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Learning Module 4:
Coaching Individuals to Thrive in Their Job Search
Editorial by Christian Saint Cyr
National Director / Canadian Job Development Network
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Later today we'll be releasing our fourth Learning Module: Coaching Individuals to Thrive in Their Job Search. While much of our conversation in the Canadian Job Development Network focuses on our relationships with employers and working to maximize employment outcomes, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that not only do clients or students play an important role in achieving these employment outcomes, individuals who are in control of their job search will be more confident and achieve stronger, longer lasting employment outcomes.
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In Learning Module 4, we explore the role of a job developer as a sales manager. While much of our conversations in the CJDN revolves around the transferability of sales skills to job development, in our relationship with our clients, we are much more like a sales manager. Our role involves gathering leads for our clients and then training and supporting them in achieving their employment outcomes.
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Employers are naturally suspicious of individuals who are marketing job candidates. An employer’s reaction is to wonder why this person isn’t simply approaching them on their own.
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I don’t want to diminish the important role job developers and placements specialists play in advocating for our clients and students. But it’s also critical to ensure our clients are actively working on their own job search and not simply looking for us to place them. Clients who are actively working at their own job search will be more confident, articulate, focused and energized. People in career transition need to be motivated and building a framework for their own participation helps build them up.
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In today’s Learning Module, we discuss the value of creating an Accountability Framework, whereby basic expectations of the client or student are stipulated and the job developer makes a commitment to what the student or job seeker can expect in return.
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Throughout the Learning Module, we identify key areas for job seekers to take ownership. These areas include:
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An Approach to Job Search: Posted jobs do not work for everyone. Individuals with multiple barriers to employment face have a much harder time getting screened into the interview phase. We discuss how you can support individuals who have been applying for a multitude of jobs without getting a single interview?
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Preparation: Job search is typically a call and response arrangement. Employers place an advertisement and job seekers respond. In this section we explore the value of research and active ongoing engagement with employers to build a powerful job search network.
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Job Search Tools: There are five critical job search tools including a cover letter template; resume; list of references; elevator pitch; and the tombstone information required to complete any job application. Here we examine how to effectively prepare these documents and acknowledge a poorly written resume is not only ineffectual – it’s actually hurting the employer’s impression of the client; damaging the job developer’s reputation as a job search expert; and diminishing the perspective all employers have of the career development sector. In this section we explore the importance of these tools and how clients can take ownership of them to genuinely see the value of having the best job search tools possible.
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Contacting Employers: Perhaps the least favorite activity of job seekers, outreach and follow-up play a critical role in helping job seekers develop a network and make meaningful connections with employers. This section explores how job seekers can most effectively make these connections and put the humanity into a recruitment process that often breaks people down to just factual data.
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Personal Presentation: Everything from how we dress to how we shake someone’s hand, whether we look them in the eye, or whether we look enthusiastic is consciously and unconsciously being evaluated by employers. Successful job search is about doing as many things well as possible and how we are perceived is an important part of this dynamic.
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Follow-Up: Nearly everyone has had the experience of sitting and waiting for an employer to schedule interviews, call back and make a job offer. It’s incredibly frustrating and yet most people are unwilling to conduct follow-up. For a busy employer this may be the one action that puts a candidate over the top.
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There is so much in job search that is out of the control of the job seeker. In developing this Learning Module, we wanted to identify specific things your clients or students can do to increase their chances finding a job but beyond this we wanted to help you and your clients create a greater sense of control in an environment where people often feel powerless.
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We hope you can use this Learning Module to define your relationship with your clients to be one where they take control of their job search, they are initiating communication with employers and where your role will be to encourage them, share information, make employer introductions and help navigate difficult pathways.
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We hope you can join us today for #MotivatingMondays: Monday April 8th at 8:30am Pacific, 9:30 Mountain, 10:30 Central, 11:30am Eastern, 12:30pm Atlantic and 1:00pm in Newfoundland! Click here to join the session
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