Lost your job? Are you sick of hearing bad news about the economy?

Well, these are changing times and in order to succeed during such times, it is important to keep yourself flexible and active. The time frame between leaving your last job and finding a new one is crucial as it requires you to be organized, positive, goal oriented and focused.

In fact, hiring managers will often ask these questions:

• How do you spend your free time since you last worked?
• What did you do to help your job search?
• What did you learn from the process of looking for a job?

Here are a few tips to help you make the time count.

Remember it’s not all bad news: there’s life between jobs.

Getting Back to Basics

Start by Reviewing and updating your résumé. Make additions with regards to your last job held - skill sets developed, goals achieved as well as targets met. Specifically lists skills and accomplishments under each job held. What are your goals with regard to promotions/moving up etc? Practice your interview skills.

Expand Your Network

Don’t just job search. This is the worst time to stay at home, since you don’t have the same interaction with people built in to your day. Attend every party you’re invited too; they’re also great ways to network. Continue going to the gym and spending time with friends.

It is important to keep in contact with those in your network but also to expand your network and associate with those who are successful in their professional fields.

Join a Professional Association; Get involved in committees and planning events so you’re visible to other members who might be in the position to hire.

Research - A Chance to Reengineer Your Career

Now is the time to study the market and the hiring trends of those companies you’d like to work with. In addition, this is your chance to reinvent yourself and select a career that you enjoy. Start visiting all the company websites and as well as job portals like www.chennaijobsite.com to apply for suitable jobs.

Take a Class

This is the ideal time to either refresh your skills or learn a new one. Once you’ve become an expert on the new topic, add it to your résumé. Employers value people who teach because it shows that you have expertise and that you can communicate your knowledge to others, an invaluable skill. Not only that, but it is a great way to network too.

Occupy Yourself Constructively

Now that you have a lot of time on your hands, it is a good idea to discipline yourself and use this time in a positive manner.

Expand your skill sets by joining a new professional course.

Cultivate a hobby or simply make new friends.

Learn how to operate a new software application.

Read the latest business books.

Volunteer at a charity or school.

Become more active in a professional association.

Write an article, book or screenplay.

Complete research and publish your findings.

Learn a foreign language.

…While out of work, get into a healthy routine of goal oriented job search, analysis of your priorities and realistic goal setting to progress in your professional and personal life.

Tell them what’s interesting about you

Always remember not to go on too long – let them know as interesting as you may think you are. … So continue to show them what you do have to offer and what makes you a person they’d like to have on their team.

Talk about yourself as it relates to them

Tell them how your experience relates to the position you are interviewing for. Tell them more about why you are the best candidate for the job. Give specifics. Always put yourself in the interviewers shoes, imagine what they are looking for. Let them know what you can do for them.

Don’t ramble on about personal issues!

Be specific

One of the biggest problems which people generally make is they are too general. Don’t be too abstract. Be specific.

Tell them about a particular situation that relates to the question, not a general one. Tell them briefly the situation, what you did specifically, and the positive result or outcome.

For e.g. “Well, I am good at managing people, I am good at problem solving etc.”

Don’t tell people problem solving, tell them one specific problem you solved.

You have to remember to deliver your answers in a STAR format.

S-ituation, T-ask, A-ction and R-esult.

• Tell the Situation
• Tell them what the Task was
• Tell them what the Action was
• Tell them what the Result was

Leave an impression

Leave on a positive note. If the job sounds good to you, tell them (i.e.: “The position seems very challenging and I think I could bring a lot to it. I would very much like to join your organization.”) A failure to ask for the job at the end of an interview shows a lack of enthusiasm for the position. Volunteer to leave a list of references, thank them and leave promptly. Don’t forget the firm handshake.

Now that you are aware of the most important tips to give your best in the interviews, you can take proactive steps to ensure that your interview is the best that it can be. Review the above list before each interview and formulate your plan to make an outstanding impression.

Fresher: Find your first job

April & May, the months where students come out fresh from Colleges and Universities, some of you may have already planned for further studies but many of you aim to find a job and start your career. For all those freshers who want to kick start your career, first and foremost you have to prepare a winning CV/Resume that helps you get an interview call – an invite to an interview. The next stage is to perform well in your interview that will get you first job. All Freshers should remember in order to be a successful candidate you have to work hard and be committed in your work, which will take you to great heights in your career.

Prepare a CV/Resume

First & foremost, you must prepare a relevant CV/Resume. A curriculum vitae or CV is a short document that describes your personal details, key skills and experience. It is very important that you describe yourself in a positive way and the CV should match the job description. Do not wait for your results to be announced to prepare your CV; you can always mention in the CV that you are waiting for your results. Get advice from your seniors, working professionals and search the internet to prepare a great CV that will lead you to an interview. Make sure that after you have prepared the CV, send it across to trusted friends and family who can give valuable comments on the CV. Once you feel confident that your CV looks good then start to apply for jobs.

Where To Find Your Job?

You should know where to look for your jobs. Vacancies can be found in:

• Your College and University Placement Office notice boards.
• Newspapers (Most of them advertise on Wednesdays and Sundays weekly)
• Job search websites e.g. someone like us www.chennaijobsite.com
• Job consultancies/Recruitment agencies
• Company websites

Applying for a Job

Companies have different ways to apply for jobs namely a CV accompanied by a covering letter or an application form. Let us look at both.

Covering Letter & CV

When companies ask to send a CV, you will be asked to send a covering letter as well. It is always better to send a covering letter with the CV, as this can be used as a tool to impress the HR personnel apart from the CV. Many interviews have been won by the covering letter. Your covering letter should include the following:

• Job reference id/number or Job Title
• A clear cut explanation on how you fit the Job role and the contribution you can offer in achieving the company’s’ goals
• Ensure that the document is spell and grammar checked before you send it to the company.

Application/Online Forms

Companies may ask you to complete an application form via paper application or more commonly an online form. When you fill in these forms, please make sure that you read and understand the instructions on the form. If you have any doubts seek clarification, there is no point in wasting your time and energy in producing a form which will not be considered.

Do not send an incomplete form as the chances are high that your application will not be read let alone be successful.

The form will have a separate section where you have the opportunity to describe on how well you suit the position. This is the most important section in the application form that will earn or reject an interview call. Use the information presented to you, the job description, and/or person specification as they have all the clues as to what the organization is looking for.

Key skills

Highlighting your key skills and co-relating them to the job role will be key to the success of your application. You must demonstrate that you have:

• Excellent communication skills
• Good working relationships
• Ability to work in a team
• Computer literacy
• Any other skill they have highlighted in their job role

Interview Call

If your application has impressed and is successful, the relevant person such as the HR personnel of the company will contact you and invite you in for an interview. (Ensure all contact details are accurate on your CV and forms). This is an opportunity for you to communicate directly and a chance for the company to assess whether you are suitable for the job and for you to assess if the company is suitable for you.

Some interviews have more than one stage Successful completion of all stages will lead you to your first job.

Wishing you all the very best for your Job search!