"I Lost My Job" Collegiate Course
This is a writing sample from Scripted writer Curtis Fease
Introduction
We will all occasionally face extreme hurdles in our lives, and as followers of God, we know deep down that we can overcome everything through Him. If you’ve recently become unemployed, however, it can be difficult to look at the situation and see anything but challenges laid out before you.
Employment provides meaningful work that allows us to feel like we’ve earned everything we have. Unfortunately, many individuals have no clue where to start when seeking a new job. Stable positions are in high demand, and if you’re not vigilant in your employment hunt, it can be difficult to stand out from the pack.
If you’ve had zero success looking for a new job, you may think that your search is pointless. This could lead you to accept an employment offer that doesn’t suit you or cannot meet your needs. If you learn, understand and implement proven strategies, though, you can find a job that’s perfect for you.
About This Course
This course contains information pertinent to finding suitable employment in the current job market. It is split into seven parts for easier understanding, and each successive module builds upon the information learned in the previous module. The beginning of each will outline learning objectives.
Once you complete the entire course, an exam will test your knowledge of strategies for finding employment. All information contained herein is based on statistics, best practices and proven strategies. By the time you’re finished, you’ll have the necessary knowledge to land yourself a great position.
While losing your job may seem like the worst thing to ever happen, remember that it’s merely a door opening to your next journey. Without having encountered this hurdle, you’d be unable to discover what God actually has planned for you.
Inside This Course
After completing this course, you will be able to:
Identify the best potential employers.
Create a resume that shows your value.
Avoid common job-seeking mistakes.
Utilize social media to improve your job prospects.
Set up stellar profiles on the top online job boards.
Get your foot in the door by landing a job interview.
Stand out among applicants by honing your interview skills.
Where to Start
Inside this Module
After completing this module, you will be able to:
Take ownership of your situation.
Distinguish between your wants and needs.
Conduct research to improve your job prospects.
Find leads through pre-existing connections.
Take Control of the Situation
Before you can engage in a meaningful job search, you must first take ownership of your situation. Many people view themselves as victims when they lose a job, and this is an understandable emotion. If you don’t overcome this way of thinking, though, you’re already hindering yourself.
Prior to 2018, every year saw about 1 million workers lose jobs they had held for over three years. Layoffs were reaching an all-time low, but then COVID-19 happened and pushed many people out of stable jobs. The lesson here is that anyone can fall victim to job loss. It’s only when we start viewing ourselves as victims, though, that we really lose.
In Psalm 90:17, the Bible tells us that we will find work when we have God’s favor. And as we all know, God helps those who help themselves. Blaming previous employers or others for our plight does no good. Your new job is finding a job, so take ownership of your situation and work to improve it.
Consider Your Needs
When you’re searching for employment, it’s important to distinguish between what you want and what you need. These can be very different elements depending on the person. You’d be able to get both of these in a perfect world, but with a competitive job market, it’s important to focus on what you actually need.
Take a look at the following considerations:
Career pathing.
Continuing education.
Location.
Benefits and insurance.
Salary.
If you’re a father of three with a stay-at-home wife, insurance may be more of a need than a high salary. If you’re a young professional paying huge rents in the city, though, the high salary may be more of a need. You could want a great location in both these situations - but location could be a need if you take the bus.
Consider Your Needs (Continued)
Studies show that over 80 percent of American workers feel trapped in their jobs. Unfortunately, they find it difficult to get out of these positions. This means that once you accept an employment offer, it’s very likely that you’ll be there for a while. This is why it’s so important to identify your needs.
It’s also important to weed out as many shoulds as possible. A should is neither needed nor wanted - people just feel like they’re obligated to do something. Maybe you think you should have a certain salary by a certain age or follow a particular career path laid out by others.
Getting rid of as many shoulds as possible is essential. This better allows you to separate wants from needs. And although it’s okay to seek both in your employment search, do not overlook what you need just because a position isn’t everything you want.
Perform Research
How many times have you walked into a job interview and been hit with an unexpected question? This happens to the best of us, but in many cases, it can be avoided entirely. We far too often treat job searches as if we’re casting a large net and just hoping for a wayward fish to find its way to us.
Instead, it’s important to treat each application like it’s your only application. This means you should perform as much research as possible before starting your job search. There are three main areas you should research starting out: yourself, your industry and potential employers.
Perform Research (Yourself)
Around 70 percent of employers screen job candidates on social media when making hiring decisions. A nearly identical percentage search their applicants on Google before making a hiring. Unfortunately, this means you might be passed over for a position based solely upon your online presence.
Employers are going to look you up online, so it’s important to do this before they do. Make sure there’s nothing on social media you wouldn’t want employers to see, and figure out if any Google results reflect badly on you.
If you discover search results that paint you in a negative light, consider opening new social media accounts. Profiles on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and other social platforms often show up at the top of results. This can push negative information down to subsequent pages.
Perform Research (Your Industry)
Employers want to hire people that are informed in their industry. If you go into an interview with little knowledge regarding the field you’ve applied to, the interviewer’s questions are going to reveal that deficiency. Researching industry trends and news will make you more knowledgeable and help you better target opportunities.
It’s also important that your research be done on a continuing basis. The average job search takes five months, and plenty can change within your industry in that time. Set up a Google Alerts notification with keywords specific to your field to receive an email when something big happens.
Being able to showcase knowledge of your industry will look stellar on your application and interview. More importantly: don’t let that five-month statistic worry you. Whether you’re just starting your job search or have already passed the five-month mark, completion of this course will put you on the right track.
Perform Research (Potential Employers)
Regardless of the industry you wish to work in, there are innumerable employers to choose from. As you’ve probably learned from previous positions of employment, not all companies are created equally. Everything from available benefits to organizational culture can affect your eventual experience.
Do not fall into the trap of thinking that you have to work for a company to learn what it’s like to work there. Consider visiting the following websites:
Glassdoor.
RateMyEmployer.
Indeed.
CareerBliss.
Vault.
Each of these platforms hosts employee reviews, salary information and more. You’ll also benefit from researching companies on their own websites to learn their values, goals and culture. This will tell you if you’re a good fit and allow you to provide better answers on your application and during interviews.
Seek Out Advice
Many people overlook the fact that they don’t have to go into a job search alone. Advice from friends, family and peers can go a long way in your search. The Bible tells us in Galatians that we should carry each other’s burdens, but even connections that don’t attend church are often willing to help.
Consider asking for help with the following:
Job leads.
New contacts.
Informational interviews.
You can often have these conversations face-to-face, but if this isn’t possible, an email is just as effective. Make sure you keep your message short and get directly to the point. Attaching your resume also wouldn’t hurt, and it’s important to be both patient and thankful when asking for help.
Module Summary
In this module, you have learned:
It’s your job to choose not to be a victim. Only you can stop you from succeeding.
Wants and needs are separate considerations that must be given the proper weight.
Get away from focusing on what you think you should be doing based on perception of others.
Employers will research you on Google, social media and more.
Staying abreast of trends and news in your industry can improve your job prospects.
Not all companies are created equally, so it’s important to research organizations.
Your loved ones and peers are an untapped resource that can help in your job search.
Update Your Resume
Inside this Module
After completing this module, you will be able to:
Make pertinent skills and experiences stand out on your resume.
Avoid common pitfalls that can be automatic disqualifiers.
How to use grammar tools to perfect your resume.
Best practices for listing prior experience.
Formatting and design issues.
Highlighting Your Skills and Experience
Many people never evolve in the area of resume building. They simply open up the same Word document they used for their first job, add their latest work experiences, and submit their updated resume to potential employers. A simple list of what you’ve done, however, is no longer sufficient.
Your resume needs to immediately highlight your skills and experience. Hiring managers shouldn’t have to search for pertinent information in your resume. In fact, it could be a deal-breaker if they have to. This is because an estimated 40 percent of these managers spend less than a minute reviewing a resume.
There are several ways you can highlight your skills and experience. Your specific situation will dictate which route is correct.
Highlighting Your Skills and Experience (Continued)
Standard resumes typically include sections for contact information, education and work history. This is likely what your resume currently contains - perhaps with an additional “Skills” section. While this information is indeed important, there are several other sections you could benefit from.
Consider the following:
Career Summary/Highlights: You can summarize your experience and qualifications to set the tone of your resume.
Accomplishments/Achievements: A separate section highlighting your achievements shows you get results.
Volunteer work: This is important if you gained key skills from volunteering.
Honors/Awards: Relevant awards can make you stand out.
Certifications/Licenses: Listing relevant certifications and licenses can also help you stand out.
Hobbies/Interests: This section is typically only used for recent graduates unless certain hobbies gave the applicant new and relevant skills.
Highlighting Your Skills and Experience (Continued)
It’s not necessary to include every possible section on a resume. In fact, doing so is ill-advisable since this can make the document too long. This is important to remember since 17 percent of hiring managers will not review resumes that are longer than two pages. You need to highlight your skills and experience in a straightforward way.
One of the best proven ways to do this is by combining traditional and functional resume elements. Functional resumes are used when your work history is unrelated, repetitive, outdated or spotty. These feature a “Career Highlights” section that lists your biggest accomplishments to immediately showcase your value.
The hybrid traditional/functional resume typically includes sections for contact information and a career summary featuring skills relevant to the job along with career highlights, education, and a shortened work history section. Since you’re highlighting your most important qualities under “Career Highlights,” you can afford a short section for work history.
Things to Avoid
Earlier in this module, we mentioned that a resume with more than two pages can reduce your chance of landing a job. This is far from the only mistake that can detract from your skills and experiences, and some of these errors can reduce your prospects down to nearly zero.
Avoid these common resume mistakes, and you’ll be ahead of the curve:
Lack of specifics. Don’t just list obvious details - make it clear what you’ve accomplished.
Using a generic resume. You should make minor adjustments every time you submit your resume in order to fit the job being applied for.
Focusing on duties instead of achievements. Employers want to know where you’ve excelled.
Not using action verbs. Every bullet point in your resume should start with an action verb (e.g. increased, resolved, etc.).
Over-the-top visuals. Avoid using several fonts or other visual elements that may seem “busy.”
Don’t lie. You can be fired if it’s later discovered that you lied on your resume, and this can impact your ability to secure future employment.
Things to Avoid (Continued)
Spelling and grammatical errors. This can land your resume in the trash immediately.
Missing or incorrect contact information. Make sure this information is up to date before sending your resume.
Offering irrelevant information. Soft skills that pertain to the job are fine, but avoid including information that’s completely unrelated.
Unprofessional email addresses: Even if you love your CoolDude101@gmail.com address, you need to create a new email for business purposes.
Keyword stuffing: Injecting keywords from job postings into your resume can help you stand out, but going over the top will be noticed and unappreciated.
Including headshots or references. Headshots are for actors, and references will be requested later. Do not take up space on your resume with these elements.
Repeating yourself. Even if two of your former jobs were similar, it’s important to differentiate between them. Avoid repeating yourself.
Grammar and Proofreading
It is important to recognize that not all resume mistakes are created equally. While a recruiter may overlook a bit of irrelevant information that’s included, they probably won’t let bad grammar or spelling errors slide. In fact, 77 percent of hiring managers immediately disqualify applicants whose resumes contain typos or grammatical errors.
You can avoid this issue by being proactive. You don’t need to hire someone to review your resume. Just take the following steps:
Review the entire resume line by line - word by word. Do not skim.
Read your resume out loud to identify problems with flow.
Read starting from the end and going backwards. This will make you focus more on individual words and their spellings.
Ask a peer, friend or family member to read it.
Print resume in a different font. Reading everything on paper and in a different font can help identify mistakes you missed.
Double check possessive pronouns and contractions (e.g. their, there and they’re; your and you’re).
Grammar and Proofreading (Continued)
Even if you proofread your resume and have a friend review it, the possibilities for simple errors still exist. There are professional services you can use - such as iHire, TopResume and “Let’s Eat, Grandma” - but you can save money with free online tools as well. Consider using the following:
Grammarly.
Google Docs.
Ginger.
Polish My Writing.
Paper Rater.
Proof Guru.
In addition to finding typos, these resources can also identify grammatical errors. No matter how certain you are that your resume is error-free, you should run it through one of these tools prior to submitting it to a recruiter.
Gathering References
Great references can help you land your dream job, but they offer very little detail when it comes to your resume. This is why you should never include references on your resume unless asked to do so by the employer. When you’re looking for a job, though, it’s still important to have references prepared.
Create a separate document that lists all your references and their contact information. This allows you to have them easily available when requested. You should consider using the following individuals when building this job-seeking tool:
Former employers.
Colleagues.
Advisors.
Teachers.
Supervisors.
These individuals will be able to provide the insight employers are looking for when making a hiring decision. It's important to choose people who will let potential employers know about your strengths, but make sure to consider how long ago and how closely you worked with your chosen list.
Gathering References (Continued)
It’s acceptable to list personal or character references if you’ve never worked before or have been off the job market for some time. Whether you’re seeking a personal or professional reference, though, there are certain rules you should follow when asking for such a favor.
Ask in advance. Never tell someone you need a reference by Tuesday. Request references far in advance so no one feels rushed.
Include important information. Send an updated resume and information on the types of jobs you’re seeking. This helps references figure out what to say.
Give notification of new applications. Don’t surprise previous references with an out-of-the-blue call from a potential employer. Let them know every time you provide their information.
Gathering References (Continued)
Have a discussion. Talking with references beforehand allows you to remind them of your successes and get an idea of what they’ll say.
Provide a proper 'thank you.' A personalized note with a Starbucks gift card can go a long way, but you should at least send an email showing appreciation.
Maintain communication. Let your reference know if you get the job. Try to maintain communication since you may need them in the future.
Periodic emails, notes and phone calls will help you keep your reference network strong. You should also start asking colleagues and supervisors if you can use them as references when leaving companies. Finally, consider requesting letters of reference in case a potential employer asks for one.
Prior Work Experience
Whether you have the longer Work Experience section in traditional resumes or the shortened version from functional resumes, this is still one of the most important aspects of getting a job. You’re in competition with many other applicants, and it is this section that will help you stand out.
In addition to prior full-time and part-time jobs, listing internships, temporary roles and even volunteer work is acceptable if it directly relates to the position you’re applying for. Company names, location of the business, your job title, employment date and responsibilities should all be included.
Prior Work Experience (Continued)
Since employers want to know more about your accomplishments than a generic list of duties, list any promotions, recognitions or awards you received during you
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