National Association of the Social Worker is the world’s largest association of the social workers has designed primary guide lines to help social workers and who has just started job search. This primary guideline will facilitate human services job search in both the cases whether you are searching job for the first time or it’s the final stage in job search. There are several other online resources at libraries and book stores where you can find more knowledge about human services job search. Primarily individual should consider some primary things when they are searching jobs such as interview preparation, salaries, primary hurdles, workable action plan, personal and social contacts and primary job search resources like websites and news papers.
Irrespective to the reason of your job search, it is always important to make a suitable plan and its proper implementation in right manner to get positive results. We all know job search in any profession is challenging and to find the job of your dream depends on time spent and efforts you made. Time is also an important factor when you are thinking about the total working hours spent on job in whole week. For this reason you must take care that you will be able to enjoy your job along with obtaining all your career targets.
Primary Guidelines for Human Services Job Search
Time frame for perfect job search is very important factor and it differs from individual to individual. This difference is due to various factors and tends to be more prolonged with additional efforts for individual who may expect to do few efforts for shorter time frame. The average job search time frame ranges between 3 to 6 months. Though it can be shorter as just of two months or extend to as long as 12 months. Following are some of the key factors that are responsible to increase or reduce job search time frame. These factors will help you to find out career oriented jobs and are also considered as primary guide line for human services job search.
• Geographical Location
• Time of the Year
• Expertise and Salary Requirements
• Time spent for Job Search
• Professional and Personal Contacts
• Knack to Market Yourself
Geographical Location
Large cities may have more job vacancies but with huge competition. Before starting job search, it is important to determine types and number of jobs available for human services. Other details that you must know before applying for any job include salary range and general economic trends of that city and state.
Time of the Year
It has observed throughout the months of January to April more job vacancies are announced as compare to month of summer from May to August. The job market may progress again in September and October but tends to be reducing from mid of November that continues till the first 10 days of January. This time period is usually referred to holiday season.
Expertise and Salary Requirements
Highly experienced professionals with 20+ years of professional experience may find job hunt a big challenge because of their high salary demands for example $60,000 or more annually. They may take 3-6 months to find compatible job with their salary demands. In the same way, if a professional in any specific field is willing to change his area of specialization for example from school social work to medical social work will take longer time than average time to get right job.
Time spent for Job Search
Unemployed persons should take their job search as full time job. It means on average you should commit 20-25 hours per week for your job search efforts that include searching of ads in newspapers and online resources, improving social network by participating in professional evens, preparing cover letters and thank you letter and attending job interviews. But for full time employed professional’s maximum time requirement to perform job search activities ranges between 6-10 hours per week. Creating and following proper plan is necessary for successful job search. Self motivation is also important for fulfilling job search activities. Complete dedication and concentration is necessary for desirable results.
Professional and Personal Contacts
You reputation among professionals and social communities can affect your job search. If you are well known and have number of contacts in professional communities you can get faster results. Good professional networking enables you to access information about jobs and connect you to valued professionals in your practice area. Good references are beneficial for your job search.
Knack to Market Yourself
Making dynamic cover letters and resumes increase your chances to get short listed for interviews. You can perform well in interview and take full advantage of your professional contacts. These skills need self awareness, good approach and practices to market you.
Conclusion: Qualified professionals holding relevant Online Degrees in Human Services may follow these primary guide lines for human services job search to get job of their dreams.
