Life Skills Development/Module Five/Job Search and Securing Employment

Introduction
Looking for a job and successful entry into the job market is a complicated and engaging process requiring particular and deliberate actions as well as specific attributes on the part of the job searcher. This unit, consisting of 3 topics, is designed to give you skills and strategies for investigation, preparation for the job and securing employment. You will also learn how current trends in technology make it possible for the learner to know about job opportunities globally.Topics

Learning Outcomes
By the end of this topic, the learner will be able to:
 * Identify the skills required for different employment
 * Match their skills to the job
 * Make alternative choices to strengthen their suitability/competency
 * Identify areas of suitable employment
 * Categorise their personal skills for job suitability
 * Demonstrate the competence for securing the job
 * Display techniques and behavoiur for a successful interview

Terminology
What comes to mind when you hear the word skill?
 * Employability
 * skills
 * attitude
 * aptitude

Introduction
There is a time in one's life when you will work. You should understand that looking for a job is a process that the job seeker should be well prepared to undergo. If you are well prepared you can go through this process with less hassle. However, if you go in it unprepared, the road might be too rough for you and you may even end up quitting before the process is over. This session discusses some few essentials in looking for and securing employment. It focuses specifically on ‘Being Prepared’.

Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this topic, the learner should be able to 1.	Demonstrate ability to communicate important job search ideas or options

2.	Write a winning job application letter.

3.	Prepare for and attend job interviews with confidence.

•	Job

•	Job search

•	Interpersonal communication

•	Resume

•	Job interviews}}

Factors that generate a need to work
Study the case below

In your brainstorming you might have come up with the following; I hope you have also realised that factors that generate a need to work are many. Examples are
 * Registered for a distance education programme
 * Registered for government welfare, e.g. orphan or destitute
 * Turn to relatives for help

•Educational attainments – upon successful completion of a programme of study, for example, an undergraduate (.e.g. Diploma in Law, Bachelor of Arts, bachelor of education, etc. or a graduate programme, e.g. Masters of Education, Doctor of Education, etc.)

•Transition from adolescence to adulthood – there are people who may have been staying home unemployed being dependent on their parents, a time comes when they also feel like they want to get employed. The society expects each one of us to be working at a certain time in life.

Getting prepared
Hints of getting prepared

Getting started
The graphic below indicates some basic steps in job search. Below is an exercise that will help you understand each step.

A grid like this will help you know where to look for. Identify sources of job vacancies As you plan to look for a job, you must also begin to think about sources of information about available job/job vacancies. This entails be knowledgeable about both the local, national and international sources. It is for this reason that a unit in this module is devoted to exposing you to some effective job search strategies. This is the time when you unwaveringly consult all sources, the time to aggressively go around and market your qualifications and interests.

From this compilation, you should realize that employers look for different things especially qualifications and job experiences. Applying for a job You need to know how to prepare supporting documents, for example, job application letters and resumes. I believe from you Communication Module, you have been shown how to write application letters.

In your discussion and sample letter, you may have included the following; Your name You may download a free template from the following source http://www.rng.iastate.ed/ecs/students/downloads/application.pdf
 * Your address
 * Date
 * Address of where you are applying and the intended recipient of your application
 * Salutation
 * Opening Paragraph
 * Middle Paragraph(s)
 * Closing Paragraph
 * Sincerely,

Getting prepared for the interview
It is imperative that before attending a job interview you should prepare yourself with respect to knowing the nature of the job that you have applied for. Reading thoroughly the job tasks that are specified in the advert will help you get some ideas of this. It may also be necessary that you visit the workplace (company, business, organization, institution, etc.) that has advertised a vacant post for more information. If the organization has a website, that can be a good source of information. This is a way of preparing yourself in order to compete in the changing labour market where the recruitment and selection process is becoming more and more complex.

Introduction
This topic is designed to help you to use some of the skills which you learnt in topics 1 and 2.You will explore the case study and discover what are some of the essential elements in securing a job.

Learning Outcomes
At the end of the topic, learners will be able to:
 * Demonstrate at least 3 appropriate behaviours for securing successful employment.

Helpful Hints
Punctuality

Please remember this is very important - employers want people they can rely on. As a rule of thumb, being 15-30 minutes early, allows for the unexpected for example, forms to be completed. Sometimes, applicants are given the same time and therefore interviews work on a first come, first serve basis.

Dress Code

First impressions are lasting. Therefore dress to suit the position you are applying for.
 * Talk with persons who are working in the areas of your interest and find out what type of dress is considered appropriate.

Background Information

Make it your business to find out who the key people in the workplace you are applying to. It is always a good idea to have done some prior research into the history of the company, their products, their code of ethics etc. This places you in a very positive light at the interview.

Pay Package

Everyone wants to make as much as they can. Be familiar with the Labour Regulations and how much you could be earning then you can enquire intelligently about salary and compensation package. You may find that the salary is not as high as you expected, but fringe benefits such as, professional development, life insurance, medical insurance etc., may balance this out.

Portfolio

Please remember that having a personal portfolio that highlight your work can be very persuasive in an interview. For jobs such as graphic designers and those in the area of art, portfolios are essential.

This topic,presented in the form of a role play ,allowed you to learn some of the critical ideas needed when you are going to explore the job market in an attempt to secure a job.You should have discovered that you need to be prepared for such a task. Some actions you need to take are:
 * prepare a job application and your resume
 * be punctual for the interview
 * dress appropriately