Changing Jobs? Looking for a Job?

The same basic rules apply if you are already employed. If you are unhappy where you work, you may decide to find another job. Choose at least three different jobs that interest you. In some cases, the job that you really want may not be available. Then you can look at your second or third choice. It is important to be serious about finding a job. You must be willing and be interested in order to be successful in finding a job.

Basic Rules To Remember When Looking for a Job

Looking for a job requires several hours each day. When you are employed, you are required to work a certain amount of hours. You also should have a set number of hours that you spend looking for a job. For example, Johnny spends 7 hours a day looking for a job. He begins looking for a job at 8:30 a.m. and looks until 12 noon. The hour between noon and 1 p.m. is considered the lunchtime. In some cases the employer will be closed during these hours or the company may be very busy. For example, if you go to a restaurant during lunchtime, chances are they will be very busy. The best time to apply at a restaurant is between the hours of 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Make a things to do list. It will help you get organized. Your list might look like this:

You may have to visit four or five companies on Monday, then another group on Tuesday. A list will help you organize your time. Remember to keep a record of the places where you have applied and write down the results.

Remember, you will have to use your willpower to limit your job-hunting time to looking for employment. Don’t use job-hunting time to watch TV, to talk on the telephone, to do household chores, to sleep, or to daydream. You will be competing with others looking for a job, so work every day to get the job you want.

This is a very important rule. You should let your friends and relatives know that you are serious about looking for a job. In some cases they may work at jobs that have openings in an area that interests you.

Word of mouth contact has been very successful in helping people who are unemployed or want to change jobs. You should never feel embarrassed or ashamed to admit that you are looking for a job. In most cases, working people who know you will want to help.

There are many places where you can look for job openings. Good sources are newspaper help-wanted ads and store help-wanted signs. First, you must know how to pair your skills with the want ads. Here are three examples of help-wanted ads:

When you are going through the newspaper ads and see a job that interests you, always be sure to find out how to contact the company and at what time. Write it down. Knowing the appropriate time is very important because it shows the employer that you follow instructions. Arrive 5 minutes before your appointment to be sure you are prompt.

If you have experience in dishwashing and want a similar job, then you would contact that employer first. If you leave a friend’s or relative’s phone number, remember to tell your friend or relative that you gave his or her phone number and to contact you if someone calls. Notice that most job listings will give the work hours. Recall the first help-wanted ad: it states that the job will start at 9 p.m. This lets people know before they apply that the job requires working the night shift.

When you are looking for a job, you will be contacting many people. Always keep a list of the people you have seen and the results of the contact—whether there is a job possibility or no openings at that time.

For example, if you go to Brown’s Construction and the employer says to check back with him in a week, write it down and check back. Do not stop looking for a job while waiting for a possible job offer.

There are many different ways to look for a job. Techniques used to look for your first job can also be used when you want to change jobs. It usually takes a little while to find the job you really want. Don’t become discouraged if you don’t get a job offer the first day or the first week. Keep trying. When you have a good attitude and believe in yourself, you are likely to find the job for you.

Helpful Services Job Placement Services. These are usually employment agencies that may charge a fee to help you find a job. Sometimes, however, they do not require payment of the fee until after you are working. Alabama Employment Service. This agency offers a real public service to people who are unemployed, disadvantaged, or want to change jobs. The service assists many people in landing their first jobs. Alabama Employment Service offices are located in all large communities and cities and are always willing to lend a helping hand. Temporary Services. This includes companies that provide jobs for people for a short time. Work in the light industrial field might include a job as a general laborer and work in the clerical field might include jobs such as receptionists, typists, and word processors. Often the employer pays the fee. Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA). This program is provided through the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs and provides job training to help job seekers learn new skills.

These materials were developed by Dorothy Taylor and Jeffrey J. Guidry of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service with a grant provided by Mississippi State University—Southern Rural Development Center.

Adapted for use in Alabama by Carol Centrallo, Extension Specialist, Consumer Science and Personal Financial Management, Associate Professor, Consumer Affairs, Auburn University.

For more information, contact your county Extension office. Visit http://www.aces.edu/counties or look in your telephone directory under your county's name to find contact information. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) offers educational programs, materials, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.

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