Beverly East, Contributor
Final-year students at Northern Caribbean University discuss interview tips among themselves as they wait to meet with recruiters, during the institution's Job Fair 2005, held at the Mandeville campus on April 14, 2005.-CONTRIBUTED
Hi Mrs. East,
I SAW your article in The Sunday Gleaner giving pertinent advice on career development. My problem is, I am currently employed temporarily but I need that to change.
I sent out letters to so many places and all I get is 'sorry no vacancies. Your application will be placed on our files'. Is there something that I'm doing wrong in my letter? Am I leaving out the catch point? I must be doing something wrong.
I have had formal training in résumé and cover letter writing and I exercise my knowledge in same when I'm writing but it still doesn't work. Now I am currently attending university part-time so I can keep a morning job. Even though I write to that effect it still doesn't bear any fruit.
Dear Reader,
I am responding to your letter but it is more generally directed than personally to you. Sorry about that but I have had a series of letters similar to yours and have published yours in the hope of highlighting key areas that many of you are facing.
So here goes:
REASON NUMBER ONE
The number one reason you are not getting a job is, quite frankly, the job is not there. Because of the state of our economy, there are not that many jobs available.
REASON NUMBER TWO
Eighty per cent of positions are already filled through word of mouth or internal connections before they are ever published.
So when you apply, it really isn't there anyway. Positions have to be advertised for legal reasons. Even if a job has been filled internally and the company has an idea who is best suited for the job, the company or organisation must still advertise the position in order to show that it is an equal opportunity player.
REASON NUMBER THREE
I think most people don't even get the interview because their résumé is rubbish. I cannot say this enough. Many of you are qualified, experienced, skilled, competent workers but your résumés do not reflect your true work accomplishments. Your résumé must sell you.
Your résumé is about what you have accomplished rather than what you have experienced in the work place. There is a big difference.
I have written so many résumé-related articles, given outlines and I am still horrified when people send me their résumés.
How are you ever going to be employed or taken seriously when the résumé you send to your potential employer tells very little about what the employer needs to know about you? Please ask for back copies.
Competition is high so you have to have a cutting-edge résumé. I cannot emphasise this enough. When a job is advertised in the paper, there may be 600 applicants applying for the same job so competition is stiff. Your résumé must stand out among them.
REASON NUMBER FOUR
Some of you are delusional and in denial. (A little harsh, but true). Be real and be practical about what it is you are trying to achieve. Apply for positions that are within your experience and capabilities, and unless you have something outstanding to offer, don't apply.
Especially you young ones. Just because you have a degree you are not entitled to a job immediately, no matter how hard you have studied. It's your foundation but just the beginning. (I will cover this in another article).
REASON NUMBER FIVE
If you are transitioning and your résumé doesn't reflect the experience or the skills you need to be taken seriously, you must give some indication or evidence on why a potential employer should consider you for an interview, if it doesn't show on the résumé.
You must then prepare a skills profile of what you have done in related fields that do not show on your résumé.
Network, network, network
Begin to create a buzz around you so others want to help you find the job you are looking for.
Create your own niche, by finding a gap in an organisation/company
Create a position and then sell yourself.
Register with every form of recruitment agency on the island.
Begin by preparing better résumés you can start by omitting the 'Objective' statement on your résumé. It too clichéd. Your objective is to be employed - bottom line. Your objective will not necessarily match the needs of the company so delete it.
Begin by diversifying your skills so you are more employable. Consider retraining, short term especially on computer-related skills.
Begin by being more realistic in your search and in your abilities.
Be more patient The process is slow, so don't be too hard on yourself.
You may have to prepare yourself to juggle two part-time jobs until you find your niche
You can email your comments to writefully_yours@hotmail.com
