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Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Holiday Job Search Tips

The holidays may offer time for reflection and resolutions, thoughts about family and future from Thanksgiving through the new-year.  The season also presents challenges and opportunities for people seeking employment.  KCDEE reminds people who are unemployed or facing an uncertain future to understand that jobs are available and for those individuals considering a career change, this is an excellent time to explore training and education possibilities.

We offer these “Holiday Tips” to inspire people to be diligent in their pursuit of education, training and employment opportunities and to ensure that they take full advantage of our Illinois workNet Centers.  The workNet staff works hard to satisfy the demands of our customers - unemployed individuals and companies who seek good employees. These  “Holiday Tips" are presented to encourage people to not despair during this season and instead make the best use of our resources in their quest to satisfy their personal career goals and to meet the needs of their family. Check the Illinois workNet website to find a center near you.


                   Kane County Department of Employment and Education Offers
                             Holiday Tips for Dislocated or Unemployed Workers

  1. Continue to apply for full time work during the holiday season.  Make sure your application and resume are there for employers when they are considering hiring new people in the New Year.
  2. Seek part-time work during the holiday season.  Many people are hired to fill positions created by holiday vacations or to meet year-end demand from customers.  Some employers evaluate part-time employees for full-time positions.  This is your opportunity to shine and make a good impression.
  3. If there are any career fairs – dress for success and show-up with a resume.   Job fairs offer a great opportunity to meet potential employers face-to-face.
  4. Network yourself, at gatherings, to people who might be aware of job openings.  Many referrals for jobs come from employees, talk to someone you know who works for a company where you would like to work and get the inside scoop on jobs.   In social situations maintain a level of professionalism.
  5. Utilize resources from any training institution, college, university or school you have attended to help you discover jobs that may not be advertised or posted on an Internet job search website. 
  6. Keep a watchful eye on expenses.  Focus on the many good things in your life and not the materialistic demands of the season.  Many successful people look back to tight financial times, when they focused on family and friendship, as some of the best, most meaningful moments in their lives.
  7. Explore the services available to you through local agencies to improve your resume and interviewing skills. Help is available from the Illinois workNet Centers for job counseling, job search and access to a number of websites. 
  8. Be positive and patient.  Understand that job loss, unemployment and job seeking are stressful situations.    There is truth to the fact that the hardest job of all is finding a good job.  
  9. Get organized.  Write and design a new resume, list employers that offer good career opportunities.  Be methodical about your job search and set goals for contacting employers by keeping a daily contact log. 
  10. Be courteous and understanding when you follow up with potential employers - your attitude on the phone may be the deciding factor in getting an interview or job offer.  A positive attitude to your job search and interviews will help you be successful.  “Thank You” notes and letters after the interview offer you another opportunity to sell yourself to an employer or to drive home a point you may have overlooked during your interview.
  11. Try to be flexible in your approach to your career. Understand that you will always be acquiring new skills and adapting to new technology in almost every occupation.  Many people will change jobs or career paths with their current employer many times in their working life.  
The Illinois workNet Centers offer services from a group of partnering agencies, at a one-stop location, to assist job seekers find employment and where employers can meet their workforce development goals.   There are Centers in Elgin, North Aurora, DeKalb and satellites in Aurora and Yorkville that will help you.

The workNet Centers offer various workshops to help you improve your resume, your interviewing techniques and other skills to help you improve your job search activities.  Career counseling, labor market information about jobs in demand in your county and access to education and training resources are just some of the services available at the center to assist you in your job search.