the industry in which the organization is classified. Long-term projections of employment and output for more than 200 industries, covering the entire economy, are developed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and revised every two years-see the November 1997 Monthly Labor Review for the most recent projections. The U.S. Global Trade Outlook, published annually by the U.S. Department of Commerce, presents detailed analyses of the globalization of U.S. industry and growth prospects for some industrial sectors. Trade magazines also have periodic articles on the trends for specific industries.

Career centers at colleges and universities often have information on employers that is not available in libraries. Ask a career center representative how to find out about a particular organization. The career center may have an entire file of information on the company.

Is the organization's business or activity in keeping with your own interests and beliefs?

It will be easier to apply yourself to the work if you are enthusiastic about what the organization does.

How will the size of the organization affect you? Large firms generally offer a greater variety of training programs and career paths, more managerial levels for advancement, and better employee benefits than small firms. Large employers may also have more advanced technologies. However, jobs in large firms may tend to be highly specialized.

Jobs in small firms may offer broader authority and responsibility, a closer working relationship with top management, and a chance to clearly see your contribution to the success of the organization.

Should you work for a fledgling organization or one that is well established?

New businesses have a high failure rate, but for many people, the excitement of helping create a company and the potential for sharing in its success more than offset the risk of job loss. It may be as exciting and rewarding, however, to work for a young firm which already has a foothold on success.

Does it make any difference to you whether the company is private or public?

A privately owned company may be controlled by an individual or a family, which can mean that key jobs are reserved for relatives and friends. A publicly owned company is controlled by a board of directors responsible to the stockholders. Key jobs are open to anyone with talent.

Is the organization in an industry with favorable longterm prospects?

The most successful firms tend to be in industries that are growing rapidly.

The nature of the job. Even if everything else about the job is good, you will be unhappy if you dislike the day-to-day work. Determining in advance whether you will like the work may be difficult. However, the more you find out about it before accepting or rejecting the job offer, the more likely you are to make the right choice. Actually working in the industry and, if possible, for the company would provide considerable insight. You can gain work experience through part-time, temporary, or summer jobs, or through workstudy programs while in school, all of which can lead to permanent job offers.

Where is the job located?

If it is in another section of the country, you need to consider the cost of living, the availability of housing and transportation, and the quality of educational and recreational facilities in the new location. Even if the place of work is in your area, consider the time and expense of commuting in your decision.

Does the work match your interests and make good use of your skills?

The duties and responsibilities of the job should be explained in enough detail to answer this question.

How important is the job in this company?

An explanation of where you fit in the organization and how you are supposed to contribute to its overall objectives should give you an idea of the job's importance.

Are you comfortable with the hours? Most jobs involve regular hours-for example, 40 hours a week, during the day, Monday through Friday. Other jobs require night, weekend, or holiday work. In addition, some jobs routinely require overtime to meet deadlines or sales or production goals, or to better serve customers. Consider the effect of work hours on your personal life.

How long do most people who enter this job stay with the company?

High turnover can mean dissatisfaction with the nature of the work or something else about the job.

Opportunities offered by employers. A good job offers you opportunities to learn new skills, increase your earnings, and rise to positions of greater authority, responsibility, and prestige. A lack of opportunities can dampen interest in the work and result in frustration and boredom.

The company should have a training plan for you. What valuable new skills does the company plan to teach you?

The employer should give you some idea of promotion possibilities within the organization. What is the next step on the career ladder? If you have to wait for a job to become vacant before you can be promoted, how long does this usually take? Employers differ on their policies regarding promotion from within the organization. When opportunities for advancement do arise, will you compete with applicants from outside the company? Can you apply for jobs for which you qualify elsewhere within the organization, or is mobility within the firm limited?

Salaries and benefits. Wait for the employer to introduce these subjects. Some companies will not talk about pay until they have decided to hire you. In order to know if their offer is reasonable, you need a rough estimate of what the job should pay. You may have to go to several sources for this information. Try to find family, friends, or acquaintances who recently were hired in similar jobs. Ask your teachers and the staff in the college placement office about starting pay for graduates with your qualifications. Help-wanted ads in newspapers sometimes give salary ranges for similar positions.

If you are considering the salary and benefits for a job in another geographic area, make allowances for differences in the cost of living, which may be significantly higher in a large metropolitan area than in a smaller city, town, or rural area.

You also should learn the organization's policy regarding overtime. Depending on the job, you may or may not be exempt from laws requiring the employer to compensate you for overtime. Find out how many hours you will be expected to work each week and whether you receive overtime pay or compensatory time off for working more than the specified. number of hours in a week.

Also take into account that the starting salary is just that, the start. Your salary should be reviewed on a regular basis— many organizations do it every year. How much can you expect to earn after 1, 2, or 3 or more years? An employer can

not be specific about the amount of pay if it includes commissions and bonuses.

Benefits can also add a lot to your base pay, but they vary widely. Find out exactly what the benefit package includes and how much of the costs you must bear.

Check the library or your school's career center for salary surveys such as those conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers or various professional associations. Data on wages and benefits are also available from:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Compensation and Working Conditions, 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE., Room 4160, Washington, DC 20212-0001. Phone: (202) 606-6225.

Data from the National Compensation Survey, which integrates data from three existing BLS programs-the Employment

Cost Index, the Occupational Compensation Survey, and the Employee Benefits Survey-will become available between 1997 and the year 2000 from the BLS office above and from the Internet: http://stats.bls.gov/comhome.htm

Current Population Survey (CPS) data on median weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers, by detailed occupation, are available from:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Employment and Unemployment Statistics, 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE., Room 4945, Washington, DC 202120001. Phone: (202) 606-6400.

CPS data can also be accessed at the following Internet address: http://www.stats.bls.gov/cpsaatab.htm