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The job market today, while allegedly better than it has been in years, is still not great. In Portland, where there is a high number of educated citizens, finding a good job is even harder. Now if I wanted to serve coffee or work at a call center, I would have no problem finding employment. I want to be gainfully employed and preferably in a position where I can have a positive impact on my community.
In the past, I have never had a hard time finding a job. In 2008, I managed to secure employment in Iowa while living in California. I found employment in less than a month when I decided to move to Oregon
In order to stand out from the hundreds of applicants, my application has to be perfect.
To get some help with my job hunt I decided to purchase the e-book “Landing Your Dream Job in Portland.” This book is from Mac’s List, Portland’s top source for jobs in the city and Oregon.
I purchased the book on the Mac’s List website but you can find it on Amazon.
Chapter 1: Assessing Your Interests and Skills
“Before you can find the perfect job, you need to take a good, hard look at yourself, your loves and hates, and your strengths and weaknesses.
This quote perfectly sums up this chapter. I was hoping that the Strengths Finder 2.0 assessment would be included with this text, I don’t really feel like buying another book, especially one I’ve already read a couple of years ago
Chapter 2: Presenting Yourself Online
“You need to be virtually visible- but only in the best way possible.”
I don’t have much to worry about as far as incriminating photos on the Internet. I keep my life pretty PG-13. However, I can do better at leveraging my online presence. Not only should your online life look scandal-free, but you should also use your online presence to advance yourself professionally.
3:Networking and Conducting Informational Interviews
The book says to connect with others, communicate your ideas, and create community.
This is the hardest part for me. I’m not great at networking. I won’t even lie. I absolutely hate it. However, the book points out that networking is the key to the hidden job market. It is the key to the jobs that never get posted.
Chapter 4: Looking for Opportunities and Experience
This section recommends finding internships, doing volunteer work, finding a mentor, or taking a temporary position in order to get experience.
Chapter 5: Applying for a Job
This chapter outlines the importance of tweaking your resume for every job application as well as writing unique cover letters.
Chapter 6: Interviewing and Marketing Yourself
The key to a good interview is being prepared. Know the company, know the job, and have some great questions ready. This chapter also talks about following up.
Chapter 7: Creating and Marketing Your Brand
“Embrace your passions, quirks, and differences and make them part of why people want to hire you”
The chapter takes pretty much combines chapter one and chapter 2 as a way to promote yourself. Use your passions and strengths and market your brand. It also suggests making your brand into a business by working for yourself.
Chapter 8: Navigating Your Career Path
Your career is a never-ending project.
This chapter emphasizes that you are never finished. It is important to continue to think about your career goals and to continue evaluating your skills and values.
Keeping these things in mind, you may find that a career change is in order. Or maybe, you can advance your career by obtaining more education.
Ultimately this book served as a reminder of the things a person needs to do to find a job. For those that are recent graduates or do not have a lot of experience looking for a job, this is a great book.
