JOBTALKS Your Creative Job Search Indiana University Kelley School of Business C. Randall Powell, Ph.D Contents used in this presentation are adapted from Career Planning Strategies and used with the permission of the author.

Creative Job Search How to Get the Job You Really Want! How will you go about locating and interviewing for the perfect professional opportunity that you really want?

Five Objectives of the Career Change System Set career objectives Identify job opportunities Techniques of the creative job search How to position yourself Control your own career

Seven Basic Principles of Career Change There is nothing wrong with being out of a job. The average successful person will have 10 full-time jobs and 4 career changes. There are always jobs available. Unexpected job loss is an opportunity. Success in the job market is predictable. Do what other successful people do. There are always jobs for the creative person Who is willing to work at the professional job search!

Traditional Job Search Answering Newspaper Ads Browsing Web Sites Sending Out Resumes Using Employment Services Using Career Centers

Traditional Job Search … but, instead of that – or in addition to that – let’s get a little creative…..

Creative Job Search A different approach Enables you to get a better job Develops character, intelligence and imagination Makes you a better and more optimistic person Enables you to have more fun at work Begins with you

Where the Jobs Are Job Availability There are always thousands of jobs available. Every company is a job market. Every department in every company is a job market. Every individual who can hire is a job market.

What the Jobs Are A job is an opportunity to render useful service. A job is labor applied to achieve a certain result. One person can help you create a job, if he uses the Universal Hiring Rule: An employer will hire you if you contribute more in financial value to the organization than what it costs the organization to employ you.

Qualities Most Desired by Employers Intelligence Leadership Ability Integrity Sincerity Competence Courage Determination

Creative Job Search Three Key Points: Analyze your strengths and abilities. Seek out opportunities to maximize your personal potential. Select a career with the same care that you would as if you were getting married.

Prospecting Identifying companies that can best use your talents, abilities, background and experience. List prospective organizations. Rank you prospects in order of their desirability, and allocate your research time accordingly.

Creative Job Re-Search Begin by moving from the general to the specific: Websites Encyclopedia Magazines Books Ask for advice Use your contacts Interview non-employers Ask for referrals Become an expert NOTE: An earlier discussion presentation may be useful: #84, Researching the Job Market. You can view the PowerPoint on line – check your X420 syllabus.

Prospecting Pre-Approach – gather information about each company in which you are interested. Approach – get an appointment with your networking contact. Ask for informational interview.

Informational Interviewing You are the interviewer. The first 30 seconds are the most important. Next 4 minutes determines whether or not the person likes you. Thank interviewee for his time. Go in with an agenda; questions. Write down answers. After minutes, excuse yourself with thanks for the time. Leave door open, ask if you can come back if you have more questions. Write thank-you note. Never accept or respond to a job offer during informational interview.

Informational Interviewing – The Challenge You are being judged People are not stupid – if you treat the informational interview like a direct job-hunting technique, they will feel used and it will do you no good. People are flattered by honest interest in their work – a good informational interview leaves them thinking well of you People will remember – if your questions and comportment reflect intelligence, sincerity and competence….of if not.

Informational Interviewing – The Challenge You are being judged People are not stupid – They know, or will assume, that you are job hunting. Diffuse this by honesty…. “Yes, I am looking for the perfect job. I hope our interview today will help me define that for myself more clearly.” People are flattered by honest interest in their work … “Hello, I am interested in your field and wonder if you could spare a little time to help me decide whether it is the field for me.” Remember - People will remember.

Getting the Job You Want Where you want to work Who you want to work for What you want to be doing 1.Call back the person you interviewed. 2.Keep in touch 3.Leave “feelers” Once you have chosen….

Sales Presentation Tell how you can contribute to the organization. Explain why you’ve chosen this company and this person to work for. List problems you could solve. Explain how your knowledge and experience relate to the job you want. Explain the benefits the company would get from hiring you. How to sell yourself to a person who has not thought of hiring you:

Evaluation Questions: Discussion Session #19 Creative Job Search 1) I found the presentation of material easy to understand. 2) This discussion session increased my knowledge on the subject presented. 3) I will be able to use some of the information from this discussion session in the future. 4) The presenter was well prepared for this discussion session. 5) This presentation should be repeated in future semesters. Use: a. Strongly agree b. Agree c. Disagree d. Strongly Disagree e. Don’t know

If you would like to learn more, Career Planning Strategies textbook will supply additional information on this topic.