Finding A Job

After years of hard work in school, you’re nearly done. You’re about to graduate from high school or college and enter the workforce. Your life is changing, and it is exciting! You’ll control your own destiny by choosing a career path, making new friends, learning new skills, and becoming a productive member of society. You’re free. Well, at least sort of. Although you are shedding many of the old things in your life, you’ll quickly learn that you will face new responsibilities and challenges.
                  It’s time to take all of that education you received and find a career. Note that we said “career,” not “job.” A job is simply something you go to every day so you can pay your rent and cable television bill. It offers few advancement opportunities and little excitement. A career, on the other hand, is a rewarding occupation that offers the potential for advancement and higher earnings if you do a good job. It provides you with the chance to grow and develop your skills and gain confidence
in yourself and your abilities. In short, a career makes you want to jump out of bed each morning before the alarm clock goes off so you can get to work early. (You know you have a job if you keep hitting the snooze button on the
alarm clock and dread your every working minute.)

                     Now for the hard part: finding a career. The economic recession has hit American workers hard. Top companies have laid off hundreds of thousands of employees, and even companies that have avoided layoffs are refraining from adding too many new workers. This may seem daunting, but it’s important
to know that if you have good skills and a positive attitude, and know how to conduct a job search, you will eventually find a rewarding career.
                    Have you ever heard people say, “Looking for a job is a job in itself”? This is often true. It takes time, planning, careful research, and dedication to find a good career. This book aims to provide you with the tools, the resources, and the information you need to land your dream job. It will provide the tools to help you stand out from the millions of other new graduates pounding the pavement looking for work. In this book, we’ll look at some of the key job-search and career exploration tools, including how to:

1. Match your personality, interests, and skills with a career.
2. Gain experience through internships, externships, and other experiential opportunities.
3. Research career options.
4. Network and tap into the hidden job market.
5. Write effective cover letters, resumes, and other job-search materials.
6. Apply for a job.
   Once you are asked to interview for a job, there are many things to remember and do to prepare. To ensure that you’re successful once the interview process begins, this book also will provide you with detailed information about what to do before, during, and after the job interview; how to assess a job offer; and, if hired, what to do on your first day on the job and beyond. So what are you waiting for? Turn the page to start the next chapter of your life: finding a job!