Job Search

By Tricia Dahlman
iSeek Solutions

Your first impulse in helping your child begin a job search may be to search online or a newspaper's want ads for jobs. In reality, job-hunting takes time.

Encourage your child to commit as much time as possible to job search activities. Help find blocks of time your child can spend each week on job searching activities.

A job search plan will help your child execute a more effective search. This plan is a flexible outline of your child's job search goal and how he or she expects to reach the goal.

Create a job search goal with your child by working through the questions below:

• Write down things you know you like to do and things you do well.
• Write down jobs that interest you.
• What do these jobs pay? Are there openings? Will you need more skills? Use resources in the related information box to the right to help answer these questions.
• Pick the job that interests you the most. Write a job goal that fits you and that job. Example: Get a job in sales and think about going to school to get more sales skills.

Review your child's goals and job search schedule each week. For each block of time on the schedule, help them identify what they plan to accomplish. For example, use a two-hour block on Monday to find 10 new potential employers.

Networking

Networking is an important piece in a job search plan. It involves your child talking with anyone who could help them find a job. Network contacts can include coworkers, teachers, counselors, friends, family, or coaches.

Encourage your child to create a list of contacts. They should talk to those contacts regularly. When your child talks to a new contact, remind them to tell the contact:

• who they are
• who told them to contact them
• details about your their goal
• a summary of their work and related experiences

Remind your child to thank their contacts. Have your child send a thank-you note every time a contact helps them. Your child should also help their contacts if they can in the future.

Sources: CareerOneStop and Positively Minnesota