http://www.careersportal.ie/work_employment/finding_jobs.
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Preparing a Job Search:
Using the Following Information, Students should identify
1. How to set realistic goals
2. Outline any 5 Job search strategies (Online Jobs, Networking, Media
advertisements, Employment services, Recruitment fairs etc.)
3. Identify any 3 Companies that you have targeted in your Job Search,
highlighting the Company Name, Address, Nature of the
Product/Service, Website, Job Title etc.
4. Identify any challenges you encountered and describe how you might
overcome them.
Finding a job, or deciding on a job, is often one of the major milestones along a person's career path.
Most people can safely assume that they will have to look for a job several times in their life as the
modern workplace changes according to local and global economic changes.
Finding a job that pays well can be difficult and challenging. Finding one that also matches your
interests and career aspirations is regarded by most as daunting. So when approaching the task of
finding a job, it is important to do so with a healthy attitude (see Guiding Principles) and a good
understanding of the process (see Realistic Expectations). This way you can set realistic goals for
yourself without adding unnecessary stress.
Finding an organisation that operates in a way that you are comfortable with, and co-workers that you
enjoy being with is another challenge. In the changing world of work, many employers are committed
to making their workplaces and businesses inclusive environments, where everybody is treated with
dignity and respect and policies are in place regarding issues such as equality, human rights, dignity
at work, and fair recruitment. For example, The Diversity Champions Graduate Directory 2013/14 is
Ireland’s first directory of inclusive employers for graduates, students and job-seekers who want to
choose LGBT inclusive workplaces.
Like just about anything, if you want a good result (a job offer) you are more likely to achieve it by
planning carefully and making the most of the resources available to you. If you are still employed,
you will have the advantage of your current income to keep yourself going, but how you manage your
time effectively is more challenging. If you are unemployed, you have more time on your hands, but
how you manage your finances to keep yourself going is more challenging. In both cases getting
organised for the task is a central part of the whole process.
Once you get yourself organised you will want to decide what exactly you should be looking for. To
make the process more manageable, it would be wise to become as clear as possible about what
your requirements actually are. For example you will have to consider things like what locations are
you willing to travel to, what sectors would suit you best and so on. You need to do some career
research to clarify your mind and set up realistic goals.
Once you are clear about what you are looking for you can start to research available positions. There
are many places to find jobs, and you owe it to yourself to be aware of the different sources of
information in the current marketplace. We provide a guide to where to find vacancies here.
Once you see a vacancy for a job you are interested in you can make an application for the position.
Chances are you are not the only one, so you have to compete for the position. As with all
competitions, some preparation is necessary to give yourself a healthy chance of winning.
To make a job application you will need to prepare a letter indicating your interest in the position
(known as the Cover Letter) and create or modify a copy of your CV for the position.
Your CV is a very important document. It is a summary of your personal details, educational
qualifications and work experience. It should also include your key skills and other relevant
information together with the names of 2 people who will provide a reference for you.
These two documents, your CV and cover letter, are critical to your success in catching the attention
of a possible employer. There is a whole industry built up around how these two small documents
should be written, and it is wise to familiarise yourself with some of the advice and pitfalls that can be
found. We provide some useful links below to get you started
