Retail Management Careers in Retailing

 

JOB SEARCH METHODS
 
 

PERSONAL CONTACTS

Your network of family, friends, and acquaintances may offer one of the most effective ways to find a job. They may help you directly or put you in touch with someone else who can. Such networking can lead to meeting with someone who is hiring for their firm or who knows of specific job openings.
 
 

CLASSIFIED ADS

The "Help Wanted" ads in newspapers list hundreds of jobs. Realize, however, that many job openings are not listed. Also, be aware that the classified ads sometimes do not give some important information. Many offer little or no description of the job, working conditions, or pay. Some ads do not identify the employer. They may simply give a post office box for sending your resumé. This makes follow-up inquiries very difficult. Furthermore, some ads offer out-of-town jobs; others advertise employment agencies rather than employment.

Keep the following in mind if you are using classified ads:

• Do not rely solely on the classifieds to find a job; follow other leads as well.
• Answer ads promptly, since openings may be filled quickly, even before the ad stops appearing in the paper.
• Follow the ads diligently. Check them every day, as early as possible, to give yourself an advantage.
• Beware of "no experience necessary" ads. They often signal low wages, poor working conditions, or straight commission work.
• Keep a record of all ads to which you have responded, including the specific skills, educational background, and personal qualifications required for the position.

 

 

INTERNET NETWORKS AND RESOURCES

A variety of information on jobs and job search resources and techniques is available online via the Internet. Once you have access, online resources are available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.

No single network or resource will contain all information on employment or career opportunities, so be prepared to search for what you need. Remember that job listings may be posted by field or discipline, so begin your search using key words. When searching employment databases on the Internet, it is sometimes possible to post your resume online or send it to an employer via electronic mail. Some sources provide this service free of charge; although be careful that you are not going to incur any additional charges for postings or updates. A good place to start your job search is America's Job Bank. It can be found at: http://www.ajb.dni.us/index.html
 

PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT SERVICE

The State employment service, sometimes called the Job Service, operates in coordination with the U.S. Employment Service of the U.S. Department of Labor. About 1,700 local offices, also known as employment service centers, help job seekers find jobs and help employers find qualified workers at no cost to themselves. To find the office nearest you, look in the State government phone listings under "Job Service" or "Employment."
 

Job Matching and Referral

At the State employment service office, an interviewer will determine if you are "job ready" or if counseling and testing services would be helpful first. After you are "job ready," you may examine available job listings and select openings that interest you. A staff member can then describe the job openings in detail and arrange for interviews with prospective
employers. Employment counselors can arrange for tests to assess your occupational aptitudes and interests. They will also help you choose and prepare for a career.
 

America's Job Bank

Run by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, this source provides information on
preparing your resume and using the Internet for your job search; trends in the U.S. job market and State occupational projections; and approximately 500,000 job openings on any given day. A wide range of jobs are listed all over the country, and most are full-time jobs in the private sector. Job-seekers can access these listings through the Internet; computers with access to the Internet are available to the public in any local public employment service office, as well as in schools, libraries, and several hundred military installations.
 

Tips for Finding the Right Job

This is a U.S. Department of Labor pamphlet that offers advice on determining your job skills, organizing your job search, writing a resume, and making the most of an interview. Job Search Guide: Strategies For Professionals, another U.S. Department of Labor publication, discusses specific steps that job seekers can follow to identify employment opportunities. This publication includes sections on such things as handling job loss, managing personal resources, assessing personal skills and interests, researching the job market, conducting the job search, and networking. Check with your State employment service office, or order a copy of these publications from the U.S. Government Printing Office's Superintendent of Documents. Phone: (202) 512-1800 for price and ordering information.
 

Services for Special Groups

By law, veterans are entitled to priority at State employment service centers. Veterans' employment representatives can inform you of available assistance and help you deal with any problems. State service centers refer youths between 16 and 21 and economically disadvantaged applicants to opportunities available under the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) of 1982, which prepares persons facing barriers to employment for jobs.
 
 

FEDERAL JOB INFORMATION

Information on getting a job with the Federal Government is available from the Office of Personnel Management through a telephone-based system. Consult your telephone directory under U.S. Government for a local number or call
(912) 757-3000 (TDD 912 744-2299. Information also is available on the Internet: http://www.usajobs.opm.gov
 
 

PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES

These agencies can be very helpful, but don't forget that they are in business to make money. Most agencies operate on a commission basis, with the fee dependent upon a successful match. You or the hiring company will have to pay a fee for the matching service. Find out the exact cost and who is responsible for paying it before using the service. While employment agencies can help you save time and contact employers who otherwise may be difficult to locate, in some cases, your costs may outweigh the benefits. Consider any guarantee they offer when figuring the cost.
 
 

COLLEGE CAREER PLANNING AND PLACEMENT OFFICES

College placement offices facilitate matching job openings with suitable job seekers. You can set up schedules and use facilities for interviews with recruiters or scan lists of part-time, temporary, and summer jobs maintained in many of these offices. You also can get counseling, testing, and advice and take advantage of the career resource library. Here you also will be able to identify and evaluate your interests, work values, and skills; attend workshops on such topics as job search strategy, resumé writing, letter writing, and effective interviewing; critique drafts of resumés and videotapes of mock interviews; explore files of resumés and references; and attend job fairs.
 
 

COMMUNITY AGENCIES

Many nonprofit organizations offer counseling, career development, and job placement services, generally targeted to a particular group, such as women, youth, minorities, ex-offenders, or older workers.
 
 

EMPLOYERS

It is possible to apply directly to employers without a referral. You may locate a potential employer in the Yellow Pages, in directories of local chambers of commerce, and in other directories that provide information about employers. When you find an employer you are interested in, you can send a cover letter and resumé or file a job application even if you don't know for certain that an opening exists.

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