My job search
June 12th, 2009,As our son approaches 18 months of age, I’ve begun to look for a permanent full-time job. For nearly five years now, ever since moving to Northfield, Minnesota, I’ve cared for our children and done freelance work in test development.
I hope to find work here in Northfield, the Twin Cities, or nearby, and I’m looking for a position that might use my skills in writing, research, editing, education, or educational assessment. I’m also open to opportunities in sustainable or active transportation, or in “green” issues in general, since I’ve done volunteer work in that field. If you know of opportunities, feel free to let me know via my contact page.
Earlier this week I attended a career development seminar in Minneapolis. I found that methods for finding work have changed since I was last on the job hunt. As with everything else, the Internet has changed the game. One of the speakers, a Minnesotan named Jill Konrath, strongly urged us to get on LinkedIn and to have recommendations sent there as well. This echoed what a friend recently told me. She also suggested having a blog or web site and writing on topics related to your professional field.
As with some other job search gurus, Konrath tells job seekers to “create a job” rather than simply fight for the few that are advertised. She advises people to emphasize the value that they can bring employers, to sell outcomes rather than simply themselves.
She has written a book called Get Back to Work Faster, which is available for free at her web site. If you sign up by July 31, you can get a free “Performance Style and Ambitions” assessment and a LinkedIn “networking success kit.”
Pete Machalek of SagePresence did a fine presentation as well about techniques for presenting yourself in a variety of job-search situations. He has a background working with actors, and his exercises were useful for seeing how to get past issues that block us, including nervousness and self-consciousness in interview situations.