land the perfect job with the ideal employer march 2011

Land the perfect job with the ideal employer!

by Toronto Training and HR

March 2011

Contents3-4 Introduction to Toronto Training and HR5-6 Job seeking7-15 Securing a new role16-23 Resumes24-25 Cover letters26-28 Speculative approaches29-30 Reference letters31-35 Layoffs36-37 Looking the part38-40 Engaging with your employer41-49 Interviews50-54 Interview questions55-56 Workability attitudes57-60 Workability skills61-62 Work know-how63-64 Work search strategies65-66 What’s next?67-68 Conclusion and questions

Introduction

Introduction to Toronto Training and HR

• Toronto Training and HR is a specialist training and human resources consultancy headed by Timothy Holden

• 10 years in banking• 10 years in training and human resources• Freelance practitioner since 2006• The core services provided by Toronto Training and HR

are:- Training course design- Training course delivery- Reducing costs- Saving time- Improving employee engagement &

morale- Services for job seekers

Job seeking

Job seekingBut there is one small problem: the callNever comes.And we are left to waitAnd waitAnd waitWhile the world goes out of its way,It seems,To tell us how littleIt caresWhether we find work,Or not.

Securing a new role

Securing a new role 1 of 8REASONS FOR MOVING JOBSFor promotion within your organization To move to another role of a similar level within your organization To gain upward promotion to a higher level within a different organization To move to a position of similar responsibility within a different organization To do a different type of workTo be self-employed To retire

Securing a new role 2 of 8REASONS FOR MOVING JOBSTo return to (full-time) studyTo care for your childrenTo start your own businessTo get better training and development To care for other dependantsBecause I dislike my immediate managerReduce stressTo get a better pensionTo learn new thingsIncrease job satisfaction

Securing a new role 3 of 8REASONS FOR MOVING JOBSUnhappy with leadership of senior management Better pay/benefits elsewhere Opportunities for promotion I want to work for a more ethical/greener employerEasier/shorter journey to work More flexible working hours Increased job security in another organization

Securing a new role 4 of 8REASONS FOR STAYING WITH THE CURRENT EMPLOYERI trust the senior management team I would find it difficult to find another job at the moment I enjoy working with my colleagues I have a good line manager I receive good pay and benefits I have a good pension I receive a good bonus

Securing a new role 5 of 8REASONS FOR STAYING WITH THE CURRENT EMPLOYERI have job satisfaction I have good career development opportunitiesI have good training and development opportunitiesI like my customers/clients My job is secure I would receive a decent redundancy payment if I were made redundant

Securing a new role 6 of 8

SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES REQUIREDTransferable/flexible skillsAdaptableInterpersonal skillsTechnical/professional knowledge Customer service skillsAppropriate qualificationsIT skills


SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES REQUIREDLeadership/management skillsInnovative Business acumen Potential to progress Language skills


RESEARCHWhat does the employer or company do?What is involved in the position you're applying for?What qualifications do you need for the position?What skills is the employer looking for?Who are the customers or clients?What kind of reputation does the employer have?

Resumes

Resumes 1 of 7

TYPES OF RESUMEChronologicalFunctionalCombinationTargeted

Resumes 2 of 7ADDITIONAL TIPSUse a laser printer.Use high-quality stationery.Print your resume on cream or ivory-coloured paper, of at least 24 pounds in weight.Avoid heavy paper, which can crease and damage the print.

Resumes 3 of 7Keep it short. The main body of the resume should be no more than 3 pages. More than this will probably not be read. But make sure it contains sufficient detail for the reader to understand clearly what it is you have been doing.Start with your personal details including contactdetails (address and telephone number) age or date of birth, and marital status (e.g. married, two children aged 5 and 7). Details about your education should be limited to the most advanced qualifications obtained.

Resumes 4 of 7Details about your family, pets, pastimes shouldappear at the end of the resume. These are generally used as discussion points in an interview.You may like to summarise the sort of person you are at the top of the resume as in "A Multi-media design artist with particular expertise in Photoshop and Web Authoring" but do not make this more than two lines and avoid telling everyone how wonderful you are: it is the recruiter's job to assess your ability, not yours.

Resumes 5 of 7Detail your work experience in "reverse chronological order". This means putting your most recent experience first. Employers are interested mainly in what you can do for them now, not what you were doing 10 years ago. You should reduce the amount of detail you provide about previous jobs as you work back through your employment history time. For each position provide (in bold ) a job title, the name of the employer, and the dates you were (are) employed there.

Resumes 6 of 7You should then provide details of the daily tasks you performed, and any major successes or achievements which you want to draw to the reader's attention. This is often best done using a succession of bullet points.Avoid making your resume too complicated in layout anddesign. Many agencies and employers feed resumeinformation into a database using scanners andOptical Character Recognition programs which mayfail to interpret complicated formatting and small fonts.

Resumes 7 of 7Do not put everything in capitals. It is difficult to readand can be very annoying. Always use mixed caseheadings and text. When sending a resume, include a covering note which explains the geographical areas you are prepared to work in , the distance you can commute, details of your present salary and the sort of work you arelooking for. If you are looking for a particular type of work then you should also explain what this is. You should also include a day-time phone number where you can be contacted if possible. Recruiters are trained to contact candidates with a maximum of discretion.

Cover letters

Cover letters

First paragraphSecond paragraphThird paragraphFourth paragraph

Speculative approaches

Speculative approaches 1 of 2

Named contactsNetworkingResearchOnlineEmail then telephone

Speculative approaches 2 of 2

Reducing costsMaking moneySaving timeImproving productivityPower words

Reference letters

Reference letters

NEVER TAKE THEM FOR GRANTEDBe punctualBe factualUse a resumeGet examplesAvoid discrimination dataChoose words carefully

Layoffs

Layoffs 1 of 4

THE END IS NIGHDon’t quit firstBe ready to explain what happenedRecruiters ask the same interview questionsSalaries are often negotiable

Layoffs 2 of 4BEFORE BEING LAID OFFLeverage LinkedIn immediatelyEstablish non-work contact channelsIncrease your external face-to-face networkingDO NOT job search from the officeExpand your online presence in a focused and professional wayFocus on what you want your next job to be and which employers appeal to youCut back on your spending

Layoffs 3 of 4AFTER BEING LAID OFFShock: I don't get it-don’t know what's really happening. Denial: I can't believe this. It can't be true.Anger: Why me? I don't deserve this. Why didn't it happen to someone else?Bargaining: I'll work harder than ever, starting right now. Then they won't really lay me off.Depression: This is real. I feel like I'm drowning. I'm sad. There's a huge weight on me. It feels like I can't wake up.Acceptance: I feel some energy returning. I feel a bit more positive about my next steps.

Layoffs 4 of 4

AFTER BEING LAID OFFDealing with stressVentingKeep busy

Looking the part

Looking the part

You will never get a second chance to make a first impression.What not to wear.

Engaging with your new employer

Engaging with your new employer 1 of 2

Tune into and know the business your organization is inClarify expectations-theirs first, then yoursBring forward solutions, not problemsWhat can you do for your boss?Check your attitude of entitlement at the doorStay in alignment with the mission, vision and values of the organizationFocus on the future

Engaging with your new employer 2 of 2

Read what some of the gurus have to sayIdentify the skills you can polish to make yourself more valuable Be authentic Be accountable for your contributions and actions. Use SMART goals

Interviews

Interviews 1 of 8

FUNCTION OF AN INTERVIEWCan you do the job?Will you do the job?Will you fit in?

Interviews 2 of 8

PlanningInterview materialsInterviewAfter the interview

Interviews 3 of 8PREPARE FOR AN INTERVIEWCollect information about the companyFind out everything you can about the positionPrepare for the questionsThink about how you can create valuePrepare to handle questions about moneyPrepare your referencesPractise introductionsPrepare what to take to the interviewPrepare what you are going to wearPrepare your schedule and route

Interviews 4 of 8DURING THE INTERVIEWMake your entranceGet startedTake notes-listen carefullyKeep focused on how you can add valueHandling objections and difficult questionsAsk questionsWhat about money?

Interviews 5 of 8

AFTER THE INTERVIEWLearn from the experienceThe only thing you can control is your attitude and preparationReasons why applicants are rejected

Interviews 6 of 8AVOIDING THE FREEZEKnow your target inside out. Study the job description and person spec as well as any literature and their website. Perfect your communication skills. You will be selling yourself and your skills so clear and concise communication is vital. Give evidence of your skills. If you have completed a project give evidence or show the results. Better still take brochures or reports to prove your boasts. Don't forget to present yourself like a winner. It makes all the difference.

Interviews 7 of 8

WHAT YOU SAYTalkWork your top-sellersProve your pointsMake it about the employerDo your homeworkAnticipate challenging questions

Interviews 8 of 8HOW YOU SAY ITShow them you’ll bring itSmile and make sure to have good eye contactDon’t rush Dress the part Finish off with a handshake and follow-up Be well prepared Remember to breatheTake a moment before answering Don’t mention you’re nervous Visualize

Interview questions

Interview questions 1 of 4TYPICAL QUESTIONSTell me a little about yourself.This is not an open question to go into every little detail about your life. You need to keep your answer to this open-ended question very professional. You will want to give a 1 to 2 minute summary of your professional life.Describe a typical workday for you.This is where you will want to highlight the skills that you use in your current job that will be beneficial to the job that you are applying. You want to make your day sound interesting and full of challenges that you meet and solve.

Interview questions 2 of 4TYPICAL QUESTIONSWhy are you leaving your job?This can be a tricky question for many job hunters. If you are changing careers, you may want to highlight some of the reasons that you are changing industries.Answers that will work for many interviews is that you are looking to work closer to home and that you are looking for a company that you can grow with. One of the answers that you do not want to use is that you are looking for more money.

Interview questions 3 of 4TYPICAL QUESTIONSWhat is your best and what is your worse attribute?Answering the first part of this question is often easy for most people in an interview. It is the second part that gives people trouble.You need to say that something about you is bad, but you do not want the interviewer to see you in a bad light.One of the best answers to the worse attribute is that you are a perfectionist and that you will keep working on a project until you get every little detail right.

Interview questions 4 of 4TYPICAL QUESTIONSWhat interests you about the job?This is where some of your research will come in handy. You can point out how some of the responsibilities that the employer listed in their want ad are items that you have wanted to work with. You can also point out that the company is at the cutting edge of your profession and that you want to grow with an industry leader.

Workability attitudes

Workability attitudesWhat is an attitude?DependabilityPositive attitudeIntegrity/honestyConcern for qualityIndependence and initiativeCommitment to an employer and workAdaptabilityManaging risksCourtesyPositive attitude to learning

Workability skills

Workability skills 1 of 3What is a skill?Listening skillsVerbal communication skillsNon-verbal communication skillsWritten communication skillsReading skillsUsing documents to communicateProblem-solving and decision-making skillsNumeracy skillsMoney management skillsWorking with others and collaboration skills

Workability skills 2 of 3

Skills for working safelyIT and information management skillsTime management and work-life balance skillsStress management skillsAppearance and dress skillsNegotiation skillsSkills in accepting feedbackSkills for dealing with addictionsSkills for dealing with unfairnessRelationship building skillsValue management skills

Workability skills 3 of 3

BLOOM’S TAXONOMY OF COGNITIVE LEVELSRememberingUnderstandingApplyingAnalyzingEvaluatingCreating

Work know-how

Work know-how

Work-specific skillsGaining experienceUnderstanding organizational operations

Work search strategies

Work search strategies

Developing personal strengthsBuilding a visionUnderstanding the work roleUnderstanding and preparing materials to market yourselfWork interview skills

What’s next?

What’s next?

Decide which workability attitudes and skills you want to improveFind ways to learn and practiceNotice how others use workability attitudes and skillsAsk someone to observe you

Conclusion & Questions

Conclusion

SummaryQuestions