job hunting success 16 mei

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Cover Rationale

The cover design depicts a mountain climber, scaling the rocky

mountain heights. Attributes such as endurance, determination,

mental and physical strength, courage, alertness, resourceulness and

anticipation are needed to reach the top o the mountain.

Just as the mountain climber needs to develop these attributes to

reach the peak o the mountain, students o Politeknik Malaysia, are

constantly and rigorously developing and ne tuning their hard and sot

skills and mindset, enabling them to reach the peak o their careers.


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All rights reserved.

No part o this publication may be reproduced, stored in

a retrieval system, or transmitted , in any orm or by any

means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying , recording,

and/or otherwise without the prior written permission rom

The Department o Polytechnic Education, Ministry o Higher

Education Malaysia

Department of Polytechnic Education

Industry Liaison, Graduate Tracking

and Alumni Division,

Level 11, Heritage Oce Tower,

Jalan SB Dagang 43300,

Seri Kembangan

Selangor Darul Ehsan

Tel: 03-8939 4000 Fax: 03-8939 4045

Department o Polytechnic Education

First Publication


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Job-Hunting Success A Handbook or Politeknik Malaysia StudentsJanuary 2011 Edition 1

CONTENTS OF THIS HANDBOOK

Introduction(page2)

SectionOneHavingtheIdealMindset&SoftSkills (page 3)

Section 1.1: Why are Mindset and Sot Skills so crucial to your job-hunting success? (page 3)

Section 1.2: Which sot skills do you need to succeed in your job-hunting and in your uture career? (page 4)

Section 1.3: Key Sot Skill Being Positive, or at least learn how to appear that way! (page 8)

Section 1.4: Job-Hunting can be very time-consuming! (page 10)

Section 1.5: Desire and Believe you can win that great job.and do not let rejections deter you (page 11)

SectionTwoCreatingawinningCareerStrategy&PlanofAction (page 13)

Section 2.1: What do you enjoy doing? (page 14)

Section 2.2: Sense checking your direction (page 20)

Section 2.3: Creating a Career & Job-Hunting Road Map (page 21)

SectionThreeHowtondandconnectwithPotentialEmployers (page 23)

Section 3.1: Networking & Connecting (page 24)

Section 3.2: Using Job-hunting websites, databases & portals (page 27)

Section 3.3: Other Job-Hunting Sources (page 28)

SectionFourJob-HuntingMechanics (page 29)

Section 4.1: Your 20-Seconds Sales Pitch (page 30)

Section 4.2: Your Resume is your Salesperson (page 32)

Section 4.3: Cover Letters, Emails & Thank-You Notes (page 35)Section 4.4: All Impressions Count (page 37)

Section 4.5: Interviewing with Success (page 38)

Section 4.6: Ater the Interview and the Job Oer (page 43)

SectionFiveConsideringOtherOptions? (page 46)

Section 5.1: Considering Further Education? (page 46)

Section 5.2: What about becoming an Entrepreneur? (page 46)

SuggestedReading (page 48)


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2 Job-Hunting Success A Handbook or Politeknik Malaysia StudentsJanuary 2011 Edition

INTRODUCTION

Job-hunting is such a large and important task that it has to be treated

with the seriousness that you would accord your own business.

This Handbook is a step by step guide giving you advice to help you

succeed in the shortest possible time-rame. Each section is sel-

explanatory and you could choose to read each section in chronological

order, or you could choose those sections which you eel in most need

o learning rom.

Are you trained in job-hunting? Perhaps you have received a little careers

advice already? In an ideal world, a job-seeker would have the services

o a ull-time career coach or advisor, a person who has been there

beore and can be on hand to share tips and words o wisdom.

However, underlying all my job-hunting advice are our undamental or

basic truths relating to you and your quest or a job. I you learn nothing

else rom your reading o this Handbook, then remember the ollowing

basic truths:

#1: JOB-HUNTING IS DIFFICULT;

#2: VERY FEW ACTIVITIES IN YOUR LIFE ARE AS IMPORTANT AS

FINDING A JOB;

#3: YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF YOUR OWN JOB-HUNT;

#4: YOU NEED TO INVEST CONSIDERABLE TIME AND EFFORT TOENSURE SUCCESS.

Enjoy reading and learning rom this Handbook and good luck with your

job-hunt!

[N.B. In this Handbook the terms Resume, CV and Curriculum Vitae are

used interchangeably and mean the same thing.]

Always bear in mind that yourown resolution to success is more

important than any other one thing.

- Abraham Lincoln


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SECTIONONE HAVING THE IDEALMINDSET AND SOFT SKILLS

Section 1.1: Why are Mindset and Sot Skills socrucial to your job-hunting success?

Your polytechnic education, combined with your internships and work-

based learning give you the knowledge, experience and skills to make

you eligible or a job. These are what are called your hard-skills. Or in

other words show that on paper your should be able to carry out a

particular job.

But in this world, we all have personalities, characters, eelings and

emotions. These are collectively called your mind-set or your sot-skills.

Any potential employer needs to know i you have the right mindset to

make you suitable or their job openings and a suitable t or their

company.

We believe whatever we want to

believe. Demosthenes

Understanding your Fit or a Job

Eligibility can you perorm?

This is relatively easy to obtain and measure.

Suitability will you perorm?

This refects a range behavioral tendencies and are

very qualitative.

Source: Copyright 2008 Nigel Cumberland & STGGroup Ltd (www.stghk.com)

BehaviouralTendencies

Motivation

Interpersonalskills

TaskPreferences

WorkPreferences

Experiences

Skills

Knowledge

Training

Education

SUITABILITY ELIGIBILITY


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Section 1.2: Which sot skills do you

need to succeed in your job-hunting

and in your uture career?

The ollowing table lists those aspects o sot skills, which graduate job-

hunting experts realize are important or you to have in order to maximize

your chances o success. Do work through this list and work to improve

those skills which you believe are important or you and are in need o

improvement.

The ollowing list is not exhaustive and some o the skills do overlap

each other.

It takes all the running you can do ,

to keep in the same place. If you

want to get somewhere else, you

must run at least twice as fast as

that! - Lewis Carroll

SOFTSKILLS

Communication skills

Leadership (sel-leadership &

leadership o others/projects)

& taking responsibility.

Body language & Dressing

Punctuality

First impressions

WHYARETHEYSO

IMPORTANT?

Essential to all aspects o

a students job-hunting and

career planning

Sel-leadership links to

sel-awareness and sel-

acceptance all are signs o

maturity and noted that rises

with lie experiences

Key due to the importance

o rst impressions counting

with uture employers.

Key to enable one to stand

out and to avoid one being

rejected or being late.

Avoids the need to givedishonest excuses or being

late or interviews (stuck in

trac)

Essential given the

assumed importance o rst

impressions in interviews and

even on telephone interview.

Also relates to how one

initially applies or jobs e.g.

how does your initial email

look etc.

HOWDOYOUACQUIRE

THESESOFTSKILLS?

In various ways, ideally

throughout the time as a

Polytechnic student.

Through lie experiences and

being taught and through

being given examples to try

out leading.

Can be easily learnt rom a

book or in a course but need

conscious practice.

Good Time Management and

not being late or lectures,

meetings and activities.

Can be broken down into

parts and can be sel-learnt.

DESCRIPTIONS

All orms verbal and non-

verbal; written, spoken.

Sel-leadership is key to job-

hunt successully and also

evidence o people/project

leadership impresses uture

employers

Choice o words, hand

shake, how one sits, what

one wears, eye contact

when speaking to someone

etc.

Doing things on time and at

agreed times.

Links to Body Language.

Relates to all kinds o initial

impressions including what

you rst say when you meet

someone.


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SOFTSKILLS WHYARETHEYSO

IMPORTANT?

HOWDOYOUACQUIRE

THESESOFTSKILLS?

DESCRIPTIONS

Maturity

Willing to learn and to

acquire knowledge

English & Bahasa

Persistence

Multi-tasking ability

Time management

Refective

Mature students exhibit

many o the other desired

sot skills e.g. are persistent

and deal with rejections.

Sel-explanatory and

relates to being willing to

understand and to enact any

needed changes.

Mother tongue and/or

second language

Not Giving up or walking

away rom something

important just because o

rejection or diculty.

Ability & comort in doing

various activities at the

same time. Having multiple

responsibilities. Links to time

management.

Ability to manage ones

timetable and workload.

Being able to sit back and

review ones options and

avenues

It is ideal but cannot easily

be created.

Key given that no-one is a

natural job-hunter e.g. cannot

write a good CV without

some kind o new learning/

knowledge.

English is essential in todays

business and governmental

worlds. Bahasa is key in

Malaysia.

Job-hunting and planning

your lie/career is very

hard and hurdles (such as

employer rejection letters)must not allow one to give

up or to become in some way

negative.

Essential given that a student

is being asked to both study

or a diploma or certicate as

well as to plan their uture

and to job-hunt (and/or apply

or urther study)

As with multi-tasking, this

is key i one is to job-hunt

successully e.g. ollowing

numerous leads.

Essential to have students

refect upon their career

plans to avoid them seekingjobs that will not make them

happy (round peg into a

square hole)

Comes with time and

experience. Key is or

you to avoid the worst

immature behaviours e.g.

i you commit to attend an

interview at a certain time,

then please attend it!

Lie is a journey o continual

learning.

Through regular and

repeated use and learning

at Polytechnic e.g.

more reading and more

conversational practice.

Can be learnt but not easy to

become persistent overnight.

Can be learnt start by

consciously setting aside

time or job-hunting

(including time to acquire

and practice these sot

skills)

Can be learnt start by

consciously setting aside

time or job-hunting

(including time to acquire

and practice these sot

skills)

Take time to review what

you are doing.


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Activity Committing to your own sot skills development

SOFTSKILL SUMMARYNOTES-WHATINEEDTOLEARNORDOTOIMPROVE

THISSOFTSKILL

Communication skills

Leadership & taking responsibility.

Body language & Dressing

Punctuality

First impressions

Positive mindset & attitude

& thinking

Presentation skills &

public speaking

Proactive & motivated & initiative

Flexible & open

Being realistic

Sel-realization/sel-awareness

Maturity

Willing to learn and to acquireknowledge

English & Bahasa

Persistence

Multi-tasking ability

Time management

Refective


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Section 1.3: Key Sot Skills - Being

Positive, or at least learning how to

appear that way!

I ully understand the challenge o trying to remain upbeat and eeling

positive while looking or a job. Nevertheless, you have to always appear

positive and upbeat or one very important reason: employers will not

hire unhappy and negative people!

Think about the last time that you met somebody who was down and

depressed:

Didtheyofferyoualimphandshake?

Didtheywalkwithadroopybackorlackeyecontactwithyou?

Were they being apologetic and a little negative in their

conversation?

Weretheynotsmilingandnotappearingrelaxed,orweretheytense

and uptight?

Does any o this sound amiliar to you?

The entire (and I mean entire) job-hunting process revolves around

communicating with other people: your riends, your reerees, your

lecturers, even the receptionist at the company where you may be

attending a job interviewthe list is very long. Failing to project a

condent, happy and positive impression is an easy way o ailing tosecure a new job.

You cannot ake being positive, but you can practice and teach yoursel to

appear and act in a positive manner.

The simplest way to succeed in appearing positive is to decide that you

wish to appear that way. The mind works in remarkable ways i you

repeatedly ask it to. Have a success orientated attitude. In addition, try

the ollowing ideas and work out which methods are best or you:

Whencallingpotentialemployers,lookinamirrorandsmileasyou

speak.

Lookeachpersonintheeyethatyouspeakwith;

Learntoshakehandswithcondence-askfriendsifyoucantest

your handshake with them.

Thinkofyourpositivestrengthsandwritethemdowninalist.

Closeyoureyesandvisualizemomentsofsuccessinyourlife.Note

how you elt in those moments.

Readupliftingself-helpbooksorwatchinspirationallms.

Whenyoundyourselffeelingoractingdepressedorinsomesense

negative, pinch yoursel and smile!

Employers want to work with

happy and positive people as

a result, they wish to hire such

people.


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Activity: Write down our ways in which you are going to ensure that you have a positive

mindset and also appear positive to other people:

1: ___________________________________________________________________________________________

2: ___________________________________________________________________________________________

3: ___________________________________________________________________________________________

4: ___________________________________________________________________________________________


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Section 1.4: Job-Hunting can be very time-consuming!

As well as looking or a job, you also need to complete your course work, take exams and do many other things. You need to be a

good juggler!

This section gives some tips and suggestions or making the most eective use o your time and rather than just blindly working

long hours, you are encouraged to work smart meaning you must not waste your time and eort.

SET ENOUGH TIME ASIDE

Although it is dicult to give a precise time-rame, you can expect to be job-hunting rom one to six months. During such a long

period, i you ail to plan your time well, you may nd yoursel becoming inecient and rustrated. The key is eective time

management, with the need to make time or all parts o your lie.

How will you set aside enough time or job-hunting?

PRIORITISE

Keep a diary or agenda. It might be a written diary and address book or it may be on a computer. Either way you must write down

all past, present and uture activities. You must then prioritize everything. The dicult part is to determine when to sweat the small

stu and re-ght, and when to set all these aside and to ocus on achieving your more strategic job-hunting aims. I you need extra

advice, there are many great books on time management, but I would highly recommend Stephen Coveys work where he suggests

placing all activities into our quadrants (Covey, The Seven Habits o Highly Eective People).

How will you prioritize your work and tasks (including job-hunting)?

BE SYSTEMATIC

This naturally fows rom the advice above it is pretty hard to successully prioritize without a system. Be systematic:

Withtheuseofyourtime;

Withyournotes,agendaandallofyourpaperworkhaveagoodlingsystem;

Inaskingothersforadvice,favoursandservicesandinyourfollowupwiththem;

Withyourstyleofcommunicationinemails,lettersandonthephone;

EvenwiththereadingofthisHandbookworkouthoweachoftheideasandpointsaffectsyou,andhowcanyouoptimally

learn rom them.

How will you be systematic?

IN SUMMARY, BE FLEXIBLY SYSTEMATIC

To be successul you must be both systematic and fexible. You must always re-evaluate what you are doing and ask yoursel: is this

activity or idea benecial and essential in helping me to achieve my job-hunting and career aims?


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Section 1.5: Desire and Believe you

can win that great joband do not let

rejections deter you

Many great men and women aced many setbacks in lie beore nally

achieving success. Similarly when job-hunting, you will ace rejections

and setbacks. So oten this is just the law o supply and demand with too

many young people chasing the same graduate jobs in Malaysia, just like

elsewhere in the world. This makes skilled and proessional job-hunting

essential to enable you to stand out.

All the great sel-help and positive thinking gurus such as Anthony

Robbins and Napoleon Hill agree on one undamental truth: success,

particularly in the ace o repeated rejections, is rst and oremost the

result o your own belies and attitudes.

I you eel that you are receiving too many rejections, try to understand

why. I necessary, ask peoples advice and do not delay. I you are

unemployed, you cannot aord to be an unsuccessul job-hunter or too

long.

All the reasons or rejections should all into one o two o the ollowing

categories:

1) There are no job opportunities in the areas that you are ocusing

on;2) our presentation and other job-hunting skills need improving.

Be ready to constantly re-evaluate your entire job-hunting process in light

o the rejections that you may receive. Treat this Handbook as your guide

and keep reerring to its relevant sections or advice.

DESIRE IT! HAVE CLEAR DESIRES THAT YOU

REALLY WANT TO ACHIEVE

You must truly desire the outcome o such a job-hunting exercise. Youcannot state that you aspire to be a Junior Project Engineer, when in your

heart, you know that you really wish to work in a Sales and Marketing

role.

Its not whether y ou get

knocked down, its whether

you get up.- Vince Lombardi


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BELIEVE IT! YOU MUST BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN

ACHIEVE THESE AIMS AND DESIRES

Far too many job-seekers may say they want to nd a certain kind o

job, but inside they may not believe it is possible. When your belies arein alignment with your desires, you will discover that you can achieve

whatever you want to believe.

BE WORTH IT! YOU MUST FEEL WORTHY OF

ACHIEVING THESE AIMS AND DESIRES

Try nding riends and mentors who have positive attitudes to lie and ask

them to rearm these with you. Your level o belie in yoursel (and your

sel-worth) will be elt by all those with whom you connect in your job-

hunt. Just think o other examples o success and ailure in your lie, andtake a moment to refect on your levels o desire, belie and sel-worth

with respect to these situations.

PERSIST WITH IT! YOU MUST HOLD ONTO THESE

AIMS AND DESIRES

A ourth and absolutely essential component o achieving success in the

ace o set-backs, is to understand and act in the ull knowledge that

persistence is essential.

Activity: In what ways will you ensure that with

respect to your career and job-hunting aims and

targets that you truly: Desirethejobroleandcareer?

Believetheyareachievable?

Worthyofthekindsofrolesyouwant?

Persistinachievingyouraimsinspiteofrejections?


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SECTIONTWO CREATING AWINNING CAREER STRATEGY &

PLAN OF ACTION

To successully know where to look or a new job and to know that you

would be comortable with your choices, you need to take time out to

devise a plan.

Here is a simple and straightorward three stage process to help you to

get rom being a polytechnic student to becoming a successul employee

in your rst graduate job:

1. Whatdoyouenjoydoing?

2. Sensecheckingyourdirection

3. Creatingacareer&job-huntingroadmap

Man does not simply exist but

always decides what his existence

will be, what he will become in the

next moment.- Viktor Frankl

Choice not chance is the name ofthe game. - Anon


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Section 2.1: Stage One What Do

You Enjoy Doing?

So oten job-seekers lack a ocus in terms o what kinds o jobs and

careers they are looking to pursue. As a result, they ail to be convincing

in job interviews and risk acing a long job-hunt and a disappointing work

lie.

This section will help you to get in touch with your ideal career, by

helping you to identiy the activities that you are skilled at and highly

motivated to do.

WHAT IS MY DREAM JOB LIKE?

Try answering this undamental question by thinking through answers to

these related sub-questions, which will start allowing you to sense the

ideal career options or you:

Whenyouwerea child,whatdidyouwishtobecomewhenyou

were older; was it to be a doctor, reman, vet or soldier?

Haveyoueverhadanylifelongdreams,forinstance,toliveinthe

USA, to sail to Australia or to run a charity?

Howdo you enjoyspending your time?Youmust know! Is it by

sunbathing, being with your amily, reading sel-help books or

attending community unctions or doing charity work with children

perhaps?

Answers to these questions will help you to understand which activities

you eel good or passionate about doing. Logic dictates that your ideal job

should in some (at least small) way refect these choices. Psychologists

have shown that activities which you truly enjoy are those that you can

become very good at doing.

Based on experiences gained with your internships, work-based learning,

holiday jobs and studying, answer the ollowing two questions:

1. What kinds of work activities and work situations do youthinkyouwillmostenjoydoingandbeinginvolvedwith? (By

enjoyment, I reer to those tasks that you are happy and positive to

undertake, and to repeat i necessary.)

2. What kinds of work and studying activities have you been

mostsuccessfuldoingandbeinginvolvedwith?(By successul,

I mean achieving what was asked or expected o you you may or

may not have received explicit recognition.)

For each o these two questions, write down a separate list o answers.

You may wish to note why you enjoyed certain activities and also why

you were successul with the tasks. Your answers could cover any or all

o the ollowing:

If you dont know where you are

heading, no employer is going to

hire you to give you a lift to Dont

know where land!- Anon


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WorkthatIenjoydoing WorkthatIamsuccessfuldoing?

Whatkindsofworkenvironment? Do you think you will enjoy working in: a large oce or at home; a regional job with travel or

close to your amily; a multinational or small rm?

Whatkindsofpeopleconnectionsdoyouprefer? Working alone, with lots o colleagues or in a small team?

Whatkindsofactualwork? Is it working with a computer, with lots o writing, working with animals or oreign languages? Is it

outdoor or inside work, physical labour, high or low paid work? Is it contract work, a temporary job or charitable work?

Whatkindsofresponsibilities? For example: or a whole company, or a single project, or a simple repetitive task or or a sales

team and sales budget.

Whatkindsofcareergrowth? Are you aiming or a multinational career path, a two year contract, to work overseas or start your

own business?

Whatkindsof ambitions? Do you want to become head o a research or o a sales team; to become the manager o a certain

department; to start-up business or to earn RM150,000 per year?

Here is an example o how your two lists may appear:

Your lists could be as short or as long as you deem necessary. They are ater all unique to you. Only you truly know what activities

and situations you have enjoyed and excelled in during your working lie.

Activity Create your own two lists:

WorkthatIenjoydoing WorkthatIamsuccessfuldoing?

Workingwithpeople Sellingmyideas

Beinginpartofalargegroup Convincingpeople

Workingoutdoors Finishingworkontime

Workinglonghours Learningnewthings

TravellinginMalaysiaandinSEAsia LeadingResearchprojects


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CREATING YOUR OWN CAREER MISSION STATEMENT

The next step is to take both o these lists and create your career mission statement.

This is a description o the ideal work and career scenario you wish to achieve. Having a career mission statement which you arepassionate about will make your job-hunting much easier. Those with whom you communicate will sense your clarity and passion

about the work and career direction you are aiming or.

Here are two examples o Career Mission Statements. Each persons statement is very unique to them and there are no right or

wrong answers as such.

My ideal job would be based in Penang and would involve being involved in planning construction projects. I would like to have a

role involving travel and lots o people interaction and the role should not conne me indoors.

I wish to become an IT consultant who works with a team o programmers in a multinational company. I am happy to be based

anywhere in Malaysia or possibly in Singapore. I would like a role which will oer some career progression and the opportunity to

work with global teams.

ACTIVITY CREATE YOUR OWN CAREER MISSION STATEMENT

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Ater writing down your own statement, read it to your riends and discuss what you have written. Rene your career mission

statement as oten as you wish.

In addition to seeking advice and input o riends, you may wish to consider some ormal testing in the orm o personality proling

or psychometric tests. Such behavioural assessment tools are oten quite inexpensive and available through the Internet. These

tests would ask you a series o questions about your preerences in order to produce a set o results, which helps to give you a

picture o your character traits, personality, suitable careers and work style.

A simple assessment is given on the ollowing pages or you to complete. It is a simple version o a well-known test known as the

DISC Personality Assessment which looks at a persons 4 key sot skills in the areas o:

Drive

Inuence

Steadiness

Compliance

Detailed denitions are given at the end o the assessment.


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ACTIVITY - ASSESSING YOUR PERSONALITY AND LEADERSHIP STYLE (DISC)

Step One Instructions:

In the spaces provided for each horizontal line of four words, decide which words best describe you.

Write a 4 for the word that most describes you, a 3 for the next most accurate word, a 2 for the third most descriptiveand a 1 or the least descriptive word.

When completed please add up the total numbers in each column.

Column1: Column2: Column3: Column4:

Argumentative Impulsive Disciplined Timid

Competitive Creative Precise Satised

Direct Convincing Steady Long suering

Risk taker Animated Wants acts Submissive

Opinionated Entertaining Conservative Obliging

Outspoken Cheerul Dependable Sympathetic

Venturesome Well-liked Precise Risk avoider

Tenacious Condent Methodical Lenient

Daring Expressive Logical Non-assertive

Forceul Foreront Loyal Easy-going

Demanding Imaginative Even-temper Over-riendly

Decisive Poised Predictable Agreeable

Open Cordial Detailed Accepting

Goal-oriented Outgoing Controlled Casual

Domineering Optimistic Organized Calm

Aggressive Extroverted Particular Non-combative

Independent Magnetic Distance Willing

Persistent Flashy Thorough Status quo

Eager Sensitive Conscientious Humble

Determined Gregarious Security Conorming

Restless Conceited Stable Good ollower

Sel-motivated Popular Serious Cautious

Sel-assured Sociable Sceptical Amiable

TOTAL: TOTAL: TOTAL: TOTAL:


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ACTIVITY - ASSESSING YOUR PERSONALITY AND LEADERSHIP STYLE (CONTINUED)

Step Two Instructions:

Put an X by the score for each of the four parts (D, I, S & C) on the score sheet graph below

Connect the four crosses with lines to create a line graph

SCORE Column1Total Column2Total Column3Total Column4Total

SHEET D=Drive I=Inuence S=Steadiness C=Compliance

80 or more

79

78

77

76

75

74

73 72

71

70

69

68

67

66

65

64

63

62

61 60

59

58

57

56

55

54

53

52

51

50

49 48

47

46

45

44

43

42

41

40

39

38

37

36

35

34 or less


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ACTIVITY - ASSESSING YOUR PERSONALITY AND LEADERSHIP STYLE (CONTINUED)

Step Three Instructions:

Basedonthescoresinthefourcolumnsyoucanseeifyouarehigh(over50)orlow(under50)onthefoursoftskilltraits.

Belowarethedenitionsofeachofthe4traitsalongwithdescriptionsofwhatyouarelikedependingonyourscores.

D-DRIVE

GeneralCharacteristics:

Key Words: Direct. Decisive. High Ego Strength. Problem Solver. Risk Taker. Sel Starter

People who score high in the intensity o the D styles actor are very active in dealing with problems and challenges, while low

D scores are people who want to do more research beore committing to a decision. High D people are described as demanding,

orceul, egocentric, strong willed, driving, determined, ambitious, aggressive, and pioneering. Low D scores describe those who

are conservative, low keyed, cooperative, calculating, undemanding, cautious, mild, agreeable, modest and peaceul.

I-INFLUENCEGeneralCharacteristics:

Key Words: Enthusiastic. Trusting; Optimistic. Persuasive; Talkative. Impulsive; Emotional

People with high I scores infuence others through talking and activity and tend to be emotional. They are described as convincing,

magnetic, political, enthusiastic, persuasive, warm, demonstrative, trusting, and optimistic. Those with low I scores infuence

more by data and acts, and not with eelings. They are described as refective, actual, calculating, skeptical, logical, suspicious,

matter o act, pessimistic, and critical.

S-STEADINESS


Key Words: Good listener; Team player. Possessive. Steady; Predictable. Understanding; Friendly.

People with high S styles scores want a steady pace, security, and do not like sudden change. High S individuals are calm,

relaxed, patient, possessive, predictable, deliberate, stable, consistent, and tend to be unemotional and poker aced. Low S

intensity scores are those who like change and variety. People with low S scores are described as restless, demonstrative,

impatient, eager, or even impulsive.

C-COMPLIANCE


Key Words: Accurate; analytical. Conscientious; careul. Fact-nder; precise. High standards; systematic.

People with high C styles adhere to rules, regulations, and structure. They like to do quality work and do it right the rst time. High

C people are careul, cautious, exacting, neat, systematic, diplomatic, accurate, and tactul. Those with low C scores challenge

the rules and want independence and are described as sel-willed, stubborn, opinionated, unsystematic, arbitrary, and unconcerned

with details.


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Section 2.2: Sense Checking Your

Direction

Having worked through the last section, you will have determined the

kinds o work that you preer to do and in which you are successul.

Beore embarking upon a search or this ideal work, you must clariy what

you are looking or, and sense check that you have the necessary skills.

You should also work out the path, starting rom what you have been

doing up until today, and leading to what you wish to embark upon in

the uture.

In addition, you are encouraged to also carry out a reality check that what

you wish to oer an employer ts with what opportunities actually exist.

The future belongs to those who

believe in the beauty of their

dreams. - Eleanor Roosevelt

GET A FOCUS AND CHOOSE CLEAR DIRECTIONS AHEAD

As a starting point, write down answers to the ollowing questions. Whilst refecting upon these questions you may decide to review

and update your Career Mission Statement. Be as open, refective and pragmatic as possible during this entire process. Write down

your answers and notes to each o these questions noting what missing inormation you may need to look or and nd.

1) Do I look or a new job which is exactly using my diploma/certicate studies and/or is exactly like my internship job

experience?

______________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

2) Do I need to study more beore entering the workorce? (Full-time or Part-time)

______________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

3) Do I move towards sel-employment and start my own business?

______________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

4) Do I seek a ull-time job or do I wish to nd a temporary, part-time, contract or interim kind o role?

______________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

5) What kinds o job roles and job unctions do I aim to work in?

______________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

6) Which industry or related groups o companies (such as, energy companies or the advertising industry) do I wish to work

in?

______________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

7) What other changes are necessary to help me work towards my career mission statement? (e.g. move to Kuala Lumpur)

______________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________


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Section 2.3: Creating A Career & Job-

Hunting Road Map

Having created and sense checked your Career Mission Statement you

now need to draw up an action plan which maps out how you will move

rom being a graduating student today to working in your dream job.

I call this action planning your Career & Job-Hunting Road Map. There

will inevitably be overlap between your career mission statement and

this road map. Ater all, the ormer is a picture o your ideal uture career

and lie scenario, while the latter should be viewed as a realistic plan to

move you rom where you are today in Politeknik Malaysia, towards your

preerred career in the working world.

This road map covers all aspects o your job-hunting and career planningand must be updated as needed. The plan would cover things such as

your preerred work locations, timing, job titles and roles and types o

employers.

Here is an example o a career and job-hunting road map:

IwillusemyremainingtimeatPoliteknikMalaysiatolearnmore

about Malaysian companies in my eld o study (e.g. civil engineering

or hospitality).

Iwillndoutwhatkindsofrolesmaybeavailableforgraduates

such as mysel.

IamhappytoworkanywhereinWestMalaysiabutideallybasedin

Johor Bahru.

Iamopenastothelevelofsalarybutreallyneedastartingbase

salary o at least RM900 per month to cover my basic costs.

Iwill aimto geta role with a large companyon their graduate

training scheme and to stay with this organization or at least 2-3

years gaining excellent work experience.

ImaythenneedtostudyforaBScdegreeinmyeldinordertogrow

my career.

Ihopetobecomeamanagerinabout4-5yearstime.

Your career road map should be adjusted to deal with any hurdles that

you may ace. As an example your ideal job vacancies may not exist

because o a recession, which may entail you needing to accept other

jobs until such time as the economy improves.

Life is a sum of all your

choices. - Albert Camus


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I your chosen path requires that you make uncomortable or unpopular short-term job choices, you can and should accept them

knowing that you are working towards a bigger goal.

You have to be willing to learn as you go along, particularly in the ace o rejections. Rejections are not a reason to give up on your

career road map plans and your desires to achieve your career mission statement. Rejections are rather sources o inormation to

allow you to ne-tune and to reassess all aspects o your plans. I term this process being fexibly persistent.

As you move orward with your job-hunt, be prepared to review, assess and regularly update your two interconnected career tools:

YourCareerMissionStatementshowingwhereyouwanttobewithyourcareer.

YourCareer&Job-HuntingRoadMapshowinghowyouwillgetthere.

ACTIVITY WRITE DOWN A FIRST DRAFT OF YOUR CAREER & JOB-HUNTING ROAD MAP

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________


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SECTIONTHREE HOW TO FINDAND CONNECT WITH POTENTIAL

EMPLOYERS

Finding, choosing and connecting with companies and organizations that

may have job-openings suitable or you is a key part o your job-hunting

process.

Although your Polytechnic may be able to actively help introduce you to

hiring companies, you cannot rely on passively waiting or this to happen.

There are simply too many graduating students each year and you need

to stand out rom the crowd.


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Section 3.1: Networking & Connecting

WHY YOU NEED TO NETWORK?

Networking is a word that describes the process o connecting with and

communicating with other people. And quite simply, you need to network

because you cannot rely upon any other orm o job-hunting to ensure

success. Having drawn up your career mission statement and career &

job-hunting road map, you now need to communicate with people who

may be able to guide you towards your ideal job opportunities.

Too many job-hunters rely on applying or jobs that are advertised in the

classied sections o newspapers, or only on the Internet job sites. Others

send out their resumes to a lot o recruitment agencies and search rms,

or just post them on Internet jobsites without doing any ollow-up.

In my experience, ar too many job-seekers rely upon this game o

throwing around their resume. When I meet such people, I ask them to

tell me the names o the people who have received their resume. They

oten reply that they cannot, because they applied to blind ads or to

organizations rather than to individuals. How can you eectively ollow

up on your application i you do not know the names o the people who

may (and I stress, only may) have glanced at your resume details?

The only way to succeed is to determine what are the names and contact

details o all the individuals who have the power to hire you. You mustthen contact them individually and directly. It is not what you know but

who you know and how you communicate with them that matters.

The other job-hunting methods do have a part to play and can lead to

success, but only they will not ensure you o success.

WHY BE SYSTEMATIC AND THOROUGH IN YOUR

NETWORKING?

Finding out the names o such people involves lots o research, otenusing the Internet, and persistence. This is where the Polytechnics

Career Guidance oces can be very helpul and supportive. Names could

also be given to you by reerrals, or by calling companies receptionists

and asking or the name o a certain manager (e.g. HR Manager).

Keep a diary or personal organizer (on paper or on the computer) and

record the details o everybody that you have already contacted, and also

those that you plan to contact. Write-down:

Whowascontacted;

Whatwassharedanddiscussed;

Whatfollow-upisnecessary;

Whenmustyoure-contactwiththemandwhy?

Everybody knows at least 250

people and is only, at most, seven

people away from contacting

anyone. - John Fuhrman


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HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU FIND POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS?

You might strike lucky very early in your job-hunt and by some simple research or reerral, be able to quickly be oered a great job.

But i you are not so lucky you will have to be ready to work hard. Remember that I have already warned you, that job-hunting is a

ull-time job!

Here are some extra tips which I have learned that may prove invaluable to you:

Applyto organizationsthatyouwouldliketoworkfor,eveniftheyhavenoknownjobopenings.Thiswillinvolvea lotof

research into relevant industry sectors and individual companies.

Donotignoresmallandmediumsizedcompanieswhenchoosingcompaniestocontact.

Aimtospeakwithasmanypeopleaspossibleintheorganizationsthatyouarecontacting.

Keeprecordsofthepeoplethatyoucontacting,notingwhoiswillingtomeetwithyou,andwhatyousaidinordertoachieve

those ace to ace meetings. This allows you to understand how you can ensure success in the uture when cold-calling.

Do not be araid o cold-calling people (i.e. contacting strangers). Most job-seekers are reluctant to actively contact strangers

because it involves the risk o being rejected. I have heard so many people nding excuses or not trying to locate and introduce

themselves to this group o people. But ailing to communicate with this group is like saying I do not wish to talk with potential

employers!

ONCE YOU ARE FACE TO FACE, OR ON THE PHONE, WITH A POTENTIAL EMPLOYER, WHAT

SHOULD YOU SAY?

Bepoliteandconvincinganddonotwastethetimeoftheotherperson.Askifthepersonhasafewminutesfreeorwhether

you should call back.

Aimtoshareyour20-secondssalespitch(seenextsection)sothatthepotentialemployerknowsexactlywhyyouarespeaking

with him, and also why he or she should be willing to meet with you. Usethetelephonewellbysoundingverycondentandpositive.Useamirrorasyouspeaktoallowyoutoseehowyouare

coming across to the other person.

Trytomeetasmanycontactsaspossible.Askthemforashortmeeting(saytwentyminutes)toallowyoutosharehowyoucan

help.

Trytoshowthatyouareinterestingandthatyoucanbringvaluetothepersonandhisorhercompany.

Thankthepersonandlatersendathank-younote/email(asappropriate).


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Section 3.2: Using Job-hunting websites, databases & portals

Today so much o your career planning and job-hunting can be carried out on the internet.

Howtoresearchandlearnmoreaboutpossibleemployers? using web search engines is an easy way to nd out all kindso inormation about companies. The benets o such inormation sources are very clear but there are some downsides:

Allofyourfellowclassmateswillbelookingforandreadingthesameinformation.

Smallercompaniesandorganizations(calledSMEsorSMIs)areoftennotonthewebtothesameextentasthelargerlocaland

oreign groups.

Sometimesinformationonthewebcanbewrongandshouldbesensechecked.Itisoftenoutofdate.

Howtooptimallyuseotherdatabases? it is important to understand what kinds o inormation exists in your Polytechnics

Careers Oces. There could be inormation on Malaysian companies, actual employers o Polytechnic students and details about

where Alumni are working. Alumni make great reerrals and contacts.

Howtosuccessfullyapplyforjobsonjobwebsites/portals? virtually every Polytechnic, University and Community College

student in Malaysia will apply or at least one job on some o the leading jobs portals such as jobstreet.com, jobsdb.com and

monster.com. The secrets o succeeding with such web-based job applications include:

Ensuringthatyourinformationiscorrectwithoutanyspellingorgrammarmistakesifnecessaryasksomeonetocheckfor

you.

KeepingyourinformationandCV/Resumeupdated.

Beingquiteparticularaboutthekindsofjobsthatyouapplyfor.

Donotrelyuponthesewebsitesforsuccesssincesomanycandidateswouldbeapplyingforthesamejobsasyougivingyou

only a small probability o success.


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CLASSIFIED JOB ADVERTS IN PRINT MEDIA

For the majority o graduate job-hunters, they associate applying or jobs advertised in newspapers (and on the Internet) as the main

part o any job-hunting process.

Hopeully, you now realize how much o a lottery this can be! Statistics vary by job, but on average a classied job advert can attract

anything rom ty to one thousand replies rom applicants.

So many job-seekers complain o having applied or dozens o jobs that were advertised in various classieds and o never getting

any responses.

Even i you choose to apply or jobs advertised in classied advertisements, do try to avoid blind adverts where you do not know

the name o the person you are applying to.

Are you ready to apply or jobs advertised in newspapers and on-line?

RECRUITMENT FIRMS

Investigate which recruitment rms should have your resume and then proactively beriend them with regular and riendly

communication you need them to think o you as soon as one o their clients has an assignment. Far too many job-hunters simply

mail, ax or email their resumes to a large and ad hoc selection o recruitment rms. They then silently sit back and await requests

or interviews and or job opportunities to be presented to them. These job-hunters typically become very rustrated when they

rarely hear anything back rom any o these recruitment rms. Certain rms may send you a thank-you

email or letter, and occasionally others may see your resume and call you to learn more.

Recruitmentagencies

For your levels o roles you should apply to Recruitment Agencies rather than to Executive Search rm which deal with more senior

candidates.

Firms such as Adecco, Kelly and Manpower would all into this category o Recruitment Agencies. They provide a walk-in interview

approach, whereby job-seekers can apply in person without an appointment.

Which recruitment agencies will you approach and apply to? How do you plan to do this?

ETIQUETTE AND GOOD MANNERS

Please be aware that whenever you contact someone with a view to seeking job-hunting related help or avours and, in the case orecruiters, hiring managers and interviewers, you have to remember that their time is limited and valuable.

Do you have and always practice good etiquette and good manners?

Section 3.3: Other Job-Hunting

Sources

I strongly suggest that you spend at least three quarters o your time

networking with potential employers, and only the remaining quarter

o your time on the sources detailed in this section and the previous

section.

Cover all your bases!


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SECTIONFOUR JOB-HUNTINGMECHANICS

This section could be viewed as the nuts and bolts o job-hunting. It oers

specic advice to those o you who want to nd a job.

Give me a fulcrum, a lever and a

place to stand and I will move the

world. - Archimedes


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Activity: Drat your own 20-seconds Sales Pitch:

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________


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_

Section 4.2: Your Resume Is Your

SalespersonYour resume is a summary o You and it enables you to get in the door

o a company or an interview. It will not get you a job, but a poorly

created resume will denitely deny you the chance o both an interview

and the job!

THEIDEALRESUMEFORMAT (see the two examples at the end o

this section)

There must be No spelling or grammar mistakes on your resume this

is easier said then done, but worth the extra eort! Ask riends to check

Even when not present, you

can be noticed.

your resume.

Haveasummaryprole this should capture your key, positive points and is based on your 20-seconds sales pitch. You should

also add any notable and relevant achievements and qualications. It should be written in a way that sells you well. The cover letter

would normally use similar wording (see the next sector).

I you have some interesting and relevant work experience, you could place it beore your educational details on your resume.

Have a clearly presented work experience section putting the jobs in order, with the most recent rst. Show the months and years

o starting and nishing with each employer. Have one-liners describing each employer and its business nature. For each job held,

describe your job role and its responsibilities in a short paragraph. There is no ideal length and common sense should prevail.

Your education section on your resume should be clear and show any achievements e.g. completion o relevant projects or teams

that you might have led.

Here is a checklist o more resume dos and donts:

Clearlywritten - remember at all times when creating a resume, that it must be a air refection o yoursel. A messy and long

resume suggests a very long-winded and unocused writer! Be sure that each sentence and paragraph reads very clearly.

Keepitononeortwopages many resumes are too long and can be up to ve to teen pages in length. You may eel that

you need so much space to sell yoursel, but recruiters and hiring managers do not! We do not have the time to lea through a

book!

Keeptheformatsimple use Oce Word with a ont style like Arial, in a size o 10 to 12, using black and no colour. Be sure

that the inormation easily ts on two pages.

Chooseaclient-friendlylename or sot copies o your resume which is helpul to the recipients who will read your

emailed resume attachment. How can such a recipient easily nd your resume later? An ideal le name could be: Resume o

, updated MM/YY. As an example, I may write or mysel: Resume o Nigel J. Cumberland, updated 05/10. For

ull name, I suggest you write down the name that allows people to easily remember who you are.

Otherdetails there is no need to mention salary details, salary expectations, reerences or availability unless asked; these

things change and your resume may sit on someones desk or some time awaiting attention. When creating hard copies o your

resume, use nice quality white paper with matching envelopes. In my opinion, there is no need to include your photograph on

your resume. But others would suggest that you should. This is your choice.

ACTIVITYDOPLEASEUPDATEANDDOUBLECHECKYOURRESUME!AREYOUTRULYSATISFIEDTHATITSHOWSYOUINANOPTIMALLIGHT?


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Examples o well written Resumes/CVs

Section 4.3: Cover Letters, Emails &

Everything matters and the little

things do count in life.

Thank-You Notes

THE COVER LETTER

A good cover letter may or may not help you but a bad one can deny you a job interview, even i your resume is excellent. An

ideal cover letter should be short and to the point, giving a summary o yoursel and o why you are applying to that employer or

recruiter.

Your own address/ telephone number/ email

Date

Dear Mr Hamid,

Application to join Alpha Company

I would like to apply or the position o Sales Account Manager that you

advertised in the Star on April 16th 2011.

I have a diploma in Mechanical Engineering rom ABC Polytechnic and had an internship in a project management team with a

division of XYZ company in Penang. I am a uent in English and am looking to bring my good technical and people skills to work in

design engineering.

I very much look orward to having a meeting with you.

Regards,

John James


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STUDENTS TO CHECK THEM AND TO COMMENT

ON HOW EFFECTIVE THEY ARE

Section 4.4: All Impressions Count

First impressions are

important, but all impressions

count orget this at your peril!

Getting your body language and voice in order is essential i you wish to make a positive and lasting impression, no matter whether

on the phone, at a networking event or during an interview.

We talk about rst impressions and certainly people do orm opinions about each other as soon as they have met. However I

maintain that all impressions count and you should always be on your guard. You never know i the person you meet in the lit on

the way to an interview or networking unction, may one day be actually interviewing you or a new job.

The advice in this chapter is equally relevant or those o you choosing the option o sel-employment where you will have to make

sales presentations, and rst impressions will be as important as they are or job-seekers.

Arriveearlyforanyevents arriving early to any interviews or networking events gives you plenty o time to cool down and to use

the toilet. Sweating in an interview or needing to go to the bathroom will denitely aect your composure and your perormance.

Do realize that you must be comortable with your own style and the ollowing list o advice should serve only as a guide and not

as a must-do list.

Pleasereectuponandanswerthesequestions?

Doyouunderstandyourownbodylanguage? start to understand how you move your hands, eyes, head and body when

speaking or listening to someone aim to be calm, still and relaxed as much as possible. You can learn lots o optimal body

language on the web.

Doyousmileandprojectapositiveattitude? wear clothes that you eel good about wearing.

Doyoualwayssoundhappyandcondent? try speaking on the phone while looking at yoursel in a mirror. Make sure that

you are smiling.

Doyoumaintainaprofessionalbodyposture? when meeting somebody, be sure to walk condently up to them oering your

hand and keeping eye contact. Your handshake should be rm but not too strong. Wait until you are oered a seat.

Onceseateddoyou? maintain eye contact, sit upright, and occasionally lean orward a little to show your interest in the

conversation. Try to avoid moving your arms about, and ideally keep your arms and legs unolded.

Howwelldoyoulisten? be sure to breathe calmly, listening (and showing that you are listening) at all times. I asked a

question, pause beore answering since this shows that you are listening and also shows respect to the other person.

Do you make sure that you wear business attire? remember that an art studio job interview would require quite a dierent dress

code compared to an interview with an investment bank or with a manuacturing site.


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Section 4.5: Interviewing with

Success

Ater interviewing hundreds o job-hunters, I have realized that very ew

people interview well. This long section identies the key areas to ocus

on to help improve your interviewing skills. This advice is also applicable

to any meetings or chance encounters you may have with any potential

employers and recruiters.

CARRY OUT RESEARCH BEFORE THE INTERVIEW

It is incredible how many people attend interviews without having visited

the potential employers own website. You should go one step urther and

search or the companys inormation on a search engine such as www.

google.com.

In addition be sure to conrm the date, time and location o the interview.

In addition, try to learn as much as possible about the interviewer and

the organization.

PRACTISE AND REFINE YOUR 20-SECONDS SALES

PITCH

Work out how you will impress the client by dening which o your

strengths and past successes will be relevant to the role that you are

being interviewed or. Remember, and read again, any communications

that you have had with this potential employer (and interviewer).

Hopeully, you sent them a cover letter and resume which was specically

aimed at showing you in the most eective light to impress this client. I

not do not worry, but be sure to make your answers and comments during

the interview are congruent with what you have already communicated

with this company. The key will be your 20-seconds sales pitch and being

able to expand upon the contents o this pitch

when required.

Try to avoid creating conusion and lack o clarity. For example, in a

telephone conversation you say that you are open on salary level and

to relocation, and then during the interview, you say that your minimum

salary expectation is RM90,000 per annum and that you must be located

in Kuantan. This is a sure way o being rejected!

UNDERSTAND AND LOOK FOR THE KEY

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

You will discover that nearly all interview questions are based on the

ollowing core questions, which any potential employer would need to

Preparation and planning are

everything ask any che.


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have answered beore they could hire you. These core questions are the key considerations that would be going through the mind o

any interviewer. With some careul listening and common sense, you will be able to relate any questions that you

are actually asked with one or more o these core questions. The key is to answer the question asked and be sure to address the

underlying core question as well i necessary.

The our key interview questions are listed here:

1)Whyareyoujob-hunting(andsittinginfrontofme)?

This core question underlies the ollowing kinds o questions:

Whyareyoujob-hunting?

Whydidyouloseyourlastjob?

Wereyoucompetent?

Didyoufalloutwithyourboss?

Whyareyouinterestedinmycompanyandthisjob?

2)Canyoutintoourjobopeningandcompany?

This core question underlies a question such as:

Whatkindofexperiencedoyouhave?

This would lead into certain technical or job specic questions.

In addition the interviewer may ask:

Whatareyourstrengthsandweaknesses?

You have to assume that such a question relates to your strengths and weaknesses in a work context.

The interviewer is probably thinking thoughts such as:

WillthiscandidatescrewupandfailifIhirehim?

Whatwillmybossandcolleaguesndwronginhimwhentheymeethim?

3)Howwillyougetonwithpeopleinmycompany?

This key question is at the heart o these questions:

Howdoyoumanageandmotivatestaff?

Areyougoodatmotivatingyourteam?

Howdidyougetonwithyourlastboss?

4)IfImakeyouanofferwillyouacceptandbeacceptedbyothersinmycompany?

This core question is behind these kinds o questions and thoughts:

Whatareyoursalaryexpectations?

Haveyoubeenjob-huntinglong?

Whatkindsofrolesareyoulookingfor?

Whencanyoustart?

Willyoupassourmedical?

Doyouhaveanynon-competeclauses?

Doyouhaverefereesthatwecouldcontact?

Whatwouldtheysayaboutyou?


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Willmybosslikeyouinthenextinterview?

PREPARE WHAT YOU WILL TAKE TO THE

INTERVIEW

I would suggest that you take the ollowing with you:

Detailsofwheretheinterviewis and also the contact numbers: it is

surprising how many candidates get lost and arrive late!

Paperwork take two neat copies o your resume; any helpul evidence

o your past successes; copies o any reerences; contact details o your

reerees; and any copies o certicate and qualications. Do not bring

out any o this material unless asked or unless it is clearly suitable and

helpul or you to do so.

Anicepenandpadofpaper which you may bring out to make any

important notes.

Alistofquestions which i there were time and it were appropriate,

you may ask in the interview. Such questions would typically revolve

around the company and the role. O course, they should be questions

whose answers are not sitting on the rst page o the companys website!

Suggestions or sensible and intelligent sounding questions you could

ask are:

Whatarethepromotionandcareeropportunitiesofferedbyyourcompany?

Whatisthenextstageofthisrecruitmentprocess?

Would the role that you have in mind for me, need lling

immediately?

Whatisthecompanyculturelike?

In summary, the more prepared you are, the better will be your actual

perormance in the interview.

IN ANSWERING INTERVIEW QUESTIONS, PUT

YOURSELF INTO YOUR INTERVIEWERS SHOES

Aim to answer any question with a short answer which should be a

maximum o two minutes long practice this with riends or in ront o a

mirror. Avoid putting yoursel down or revealing your weaknesses.

You may think that this is dicult when asked a question along the lines

o, What are your strengths and weaknesses? In my experience, it is

best to answer this question by giving two or three strengths and then

to turn one or more o these strengths into weaknesses. You could say

something like this:My strengths are that I am very results orientated, I manage and motivate

people well, and am very adaptable. In terms o weaknesses, I cannot

think o anything obvious, but I certainly would not perorm so well in a

role where there were no clearly dened perormance

targets to achieve.

You will realize that this kind o weakness is not

so serious compared to saying something like, I

have a short temper and I never listen to peoples

opinions! Common sense should tell you to avoid

such comments.

ADDITIONAL ADVICE ON HOW TO

PERFORM WELL IN AN INTERVIEW

Make a good impression when you are being

introduced to your

interviewer, remember about making a good

impression. Do not orget the essentials in terms o

eye contact, handshakes and posture. Both at the start

and during the interview, minimize small talk with your

interviewer.

An interview is a two way business conversation do

let the interviewer lead with the questions, but realize

that both parties need to make decisions.

Firstly,theinterviewerneedstofeelthatyouare

a sae bet. Interviewers tend to look or similar

positive attributes and qualities, namely, problem

solving, customer ocused, results orientated,good communication skills and being a team

player. They also want to know that you will easily

t into their organization and into a particular

role.

Secondly, you need to know i the job and employer

are the right choice or you. You will need to address

the ollowing kinds o considerations:

Doesthecompanyfeelright?

Whatkindofculturedoesithave?

Did the interviewer (his personality, questionsand style)

makeyoufeelgoodaboutthecompany?

Whatconcernsdoyouhave?

Listen well to the questions remember the

advice I gave earlier in this section about the types o

questions that you should expect. Aim to answer any

question in a maximum o two minutes and eel ree to

ask the interviewer: Would you like me to share more

about this experience or this example?

Realize that moments o silence are OK and you should

not rush to ll them.


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Be ready to illustrate your successes aim to demonstrate the ollowing

strengths, and to eed these points into any relevant answers and

comments that you give:

goodteamplayer;

abletoworkindependently;

effectiveproblemsolver;

resultsorientated;

goodwithpeople(bothbosses,colleaguesandownstaff).

Betactfulaboutsalaryexpectations i the interviewer asks you

about salary, try to avoid giving a single gure as the minimum that you

would accept. Try to say things like: I am fexible and would hope or a

market level o remuneration, or I understand that your salary range or

this role is XXX to XXX, and this is in line with my expectations. Rely on

your common sense to guide you through this tricky topic.

Activityreadthroughthesequestionsandthinkofanswers.

Ideally speak them out loud to a riend, who can pretend to interview you.

Try answering in both Bahasa and also in English!

MotivationalQuestions

1. What caused you to enter your eld o study?

2. What is it that interested you in your studies?

3. What is your ideal job?

4. What do you want most rom a job?

5. What position and salary would you like ve years rom now?

6. How long would you stay i this job were oered?

ExperienceQuestions

1. What can you oer to this company?

2. What type o supervisor do you preer?

3. What type o working conditions do you preer?

4. Why have you changed jobs so requently?

5. Have you ever been red or asked to resign?

6. Who has exercised the greatest infuence over

you and how?

7. How many people have you supervised?

8. What are your greatest accomplishments to

date?

9. What are your major strengths?

10. What are you major weaknesses?

11. What duties in the past have you liked best/leastand why?

12. What other positions are you considering?

13. What do you consider the greatest crisis youve

ever aced?

14. Why are there gaps in your resume?

15. Why did you leave your previous jobs?

16. What did you like least about your last job?

EducationalQuestions

1. Describe your education?

2. What honours did you earn?

3. What special training have you had or this job?

4. What was your class standing?

5. What course did you like best/least and why?


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SalaryQuestions

1. What salary are you looking or?

2. What is the minimum salary you will consider?

3. What is your pay salary history over the last ve years?

4. Why do you believe you are worth this much?

5. We cant pay you what you wish.

Would you be willing to start lower?

OtherQuestions

1. What public gures do you admire most and why?

2. What books have you read in the past three months?

3. What periodicals do you subscribe to?

4. What are your hobbies?5. What organizations do you belong to?

6. What do you think your co-workers think o you?

7. How is your health?

8. Will you relocate?

9. Who would you give as character reerences?

10. Will you be able to travel?

11. Would you be concerned about a ull background investigation?

12. How many hours do you think a person should devote to a job?

13. Do you preer to work independently or as part o a team?

14. What kind o individual do you work with best?

15. Would you rather have a secure job or one in which you sink or swim?

16. What kind o leader are you?

17. What is your management style? What do you preer?

18. How would you describe your personality?

19. What kinds o people do you like to work with?

20. Have you ever red anyone? Have you ever been red?

21. I you could start again, what would you do dierently?

22. What other companies and jobs are you considering?

23. How do you respond to pressure?

24. How much money have you ever been accountable or?

25. Describe several problems youve had in your career. How did you solve them?26. Do you know what kind o position you are looking or?


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Section 4.6: Ater the interview and

the Job Oer

I have seen ar too many job-seekers all at the last hurdle in their quest

or that ideal, new job.

THANK-YOU NOTES

Ater any interviews or meetings (no matter how short), ollow up with an

appropriate email, thank-you letter or phone call to the interviewer and

potential employer.

I you are working through a recruiter with regards to a potential employer,

call him/her immediately ater any interview with that potential employer.

This allows you to share your eedback and to encourage the recruiter to

obtain some eedback rom the interviewer.

PLANNING FOR ADDITIONAL INTERVIEWS

I urther interviews or meetings are arranged or you (or even requested

by you), take them all seriously and prepare in a similar manner to the way

I have proposed or your initial interviews. Even i a potential employer

says just to pop over and meet some o your potential, new colleagues

over coee, treat this as an interview.

In preparing or urther interviews one thing that may change is your

choice o questions. You must remember that you need to nd out as

much as possible, to allow you to make an inormed decision i you were

to receive a job oer.

Whatever you start, finish well!


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REFEREES

Reerees exist to make sure that an employer will hire you or a role that

you wish to accept. As such, they should not be contacted by too manypotential employers, sometimes the reerees will become tired o giving

out reerences.

Only share the names o reerees when a potential employer (or recruiter)

asks, and when you eel comortable doing so. Do warn the reeree i he

is going to receive a telephone call or email, letting him know who may

be contacting him and why. It is wise to choose some reerees early in

your job-hunt process and this choice should orm part o your career road

map and networking exercises. You should choose up to three people with

whom you have worked (or studied with i you are a recent graduate).

Ideally all o them should be your lecturers, ex-Internships bosses

and superiors, but even more importantly, you should choose reerees

who will say positive things about you as a person and about you as

a successul employee (or student). It is advisable to share your career

mission statement and your career road map with them. As stated earlier,

your reerees may even serve as good sounding boards in the drawing up

o your job-hunting strategy.

REJECTIONS

As you may have already experienced, most people most o the time

will receive rejections or silence in response to their job applications.

Deal with them politely and i you have already been interviewed by the

potential employer who rejected you, write them a thanks or your time

and keep in touch kind o note. You never know when your paths may

cross again.

I you are working through a recruiter, make sure that you nd out as much

as possible about why you were rejected. Unortunately, recruiters are

not always so interested or helpul to nd out and share such inormation

with you.

RECEIVING A JOB OFFER

Moving onto the good news o being given a job oer; this would typically

be given to you over the phone via the recruiter or directly by the potential

employer.

I would strongly recommend that upon receiving the oer (with or without

ull details o the employment oer), act happy and positive but do not

rush in to accepting the oer. Try to ask or a written oer letter showingthe proposed salary details and other key terms, although I realize that

an employer would normally try to agree the details with you, beore

committing anything to paper.

Ask yoursel which questions you eel need answering

by your potential employer, to help you to arrive at

a decision. I working through a recruiter, seek their

counsel and advice remembering that they need to

place you in order to earn a ee. Do ask them i they

have another equally strong candidate that the client

is considering (even at the job oer stage): nothing is

perect on the job-hunting ront!

These are possible issues or you to ponder:

Areyoudesperateforajobbutnotcomfortable

with this oer?

Doyouneedtolearnmoreaboutthecompanyor

job (perhaps a job description) in order to make an

inormed decision?

Do you have any other job leads that lookpromising? How do you compare these jobs?

SALARY NEGOTIATIONS

This is likely to be a serious issue i the salary package

on oer is less than you hoped or and this could

make you eel undervalued. As a rule take your time

and sleep upon any salary oers. Understand the

breakdown o any oers in terms o base, commission,

bonus, share options and any other benets.


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EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT QUESTIONS

Have a good look at your new contract and seek advice i necessary.

Try to ocus on the key issues particularly when giving eedback to yourpotential employer.

Only you can determine which points are o concern to some the length

o a probation period could be a problem, but this may not concern you.

Will you need a work visa and does the employer know about this? Tell

employers as early as possible in the job-hunting process. Does the

employer ask that you take a pre-employment medical, a personality test

or background checks? Is this a concern or you and i so why?

STARTING WORK

There is not much to say on this topic apart rom the advice o not being

late and treating your rst ew days as you would an interview, in terms

o your preparation and how you act.

I the job is not your ideal one, you may choose to continue job-hunting.

There is no problem with that, but as a rule try to avoid creating a jumpy

Two roads diverged in a woo d,

And I took the one less travelled

by, And that has made all the

difference. - Robert Frost


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Create a cashfow orecast and begin to understand the nancial impact o your business venture. I you had been accustomed to

receiving a monthly paycheck, be especially careul beore you jump into becoming an entrepreneur. This is more so i you have a

amily to eed and a mortgage to pay.

MarketingandnetworkingbeingknownaboutiskeyJustasnetworkingiskeyinthejob-huntprocess,soitisinallbusiness

situations. Here are some tips:

Appearprofessional,well-establishedandcorporate-like!

Evenifyouareonlyworkingfromhome,donotletitshow.

Investasmallamountofmoneyincreatingacompany(orsoleproprietorship)withanattractivename.

Createasimplebutprofessionalwebsiteandemaildomainname.

Useabusinesscentreasamailingaddress.

Getsomeexecutive-lookingnamecards.

KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW AND ASK OTHERS TO FILL IN THE GAPS

In one sentence, take advice when necessary it need not cost the earth! I you choose to pursue this avenue o sel-employment,

get more advice and good luck!


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SUGGESTEDREADING

The ollowing books oer a great cross-section o ideas which allows you to go into more depth with all aspects o the job-hunting

process.

Alexander, Laurel, Thrive on Redundancy take charge o your uture using these vital tools and insights (Oxord: How to Books,

1996).

Bolles, Richard, What Colour is your Parachute? (Caliornia: Ten Speed Press, 2002).

Covey, Stephen R., The Seven Habits o Highly Eective People (UK: Simon and Schuster UK, 1989).

Fuhrman, John, Are you Living your Dream? How to create wealth and live the lie you want (USA: Possibility Press,1999).

Lindeneld, Gael, Success rom Setbacks simple steps to help you respond positively to change (London: Thorsons,1999).

Schonberg, Alan, Headhunters Condential (New York: McGraw Hill, 2000).

Zeiss, Tony, The 12 Essentials Laws or Getting a Job... and becoming indispensable (Nashville, USA: Thomas Nelson

Publishers,1997).

The Internet also oers many useul websites. A good selection can be ound by typing job-hunting advice into the search engine,

www.google.com.


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Special Thanks

The Department o Polytechnic Education would like to reco

job hunting success 16 mei

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