Sean H on how to find and obtain employment

Acquiring a job is one of the most important actions anyone will take in their lives. We all need some source of income to pay our bills, enjoy a vacation, or even have a few drinks at a local sports bar. With more young adults acquiring degrees and many job opportunities getting outsourced to other countries, the job market is more competetive than ever. I have been employed since I was 15 so I want to share some information and helpful tips you can use while searching for a job.


The first step you want to take is build your resume and I suggest doing this many months before you start looking for employment. As Al P. mentioned is his previous post about building your resume, it should contain all of your previous employment history, educational background, and any other qualifications that may set you apart from your competition. Treat your resume as a marketing tool and a well written one can almost assure you an interview.

Next you will start your job hunt and in my past experience this is the most difficult and time consuming step in the process. Generally you want to start you job search about six months before you graduate. Thankfully, technology has lended us a helping hand with the advent of websites such as monster.com and careerbuilder.com. Try and search through as many channels as you can to take advantage of every opportunity available. A few other channels I have used are:

• Local Newspapers
• Personal Connections
• Job Posting at School
• Other Websites such as craigslist.org

Once you have found a list of employers you wish to work for, send them your resume with letter of application attached, and shortly after you should begin hearing from them. After arranging an interview with the potential employers you want to begin preparing for the interview. Many people believe preparing for an interview is ironing your clothes the night before and eating a good breakfast. These are important but a proper preperation goes alot deeper than that. FGCU offers mock interviews, so try conducting one and you will be suprised how many little things you can do or say to improve you interviewing ability. Also there are a few tips on this video you should check out.



The last step of the process is to send out a follow-up letter. Make sure to include your gratitude and restate your qualifications. If you follow these steps they will to a much more successful and less stressful job hunt.

Sean H.


Reference: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century