So now you have your cover letter and resume completed, you are ready for a very important and crucial part of the career counseling process; that is, effective personal marketing to achieve results!
The emphasis is on networking. The goal here is to find as many contacts and referred leads as possible, to ask for advice and suggestions of key decision makers in your chosen field or fields, and to get as many names as possible. Notice, the goal is not necessarily to find a job. That would be too big of a step at the start of a job search. You will learn to set small goals for yourself as a job seeker. In this way, you will obtain more “wins” and ultimately achieve your future goal of landing that coveted job.
Career counseling clients employ career marketing techniques including finding the hidden job market, developing contacts and conducting information interviews. Some of the more common methods include replying to newspaper ads, contacting agencies, and working with search firms. It is extremely important to network with friends, relatives, and referred leads. The client also researches target companies, solicits resumes to those firms, and “pounds the pavement” in order to gain more exposure to certain industries. Preparation for the job interview, salary negotiations, and videotaped mock interviews are reviewed and rehearsed with the counselor. The client is well prepared and can easily discuss his or her strong points, and the strong points in the resume. Thank you letters and follow up letters are utilized at appropriate stages of the job search. You and your career counselor will utilize some or even all of these processes and techniques.
Finally, you are primed for success with a high degree of self-confidence and the ability to communicate your skills and abilities to the prospective employer. More importantly, you will have achieved the competitive edge among other job applicants!
The last segment of this series will be a note from the author Bev Baskin with some guidelines and advice for your future success.