[Voiceover] Kia ora and welcome to the Job Hunters' Workbook.
The COVID-19 pandemic has seen many people lose jobs. It’s a time of change and uncertainty. It’s normal to feel stressed and worried. We’re here to help you get through, with tips on retraining, upskilling and job hunting.
This workbook is designed to support you to get back to work. It includes activities to help you develop a job hunting action plan and give you the best chance of finding work. The workbook is split up into handy sections for you to complete at your own pace.
We’ll cover what skills employers are looking for and give you our latest information on writing a CV, applying for jobs and interviews.
So let's open up the workbook, and work on this together.
Section 1 - Know yourself
This section allows you to explore who you are and what you have to offer employers. You’ll understand your skills, achievements and the unique value you can contribute in the workplace.
When changing jobs it’s essential to understand your unique skills so you can transfer these into a new job.
Here you can see the top 10 skills and qualities employers want. Have a think about the skills you have developed from your past experiences. You might find it helpful to ask your friends and family what skills they think you have.
By recognising your key skills and examples of your achievements, you will discover your unique value. This is what you can offer employers that is different from everyone else. Don't limit your unique value to paid work experience, write about all of the other things you do that require these skills. Organising a school event, volunteering and maintaining a household are all great examples of using problem solving, teamwork and communication skills.
Now that you are aware of your unique skills and qualities, it’s time to start exploring opportunities.
Section 2 - Explore opportunities
This section looks at ways to find new career options, give you handy tips on how to build your network and explores options for training and upskilling.
Keep an eye out for useful links throughout the workbook.
Did you know that 70% of jobs aren't advertised? We call this the “hidden job market”. It's essential to expand your personal network and engage with people you know. Don't be afraid to reach out to your friends, family and locals in your community.
The following pages will give you some ideas to help you with how to approach people and what to ask.
In some cases you might choose to explore alternative employment pathways. For some of these jobs you might need to upskill or retrain completely.
Use this as an opportunity to consider doing something new. Take this time to reflect on your interests and values to help you explore further education and training options. Having a job you love often leads to great outcomes.
Upskilling to progress to a higher level in your career or retraining in an industry in demand can improve your chances of finding work. Here are some questions to ask yourself when considering upskilling or retraining, have a think about your interests and values, this might be the right time to repackage your transferable skills and change direction.
Section 3 - Decide and act
Now you are ready to take action. This third section of the Workbook outlines everything you need to know to nail that job. It helps you apply what you have learned about yourself to preparing a great CV, writing a cover letter and getting ready to ace your interview. Use our checklist and tick off actions to make sure you are completely prepared.
There’s a lot to think about when you want to write an effective CV and cover letter, it’s a great idea to set aside a good amount of time to work through this. Looking for a job can be a ‘full time job’.
Look at the key requirements mentioned in the job ad and ensure you highlight those in your CV and cover letter.
Finally, remember step 3 - it’s important that you have someone else check over your work for correct spelling and grammar.
When it comes to job interviews, we’ve got a great tip about using the STAR method. It’s a great method for answering those tricky questions about your past experience.
Congratulations! You have completed the Job Hunters' Workbook. Keep it up-to-date and close to hand as you work through your action plan.
For more help and ideas you can visit careers.govt.nz
He waka eke noa
We are all in this together