?? 61 Hidden Job Market Secrets Without Using Social Media

?? 61 Hidden Job Market Secrets Without Using Social Media 633 What if your next job was hiding right in front of you? Photo by Joshua Sortino Quick poll: what is the hidden job market? Does it contain… Jobs that are announced publicly but not promoted widely Jobs that are never publicized, anywhere Jobs that organizations hide from the public for referrals only All of the above View Results Read on to find out… So many jobs are never advertised anywhere, completely unpublished.eval A hiring manager might tell the team that management has okayed a new hire, so “if you guys have any friends that qualify, send me their resumes.” Those are the hidden jobs.eval Recently, the hidden job market definition has expanded to also include jobs that are poorly advertised in places where they’re not likely to be seen. The #1 reason to aim for a hidden job Competition for advertised, non-hidden jobs is tougher as more people fight for a smaller number of openings than what are really available. Put differently- if you can find a relevant hidden job opening, you’ll have much fewer candidates to compete with for the position, if any at all. Sounds tempting, I know. So where are the hidden jobs? Free bonus: Download a PDF version of this article to use as a handy checklist and reference. Download it now. 61 tips to find hidden and unpublicized jobs Just a massive list of techniques you would use to access the hidden job market… Who to ask 1) Former bosses, clients and partners â€" They know better than anyone what you’re capable of professionally, and if they can’t rehire you, they’re well-placed to refer recommend you to others. 2) Former bosses (2) â€" in particular, stay in touch with the former bosses with whom you had a great working relationship. It’s common for new managers to bring in their own staff â€" with whom they’ve had success in the past â€" as current employees get pushed out. 3) People who've always wanted to work with you â€" over time, people may have said “if you ever need a job” or “if you'd ever like to work together, let me know”. Now is the time to follow up on those suggestions. 4) Former colleagues â€" almost as good as former bosses in terms of their knowledge of you, but less likely to be in a position to hire you directly or know someone who can. 5) Friends family â€" classic. Send your updated resume to your friends and family and briefly explain what kind(s) of job(s) would be a good match. 6) All your contacts â€" don’t just ask for job leads. You’re likely to get an even better response rate asking for just one referral to a contact of theirs who can help more. 7) Someone you admire â€" such as a recent event speaker, an alumnus from your school, even an author whose book you just read. Briefly mention a recent achievement and ask if they can make one suggestion about where to look next. 8) Talk with anyone everyone â€" a friend told me she found her last job by chatting with a stranger at her table at a recent wedding. 9) Placement or recruitment agencies â€" contact the ones that specialize in your industry. They’re usually paid on commission at or after hiring time, so they’ll keep you in mind if they think you’ll be easy to place, regardless of whether they actually have relevant openings right now. 10) Check in with your alma mater â€" ask professors, current or former, especially the ones you impressed and/or taught a subject related to your profession. 11) University or college career services â€" many of them gather information about where each graduate got hired, which you can use to learn about companies that might hire you too. Share this: a very hidden job Where to look 12) Alumni associations â€" some actively help place members with other alumni while keeping track of the job seekers. 13) Employer alumni associations, official unofficial â€" ex-employees of larger companies often stay in touch as a group. If you’re part of one, use these connections to get help. Or, use them to target the company itself through its former workers. 14) Regional or local newspapers â€" companies advertise there â€" and not just in the classifieds â€" to find someone based nearby. Keep in mind that their job listings don’t always appear both on their website and in their print edition, so check both if possible. 15) Your local library â€" a good place to find regional and local newspapers, business journals, annual reports, trade magazines, association listings, telephone and business directories. 16) The telephone book â€" another great place to find local companies in your industry. Depending on how close to home you search, the number of potential, good-fit employers would be small enough that you can target them aggressively. Draw up a list and start researching each one. 17) Local craigslist postings â€" the obvious thing to do would be to check the ‘gigs’ section, but companies sometimes err and post ads in the resumes sections. 18) Local craigslist discussion forums â€" look for profession-related questions that employees would typically manage for an employer, respond and leave a job seeker’s signature. 19) In plain sight â€" this is a tough one, but the rewards are high. Companies don't always word their job requirements properly, causing the wrong candidates to apply. If you can read between the lines into what isn't being said, you'll be one of the few qualified candidates to apply. For example, Australian researchers found a hidden job market for PhDs by analyzing almost 30,000 job listings: Only 20.7 per cent of non-academic job ads… asked for a PhD qualification, yet as many as 43 per cent… required a high level of research skills and capabilities, indicative of a PhD Where to network 20) Job fairs â€" typically used for dumping resumes in the laps of company HR reps regardless of whether they have relevant openings, job fairs are also a great way to network and share with other job seekers. 21) Join a job search support group â€" can be related to your profession or not; one of the goals is for everyone to look out for leads for everyone else. 22) Start a job search support group â€" if there already isn’t one in your area. Share tips, assign tasks and meet regularly to compare, discuss repeat. 23) Local industry events and seminars â€" network with attendees, and stand out by asking smart questions from the audience while mentioning that you’re available. 24) Management and leadership events and seminars â€" a good place to improve your skills while also meeting people who have the power to hire you. 25) Volunteering â€" help the local chapter of the main association for your profession. This will give you a chance to stay on top of industry trends, and find out early which companies are about to start hiring. 26) Volunteering for sponsored charity events â€" is your targeted company sponsoring a charitable event? Offer to help out. A great way to meet impress their employees, who might include your next boss. 27) Professional associations â€" before you volunteer for one, join one. The more active you are, the more likely other members will appreciate the value you could bring their companies. 28) Trade unions â€" if your profession requires you being part of one, check to see what additional services there are for unemployed members, including refresher/retraining courses and yes, placement too. 29) Chambers of Commerce â€" learn about companies that are just get started, and likely to hire. 30) Work-related discussion forums and Q A websites â€" look for managers asking non-trivial, difficult questions that would typically be delegated to employees, and try to understand if they need someone to delegate it to. Impressing them with your answers is a great introduction. How to research 31) Target specific companies â€" network with current and former suppliers, clients and employees to learn about who you need to talk to on the inside and hopefully, get a direct referral. 32) Look for companies that have employee referral programs â€" these companies reward employees for bringing in new hires, increasing your chances of being referred since the employees also stand to benefit. 33) Anticipate vacancies â€" as you research a targeted company, take notice- is anyone close to retirement? Are any ex-employees very recent i.e. they quit or were fired? 34) Hiring freezes â€" research which companies currently have hiring freezes and start networking with them so that you’ll be well-placed when the hiring freeze ends. Hidden job tip: network to the head of the line for when a hiring freeze endsClick To Tweet 35) Follow industry news â€" many things can impact local hiring trends such as natural disasters somewhere else, local discoveries of new natural resources, law changes, etc. Look for which companies are most likely to be affected or anticipate which ones will be. 36) Follow company news â€" look for companies that were recently funded, are expanding, relocating to your area, preparing to change direction and do anything that would require new people and their skills. Tools to use 37) Use Google News Search â€" to find recent news about such companies locally. 38) Use Google News Search (2) â€" to search for companies that have announced hirings, perhaps even with a press release. Try this search (it will open in a new window), and tweak the results to aim for your industry and town. (From Jim Stroud) 39) Use Google Alerts â€" to be notified when there is news about such companies locally. Be sure to choose ‘News’ as the ‘Type’. 40) Use regular Google Search â€" to look for email addresses of the format ‘@companyname.com’. 41) Use people search engines â€" once you have a contact name, use one of the many people search engines to learn about them and get direct contact information. 42) Use job boards as trend trackers â€" job boards can show if a company is expanding, but just because your exact position isn’t mentioned doesn’t mean they’re not hiring for it, just that they’re not advertising for it. Use the board to help decide who you should be targeting. 43) ExecThread (senior-level job seekers) â€" “a crowdsourced platform that enables executives to be in the know about the best career opportunities around the world,” ExecThread encourages current and past execs to share hidden job leads in order to get hidden job leads in return. 44) Search employer hiring histories â€" The State of California's Employment Development Department website lets you search for local employers by county and occupation, both present AND past. You can quickly use it to find local companies who have or used to have someone in the role you're looking for, and if it's the latter, perhaps their hiring? If you don't live in California, search for similar tools in your area. This clip explains the search tool around 0:50: How NOT to approach companies How to approach companies 45) Information Interviews â€" never set them up looking for a job offer, but if the interviewee knows of openings, who are you to refuse? 46) Go door-to-door â€" once you have a small list of local companies who might need your skills, visit them with your resume. Making a good impression could lead to an interview there, or if they’re not looking, at a client or business partner who is. 47) Cold calling â€" prepare a 30-60 second elevator pitch. Then, pick up the phone and call at least 10 managers who might need you. Build credibility by opening with an explanation of how you discovered them, then give them the pitch and ask if they need anyone with your skills or know someone who might. 48) Creative calling â€" “You send an employer a coffee cup with a little $5 swipe card with a little note that says, I’d like to get together and talk with you over coffee. I’ll be calling soon. And you send it by U.S. Post 2 day delivery, and that gets registered. So when they’ve signed for it, you wait about 20 minutes and then you call them. And then you go, ‘Hi, I know you just got my package.’” (from David Perry) 49) Targeted mailings â€" send a letter of introduction your resume to a specific non-HR manager who could likely use your skills in the future, or even right now. An impressive resume could get you invited to an interview just so the manager knows what his/her immediate options are. Tempt managers that are unhappy with their employees. Tell them when you will follow up with a phone call to gauge their interest. 50) The Postcard Technique â€" send a letter of introduction to targeted companies and include a self-addressed, stamped postcard with 3 choices that make it easy for them to respond with either their contact information, that of another, more appropriate colleague, or a rejection basically telling you to spend your job search efforts elsewhere. (From Donald Asher) 51) Fax it in â€" as everyone has moved most business activity online, every office still keeps a trusty fax machine. Use it to distinguish your cover letter and resume for everyone else’s. 52) Springboard off of an entry-level job â€" open your eyes to Help Wanted posters appearing in store windows. Use those jobs to learn about a new industry, a new town you’ve just moved into or even as a way to start climbing a corporate ladder by ‘getting your hands dirty’ first. 53) Consider adjacent positions â€" every profession has related jobs that can require as little as a different perspective. Accountants and lawyers might be able to manage businesses, programmers might be able to teach, etc., and you can always use the adjacent position to network towards your true profession. Create a job 54) Design a job â€" by effectively studying a company, contact the appropriate manager to propose creating a position that would a) fill a need and b) generate more than enough revenue to pay for itself. 55) Combine positions â€" if a company has two part-time openings you are qualified for, propose making that into one full-time position and explain how you would make it work. 56) Freelancer-to-employee â€" freelance your way to a full-time job for a manager who doesn’t want to suddenly lose you to another client. 57) Temp-to-permanent â€" work a temp job into a permanent position. For example, mothers don’t always return from maternity leave. Don’t forget to… 58) Build your personal brand â€" creating a strong personal brand makes you memorable and easy to find when a manager needs someone just like you. 59) Contact all your contacts, again â€" once a month, ping your network to remind them that you’re still available. 60) Test, track repeat â€" this article contains a lot of tips and it would take a lot of effort to try them all. Begin with the tips that seem most likely to work, and track your progress. If some work and others don’t, repeat the former, drop the latter, and introduce other tips into your hidden job search. 61) Use someone else's contacts â€" as Gideon Vos suggests in the comments, leverage someone else's contacts too: family, friends, etc. 62) Look out for recruiter hidden job offers Question of the article Have you ever found a job in the hidden job market? Which tactic worked for you? Tell us in the comments. What other bloggers are saying What is the Hidden Job Market? The Truth About the ‘Hidden’ Job Market Debunked: The Hidden Job Market Myth How to Tap into Hidden Jobs 5 Ways To Tap Into The Hidden Job Market In-Depth Guide on How to Dominate the Hidden Job Market Crack the Hidden Job Market

Creating an Attractive College Resume That Is Reliable

Creating an Attractive College Resume That Is ReliableA college resume is a must-have document for any student who is applying for college or university admissions. College admission is based on various factors that include your high school grades, extracurricular activities, community involvement, personal interest and personality. A well-designed college resume can prove to be an asset to your college application.Keeping your information organized is important. Most colleges allow students to have up to two pages of written information on their application. You should also make sure to use more than one format for your information. Make a note of all the facts that are relevant to the college you are applying to. Include your major, specific course and major program you completed, contact information and other required information.Make sure you use the most updated information in your college application. If you need a certain grade or a certain time period for college, ensure you include it. Avoid making any false statements. You will not be able to transfer credit for work done when you are already in college. If you have been accepted to a college but do not plan to attend, make sure to take the necessary steps to avoid future problems.Colleges require a student to submit a professional-looking college resume. In addition, colleges like to see that you have thought out what you are trying to convey to the college or university you are applying to. The best way to accomplish this is by writing an engaging college resume that leaves a lasting impression.Keep your career objectives in mind when designing your resume. You want to avoid repeating your educational experience. Instead, think about how you will use the new information you have learned from the college you are applying to. Many times this information can help to direct you to the right career path.Your college application will contain your personal statement. It is an essay that will be read by the college admissions committee. You want to make sure that your essay is both interesting and tells the admissions committee why they should hire you. The overall impact of your essay should be positive and motivational.Use plenty of colors and font sizes on your college application. Colleges like to see that you use plenty of different types of colors and also that your letter is easily readable. If possible, add your contact information at the top and the bottom of the page.Remember that if you are submitting a college application, you will need to do everything you can to impress the college admissions committee. It is essential that you get your college application finished and looking the best it can be. A well-written college resume can be the ticket to a great college experience.

Equipped for Success Proactive Prepping Makes All the Difference

Equipped for Success Proactive Prepping” Makes All the Difference The following is a guest post by Kristi K. Hoffman. Her bio follows. Equipping our girls for success in the world and in their lives is critical.   It’s preventive. Its proactive, and it’s empowering. In an age where cyber meanness can turn deadly, mean tweets are pervasive, and drug usage is on the rise, proactive prepping may be a solution to combating the ramifications of life’s negative scenarios.   In other words, the earlier in life we can prepare ourselves and our girls for what lies ahead, the better outcomes we all may have. Total Package Global research indicates that building confidence skills at an early age can circumvent the perils associated with succumbing to peer pressure, drug and alcohol use, bullying and cyber bullying. Teaching a positive leadership-oriented skill set can effectively set girls on a positive course for life. The Critics Then Picture yourself as a pre-teen.   Did you receive negative messaging?   You are ugly.   Your glasses look stupid.   Your teeth are crooked.   Youve got “zits.”   Your hair is ugly.   You walk funny.  Or you talk funny.   If these comments were incessant, not only were they deeply hurtful then, but they may have stuck around in your psyche.   From time to time, those unpleasant comments from your youth may still ring out in your head. What about this scenario:   You are 13.   Your mom takes a picture of you that you’d have rather burned than have anyone see â€" your acne was raging, you hadn’t washed your hair in a couple of days, you weren’t feeling well â€" but she snapped it anyway.   She sent the photo out to be developed and now there’s a hard copy photo of you looking your worst. Fortunately for you in that case, the internet didn’t exist so Mom couldnt post it on Facebook for all of her “friends” to assess your latest look. In that scenario, you had the ability to take that hard copy photo and tear it up â€" oh, and throw away the negative while you were at it so it could never be reproduced or seen again. And The Critics Now Now, fast forward to today’s world.   Some random girl at school catches you on that 13-year-old’s day when your acne was raging.   This cyber mean girl now blasts it all over the internet for hundreds, even thousands, to judge.   And you feel embarrassed, humiliated, awful.   Suicidal thoughts run through your mind. Growing up in today’s world isn’t like it used to be.   The bullying is on a global arena.   The gossip is magnified and the meanness can prove fatal.   Studies show that repeated negative comments have long-lasting permanent implications.   The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that the suicide rate for children ages 10 to 14 had caught up to their death rate for traffic accidents.   Amongst other things, the study cites the pervasiveness of social networking and widespread shame as culprits.   Social media provides validation, but also can provide a frontier for exacerbating weaknesses, weaknesses that are so relevant in the eyes of a pre-teen and teenager.   This, according to a November 2016 article published in the New York Times, highlights insecurities girls already wrestle with at that age. And we all know that pre-teen and teen girls have a love-hate relationship with social media and selfies.   So, let’s make it our pact to proactively prep ourselves and the young girls and women in our worlds â€" to help ourselves be better humans and to mentor and guide those younger than we are to feel confident in the future footsteps they take.   Let’s equip ourselves and others by: Stopping negative self talk. Implementing a bully action plan when needed. Using our voices to stand up and lead assertively and courageously. Building others up (not envy, gossip, and tear down) in junior high, high school, college, and the work force. Letting go of negative noise in our worlds, whether it’s those saying or posting negative things about physicality, as in our pre-teen and teen years, or those participating in unfounded criticism and gossip as adults. Lasting Damage Or Lasting Confidence Low self-esteem and worth can all last a lifetime.   But so can positivity.   The better we can equip our girls for life’s scenarios, the better outcomes they can have. After all, success is by our own definitions so proactively prepping each girl gives her the tool set she needs to grow, thrive, and be successful. About Kristi K. Hoffman Kristi K. Hoffman, M.S., is the published author of Total Package Girl, a best-selling girl empowerment book for girls ages 11 17. She has researched teen issues and mentored girls for more than 20 years as a volunteer for Girl Scouts of America. As CEO and Founder of Total Package Global, a leading professional and personal development corporation, Kristi develops success tools for pre-teen and teenaged girls and boys, young professionals, as well as seasoned executives to assist them in reaching their life and business goals. In Total Package Girl, Hoffman integrates quizzes, hashtags, inspiring quotes and social media strategies that teach girls ages 11 17 to build key skills for life using five secret weapons developed by the author, including ‘Be Your Own Detective,’ ‘Surround Yourself with Tru Blues,’ and ‘Aim for Awesome.’ “The is a guide to help girls love themselves; be positive, steer clear of negative influences, feel powerful and life a fit, healthy and fun life,” Hoffman said. “It helps girls b build confidence, knowledge and trust in themselves, develop strong communication skills, and create a master plan for living their dreams.” “Total Package Girl: Discover the Ultimate You for Life” by Kristi K. Hoffman is available on amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. Image credits. Main.  Burning.  Shaming.

Your Success Is Dependent Upon You! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Your Success Is Dependent Upon You! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career When it comes to your brand, it is of utmost importance you scrutinize those who want to be part of your team. Teammates come in many forms. They may be people who want to contract or partner with you, be referred by you or refer others to you. Whoever the teammate may be who you consider, it’s critical they are in alignment with your brand. What I’m referring to is consistency between words, actions, and deeds. You must put into action what you say, in other words, practice what you preach. It’s amazing to me how many people including known leaders who are out of alignment with themselves. Likewise when you recommend someone, you have a personal responsibility to follow up on the recommendation to make certain the person you hold in high esteem followed through properly. If for some reason this does not occur, then you run the risk of hurting your reputation should you choose to ignore poor delivery. Brand alignment In the past month, I attended a workshop with someone held in high esteem by a number of my friends. Only I was stunned to find this person did not honor his commitment to the small audience that took the time to be with him. Instead, he berated the people in attendance because it was a small group, told them they weren’t worthy of his time and cut the promised time spent by 2/3. In my own case, I took a 6:00 a.m. flight to make the workshop on time. Ignoring all of the factors, he simply walked out. The sad part is he got angry with the wrong crowd. He should have adored the people that did show up and worked twice as hard with them than normal to show his appreciation. I am relaying this scenario because a virtual assistant said she was going to connect me with him on social media. My immediate response was, “Please don’t.” Should word spread on what this person is truly like, I do not wish to be associated. Sampling character and competence On a brighter note, this past year, I became very involved with an international online community. We learned from one another, promoted one another and we became close friends collectively and individually. It is to the point now that we are collaborating to produce further products among us as well as new services that will have wide appeal. Our own services complement that of each other. The beauty of having worked together this past year before formally partnering is that it gave us each an opportunity to determine if we each hold the same degree of integrity. Having witnessed that we do, we are now looking forward to a phenomenal new year once our plans are formulated and in writing. Our collaboration will help us to attract much wider audiences and build business exponentially and we will have a more robust model to offer our clientele. The best part is, I know in my heart that when word of mouth news spreads about us â€" it will be positive! When you take the time to consider all aspects of your behavioral ideals personally and working with others, business development is far easier which leads to the proverbial Smooth Sale! Author: Elinor Stutz, CEO of Smooth Sale, LLC believes building relationships before the sale and continuing long after is the only way to sell and build a dynamic business. Elinor’s book, “Nice Girls DO Get The Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results,” in an International Best Seller. Her new book, HIRED! How to Use Sales Techniques to Sell Yourself on Interviews, Career Press, based upon her own experience and years of community service proved profitable before it went into print.

Resume Writing For New Job Seekers

Resume Writing For New Job SeekersFor new job seekers, a resume writing is very important because it is the first thing that they need to put together. A resume is the first thing that an employer would see when he is thinking about hiring someone for an upcoming position. It is the most important tool for the job seeker as it lets him know what he can bring to the job. Therefore, a great resume can turn into an advantage in the right company.For new job seekers, a resume writing must start with preparing the resume outline. In this way, a candidate can let his or her resume speak for itself without having to worry about whether it will be read or not. The best thing about resume writing for new job seekers is that one does not have to have extensive technical skills for it to be effective.Aside from the resume writing, there are still a few things that can help the person in getting noticed. A good resume writing tool can do this. This means that the candidate has to find the right tools for him or her. Some of these tools include creating a professional cover letter and business card and find a good portfolio to put it all in. In other words, a candidate should make sure that these things are prepared before putting in the resume writing process.When it comes to the resume writing for new job seekers, there are some key things that a candidate should remember. First, he or she should put in the necessary information without rushing it. This is because the importance of a resume is to let the employer know that the candidate has the skills needed for the job. Once the employer sees the resume, he or she will make sure that the candidate could do the job and also that the job would fit the candidate's skills.Second, candidates should have different types of skills for each and every job that they want to apply for. So, if one wants to be a software engineer, he or she should write the skills needed in software engineering as well as the certifications that woul d allow the person to be a software engineer. Also, a candidate should use different types of writing styles for different types of jobs.Third, when it comes to writing, candidates should also be aware of different names of programmers. So, he or she should avoid using the same term as a programmer for all his or her jobs. He or she should also be aware of different programming languages like Java, C++, C#, PHP, etc.Fourth, the candidate should also consider how he or she will add something on his or her resume. In a resume, a candidate might add a job history that includes dates and positions. In case the person knows that a certain company is very strict with its regulations, then he or she should add all the things that he or she knows about the company.Lastly, it is the best resume writing for new job seekers to remember that one should remember to answer the questions asked. As long as the questions asked are about the candidate's experience and skill, then he or she should ans wer it confidently.

How to get a law training contract

How to get a law training contract Amidst contemporary society, we are continuously faced with the challenges and demanding implications surrounding job professions. No matter what job you are applying for, it is subsequently becoming harder to gain employment. This is particularly  true for solicitors. Due to the economic crisis that inflicted severe repercussions to job prospects, the pool of law training contracts has fluctuated greatly. That said, it makes it difficult for aspiring lawyers to gain placements and struggle to find that all important law training contract.Think of your training contract as an apprenticeship. It will provide you with two years of opportunities and valuable experience that allows you to expand your horizons and improve your performance.What you will learn, and what you will be doing within your training contract, will ultimately depend on the type of law firm for which you join. If you join a large firm, you are likely to spend your time in a range of different seats (i.e. departments) , giving you an all-round feel to the possibilities open to you after your training contract has ended.What is a Training Contract?                                                                               Defining a Training ContractAlso known as the period of recognised training, the training contract is the final stage of qualifying to become a solicitor. Alongside the Professional Skills Course, you will be expected to undergo intensive practice that allows you to use all the knowledge and skills you have been equipped with, and apply them in real life application.Why is a Training Contract used?The law training contact is used by law firms to determine a candidates’ progress and suitability. The training contract acts like an apprenticeship whereby you will be able to work as a trainee solicitor and gain an insight into the work life of a solicitor.How long does a Training Contract last?Generally, you will be expected to have a traini ng contract for 2 years, during which you will spend 4 blocks of 6 months in different seats (i.e. in different departments of the law firm).   However, the structure of how many seats you will need to sit, will vary depending on the law firm for which you are undertaking your training contract with.Changes to the Training ContractThe SRA no longer stipulates the exact terms and conditions of a person’s training contract, and therefore law firms have been given the freedom to design their own training programme which they see beneficial to their firm. Remember, many law firms tend to want to keep trainee solicitors on after their training contract. So, make sure you perform at your best to ensure the best possible opportunities and potential long-term career with that law firm.  Where to look for a Law Training Contract?If a law training contract is what you are looking for, you need to have an idea of where to begin looking in terms of gaining that all important contract. A great place to begin searching for training contracts can be found via the following web address: www.lawcareers.net. This page is host to 1000’s of law organisations that are offering training contracts and other important information regarding solicitor work.Use the filters on the website to narrow your search and define the criteria of your requirements.You can display your results by finding the top results or other results in order to maximise your chances of finding a training contract that suits you.You need to grasp the importance of the training contract deadlines. You need to ensure you have enough time to create and submit a strong application. The website offers all of the important information in regards to training contract deadlines in order to organise your preparation prior to your applications.Other places to go in regards to training contracts are as follows:Law fairsNetworkingOnline ForumsOnline ResearchWhat you will learnAs a trainee, you would have already mastere d the basics in regards to training, but this opportunity will allow you to excel and become a competent solicitor.Alongside the training contract, you will also be expected to undergo the Practical Skills Course (PSC). You will not be able to qualify as a solicitor without partaking in the PSC, therefore it is important to understand the importance of this stage of the qualifying process. You will be expected to take three main course modules, which include:Financial and Business Skills;Advocacy and Communication Skills; andClient Care and Professional Standards.During the PSC, as well as completing the modules as mentioned above, you will also be required to complete 24 hours of elective modules. It is imperative that you fully comprehend the importance of each stage of the qualifying process for becoming a qualified solicitor. The period of recognised training is one of the most important stages to make a good impression and utilise your skills. Thus, you need to do everything yo u can to illustrate your key skills and qualities that are essential for any law firm you wish to work for.  Improving your chancesAt the time of applying for law training contracts, it is important that, prior to your submission of your application, that you have taken all the necessary steps in order to improve your overall chances.Remember, applying for a position within a law firm is extremely competitive, and thus competition for one position is fierce. Therefore, you need to make sure that you do everything you possibly can to ensure you with the best chances of being successful. You need to prepare for the application stages to ensure you give your application the edge over others who are subsequently applying for the same position you are.There are a few things to remember when applying for a law training contract, in order to improve your overall chances.Creating that all important CV. Creating a ‘killer’ CV that demonstrates your best qualities and illustrates you in t he best light, will help to make a better impression. Remember, the CV is a crucial stage of application, and a stage that many law firms often use to filter out potential candidates. Ensuring that your CV is tailored specifically to the law firm of your choice, will enable you to demonstrate key assets and qualities that law firms are seeking.Make sure that it is easy to read, clearly laid out in a logical order, and that you haven’t tried to cram in too much. Usually 2 pages is sufficient enough.Make sure that it is informative and that it isn’t cluttered with irrelevant information.Make sure that you account for any gaps in your employment history. For example, if you were travelling or took time off to further your education, you should list those instances.Make sure that you include your entire schooling history including dates and grades. If you leave your grades off, the employer will be left to assume that they are sub-par.The Application Form. By the time you reach the stage of applying for a period of recognised training, you should by now, know what type of law firm you wish to work for, and the type of lawyer you want to be. Within this chapter, you will be provided with guidance and support in preparation of your all-important application form. The application form is one of the most crucial stages to the application process of becoming a solicitor. The level of research and the effort which needs to be put into your application form is imperative.When submitting application forms, it is important to produce a quality, professional and detailed application form which will make you stand out. It is the first time that you will get to make an impression and set yourself apart from other candidates. In terms of application forms, a lot of law firms rely solely on the application format in which they have laid out, as opposed to allowing candidate’s to attach their CV. The main aim of the application form is for law firms to be given all the nec essary information which they want. The application formImpressing at the interview. Getting an interview has become harder than ever, in recent years. Competition is fierce and therefore you need to be fully prepared and demonstrate that you are at your best. Nobody enjoys the interview process, in fact the majority of people find the whole experience nerve-wracking. You will need to show great levels of knowledge and experience within the law industry, and have a good understanding of the job role you are applying for.Extensively research the firm for which you are interviewing. Use the internet to search not only their website, but to find other articles or write-ups about the firm. It is important that you know what field of law the company operate within, and any major cases that they may have worked on. It will give you an advantage over other candidate’s if you show full knowledge and interest about the law firm for which you are applying to.Dress appropriately. If you show up in jeans and a t-shirt, the partners may not feel you take the position seriously. Your clothing needs to demonstrate your professional and mature demeanour. For men, a suit shows that you are serious about the job and take pride in your appearance and how you convey yourself to others. For women, a skirted suit or conservative dress with a proper hemline will give the same effect. Be professional in your dress, and show up well groomed. These little details may seem simple, but they are important and extremely effective.Familiarise yourself with some of the questions you may be asked during the interview process. Some examples of questions you will be asked are: What makes you interested in our firm? Why are you interested in your stated  area of practice? What are you hoping for in your career?Top Five Tips to Improve Your Chances of Getting a Training Contract  In order to improve your chances of gaining a training contract, here are the 5 main tips in a nutshell, that will u ltimately aid you to success for gaining that all important contract: Work Experience. Without work experience, you will not progress in your legal career. Perfect your CV and Application For Answers. Spelling mistakes, lack of information, poor layout, grammatical errors, incorrect information and offering nothing substantial to an employer, are the most common mistakes on a CV and job application. Make sure you have someone else go over your CV. Make Sure You Have A Great Cover Letter. Your cover letter is your chance to let the employer know about you and why you want to work for them. Do your research about the firm so you can be sure that your cover letter tells them you have what it takes to be a solicitor for their firm. Give Yourself An Interesting Persona. Simply stating on your CV that you like to read or watch movies will make you seem boring to an interviewer. There is nothing wrong with going sky-diving and listing that as a hobby. There are so many hobbies out there th at show personality, and if you do it once, you can list it as something that interests you. Make yourself interesting and exciting. Consider Your Location. Because the competition is so tight in this field, people are willing to travel far and wide to get a position. There is no rule that says you have to state your address on your CV. If you have relatives near a firm you are interested, feel free to use their address. This gives you a tie to the area.How2become a solicitor is a professional guide that will take you step-by-step through the entire qualifying process, including how to gain    that all important training contract.The guide also  covers the following: a day in the life as a solicitor, educational qualifications, skills and qualities, the interview process, the assessment centre and a whole range of other important areas.   This entry was posted in Career Advice. Bookmark the permalink. Katie Noakes Army Apprenticeships â€" British ArmyPrison Officer Eligibility Cr iteria 2015

Single Most Important Career Question To Ask Yourself - Pathfinder Careers

Single Most Important Career Question To Ask Yourself - Pathfinder Careers Single Most Important Career Question To Ask Yourself Most people are absolutely unaware of some of seemingly subtle points in their résumé that positively screams out certain things to employers. What may seem vague and somewhat insignificant to you usually is one of the first things that an employer looks for when evaluating candidates. Employers are evaluating résumés and looking to see what you’ve done to keep yourself up-to-date, and many are on a talent shopping spree. This means they are hiring top industry subject matter experts who have demonstrated their understanding of applying new skill sets and ideas in the workplace. To wit, I jokingly (but not really) say that your résumé is not an obituary, but instead, a dynamic, driving career roadmap. And theres one thing that can help wake job seekers up more than anything by asking the single most important question that will impact their competitiveness in todays job market: Are my skills obsolete? If you ask this question, and realize that the skills that you offer are just run-of-the-mill abilities or are outdated, this is your red flag cue that you need to get moving…FAST. If you hope to survive what is now being termed the “Great Recession” which is continuing with no foreseeable end in sight, your ability to navigate the requirements of companies that are hiring will rest solely on how you have kept up your skill sets. Being aggressive in stockpiling skills and knowledge will be critical to making your candidacy the best value in the marketplace… and you’ll need to be strategic about how you map out acquiring those skills. Apply the following questions to your résumé to better see what employers are thinking when they read this document: 1) Have I attained any industry-specific certifications? 2) Have I taken any classes, workshops, trainings, conferences, conventions, webinars, continuing education units, or gone to any corporate learning university sessions? 3) How have I demonstrated the practical application of what I have learned into my work? 4) Has there been any peer recognition for my subject matter expertise (as in any awards, speaking engagements, publications, etc.)? These factors alone are worth their weight in gold to employers. They simply don’t want someone who will do the minimum possible and push papers around their desk from 8am-5pm. Companies today are struggling to optimize every company system while squeezing every ounce of profit out as possible in order to stay afloat in this volatile economy. Similarly, you need to take the same approach. Don’t wait for a company to offer to send you to a conference. You NEED to be your own advocate. Identify the key opportunities where you can enhance your skill sets, and present these to your boss as ways you can improve your on-the-job productivity. Be prepared to provide justification in terms of return on investment. And if your manager doesn’t approve the expense and your time out of the office, you’ll need to make a life-changing decision and empowering one: Invest in yourself. Be willing to pay for additional professional development yourself. If you are currently employed, think of it as a way to become more indispensible. The job may be eliminated, but if you have demonstrated ROI every step of the way, chances are, the company will find a way to retain you. If you are looking for work, the good news is that everyone who is currently employed is so busy doing the work of 2-3 other people due to staff cutbacks, they don’t have the time to go out and take class. You have the time to identify those core skill sets and take classes that add to your value proposition. Passivity and blatant ignorance aren’t going to cut it today. You need to cast a critical eye to your résumé and look at it from an employer’s view… what have you done to keep your job skills up to date? Is your professional development section blindingly empty? Or was the last class you took over 5 years ago? If so, you’ve got your work cut out for you… and by updating your skill sets, you’ll improve your viability as a candidate for open positions.