Daily Job Hunt Journal

Once your resume gets the attention of the hiring managers, the next step of the employment process is the interview. The number of interviews varies among employers, but no matter what, you have to be prepared for it.

Preparation for an interview often includes reading interview books or anticipating the interview questions, wearing the proper dress, understanding the salary negotiation process, and most importantly, developing good interviewing skills. Remember, it�s the final interview that matters above anything else as it is your gate to employment. A good interviewing skills, therefore, is critical in your quest to get your dream job.

There are lots of resources on the web that help improve interviewing skills. Here are some of them:

Job Interview Tutorial
Job Interview Guide
Interviewing Skills

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A cover letter always goes hand-in-hand with a professional resume. It should contain your intentions for applying, your interest in the organization you want to work with, the position you are applying for, your skills and education and your related working experiences.

Cover letters need not be too long. So long as it clearly explains your qualifications and your reasons for applying for the job, it is strong and effective. Always remember that your cover letter is the first thing that the hiring manager sees, therefore, your chance of employment largely depends on it. So make sure it is properly and intelligently written.

Please feel free to access this cover letter tutorial
and cover letter samples for your own benefit.

After you have made all the preparation, dressing so smartly, preparing for the examinations, researching about the company, and honing that speech skills — it’s now time for you to relax and be confident.

CONFIDENCE spells so much in your chances in getting hired by the best employers there is out there. Look them in the eyes and do not look away. Smile and show a calmness of emotion. They do not like panicky people and those who could not sit still. They might just be a problem to the company in the future.

Emotional maturity is one trait most employers holds dear. So be calm and express yourself in the most concise of manner, and whatever happens, BE CONFIDENT, and everything will follow in the right track for you. BE CONFIDENT like you are not anxious about anything, even if you are in reality. CONFIDENCE is like gold. It is a saleable commodity.

So BE CONFIDENT most of all.

( image stokebrokermagazine.com )

While job hunting can take several weeks, months or even years, it is not a reason for you to surrender easily or not to take it seriously. Job seekers are always encouraged to work hard when looking for a job. After all, being unemployed for a long time is a never a good thing.

When switching to a different job or hunting for a new job after a job loss, it is very important that you keep in mind the things that should avoid doing. For instance, it is undesirable that you do job hopping without good reasons. Also, it is unacceptable to badmouth about your previous company or the people you worked with in the past. Another thing is, remember not to judge a job offer by the salary alone.

Job hunting is a very challenging endeavor. Make sure to remind yourself always of the things that you need to avoid and those that you need to follow.

Image Source:http://www.sxc.hu

Each of us has a unique personality. But when it comes to job search, we tend to use the same methods and tools. A columnist from EmploymentGuide.com has identified three types of personalities and how they approach the job search process:

1. People lovers. They socialize and communicate with other people effortlessly which make them good networkers. Networking is one of the most powerful methods of finding employment and this is where the strength of this type of personality is utilized.

2. Patient and true individuals. They are quiet, unassuming and excellent team players. They approach the job search process based on proper timing. They are not fond of networking because they don’t like to bother other people for job leads.

3. Planners. They make plans that serve as their guide in finding employment. They are very organized and tend to follow the plan until the goals are achieved.

To learn more about the above personalities, click here.

Image Source: http://www.fashionjobsearch.com

Here’s something for you to much on while you’re unemployed, “Only three to five percent of job seekers find employment through online job sites.” Whoa, now that’s a depressing statistic for those unemployed right now. How do you make sure you’re on that three percent?

Companies receive a lot of applications through job sites; and the bigger your company, the more resumes you get. So instead of hiring people to look at each resume, they do keyword searches o the whole database of applicants.

What does this mean for you? If you don’t place enough of the keywords they’re looking for in your resume, then you might as well not submit it at all because there would be no way they can filter that many applications. What you do then is to know the keywords associated with the job opening and ensure that the resume you send would have enough of them.

Going through old job ads and getting a job may seem to be impossible, but it does happen! Normally, you’d just browse over these openings and move on through to the new ones.

However, most jobs are posted once and never given “refreshed dates” as this would mean more expense for the company. A new post for the same position would not be good for the company, so usually they just leave it there as it is and keep mum about it. There might be even be a chance that the the chosen candidate decided to not take the job. So what’s this to you?

It means that these jobs may still be open and available. So don’t be afraid to apply for these old ads.

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Job hunt strategies help job seekers get the job they want. All you need is focus and determination to get yourself closer to your dream job. Here are three job hunt strategies that you should follow:

1. Visualize. Set specific goals and work to pursue them. Never get discouraged by setbacks.
2. Be Enthusiastic. This means you should not get frustrated over a failed job application but instead take it as a step forward to your dream job.
3. Always find time to relax. A job hunt can be exhausting. Do yourself some favor by replenishing the lost energy. Remember that you are trying to sell yourself to employers, so taking good care of yourself is a priority.

Who doesn�t need a job? Yes, we all need one. That is why we continuously seek new job opportunities, shift to a different career, upgrade our skills and pursue higher studies.

Job hunting is a hard task. While some people find it easy to look for a new job, others take some time before landing jobs.

But before you lose hope and back out, let me tell you that there are job hunt strategies that work. They are not temporary, though. You have to incorporate it in your lifestyle so you don�t lose them after you get a job. Soon, you�ll see yourself accustomed to these positive habits and before you know it, you are already making huge strides in your job hunting. (to be concluded)

Knowing the mission and vision of the company one is applying at is one good advantage for any applicant. It could be had through research and online browsing or through the company itself, by visiting its personnel department and asking for informative resources.

Knowing is the start of it all. The employee who is well aware of the aims and directions of the company he or she is working for is one who has good future and security in the company, would be dynamic enough and participatory in every affair.

Top management look for these kind of individuals, one who takes pride and great knowledge on what the company is all about, it’s direction, its policy and towards the salient rules and guidelines for conduct and operation.

Know the mission and vision of your company and take them into heart.

( image from benzg.com )