This essay is designed to serve as your guide to the process of finding a job in the field of transportation. It starts off with the basics helping you define your career objectives. Then it takes you through a number of steps you can use to work out a strategy to achieve these goals.
Evaluating Yourself
Most people enjoy doing a job well. Apart from any praise from employers or fellow workers, there is an inner satisfaction in knowing that you've taken on a challenge and then succeeded in accomplishing something worthwhile. If you are unhappy or dissatisfied in your job and are just trying to do enough to get by, you may not be in the right job or the right field.
Making a Self Inventory Chart
Before you make any career decisions, think about areas that interest you and things you do well. One way to go about this is to compile a self inventory chart. Such a chart will be helpful when you decide what jobs you want to consider. It will also save time when you write cover letters and resumes, fill in applications, and prepare for job interviews.
Begin your self inventory chart by listing all the jobs you have ever had, including summer employment, part time jobs, volunteer work, and any freelance or short term assignments you have done. Include the dates of employment, the names and addresses of supervisors, and the amount of money you earned. Then add a similar list of your hobbies and other activities, including any special experiences you have had, such as travel. Next, do the same for your education, listing your schools, major courses of study, grades, special honors or awards, courses you particularly enjoyed, and extracurricular activities.
In determining what you do well and what you enjoy doing, you may find a career pattern beginning to develop. If the picture still lacks detail or focus, try making a list of aptitudes, and then rate yourself above average, average, or below average for each one. Some of the qualities you might include in your list are administrative, analytic, athletic, clerical, language, leadership, managerial, manual, mathematical, mechanical, sales, and verbal abilities. You might also rate your willingness to accept responsibility and your ability to get along with people.
Compiling a Work Characteristics Checklist
Another way to choose a career path is to compile a checklist. Go through the questions in the "Work Characteristics Checklist" and then make a list of the work characteristics that are most important to you. Do not expect a job to meet all your requirements. You have to consider which job characteristics are most important to you. If the characteristics of a job match most of your preferences, you might want to give the position serious consideration.
Evaluating Your Career Options
It's important to evaluate yourself and your career options realistically. If you need help doing this, you can consult an experienced career counselor or take on line aptitude tests.
Most guidance and counseling departments of high schools, vocational schools, and colleges provide vocational testing and counseling. Some local offices of the state employment services affiliated with the federal employment service offer free counseling. Career centers also offer these services.
Although vocational interest and aptitude testing can be done with paper and pencil, a variety of online programs can be used to test your interests and aptitudes. The results are measured against job skills and your personal profile is matched with potential jobs to show the training that is necessary. Some of these programs are self administered on a personal computer whereas others must be administered and interpreted by a counselor.
Most major cities have professional career consultants and career counseling firms. You should, however, check their reputations before paying for their services. A list of counseling services in your area is available from the American Counseling Association Alexandria, VA 22304 (www.counseling.org). (If you write, send a stamped, self addressed envelope.)
You can also use the World Wide Web for services that career counselors would provide. Some sites have on line counselors who can help you with a variety of tasks, such as obtaining information on jobs, careers, and training. They may be able to provide information on available services, including housing assistance, day care facilities, and transportation.
Evaluating Specific Jobs
After you have taken a good look at what you do well and what you enjoy doing, you need to see how different jobs measure up to your abilities and interests. First, make a note of all the jobs that interest you. Then examine the education and training required for these jobs. Decide whether you qualify and, if not, whether you have the resources available to gain the qualifications. If possible, talk with someone who has such a job. Firsthand information can be invaluable.
Also look through the appropriate trade and professional journals and check the sections called "Resources" for books, audiovisual materials, and web sites that contain more detailed information about the job. In addition, counselors usually have helpful information on careers in transportation. For more detailed information, you can write to any of the trade and professional associations listed at the end of each occupational profile.
Once you have found out all you can about a particular job, compare the features of the job with your work characteristics checklist. See how many characteristics of the job match your work preferences. By completing these steps for all the jobs that appeal to you, you should be able to come up with a list of jobs that match your interests and abilities.
Ways to Find Job Openings
Once you've decided what kind of job suits you, the next step is to look for available positions. Obviously, the more openings you can find, the better your chance of landing a job. People usually apply for a number of job openings before they are finally accepted.
There are many ways to find out about job openings. A number of job hunting techniques are explained how you can follow up on job leads.
Applying in Person
For some jobs, especially entry level positions, your best method may be to apply directly to the company or companies for which you would like to work. If you are looking for a position as a marina worker or local truck driver, for example, you might make an appointment to see the person responsible for hiring. This is a good method to use when jobs are in plentiful or when a company is expanding. However, applicants for professional or supervisory positions generally need to send a cover letter and resume to the company first.
Applying in person will sharpen your interviewing techniques and give you a look at different places of employment. However, in most fields, it is rot the method to use unless you are directed to do so.
Phone and Letter Campaigns
To conduct a phone campaign, use the Yellow Pages of your telephone directory to build a list of companies for which you might like to work. Call their personnel departments and find out whether they have any openings. This technique is not useful in all situations, however. If you're calling from out of town, a phone campaign can be very expensive. You may not be able to make a strong impression by phone. You also will not have a written record of your contacts.
Letter writing campaigns can be very effective if the letters are well thought out and carefully prepared. Your letters should always be typed. Handwritten letters and photocopied letters convey a lack of interest or motivation.
You may be able to get good lists of company addresses in your field of interest by reading the trade and professional publications listed at the end of his essay. Many of the periodicals publish directories or directory issues. Other sources you can use to compile lists of companies are the trade unions and professional organizations. The reference librarian at your local library can also help you find appropriate directories.
You can e mail letters to human resource departments of companies with web sites, too. Be sure, however, that you follow all the same guidelines as you would for a letter you mail.
Your letters should be addressed to the personnel or human resources department of the organization. If possible, send it to a specific person. If you don't know who the correct person is, try to find the name of the personnel director through the directories in the library. You can also call on the phone and say, "I'm writing to ask about employment at your company. To whom should I address my letter?" If you can't find a name, use a standard salutation. It's a good idea to enclose a resume (described later in this essay) with the letter to give the employer a brief description of your education and work experience.
Keep a list of all the people you write to, along with the date each letter was mailed, or keep a photocopy of each letter. Then you can follow up by writing a brief note or calling people who do not reply within about 3 weeks.
Job Finders Checklist
The following list of job hunting tips may seem obvious, but getting all the bits and pieces in order beforehand will help when you're looking for a job.
Resume: Find out whether you will need a resume. If so, bring your resume up to date or prepare a new one. Assemble a supply of neatly typed copies or have a resume ready to e mail to prospective employers.
References: Line up your references. Ask permission of the people whose names you would like to use. Write down their addresses, phone numbers, and job titles.
Contacts: Put the word out to everyone you know that you are looking for a job.
Job market: Find out where the jobs are. Make a list of possible employers in your field of interest.
Job Databases on the Web
The latest tool to use in looking for a job is the World Wide Web. The Internet currently has thousands of career related sites to use to find job openings and to post your resume. Some sites, such as The Monster Board (www.monsterboard.com), help you build a resume and post it on line as well as allow you to search through a massive database of help wanted listings. Others, including E.span (www.espan.com), employ a search engine to find jobs that match your background, and then post your resume on line for employers. Another site called Career Builder (www.careerbuilder. com) has an interactive personal search agent that lets you key in job criteria such as location, title, and salary, and then it e mails you when a matching position is posted in the database.
If you find a job that interests you in an ad on the web, you can respond by sending 3'our resume and cover letter directly to the employer. Many companies even post job openings of their own in their company's human resource web pages. This allows you to target specific firms. Job hunters in many fields can also use professional associations to find jobs.
Some states, such as New Jersey, even have a home page (www.wnjpin.state.nj.us) designed to meet the needs of four groups: job seekers, students looking to make career choices, career counselors, and employers looking for workers. This one stop career center has direct links to a variety of job listing sites on the web. You can post your resume, get information on training and education required for various jobs, read about occupations in demand, and even find out about job fairs.
Research: Do a little homework ahead of time it can make a big difference in the long run. Find out as much as you can about a job the field, the company before you apply for it. A well informed job applicant makes a good impression.
Organization: Keep a file on your job hunting campaign with names and dates of employers contacted, ads answered, results, and follow up.
Appearance: Make sure that the clothes you plan to wear to an interview are neat and clean. You may need to dress more formally than you would on the job, particularly if you are visiting a personnel office or meeting with a manager. Keep in mind that people may form an opinion of you based on their first impressions.
Help Wanted Ads
Many people find out about job openings by reading the help wanted sections of newspapers, trade journals, and professional magazines. Many employers and employment agencies use help wanted classifieds to advertise available jobs.
Classified ads have their own telegraphic language. You will find some common abbreviations in the chart in this essay entitled "Reading the Classifieds." You can usually decode the abbreviations by using common sense, but if one puzzles you, call the newspaper and ask for a translation. Classified ads explain how to contact the employer, and they usually list the qualifications that are required.
As you find openings that interest you, follow up on each ad by using the method requested. You may be asked to call a specific person or send a resume. Record the date of your follow up, and if you don't hear from the employer within 2 to 3 weeks, place another call or send a polite note asking whether the job is still open. Don't forget to include your phone number and address.
Some help wanted ads are "blind ads." These ads give a box number but no name, phone number, or address. Employers and employment agencies may place these ads to avoid having to reply to all of the job applicants. In other words, you may not receive a response after answering a blind ad.
Situation Wanted Ads
Another way to get the attention of potential employers is with a situation wanted ad. You can place one of these in the classified section of your local newspaper or of a trade journal in your field of interest. Many personnel offices and employment agencies scan these columns when they're looking for new employees. The situation wanted ad is usually most effective for people who have advanced education, training, or experience, or who are in fields that are in great demand.
A situation wanted ad should be brief, clear, and to the point. Its main purpose is to interest the employer enough so you are contacted for an interview. It should tell exactly what kind of job you want, why you qualify, and whether you are available for full time or part time work. Use abbreviations that are appropriate.
If you are already employed and do not want it known that you are looking for a new position, you can run a blind ad. A blind ad protects your privacy by listing a box number at the publication to which all replies can be sent. They are then forwarded to you.
You do not need to give your name, address, or phone number in the ad.
Networking
A very important source of information about job openings is networking. This means talking with friends and acquaintances about jobs in your area of interest. For example, if you would like to work in railroads, get in touch with all the people you know who work in railroad construction, maintenance, or operations. Speak with people you know who have friends or relatives in the field. It makes sense to use all the contacts you have.
There's nothing wrong with telling everyone who will listen that you are looking for a job family, friends, counselors, and former employers. This will multiply your sources of information many times over.
You can use the web to make contacts, too. You can meet people with similar interests in news groups, which are organized by topic. Then you can write to them by e mailing back and forth. Many fields have professional organizations that maintain web sites. You might use them to keep current on news affecting your field.
Sometimes a contact knows about a job vacancy before it is advertised. You can have an advantage, then, when you get in touch with the employer. Don't, however, use the contact's name without per mission. Don't assume that a contact will go out on a limb by recommending you, either. Once you have received the inside information, rely on your own ability to get the job.
Placement Services
Most vocational schools, high schools, and colleges have a placement or career service that maintains a list of job openings and schedules visits from companies. If you are a student or recent graduate, you should check there for job leads. Many employers look first in technical or trade schools and colleges for qualified applicants for certain jobs. Recruiters often visit colleges to look for people to fill technical and scientific positions. These recruiters usually represent large companies. Visit your placement office regularly to check the job listings, and watch for scheduled visits by company recruiters.
State Employment Services
Another source of information about job openings is the local office of the state employment service. Many employers automatically list job openings at the local office.
Notes on Networking
Let people know you're looking. Tell friends, acquaintances, teachers, business associates, former employers anyone who might know of job openings in your field.
Read newspapers and professional and trade journals. Look for news of developments in your field and for names of people and companies you might contact.
Make contacts through news groups, or find out information on web sites for professional organizations in your field.
Join professional or trade associations in your field.
Contacts you make at meetings could provide valuable job leads. Association newsletters generally carry useful information about people and developments in the field.
Attend classes or seminars. You will meet other people in your field at job training classes and professional development seminars.
Participate in local support groups. You can gain information about people and places to contact though support groups such as Women in Business, Job Seekers, Forty Plus, Homemakers Reentering the Job Market, as well as through alumni associations.
Be on the lookout. Always be prepared to make the most of any opportunity that comes along. Talk with anyone who can provide useful information about your field.
Associations affiliated with the federal employment service are worth visiting.
State employment service offices are public agencies that do not charge for their services. They can direct you to special programs run by the government in conjunction with private industry. These programs, such as the Work Incentive Program for families on welfare, are designed to meet special needs. Some, but not all, of these offices offer vocational aptitude and interest tests and can refer interested people to vocational training centers. The state employment service can be a valuable first stop in your search for work, especially if there are special circumstances in your background. For example, if you did not finish high school, if you have had any difficulties with the law, or if you are living in a difficult home environment, your state employment service office is equipped to help you.
Private Employment Agencies
State employment services, though free, are usually very busy. If you are looking for more personal service and want a qualified employment counselor to help you find a job, you might want to approach a private employment agency.
Private employment agencies will help you get a job if they think they can place you. Most of them get paid only if they're successful in finding you a job, so you need to show them that you are a good prospect. These agencies will help you prepare a resume if you need one, and they will contact employers they think might be interested in you.
Private employment agencies are in the business of bringing together people who are looking for jobs and companies that are looking for workers. For some positions, usually middle and higher level jobs, the employment agency's fee is often paid by the employer. In such cases, the job seeker pays no fee. In other cases, you may be required to pay the fee, which is usually a percentage of your annual salary. Paying a fee is a worthwhile investment if it leads to a rewarding career. In addition, the fee may be tax deductible.
Some agencies may also ask for a small registration fee whether or not you get a job through them. Some agencies may demand that you pay even if you find one of the jobs they are trying to fill through your other contacts. Just be sure to read and understand the fine print of any contract you're about to sign, and ask for a copy to take home. Since the quality of these agencies varies, check to see if an agency is a certified member of a state or national association.
Some employment agencies, called staffing services, operate in a different way. They are usually paid by employers to screen and refer good candidates for job openings. They earn money when they refer a candidate who is hired by the employer. The employee pays no fee. Staffing firms, however, only spend time on candidates they think they may be able to place.
Private employment agencies are usually helping many people at one time. They may not have the time to contact you every time they find a job opening. Therefore, you may need to phone them at reasonable intervals after you have registered.
Computer Placement Services
Computer placement services are basically data banks (computerized information files) to which you send your resume or employment profile. When a company that subscribes to the service has a job to fill, it can call up on its computer a certain combination of qualifications and quickly receive information on qualified candidates.
Computer placement is very limited in scope and in the number of users. It seems to be most useful for people looking for technical or scientific jobs.
Civil Service
In your search for work, don't forget that the civil service federal, state, and local may have many jobs in transportation. You may contact the state employment office or apply directly to the appropriate state or federal agency. The armed services, for example the air force and the navy, also train and employ civilians in many fields, including transportation. Don't neglect these avenues for finding jobs. Civil service positions usually require you to take a civil service examination. Books are available to help you prepare for these examinations, and your local civil service office can give you information, too.
Unions
In certain jobs in transportation, for example airline baggage handlers, dock workers, truck drivers, and railroad track workers, unions can be useful sources of information. If you are a member of a union in your field of interest, you may be able to find out about jobs in the union periodical or through people at the union local. If you do not belong to a union, you may contact a union in the field you are interested in for information about available employment services. You will find addresses for some unions in the job profiles in this book.
Temporary Employment
A good way to get a feel for the job market what's available and what certain jobs are like is to work in a temporary job. Many agencies and unions help place people in short term jobs in transportation. Dock workers, truck drivers, and auto mechanics are among the types of workers most in demand.
Temporary employment can increase your job skills, your knowledge of a particular field, and your chances of hearing of permanent positions. In today's tight labor market, many companies are using the services of temporary workers in increasing numbers. In fact, temporary agencies may sign multi-million dollar contracts to provide businesses with a range of temporary workers.
In some cases, temporary workers are in such demand that they may receive benefits, bonuses, and the same hourly wages as equivalent full time workers. Some temporary agencies are even joining with companies to create long term career paths for their temporary workers.
Presenting Yourself on Paper
An employer's first impression of you is likely to be based on the way you present yourself on paper. Whether it is in an application form or on a resume, you will want to make a good impression so that employers will be interested in giving you a personal interview. A potential employer is likely to equate a well written presentation that is neat with good work habits and a sloppy, poorly written one with bad work habits.
Writing an Effective Resume
When you write to follow up a lead or to ask about job openings, you should also send information about yourself. The accepted way of doing this is to send a resume with a cover letter.
The work resume is derived from French meaning "to summarize." A resume does just that it briefly outlines your education, work experience, and special abilities and skills. A resume may also be called curriculum vitae, a personal profile, or a personal data sheet. This summary can act as your introduction by mail or e mail, as your calling card if you apply in person, and as a convenient reference for you to use when filling out an application form or when being interviewed.
A resume is a useful tool in applying for almost any job in the field of transportation. It is valuable, even if you use it only to keep a record of where you have worked, for whom, and the dates of employment. A resume is usually required if you are being considered for professional or executive positions. Prepare it carefully. It's well worth the effort.
The goal of a resume is to capture the interest of potential employers so they will call you for a personal interview. Since employers are busy people, the resume should be as brief and as neat as possible. You should, however, include as much relevant information about yourself as you can. This is usually presented under at least two headings: "Education" and "Experience." The latter is sometimes called "Employment History." Many people add a third section titled "Related Skills," "Professional Qualifications," or "Related Qualifications."
If you prepare a self inventory such as the one described earlier, it will be a useful tool in preparing a resume. Go through your inventory, and select the items that show your ability to do the job or jobs in which you are interested. Plan to highlight these items on your resume. Select only those facts that point out your relevant skills and experience.
Once you have chosen the special points to include, prepare the resume. At the top, put your name, address, and phone number. After that, decide which items will be most relevant to the employer you plan to contact.
State Your Objective: Some employment counselors advise that you state a job objective or describe briefly the type of position for which you are applying. The job objective usually follows your name and address. Don't be too specific if you plan to use the same resume a number of times. It's better to give a general career goal. Then, in a cover letter, you can be more specific about the position in which you are interested.
Describe What you've done: Every interested employer will check your educational background and employment history carefully. It is best to present these sections in order of importance. For instance, if you've held many relevant jobs, you should list your work experience first, followed by your educational background. On the other hand, if you are just out of school with little or no work experience, it's probably best to list your educational background first and then, under employment history, to mention any part time and summer jobs or volunteer work you've done.
Under educational background, list the schools you have attended in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent training and ending with the least recent. Employers want to know at a glance your highest qualifications. For each educational experience, include years attended, name and location of the school, and degree or certificate earned, if any. If you have advanced degrees (college and beyond), it isn't necessary to include high school and elementary school education. Don't forget to highlight any special courses you took or awards you won, if they are relevant to the kind of job you are seeking.
Chronological and Functional Resume Information about your employment history can be presented in two basic ways. The most common format is the chronological resume. In a chronological resume, you summarize your work experience year by year. Begin with your current or most recent employment and then work backward. For each job, list the name and location of the company for which you worked, the years you were employed, and the position or positions you held. The order in which you present these facts will depend on what you are trying to emphasize. If you want to call attention to the type or level of job you held, for example, you should put the job title first. Regardless of the order you choose, be consistent. Summer employment or part time work should be identified as such. If you held a job for less than a year, specify months in the dates of employment.
It is important to include a brief description of the responsibilities you had in each job. This often reveals more about your abilities than the job title. Remember, too, that you do not have to mention the names of former supervisors or how much you earned. You can discuss these points during the interview or explain them on an application form.
The functional resume, on the other hand, emphasizes what you can do rather than what you have done. It is useful for people who have large gaps in their work history or who have relevant skills that would not be properly highlighted in a chronological listing of jobs. The functional resume concentrates on qualifications such as familiarity with Federal Aviation Administration regulations to organizational skills or managerial experience. Specific jobs may be mentioned, but they are not the primary focus of this particular type of resume.
Explain Special Skills You may wish to include a third section called "Related Skills," "Professional Qualifications," or "Related Qualifications."
