This a guest post by Yehoshua Paul. If you’d also like to guest post here on JobMob, follow these guest post guidelines.
Over the past year I have managed to become very familiar with job hunting in Israel. You can find yourself constantly working or not working at all. Most of the people I know who are looking for work rarely do EVERYTHING they could be doing to find work, many are doing things wrong, and some stuff which in retrospect should have been done differently.
Primarily it is the difference between being passive to active while not being overly aggressive. Don’t be lazy, work is out there. Get up and find it.
I am not a guru, and the lists below are far from comprehensive, but I think they will help many of you find the work you need so badly.
While job hunting-
You should…
1) Talk to people – friends, family, employment agencies, outsourcing companies, professionals in your field. If no one knows you are looking then no one will think of helping you. Use LinkedIn and professional networks. Get in touch with all the people who can help you with your search.
2) Develop your portfolio –In some fields your portfolio is a basic requirement. In others, it can be used to greatly impress potential employers.
3) Polish your resume – If you don’t know how approach someone who does. It is better to spend money on a professional resume than to have it overlooked by a potential employer
4) Sign up to jobsites – they will deliver potential jobs directly to your inbox. They can tell you where to look for work, and help focus your search. Many sites offer you valuable tips that can help increase your odds of success.
5) Visit job fairs – You’re looking for work, they’re looking to hire. These are good places to meet potential employers, make a personal connection, and gather contact information that can’t be found in job ads.
You should NOT…
6) Rely on others to do the work for you – whether an outsourcing agency, friends, family, or the person you met the other day who swears he knows someone who is hiring – you are not their sole concern. Continue searching. Call them occasionally to stay in touch, but don’t exclusively rely on your contacts.
7) Rely on any one person – there is no reason for you to work with only one employment agency, rely on a single friend, etc. The more people who can help you, the greater your chances are of finding work.
8) Rely on people with competing agendas – always remain in control of your job hunt. If 2 employment agencies are bidding for the same job, and both send in your resume, the company will avoid the headache and move on to the next candidate.
9) Send your resume out randomly and to the wrong people – why would a law company be interested in hiring a programmer?
10) Narrow your search so much that you ignore all the other attractive options out there
11) Never follow up – call tomorrow, or wait a month/year/never. Your choice.
12) Follow up 5 times a day – people are busy. If they say they’ll get back to you then give them time.
13) Not read the job requirements
14) Send blank e-mails with your resume attached – easily forgotten and deleted.
You should have…
15) Started looking the moment there were rumors of massive layoffs
16) Made sure another job was lined up before quitting your existing job which you hated
17) Asked your boss whether your contract was going to be extended before it expired
18) Made sure your work was above and beyond the accepted standard
About the Author
Yehoshua Paul is a freelance Technical Writer. Since July 2009 he has worked at 5 high-tech companies – individually and as part of a team, employed and freelance, full time and part time, and always busy.
This article is part of the 4th Annual JobMob Guest Blogging Contest, which was made possible thanks in large part to our Gold Sponsor, Jason Alba of JibberJobber. If you want Yehoshua Paul to win, share this article with your friends.
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--Jacob Share
