Effective Job Search in Peshawar

“EFFECTIVE JOB SEARCH: Assessing The Appropriate Methodology To Easily Access A Job In Peshawar”

Presented By:

Haider Abbas (GL)      1228   MBA(Finance)

Zahid Khan                  1255  MBA(Finance)

Fazli Haq                      1239  MBA(Finance)

Azmat bibi                    1256  (MBA(HRM)

Naima Bushra              1360  MBA(Finance)

Sana Rehman                         MBA(Finance)

Kiran Elahi                                      MBA(Finance)

Student of Management Science

City University of Science & Information Technology Peshawar Pakistan.

EFFECTIVE JOB SEARCH: Assessing The Appropriate Methodology To Easily Access A Job In Peshawar

Executive Summary:

In today’s competitive world conducting research before making any decision has now became inevitable. Today research is conducted in each and every field of life and business. It is true for searching a job. An appropriate job search in turn is affected by a number of influential variables, which needs to be understood in order to get the success.
This piece of research work is based of the above situation. It’s objective is to identify those factors which readily affect the effective job search process. The research focuses primarily on Pakistan and specifically in Peshawar because according to Mr. Naveed Aslam (Policy Director in Employment Exchange Peshawar), Mr. Munir Gul (Apprentichip Officer in Directorate of Technical Educations and Man power training Peshawar), and according to the findinings of the bureau of statistics one of the reason of the unemployment in Pakistan is the un appropriate job search. People have no proper information about the sources and methods to search a job.
The research paper is based on the previous researches and the finding of the current data based on the methods applied in the previous researches. In short it leads Job Searcher to find an appropriate job with ease and based on his/her interests, skills, and values.

EFFECTIVE JOB SEARCH: Assessing The Appropriate Methodology To Easily Access A Job In Peshawar

Introduction:

A Job Search is a process through a Job Seeker enables him/her self to find an appropriate  job that matches his/her skills, values, and interests. (Mark Minnisota, David Brien). The concept of job research is often misunderstood and, consequently, a lot of people don’t do it very well. When some people hear the word "research," they have visions of a mad scientist surrounded by test tubes, microscopes and Bunsen burners. Others might think of endless trips to the library where they have to read stacks of books. The type of research needed in the job search isn't what you might think. Initial planning for jib search is of vital importance in successfully finding a job. One should not be jumping to a conclusion without appropriate data and research as one will get a job that will not suit his/her expectations. (Mark Satterfield).
The purpose of this piece of research paper is to enable people in Peshawar. The objective is to enable job seekers to Increased job search confidence, Increased control over the job search, Increased decision making ability, Increased potential for job search success, Increased employment satisfaction.
now there are different attributed people in the world. Some are more curious about their carrier and some are less. Some wants a better job which matches their skills, values, and expectations. While some wants jobs to fulfill their social needs. These peoples while searching for jobs use different approaches and consult different sources. Now the literature has identified three basic sources of jobs, i.e. employment exchanges, recruitment firms, Networks, Advertisement (Print, Electronic). That is aim of this research paper to identify the appropriate sources and successful get a job. We have basically conducted a basic research with dichotomous scale and Lickert scale as our questionnaire is basically consisted of such natured data, on a straightaified random sample size of 50 participants with different attributes, and all of these information is collected through interviews and questionnaires from the respondents. the conclusion is made on the data collected from the sample respondents.

Literature Review:

The job search process is a game of numbers. The more opportunities you investigate, the greater your chance of success. When most people think about where to find job openings, they consider the want ads in the Sunday paper. But there are many other avenues to find job opportunities. Some of traditional means include networking and using services of recruiting farm.

Your beat bet is to take advantage of all of these. If you use one method, you are likely to miss out on a lot of opportunities. Let’s take a look at each resource.

 (By: Mr. Mark Satterfield, Where the jobs are, The Hottest careers for the ‘20s, published by: Career Press, 180 Fifth Avenue, P.O.Box 34, Hawthorne, NJ 07507, 1-800-Career-1201-427-0229 (outside U.S.)).

Understanding how employers hire will help in planning a successful job search. Many job seekers express frustration with the hiring process. They feel a loss of control. The sense is that the employer holds all the cards and they aren't showing their hand. Knowledge is power, and understanding the hiring process is empowering. It will help direct your efforts and will eliminate some frustration. (Dr. Minnola Zerquack (http://www.deed.state.mn.us/cjs/cjsbook/process1.htm) ).

How prepared are you for planning and conducting an effective job search? Successful job seekers must have both good information and well-developed job hunting skills. Three important factors for a successful job search are an awareness of your goals and skills, an understanding of the labor market, and a well planned job search campaign.

Experts recommend that you begin an active job search six to nine months in advance of your target employment date. You can begin the process by visiting the Career Center early (for students, nine months to a year before graduation). (Mark Minnisota, David Brien).

Job finding success is directly proportional to the amount of time you are willing to spend in your search and the number of strategies you use to identify potential openings. Sources suggest that you:

1. Be prepared for a long job hunt - 8-23 weeks
2. Spend at least 20 hours per week on your job hunt,
3. Have an alternative plan.

(University of Wisconsin, By Dr. Jossey Girch, Dr. Sangos Cliff, Dr. Solomon Munich) ((http://www.uwec.edu/Career/online_library/jobsearch.htm) (Updated: May 12, 2004)).

Sources of Job:

The job search process is a game of numbers. The more opportunities you investigate, the greater your chance of success. When most people think about where to find job openings, they consider the want ads in the Sunday paper. But there are many other avenues to find job opportunities. Some of traditional means include networking and using services of recruiting farm.

Your beat bet is to take advantage of all of these. If you use one method, you are likely to miss out on a lot of opportunities. Let’s take a look at each resource.

Networking: the power of word mouth:

Most every job seeker has heard about how networking is most effective means to identify job opportunities. Yet for all publicity, actually implementing a networking campaign remains a daunting task. “What do I say?” “Who do I contact?” and most frustrating, “how do I overcome this nagging feeling that I’m imposing on the people I’m trying network with?”

First let’s define our terms. Networking is hardly a magical process that requires special training or unique skills. It is simply the process of using friends, former a colleagues and others in your fields to help you find a job. You do this by keeping eyes and ear open to opportunities you hear about, and meeting as many contacts as possible, since success in the job search is in part driven by statistics, the more people you meet and the more opportunities you hear about, the greater your chances are of finding employment.

One of the key advantages of learning about opportunities through networking is that it often enables you to get a jump on the competition. This becomes apparent when we look at the process by which many companies fill positions. The first step an organization takes is looking internally for a suitable candidate. If no candidate emerges, management will then ask current employees for recommendations. It is at this point that networking pays dividends. If you are referred to the organization by someone you have networked with, you avoid having to compete with the hoards of applicants responding to help wanted ads and employment agency referrals.

“Who do I contact?”

The key to successful networking is targeting specific companies and meeting as many employees as there as possible. There are many different doors that can lead to employment at a company. Your objective is to explore as many as you can.

An initial step is to develop a list of friends, family and business contacts you feel comfortable approaching. it's easy to ask those toot you for contact names in personal meetings---whether at work, over lunch or at family reunions. but most people prefer to initiate the networking process by writing a letter to each contacts and then following up on the telephone. the approach that i like is sending a three page packet, including a cover letter, resume and list of companies you are interested in working for, to each person on your list.    

Networking success depends on your being organized, conies and direct about the purpose of your call. most people enjoy talking about their profession and are flattered when asked for advice. moreover, since you are being referred by some one they know and presumably respect. they will usually give you some time. networking enables you to increase the scope and reach of your job search. it's usually worth the effort.

Recruiting Firms/ Employment Exchanges:   

Functioning as intermediaries between applicants and employers, professional recruit firms have established themselves as important resources for job changers. However the degree of professionalism and competence among firms varies a great deal. Thus it pays to know how different types of recruiting firms work, and how to find a firm that’s right for you.

Although recruiting firms are a viable component of the job search strategy, you should not put too much reliance on them recruiting firms fill only 20 percent of the available jobs. thus make sure you supplement  the use of recruiting firms with other sources, such as newspapers ads and networking.

Be very skeptical of any firm whose fee is not paid by the employer. the recruiting industry has evolved to the point where virtual all reputable firms fees are paid by the hiring firms who advertise that they will introduce you to the "hidden job market." the fee, the fee paid by you, is often substantial, and there has been a great deal of controversy over whether the services they provide are worth the cost.

The recruiting firms  you will want to contact fall into two groups: retainer and contingency. in both types of firms, the fee is paid by the employer. however the method by which they are paid is quite different. this difference is important since it affects your relationship with the firm.

A contingency firm gets paid only if the candidate it refers is actually hire by the employer. this may cause the firm to refer great numbers of candidates hoping that one of the individuals will be selected. companies may list an opening with many contingency firms since they are only obligated to pay a fee to the firm whose candidate they hire. Thus, there is often a scramble among contingency firms to present as many qualified candidates as they can, as quickly as possible.

This can some times make applicants feel that they are simply a product to be bought and sold. Many individuals complain that the contingency recruiters are impersonal and abrupt. While this varies among agencies, remember that the fee is paid by the employer. The recruiting firms works for the employer, not you. Although you should expect the recruiter to be polite, he or she isn't in the business of providing career advice.

Retainer firms, or executive search firms, are paid their fee regardless of whether they fill the job. The retained recruiters liken themselves to other professionals such as doctors and lawyers, who paid even their client is found guilty or the patient does not recover. Their incentive is that if they do not fill the position, it is unlikely that the client will use them again. Typically, retainer firms work on position pay in excess of $50,000, while contingency firms work on wide gamut of assignments, where salaries may start at about $15,000.

The key to successfully managing the recruiting firm relationship is finding the right firm and the right recruiter for you. Finding the firms that specialize I your field is relatively easy. Kennedy publication publishes the most comprehensive registry of recruiting firms. Its annual directory of executive recruiters, and lists the firms geographically, by function and industry specializations.

Identifying the right recruiter can be a little trickier. Generally the retained recruiters are older, more experienced managers, and often were the executives in the industry they now serve. Since they work on middle-management and senior level positions, the overwhelming majority are highly professional.

In the contingency ranks, there is a greater disparity in the level of professionalism and experience. Since contingency     recruiters work largely on commission, the competition to produce revenues is intense, and turnover is often quite high.

Try to work with a recruiter who has been in the business for at least two years and specializes in your industry. The National Association of Personal Consultants designates recruiters who have worked for a minimum of two years n the field and have passed an exam. Although many good contingency recruiters do not have the CPC designation, the certification ensures a certain base line of competence.

Take advantage of referrals from friend and business associates. If you identify firms that focus in your field, and work with an experienced recruiter, you will find that recruiting firms can often valuable assistance to you in your job search.

 Classified ads:

 Help-wanted advertising is one of the more visible sources for job leads. While this make easier to identify opportunities, responding to ads places you in direct competition with many other candidates. However, outplacement consultants estimate that somewhere between 15 and 25 percent of all jobs are filled through such ads. So why not increase your job-landing odds by responding to the want ads too?

   To better your success, it is important that you look at all of the publications in which a relevant help-wanted ad might appear. In addition to the Sunday newspaper, want ads appear in a variety of trade publications, and business-oriented newspapers such as The Wall Street Journal, which runs the majority of its ads on Tuesday. Additionally The Wall Street Journal publishes the National Business Employment Weekly, a compilation of ads that have appeared in the various regional editions of the Journal during the past week. Also, read through the pertinent publications to your industry.

In perusing the Sunday classifieds, read the entire section. Typically, ads are run alphabetically rather than clustered by position or industry. Thus a candidate seeking a position in Personnel might find a relevant ad appearing in different parts of the classified section under Human Resources, Training, Compensation, Benefits or Management. Many newspapers also publish help-wanted advertising in business section. These ads are usually directed toward experienced professionals seeking mid-management opportunities.

Help wanted ads appear in two formats, blind and open. Open ads list the name of the company while blind ads direct you to apply to a post office box. Companies run blind ads for a variety of reasons-and not always to fill a position. In some cases, they may just be trying to get a feeling for what talent is a available. Or what salaries people in that position are receiving. If there is a job opening, the position may be confidential, or the company may not want to terminate the incumbent manager until a replacement has been found. If you are currently employed and the description in the blind ad sounds remarkably similar to your job, caution is encouraged. An additional benefit to companies running blind ads is that they do not have to respond to candidates. Many companies that sell their products to consumers feel obligated to communicate with all applicants. This can be a burdensome task for some of the larger, better-known corporations.

When responding to help-wanted ads, remember that your letter is likely to be one of hundreds that the company receives. Conciseness is critical.

Many candidates find a three-paragraph strategy to be affective. A common request is for inclusion of salary histories. Al-though there are differences in opinion on how to respond, a fairly compelling argument can be made not to include this information. Salary information is requested by companies as a screening tool. Your strategy is to get the company interested in you before money is discussed. This improves your chances of getting top dollar for your service. Although the ad states that applicant will not be considered unless salary information is included, it is highly unlikely that a qualified candidate would be ruled out.                  

Are these the only avenues open to the job hunter? Certainly not. While they are some of the most common and effective means of tracking down job openings, there are other methods. Foe example: say there is a company you’d love to work for. You’ve done your research and you know that the corporate culture, advancement opportunities and attractive salary potential are for you!

But can’t dif up a contact there. There are no advertised job openings, and the recruiters you’ve called don’t have a relationship with that company. Are you out of luck? Not necessarily. If you’ve investigated effectively, you should have learned who the company’s key contacts or management people are. Your nest step is to call or write a specific individual preferably a manager in the department you’re interested in and ask for an information interview. It’s a little a trickier getting in without a contact, but it’s certainly been done.

If you can approach the contact in a no pressuring way and clarify that you’re not seeking a job but merely advice and expertise, you might get an opportunity to meet. Your approach can be very similar to the one you use with networking contacts. You should emphasize that you’re not seeking a job right now, but are requesting advice from an expert on how to further your career. By establishing this new contact, you’ll have a foot n the door f the job opening comes up. (Company research and information interviews are further discussed in the next chapter.)

There are other methods to uncover job opportunities. Getting involved in a volunteer capacity in the field you’re interested in, joining industry association, taking advantage of some of computer network programs that advertise job openings or allow job-seekers to advertise of their availability, are a few alternatives. Increase your odds by exploring all the job-finding avenues available. (Mark Satterfield).
Preliminary Information Gathering:

The tendency to which an individual may go for an effective job search needs extensive information about how to search a job. Now for our research on the “Effective Job Search”, we have gathered preliminary information about the sources of jobs, the methods of job search usually adopted by the researchers in Pakistan.
We had performed an extensive “Literature Review”, to identify the relevant information. From the literature we had identified the following source to gather the relevant information through appropriate methods:

Now we had conducted an unstructured interview from the selected personnel in Directorate of Man Power Training and development. Secondly we have visited particular recruitment firms in Peshawar and had gathered the relevant preliminary information. Third we had interviewed currently employed and unemployed peoples to find the relevant information about the appropriate methods of job search and the efforts involved. 

Theoretical Frame Work:

Variables:
From the literature review and preliminary information gathering we have identified the following variables:

Ø  More Investigation

Ø  Self Assessment

Ø  Job Experiences

Ø  Individual Economic Conditions

The above diagram shows the logical relationships of the different variables affecting the job search process. The obvious variable is the investigation. This in turn is affected by the other variables, showing its dependency. The more the investigation the more the more the opportunities for seeking the job. As we have proved this from the research papers of Mark Satterfield research work. This investigation variable is dependent on two broad independent variables, i.e. Self Assessment, and time devoted to investigation. The whole process in turn is catalyzed by individual economic conditions.
Now the fact that self assessment is affecting the investigation is proved from the Literature. Self-assessment is the process of gathering information about you in order to make an informed career decision, thus showing its independency. The more you assess yourself the more you will investigate and the more chances to use various sources of the job.
Now this self-assessment variable acts both as dependent and independent variable. As a dependent variable it is in turn affected by three independent variables, i.e. Personal Values, Personal Interests, and Skills.

Values:
An awareness of what you value (qualities that are important and desirable) in a career will aid you in exploring career goals and attaining greater satisfaction in your work. (Adapted from Training For Life, by Fred Hecklinger & Bernadette Curtin, T 1994. Reprinted with permission from of Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.).

Interests:
Interests (areas that arouse your attention or enthusiasm) are closely related to values and frequently trigger skill development. You can identify interests by looking at enduring themes in your life-activities that persist over time, consistent choices, recurring dreams, or the way you spend your time. Try keeping a time-log or examining your most enjoyable times in-depth. If after doing so, you are still not clear about your interests or cannot rank them, consider meeting with a Career Center consultant or use the vocational guidance and testing services of the University Counseling Center.

Skills:
A skill refers to something you do well, including handling problems or tasks. The key to your successful job search is recognizing these skills and communicating their usefulness verbally and in writing to a prospective employer. Use accomplishment statements to do so. They should:

• Describe your skills in concise, unambiguous terms.
• Refer to actual experiences to demonstrate your skill level.
• Connect your skills concisely to the needs of a prospective employer.

Some of the most marketable skills are those which are useful in a wide variety of work environments. These are known as transferable skills. For example, the ability to write effectively, communicate verbally, and use word processing or database software is valued skills in the private as well as public sectors.

Time Factor:
The time factor plays a very vital role in making investigation for searching the job. The more the time you devote, the more the investigation is made.
Literature shows that one should develop a Job Search Schedule and should set weakly and in turn hourly time for job search. The following diagram show a sketch of job search schedule.

Job Search Schedule:

Week of ____________________

Research Design:
Here we have conducted an exploratory research design for effective job search .we have listed the important variables which influence the job search involves extensive preliminary works to get appropriate know how about these variables. Not only listing but also make our own contribution because the information we get from published research papers and articles are basically conducted in other country environment .while some variables that’s deem relevant to our concern area is identified through interviews and questionnaires using both qualitative and quantitative measures.

Unite of Analysis:
Here obviously in our research work on effective job search the unit of analysis is individual because here we need to get responses on individual basis both from employed and un employed personals.

Time Horizon:
The study we conducted on the effective job search where the data we collected from different employed and unemployed personnel basically involves collecting data once mean we are focusing particularly on cross-sectional study.

Sampling:
For our research work  we have used  stratified random sampling design because in case of job search the data is collected both from males and females of different ages and those who are employed and unemployed. Sampling frame which we have  choose in our assignment on effective job search is enrolled from (directorate middle level executives, employed and unemployed personnel in different banks and other institutions Also the information from different employment exchanges in Peshawar have helped in giving appropriate responses  authenticated from previous research in similar area by (DR peter depaulo dec 2005) (Article id 20001202)in publication have chosen 140 of  sample but here we have chosen 50 as a sample because the reason behind this logic is that due to the time limitation for research assignment and getting difficulties in obtaining data from these executive in Peshawar culture for obtaining quality responses.

Table showing the arrtibutes of the sample respondents.

Data Collection Methods:
Two of the data collection methods have been adopted based on the previous researches. These are:

Ø Interviews

Ø Questionnaire

Scaling:
We have used both nominal scale and ordinal scale the same scaling combination was used by Mr. Israr Ahmadi Khurazi in his research in seeking employment for Cairo Egypt. Particularly we have used dichotomous scale as it is used to elicit YES or NO answer as Dr. R. Brown Lindqiust on his research on Job Search in North Carolina, and also Lickeret Scale to find the participants responses or preferences for various sources of jobs.

Reliability and Validity:
reliability and validity of a research scale is of vital importance to the research data collection and the rest of calculation analysis and interpretation. Reliability refers to the degree of dependability and stability of a scale (Gatewood & Field, 1990). It reflects the sacle’s ability to consistently yield the same responses. A scale has validity if it is measuring the concept it was intended to measure (Bagozzi & Philips, 1982). Validity of a scale may be defined as the extent to which difference is observed scale scores reflect the true differences among objects of the characteristics being measured (Malhotra, 2005).
the reliability and validity of the scales that we have used is proved from the past literature.

Hypothesis Developed:
Hypothesis Statement:
The greater the (values, interests, skills) of the individual the greater the self assessment and greater the time the more effective investigation and more the strong economic conditions of the individual the better will be the job search and the greater sources of job will be consulted.

Testing Hypothesis:
After conducting the preliminary information gathering , literature review, identifying the important variables, developing theoretical frame work, research design, scaling , and developing appropriate sampling frame and sample size, unit of analysis,  and based on the clarification of unit of analysis we have tested the hypothesis developed. Now for this purpose we have used questionnaire which we have developed and added questions based on the certain variables effecting the job search process and we have used to form these questioners to that sample size which we have selected and distributed to peoples (un employed And employed personnel in different organization). Now on the basis of there responses we have concluded that the relationship which we have developed among different variables in the theoretical frame work now hold true and have proved that off course the **The greater the (values, interests, skills) of the individual the greater the self assessment and greater the time the more effective investigation and more the strong economic conditions of the individual the better will be the job search**

Conclusion:

In order for job search to be successful you must develop a plan. Far too often people jump into the search by attempting to arrange interviews as quickly as possible. This is usually a mistake if you don’t take the time to adequately research the marketplace, you may overlook companies to which you should be applying, and it will be very difficult for you to sell yourself during the interview. Although your initial reaction may be that research isn’t necessary, you’re likely to find that t is extremely important to the overall success of your job search.
Our  first finding in employments research is to identify all of the potential places where you might work. Your likely to be surprise at the number and verity of companies that could use your skills. To obtain this initial data about the company you have chose, you can use a number of sources like libraries, companies broachers, journals, employed friends. According to the findings of this research most of the people especially of the Secondary and Inter level education, most of them do not care about the type of job that matches with their skills, values and interests. There are various reasons behind it. One of the powerful reason is the poor economic conditions of the job seekers. On the other hand the graduates are a bit more concern about the type of job that they desire. Most of the graduates choose the Sales reps jobs in Peshawar and some come to the teaching profession and majority selects office jobs. The post graduates are more concerned about the types of job that they are curious about as most of them have done specialization and have developed particular interests in certain areas.
Our second finding for effective job search is to find and choose the appropriate source of job opportunity that provides you job opportunity information relevant to your desired organization. These sources includes networks, employment agencies, and various ads( newspapers, internet, trade journals, magazines, etc.). Each source in turn has its own advantages in various situations and for various job seeker. In Peshawar most of the people get their jobs through networking.

If a proportion estimate is made about 50% of the people get their jobs through networking they mostly includes Post graduates, and secondary levels, 35% through various ads and 15% through employment exchanges, they mostly includes inter level and graduates, they mostly includes graduates and post graduates. On the other hand the employed and experienced peoples mostly focuses on networking and also uses other sources.The aim should be to take advantage of all the three sources.

RERERENCES

Hunt, M. (1972) "Competition for jobs", doctoral dissertation, Harvard University, 1990.

Porter, M. (1980) Job Search synergy, Free Press, New York, 1993.

Hodgkinso, G.P. (1997) "The Cognitive Analysis of Jobs: A Review and Critique", in: Human Struggle, 50 (6), 625-654.

Nicolos, P. (1994) "Seeking Better Jobs", Bradford University, 1999.

Liongton, G. S. (1980) Practical Tipsa for Job Seekers, Genuiva University, Los Angeles, 1995.

Berg, S. A., Forsund, F., and Jansen E. (1991) Why Job Search is Essential: A nonparametric approach to efficiency measurement. Journal of Employment

Analysis. 2: 127-42.

Berger, A. N. and Humphrey, D. D. (1997) Efficiency Job Searchers with Job research:

International survey and directions for future research. European Journal of

Operational Research, 98: 282-94.

Berger, A. N., Hunter, W. C. and Timme, S. G. (1993) The Job Construction modules: A review and preview of research past, present and future. Journal of Employment

Analysis. 2: 125-67.

http://www.deed.state.mn.us/cjs/cjsbook/process1.htm

http://fie.engrng.pitt.edu/fie98/papers/1298.pdf

APPENDIX:

Job Search Questionnaire

Please read the statements and tick on the most appropriate choice using the following keys:

We thank you for sparing your suitable time to fill this questionnaire.

 Age   ___________________________________________

Address: _________________________________________

Age: _____________________________________________

City: ______________________   State: _______  Zip: ________

Are you currently unemployed? _________ If yes, how long? ___________________

Please complete the questionnaire below:

                                                                                                                        Yes      No

1. Have you checked to position your self where?

            Positions in your field of experience?

Positions in different fields?                                                

2. Do you subscribe to or purchase the local (esp. Sunday) papers?   

3. Did you create a new résumé since beginning your job search?

4. Have you created more than one résumé?

5. Please include the features of your résumé:

            Objectives

            Education

            Experience

            Referrals

6. Have you sent your résumé out in response to ads?

7. Do you always include a cover letter?

8. Do you always respond to ads by their stated deadline?

9. Does your résumé/cover letter highlight your qualifications?

10. Have you ever gone door-to-door inquiring about jobs?

11. Have you ever used mass mailings to look for a job?

12. Do you keep accurate records of all your job-search efforts?

13. Does your job-search method include:

All ads responded to (Who, what, where, when)?

Follow up letters, cards, résumés? 

In depth research of targeted firms

Direct contact to firms that do not have openings?

14. Have you ever researched government listings for jobs? 

15. Have you ever worked with head hunters/employment agencies?

16. Have you ever used the services provided by Unemployment?

17. Have you ever used Interned/Web based job boards?

18. Are you/have you been networking?

Family

Friends

Peers

Colleagues

Others

19. Have you done any targeted mailings?

20. Have you done any targeted telephoning?

21. Are you positioned to take advantage of emerging opportunities?

22. Do you do anything to discover unpublished job openings?

23. Have you considered going back to school to enter a new field?

24. Have you practiced your interviewing skills?

25. Do you know how to ask for the job during an interview?