Find a Better Job

Michael Dolan

Description

One easy step at time, get the job that best suits you. Begin by matching jobs to your skills. Then improve your interviewing, networking and resume writing. Finally, see which jobs are going to be most in demand. This is a practical handbook that works for people who want to. Compiles best practices along the full spectrum of job finding skills.

Sujets

• Santé et bien-être
• Développement personnel
• développement personnel
• Success
• Self-help
• Personal Growth

Informations

• Publié par: eBookIt.com
• Date de parution: 26 juillet 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9780971018235
• Langue: English

Extrait

Find a Better Job
by
Michael Dolan


Copyright 2001, 2011 © by Michael Dolan
All rights reserved
 
This book may not be reproduced, emailed, transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the permission in writing from the publisher.
 
Thank you to all the experts and specialists who helped with this book.
 
 
Published in eBook format by Dolan Management
Converted by http://www.eBookIt.com
 
 
ISBN-13: 978-0-9710-1823-5


 
 
 
This book is produced by TrainingBetter.com, the online training site
http://www.trainingbetter.com/
 
 
It is published by Dolan Management
http://www.dolan2000.com/
 
 
You may also be interested in our practical language web site, The Connecting Word
http://www.connectingword.com/
 
Introduction
 
 
We think you will find this book useful for a long time. It’s for people looking for their first career job or looking to improve on the one they’ve got. Find a Better Job is filled with helpful and solid information – not just trendy slogans. Each chapter takes you one step forward on your career path.
This book comes from the work Dolan Management does with career training. We specialize in communication. But over the years, we have answered many larger questions about using communication to get ahead. We identified some of the most reliable and up to date sources we could find to compile this book. Each chapter comes from a different expert source. The information, of course, is used with the expressed written permission of the authors. We put them together in a way we think you will find most useful to you.
The first six chapters take you step-by-step through the job-finding process. After reading them you can be confident and prepared to take the action you want. The last three chapters are more thoughtful, giving you a sense of employment trends and issues today and over the next few years.
We begin with information for Matching Yourself to the World of Work . This chapter identifies the skills you need to hold any of nearly 250 jobs, covering the kind of career you are interested in. The chapter focuses on a chart that compares the jobs to the skills. The chapter is written by economist Erik A. Savisaar based on information supplied by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
First, get a sense of your own skills, including basic ones such as math and communication as well as more advanced skills, such as leadership ability. Next, find the job you are most comfortable with. Maybe you already possess all the education and experience you need for the job. If not, this chapter shows you want you need to acquire in order to get that job.
The information-rich chart is large, so for convenience, we placed it at the end of the book. The legend for reading the table comes at the end of the chapter. It’s easy to figure it out.
Once you decide Changing Your Job is the course for you, you will want to do it in an efficient and practical manner. The second chapter helps you size up your present job before doing anything. It helps you decide where you are now and where you are going in the future. It provides you with the information you need to make your job change like a professional, which might even be finding the right part of your current company. Find out about keeping your benefits. Information in this chapter comes from the MetLife Consumer Education Center.
Once you are set on your course, you will enter the world of Using Help Wanted Services . Help wanted ads and employment services are a world of their own. Most people only enter this world for a brief part of their working lives. This chapter, prepared by Federal Trade Commission, helps you with that temporary stay by giving you a good outline of the situation and pointing you to useful sources of information to pursue for your particular search goals. The suggestions here result from several employment service problems that surfaced in the 1990s. By reading this chapter you can avoid these problems.
Next you will want to apply the basic tools of the job search: Making the Best Résumés, Applications, and Cover Letters . This chapter is full of solid, practical information with examples. Stuffed with tips and quotes from experts, this chapter by employment specialist Olivia Crosby is all you’ll need to know about this so important topic. You’ll also get some easy to find references for more detailed information.
An increasingly popular method for finding a better job these days is Networking through Job Fairs . This brief chapter compiled by the US Bureau of Labor gives you a quick list of what you should know in order to make the best use of these events. It also contains some follow through tips.
Success means that at sometime you will be Interviewing for the Job , a necessary and valuable aspect of boosting any career. This no-nonsense chapter by Olivia Crosby tells you what to expect before, how to conduct yourself during, and what to do after the interview.
Most of this book is solid, hard core, use-it-now information. However, you may be interested in reading Futurework , a summary of trends and changes in the work world. The report comes from a US Department of Labor survey released for the new century.
Now you are set -- ready to identify and acquire the right job for you. The final two chapters survey what is out there. Because e-book readers are technically aware, the next chapter by economist Carolyn M. Veneri focuses on Opportunities in Information Technology . If you are interested, you can read about current and future jobs for computer engineers, systems analysts, programmers, database administrators, computer support specialists, and other computer scientists. If you are not interested in this line of work, you can skip to Tomorrow’s Jobs , which helps you make realistic decisions about what you want to do.
Happy Hunting.
 
Michael Dolan, editor
1. Matching Yourself to the World of Work
 
 
The economy is expected to add almost 19 million jobs over the next decade. Start learning today the skills and training required for a career in tomorrow's work force.
Choosing a career is an important life decision. Pursuing a challenging and interesting occupation can lead to a rewarding career, while falling into job after job often fails to improve earnings or advancement prospects. The sooner you begin to consider career possibilities, the better prepared you will be to find your dream job.
There is no scientific formula for selecting a career. Work is a balancing act of costs and benefits. Having a good job will not lead to a regarding career if you are not pleased with the work you do. For example, a creative person who likes computers but dislikes mathematics probably should not choose the computer-engineering field simply for its fast job growth and high salaries. Such a person might be better suited to a career in graphic arts, a field that also uses computers but has less emphasis on math.
Of course, making a poor career choice does not necessarily mean spending the rest of your working life in a job you hate. Many people change careers because of external factors, such as changes in technology or business practices, or because of personal reasons, such as new interest in a different field. But self-assessment exercises may help prevent the time-consuming chore of switching careers. These exercises help you identify your personal interests, skills, talents, and abilities. Along with knowledge of specific occupational requirements, self-assessment exercises are a valuable tool in the career decision-making process.
Using the following information, you can match your personal characteristics and preferences with occupations that suit you best. This information cannot find you a particular job, but it can provide you with better occupational choices that might point you toward a fulfilling career.
There are some skills, abilities, and habits all employees need to bring to a job. Common traits all employers look for include the following:
 
Mathematics and English skills . Most jobs require employees to follow directions or add numbers. Employees should have basic skills in reading, writing, and math.
Communication skills . Almost all jobs require some interaction among workers. Employees must be able to exchange information with their peers and supervisors.
Consideration and respect . Employees should display professionalism and courtesy in dealing with their supervisors and coworkers. Employers are more likely to promote those who can work as part of a team and get along well with others.
Willingness to learn and an open mind . Employers hire workers who can accomplish tasks efficiently. Employees should strive to improve existing methods and be willing to learn new techniques and procedures.
Sources of Additional Information
While this chapter provides valuable information for choosing a career, it is only a starting point for further research. After you narrow your career search, gather as much information as possible about the occupations that interest you. The following sources have additional information.
Libraries . Public libraries have a wealth of information on careers and career planning, including books, periodicals, and, in some, online information about industries and employment opportunities.
State employment service offices . These offices provide career guidance and listings of job vacancies in your area. In some places, Federally funded one-stop career centers, administered by State and local governments provide the State employment service and offer an even broader variety of services to help people find jobs.
School and college career centers . Advisors at colleges and university career centers give career advice, help with resume preparation, and suggest job search techniques. These services are available to enrolled students and recent graduates. Some centers also maintain listings of