Job Search Skills Module I Identifying Your Job

Job Search Skills Module I: Identifying Your Job Target Prepared by: Sixbert SANGWA Adapted by: Save Next Generation

Learning Outcomes Having completed this module the learner will be able to: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Understand the importance of a structure to categorize the very broad job market; Learn the importance of each of the three element that defines a specific job; Start thinking about how these elements will play a role in your job search; Understand the importance of translating your job interests to the threeelement structure; Learn different ideas for finding specific industries, functions and geographies of interest; Understand the different ways a job impacts your personal values and life Learn why you need more than one target; Learn how to expand your targets without diluting your focus or efforts. 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 2

Introduction This module covers both the employer’s and your considerations possible jobs: 4 Three elements that define how an employer broadly 4 4 characterizes a job; Strategies for you to match your interests `to these three elements Multiple ideas for what you might look for in a job; Strategies for you to match your ideas to the market of jobs We will also be looking at the importance of having multiple job targets. 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 3

UNITY 1: Three-Element Structure 4 If you don’t have a structure to categorize this very broad job market, you will dilute your efforts wading through too many jobs that are of no interest to you or for which are not qualified. Image 4 You need a structure that cuts across all of the jobs and is representative of how the employer thinks of the job. This way, you know what job postings to research. For the searchable online job databases, you can filter specifically with the structure in mind. As you move through the six steps of the job search process, you can tailor each step to the target structure to ensure that you are always keeping the employer’s point of view at the heart of your search. 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 4

Well-defined job target A well-defined job target has what three elements? Accounting is a function. It is what the person in the job is doing. However, this accountant can be working for a government agency, for a hospital, for an insurance company, for a toy manufacturer, or for a host of other types of companies and organizations. Therefore, accounting is not specific enough, you also need to know the Industry because people might relocate for a job, and we also need to know the geography of our job targets. Are you looking at a specific city only, surrounding suburbs, surrounding cities, multiple states, or even multiple countries. 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 5

Industry A well-defined job target has what three elements? Accounting is a function. It is what the person in the job is doing. However, this accountant can be working for a government agency, for a hospital, for an insurance company, for a toy manufacturer, or for a host of other types of companies and organizations. Therefore, accounting is not specific enough, you also need to know the Industry because people might relocate for a job, and we also need to know the geography of our job targets. Are you looking at a specific city only, surrounding suburbs, surrounding cities, multiple states, or even multiple countries. 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 6

Industry cont… The industry you target is the type of business in which you want to work, but there are of very broad industry categories. You can specify even further into subcategories. 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 7

Industry Cont… You will want to subcategorize because if you pick too broad an industry, you will have the same dilution of efforts problem as if you haven’t specified an industry at all. If you look at the arts, subcategories include the following examples: • Type of art Virtual, performing • Type of organization Venues for exhibiting and performing, arts education, artist support, art supplies • Sector Non-profit, private sector, government 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 8

Industry Cont… It is not enough to say, “I want a job in arts” ü Do you mean virtual arts, as in painting or sculpting? ü Do you mean you’d like to work in a venue, such as a museum or theatre? ü Do you want to work for educational programs that focus on the arts? ü Do you want to work in support of artists at a foundation that gives grants for creative projects, or at an artists’ union? ü Do you want to be in and around artists, selling or manufacturing art supplies? 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 9

Industry Cont… 4 You can be in the arts and work for non-profit, a private company, or government agency. Each of these sectors is very different 4 You must research industries for specific organizations and company names and other information that to find the jobs you want. You can see already how useful it can be to focus on being specific. Being specific in describing the jobs you want is necessary to find where those jobs are. 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 10

Function The function of a job refers to your overall responsibility and what you are doing day to day. Examples of job functions follows: Ø Management Ø Sales Ø Marketing You could be doing many different things within any of the subcategories. For example: Ø Manage a program or exhibit Ø Handle membership or ticket sales Ø Raise money Ø Create brochures and advertising 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 11

Function Cont… As you peruse the general news and business stories that interest you, what problem are they solving? • Is the company trying to expand its customers or sales? • Is the company trying to be more efficient in certain aspects? • Are you drawn to the financial information sales, costs, profits? • Are you concerned with people issues? • Are you interested in how things work behind the scenes or how technology can help? 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 12

Geography is the third element of a well-defined target. Geography gives you another critical point of focus for your job search. Aside from physical location, some jobs have another type of geography consideration. You might be targeting a job whose customers, research subjects, or constituents are of specific geography: Example: Austin-based (geography 1) marketing manager (function) for a computer manufacturer (industry) is charged with opening up the China market (geography 2) 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 13

Geography Cont… Your job interest may be related to a specific geography, and this definitely should factor in your search. You also must then factor in your physical location. You want to think about how narrow your geographic range is: Neighborhood, city, surrounding suburbs, multiple cities, multiple states, and multiple countries. Ask yourself What you should do Do I want to live there? Visit the location Can I afford to live there? Run the numbers on the cost of living Can I complete a job search there? Make a plan, including a budget, for job search travel in needed Is the job market for my target industry Identify specific companies and function bug enough? organizations in your target geography. That satisfy your industry and function requirements. 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 14

End of unit 1 Thank you! Please proceed with unit 2 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 15

Importance of multiple targets It is important to be specific in your job search, so you know how to position yourself, what to research, and how to network and interview effectively. However, a specific target does not mean just one target. You can and should have multiple targets, each one being very specific, as you proceed with your search. Multiple targets do the following: Ø Ensure that the total market of positions you are going for is large enough to sustain your search; Ø Give you flexibility if the hiring in any one target is slow, declining or volatile; Ø Allow you to have alternative options if your search in one target stalls. 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 16

Multiple targets Ø You want a large job market in your target. Two hundred active jobs is a sign that the market is large enough. This does not mean two hundred job openings are posted and confirmed as needing to be filled. These are two hundred jobs, where some of these jobs will be filled and others will be vacant. The idea is that with a total of two hundred jobs or more, there will always be enough vacancies to support a search 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 17

Multiple Targets • Another advantage of multiple targets is that it helps with timing if any target is on a downturn with hiring. Having the multiple targets broadens your options, thereby keeping momentum in your search and giving you more leads to pursue. • For example, let’s say that your ideal target function is fund-raising, but your experience and skills to date have been more in public relations. You might keep arts as a focus and you might look at PR jobs, as well as fund-raising. This way, you focus your search and networking on one industry, but you are not shut out if fund-raising is too much of a stretch right now. 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 18

Multiple targets Add alternatives to one but not all three elements A good way to expand your job target is to change just one of the three elements. Ø The industry target of the arts, keeping geography and function constant. Ø The industry target narrow and the geography constant, but we expanded the functions from fund-raising to Fund-raising and PR to target within the industry and geography target Ø You will know what works for you because you should expand based on your interests in different industries, functions, and geographies and how these possibilities match your personal decision criteria 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 19

Multiple Targets The more elements you add, the more combination you must pursue and the more diluted your search efforts may become. If we added education as an industry choice and added PR as a function choice, we now have four combinations: • Kigali+Arts+PR • Kigali+Education+PR • Kigali+arts+fundraising • Kigali+Education+Fund-raising This adds to the research you need to do, the networking meetings and interviews you need to attend, and the complexity of your marketing. 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 20

Multiple Targets If you add another geography to the mix, say Nairobi, you have eight combinations: 1. Kigali+Arts+PR 2. Kigali+Education+PR 3. Kigali+arts+fundraising 4. Kigali+Education+Fund-raising 5. Nairobi+Education+PR 6. Nairobi+Arts+PR 7. Nairobi+Arts+Fund-raising 8. Nairobi+Education+Fund-raising 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 21

Multiple Targets Notice: At some point, the benefit of having more companies and organizations to target is lost by the complexity of having to cover too many disparate targets. A special consideration before adding geographies or broadening your geography target is that there is financial cost and physical time for travel that you must factor into your search efforts. It is far easier to contain your search o one geography and expand to multiple industries and functions. 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 22

END OF UNIT 2 Thank you! Please proceed with the Lesson Summary ! 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 23

Lesson Summary 4 You cannot consider every job available, so you need a structure to 4 4 4 filter through the possibilities and narrow your job search targets. Three elements of a well-defined job search target are industry, function and geography Each element can be further specified and may need to be, depending on how broad it is. You need to translate three-element structure to your interests Geography targets can be narrow as a specific neighborhood or as broad as multiple countries You want to look not just at the job market but also living conditions when selecting your geography targets 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 24

Lesson Summary 4 Industry targets can be uncovered by looking at industry lists, general news and business magazines, and your own interests. Look at all the different products and services of a particular industry to identify possible subcategories. 4 Function targets can be uncovered by looking at problems to solve or needs to fill 4 Industry, function, and geography are not enough when selecting your next job 4 You also want to look at employer characteristics, compensation, and lifestyle and environment 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 25

Lesson Summary 4 Not all criteria will or should matter to you. You decide what matters 4 4 and how much you prioritize the criteria or are willing to make tradeoffs. Yes, targets need to be specific as you define each one, but you do need to have only one target overall. There are significant advantages to having multiple targets, including increasing the size of your overall job market, increasing your flexibility to reach to slowdowns in any one job market, and increasing your options should one target prove elusive. It is best to change just one element-either industry or function or geography but not all three, to prevent search efforts from getting too confusing and diluted. Expanding geography targets is more difficult than expanding industry or function because of the financial and time requirements for travel. 12/24/2021 www. savenextgeneration. org 26

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