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carefully over your entire life. W rice
clown a list of activities in which you
have excelled in school, in handi–
crafts, in hobbies and all orher extra–
curricular activiries. Jot down any
specialized vocacional rraining you
may have received in school , in rhe
armed forces, or in any orher area.
Make a wrirren lisr of the various
jobs you have actually held. Note che
ones in which you have excelled or
were panicularly imerested. W rice
out a list of your main intereses in life
- what you like ro do bese in both
work and in recreation. Remember
rhar you usually enjoy the mosr those
activities in which you excel.
As you begin ro make these vari–
ous lists and study them, you wi ll
probably begin
co
see a parrern. Per–
haps your lisr of previous jobs will
include ourdoor jobs of a manual
nature. You next remember rhat,
although these were fine for tempo–
rary or parr-rime jobs, you did nor
reall>• excel in any jobs of this rype.
Perhaps you didn'r have any special
"savvy" in developing the needed
ski lls.
Then you may begin
co
remember
thac you never "happened" ro ger a
job where your natural abiliry was
used. Mathemarics, let us say, was
your srrongest subjecr in school. You
enjoyed ir because you could excel in
ir. In chac case, depending upon your
age, your presenr financia] condition
and che number of people relying on
you for support, you mighr consider
rhe following : begin caking eirher
full-time or part-time training in a
colkge or technical school or cake a
repurable correspondence course
ro
really prepare for a good job involv–
ing mathematical skill. This should
be a field in which
you
should
become a definite success - maybe a
leader.
You see the poinr of this hyporher–
ical illustrarion.
If you intelligenrly analyze your
pase - your
real
intereses, abiliries
and training - you will be able ro
determine the field in which you can
excel. Whatever you do wel l, you
PLAIN TRUTH September-October 1972
usually enjoy doing. And when
thinking in terms of a life profession,
that's mighty importanr.
Get Help and Advice
When you are ready
co
seek a per–
manent job, don't be ashamed ro ask
for advice and help!
The human elemenr
is
a
very large
one in che employmenr pracrices of
many businesses. Remember thac in
many cases chis works for good.
People usually work better togecher
when they know and understand each
orher.
So, as long as you earnesrly incend
ro
be a credit ro yourself and your
loved ones on this permanent job, do
not be ashamed to ask a friend or
relarive employed in the field of your
interese ro give you any help or advice
in finding a suirable position. In
many cases, they will be more than
glad for tbe opportuniry ro render
you chis help - especially if they
know that you have diligendy
prepared yourself for work in their
field
Often, this asking of advice and
help will save you coundess hours of
looking for employmenr. lt may save
you weeks of fruidess inrerviews wirh
tired employment officials ro whom
you are jusc another name and face in
a long line. In any case, wise counsel
from sorne sympathetic friend or rela–
tive already experienced in your pro–
spective field of employmenr may
help you avoid many pitfalls in find–
ing che right job with the right com–
pany - and in holding that job once
you have it.
Wise King Solomon was inspired
to write: "Without counsel purposes
are disappoinred: bur in the multi–
rude of counsellers they are escab–
lished" (Proverbs
15:22).
So get plenty of good advice from
people of intelligence and experience.
Think
befare you go job hunring.
Renew old acquaincances and
make new friends of people in your
prospective field of employmenc. Ger
ideas from them -
develop useful
con–
taces. Before trying for a particular
job, look over the general labor and
employmenr picture in your area.
Read the nacional news magazines
and see whar they have
ro
say about
prospects in the different industries
and in whac part of che councry they
are best. Read severa! of che local
newspapers and notice rheir com–
ments on rhe employmenr picrure as
well as the appropriate wanc-ad col–
umns.
With the proper preparation, rrain–
ing, rhoughc and advice, you should
be able to try for
a
good job - noc
just "any" job.
W
rice Good Lerrers and
a Good Resume
Your work resume is a most
important means of showing a pro–
spective employer what you have
accomplished. Take che time and
effort ro do a rhorough job on ir.
Don't just list your qualifications.
Concentrare on what you have done.
A resume alone will not land a job
for you. But a good resume of your
education, rraining, qualifications -
and especially your work accomplish–
menrs - snould open an employer's
door for an inrerview.
Along with the resume, of course,
send a "cover" letter in which you
introduce yourself ro prospective
employers in your field. Many have
found that direct mail is usually rhe
most successful rype of concacr you
will have wirh your future company.
Send your letters to the executive
or adminisrraror of che company ro
whom you would be likely ro repon
if hired. Ger a wriring campaign
going - and ser yourself
to
mail out
a certain number of letters and
resumes each week. Meanwhile, con–
tinue lining up potencial future
employers. Conract or phone friends,
family and business acquainrances.
Consult the employrnenc opporru–
nities presenced
in
your daily news–
papers, professional or rrade journals
and orher sources you may learn of
through rhe public library or job
agencies.
Keep at it and don't be discour-
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