style="font-size:15px;"> However you go about applying for jobs, do so in a way that sets you apart. Do not take that to mean that you should print your résumé on goldenrod paper or write follow-up letters on stationery with hippos dancing across the top. Those are the quickest ways to have your résumé or cover letter thrown in the trash. You also want to avoid sending the same generic cover letter to every potential employer. Instead, tailor your introductory note to the specific job for which you’re applying.
You can use the Internet to find information on companies and organizations in your field of interest and check out their job postings.
Let everyone who might help in your search know you’re job hunting. You never know when someone will be able to give you a lead to that perfect position. In times of high unemployment, companies are overwhelmed with applicants. Instead of searching through hundreds or thousands of résumés, employers are more likely to rely on word of mouth and referrals. There’s no reason why they shouldn’t get referred to you. Use every resource available to make that happen.
Placement Offices, Job Fairs, and Associations
If you are in college or a trade school, start your job search in your school’s career placement office. The counselors maintain job listings and can advise you on preparing a résumé and writing cover letters. Your school may also host job or career fairs that give students the opportunity to meet with many potential employers in one place. Graduates who are changing careers can contact their colleges’ alumni associations for job leads.
Joining or contacting a professional association, such as the American Veterinary Medical Association, is another good way to find job opportunities in your field. Professional associations often have job listings on their Web sites that are accessible only to members. In fields such as advertising, marketing, or public relations, you are more likely to find a dog- or pet-related job through personal contacts than a professional association.
Networking
It’s essential to develop networking skills and overcome the fear of approaching people you don’t know well. Networking doesn’t mean being pushy. It’s a means of keeping in touch with people, sharing information, and simply reaching out. Networking is communicating with everyone you meet in your day-to-day life, from your dog’s groomer to the people in your dog’s play group to the other parents in your child’s carpool. The people you know can introduce you to people they know or provide you with helpful information or leads, and you can do the same for them.
Informally, tell everyone you talk to that you’re looking for a job and what kind of job you want. Once you have a few leads, begin by researching the companies of the people you’ll be talking to. Check out their Web sites to learn as much as you can. Look at the job postings; there may be a specific position you will want to apply to. You need to sound like you’ve done your research before you call anyone, even someone you know.
Then start working the phone. Before you make that first call, though, write down key points you want to cover. Don’t make it a word-for-word script; you’ll end up sounding artificial. These notes keep the conversation relevant and concise. You don’t want to waste anyone’s time or have to make a second call because you left out an important detail.
Using Social Media
If you don’t have any social media experience, get it! Many communications jobs require it these days, and most companies have a Twitter or Facebook account. There’s a good chance that any job you get will involve managing or contributing to your company’s presence on social media Web sites.
Sign up for Twitter and tweet at least once a day. Remember that unless you are some kind of guru in your field, you have to follow people to get followers. Volunteer to create a Facebook page for your local dog club or other organization, and create a LinkedIn page for yourself. Update them both regularly.
KEEP CURRENT
Keep up with news and trends in the pet industry, as this information can often provide leads to potential job opportunities. For instance, if you see that a company in which you’re interested has been in the news for successfully launching a new product, send off a congratulatory note or e-mail to the hiring manager or to any contacts you have there and ask if they’ll be hiring anyone for that division. You may well get a reply regarding upcoming job openings.
If you’re calling someone you don’t know well or “a friend of a friend” whom you’ve never met, start by telling the person who you are and how or by whom you were referred, then explain that you are looking for a job in his or her field. Offer the most pertinent details about your education or experience. Mention that you’ve researched the company and are interested in the work it does. If there were no job openings on the Web site, say you didn’t see any jobs posted but would appreciate being kept in mind if something comes up. You may also ask if there is anyone else in the field to whom he or she can refer you.
Your Résumé and Cover Letter
A résumé details your experience, skills, and education. In conjunction with the cover letter, your résumé is your first chance to make a good impression. You can find many books on the art of creating résumés and writing cover letters, but the following tips will get you started.
Résumé
Use a professional template when constructing your résumé. Write down your skills and experience. In addition to any jobs you’ve held, list activities that have given your valuable and relevant skills—training your dog, volunteering at an animal shelter, or participating in animal visitations at the local nursing home.
Tailor your résumé to the job. If you are applying for an event-planner position at a dog-related company, include your experience coordinating your breed club’s annual show or professional organization’s conference. Write a succinct summary statement, focusing on what you want to achieve and showcasing your strengths. This is especially important if you are changing careers. Use it to show employers what you can offer.
The editor of Dog World magazine, Jackie Brown (seen here with her Miniature Poodle, Jäger), advises job hunters to be “direct and honest” during an interview. That’s good résumé-writing advice too!
Another tip if you’re changing fields: include some details about previous companies you’ve worked for, not just their names. Employers in your new field may not be familiar with your previous employer. Telling them that it’s a national business with 500 employees gives them context.
If you have experience in a particular field, include information about how your career progressed. If you held only one or two positions over a long period at a previous job, use promotions, awards, and other professional accomplishments to beef up your job description. Highlight any experience relevant
