Find Employment...

By James C. Gonyea and Larry Goldsmith

To begin using this program...

1. Read the Introduction below.
2. Scroll down and download and print the Index below.
3. Scroll down and download, print, and start with Task 1 below.

Introduction

Note: It is especially important that you first have a career goal in mind before attempting to find employment.  Conducting a job search with no clear goal in mind has proven to be unsuccessful for most job seekers.  Therefore, if you do not yet have a career goal, we suggest you first complete the Select a Career Direction section of the CareerSMARTZ program.

The self-directed program found here has been used by thousands of students and adults nationally and internationally for more than four decades and is the basis of many commercial career guidance programs and materials.

To help you find employment, we will guide you in completing the following tasks (in the order presented):

While job seeking typically requires time, effort, and dedication, many of the above tasks can be completed in an hour or two.  We have organized the process into individual steps to carefully guide you to a successful completion.

You must complete the program in the order presented above as completion of one task prepares you for the completion of the next task. 

To keep your download materials organized, we suggest you print and store them in a 3-ring binder with tab dividers labeled 1-15.

There is NO time limit for completing this part of the CareerSMARTZ program – proceed as quickly or as slowly as you wish.  Some past users have pushed themselves to complete the program in only a few days or weeks of part-time work, while others have spread the work out over several months.  In today’s world, job-seeking may take longer than you think, so be prepared for a long haul.

How fast or slow you go is up to you.  However, considering the importance of finding the right job, and the pain caused by a poor choice, we strongly encourage you to give this program adequate time to work its magic!

Index and Tasks

Index – Download and print this document.  It contains a listing of all materials for this part of the CareerSMARTZ program.  Use it to organize your materials, especially if you wish to use a 3-ring binder to save your materials.

Task 1: Define Your Talent.  Use these guides to describe your talent – the knowledge and skills you can offer to employers.  Also known as “your professional brand.”

Task 2: Promote Your Talent.  Use these guides to publicize your talent to the employment marketplace to be seen by employers and employment recruiters who are searching the Internet for new hires.

Task 3: Target Potential Employers.  Use these guides to find potential employers who match your career goal and employer preferences.

Task 4: Determine Your Employment Value.  Use these guides to determine how you can be of value to each of your potential employers.  In other words, discover why they should hire you!

Task 5: Resolve Your Employment Obstacles.  Use these guides to identify the obstacles that might prevent you from gaining employment and how to overcome each obstacle.

Task 6: Apply for Employment.  Use these guides to present your talent to potential employers.

Task 7: Interview for Employment.  Use these guides to prepare for, conduct, and follow-up interviews with potential employers.

Task 8: Start Your New Job Professionally.  Use this guide to start your new job on the right foot and set the stage for success in your new position.