Picking a Career (Part 3)
Once you have fully utilized all the tools on the Holland Career Test site (https://www.truity.com/test/holland-code-career-test), and worked through your 16personalities results (https://www.16personalities.com/), it’s time to start researching the jobs that are of interest of you. This is where the real grind starts.
Search Job Sites
Search the interest for the job you are interested in. For example, if you are interested in creative writing, search the for the term: “entry level jobs for creative writers in Los Angeles” (if you live in Los Angeles of course). Your search will probably take you to a job posting website. Here is a list of some sites:
Indeed.com
Careerbuilder.com
Dice.com
Glassdoor.com
Linkedin.com
Read over the postings and examine all the information (overview, responsibilities, qualifications, etc.). Don’t allow yourself to feel intimated by the information. Remember that you are of value to a position that fits within your qualifications. Steve Jobs said, “Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you…” This does not mean that you can apply for any job that you want. If one of the job requirements is a graduate degree or bachelor’s degree, and you don’t have one, then you probably won’t be able to get that job. What this quote conveys is that if you are ready to apply yourself to your passions, you are no less capable of succeeding than anyone else who applies themselves to their passions. It’s a state of mind that builds self-confidence and motivates people to pursue their interests.
Go to a Company’s Career Section on their Website
Most companies have a career section on their website. It’s usually hidden somewhere towards the bottom. If you know of a company that you would like to work for, then go to their website and search the career section. Apply to entry level positions that fit with your qualifications.
Writing a Resume + Cover Letter
Writing a resume and a cover letter can be overwhelming. My Perfect Resume(https://www.myperfectresume.com/) is a great resource for getting started. They generate professional sounding responsibilities and achievements statements for your resume based on your past job title. For example, let’s say your past employment was in retail, but you don’t know how to convey your retail responsibilities in a professional sounding manner for your resume. My Perfect Resumewill generate statements for you, such as, “Resolved all customer complaints in a professional manner while prioritizing customer satisfaction.” You should rework and customize these statements to fit you personally.
Your cover letter is your opportunity to get creative. This is where you get to write out why you are passionate about working at the company you are interested in. The key to writing a good cover letter is to write about what YOU can do FOR the company. Research the company and see if you can discover any public information about at a problem the company is currently having. Discuss that problem in the cover letter and your thoughts about how you can be helpful with solving that problem.
Keep a Positive Mentality
Remember, finding a job is a grind. You will get rejected a lot. Do not take it personally. Keep researching jobs, making cover letters and resumes, and applying to variety of different jobs. Eventually you will get a call back for an interview and your hard work will pay off.