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Becoming a Better Domestic Employment Candidate
By: David Gonzalez, President, DPN
There
are many approaches to finding employment as a domestic professional. You
can respond to classifieds, network through friends and former employers, or use
a placement agency, to name just a few. No matter which path you follow to
find a new job, there are some standard items that can help you rise above the
other applicants in your field. Whether you are a chef, estate manager,
chauffeur, nanny, or any other type of employee, being prepared is the name of
the game! Often in the domestic service industry, top candidates
are not the ones with the most experience or the most skills, but those who
understand basic business protocol in the job search process. For
example, a chef may be extremely talented in his or her trade, but offer a very
poorly written application package. He or she will stand less of a chance of
getting an interview when competing against applicants with an up-to-date, well
constructed portfolio. Likewise, should an agency or employer
request background information or documents from a candidate, any delays could
result in the hire of another applicant. Lastly, if the information such
as references, dates of employment, and contact information are hard to follow
or incomplete, the application could seem "fishy" or the candidate
could be thought of as incompetent.
For all of the above reasons, one
should apply basic business "common sense" to the job hunt
process. Spend some time educating yourself about conducting employment
searches, interviewing, and writing a resume. Also, if you are planning to
go through an agency for representation, read the article "Working
with
Domestic Employment Agencies". It offers a behind-the-scenes
perspective on the hiring procedure! Any inside knowledge and careful
preparation will pay off tremendously as you go through the process of finding
your next position. In the domestic service industry, there are a few
specific items that will make you ready for any potential job opening. The
list below is a great starting point for your job search process. By
preparing all of the items, you will also become more clear in your own goals
for the employment you are seeking. For further tips on job hunting, visit
sites online like monster.com and jobs.com. Most of their advice and
articles apply to all occupations and can be a great help. |
APPLICATION PACKAGE CHECKLIST
| 1. Current Resume |
I cannot stress the importance of the resume enough.
In many cases, it is the only item an employer will see when deciding who
to interview. Some agencies only send the resume to a client.
Some employers only look at resumes. Make sure yours is up to date
and has a professional look with no mistakes!. You can hire a service if you are not
good on the computer. Also, having a copy on disk is great for
sending documents through email. |
| 2. Letters of recommendation |
Any time you leave a job you should get a letter of
recommendation. Try to have them written on company letterhead or
personal stationery of your employer. The more letters you have, the
better. Be prepared to distribute copies that are as clear as
possible. Even better, have color copies made of the most recent or
most important letters. |
| 3. Reference List |
You will have to supply this information on any job
application so have it ready on a separate page, laid out as follows:
Employer name; who to contact for the reference; the contact's title; a
current telephone number; and any notes about reaching the person. You may
also request to be contacted directly for telephone numbers so you can
tell your reference in advance who will be calling. |
| 4. Current Photograph |
Have a recent photograph of yourself ready to give out
(color photocopies are a good idea) with an application. It should
show your overall physical appearance and a nice touch is to be in the
uniform of your profession. The extra step you can take here is to
have the photo scanned and put on a disk to email to agents or employers. |
| 5. ID Copies |
Usually agencies will ask for your identifying documents
upfront to verify you are who you say. This includes driver's
license, social security card, passport, green card, work visa, etc.
Be prepared by having a high quality black and white copy made for faxing
and color copies for distribution. |
| 6. List of Previous Addresses |
To conduct background checks, employers or agencies will
require a list of the county, city, state, and address of where you have
lived over the past 10 years. Have this information available and
typed out. Make copies. |
| 7. Background Explanation |
If there is anything derogatory at all that you know will
show up on your: driving record; credit history; criminal background; or
any civil litigation cases, have a detailed explanation ready. When
these checks are done on you, the reports come back with codes and sketchy
details about the events that are difficult to interpret. Your
willing discussion of the incident can make certain situations less
incriminating as a candidate for employment. |
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| As with any endeavor worth pursuing, the job search can be tedious and
frustrating. Approach the task with a positive attitude and commit
yourself to being ready for any obstacles along the way. Also "put
your money where your mouth is" when creating your application
materials. You may have to spend a few dollars to have a great looking
resume package with clean, legible copies of all your documents (both black
& white and color), but the payoff is far greater than the costs you will
incur. Also remember, there is no such thing as "luck". The word
"luck" is just a description of what happens when preparation
meets opportunity. So by preparing carefully and placing yourself
in front of all the opportunities out there, you can be the "lucky"
one who lands the perfect job.
Last, but certainly not least, any
lying or fabrication of information is unacceptable. Falsifying
references or any other credentials in your file is an indication
that you can not be trusted and is grounds for immediate termination
within many organizations. If you do not have valid references from
a position the proper thing to do is give a full explanation of how
and why the job ended. Truth goes a long way if there was one bad
situation, especially if it is overshadowed by a slew of other
strong references and positive situations. Any good agency will
thoroughly look into your background, so upfront honesty and
disclosure will avoid any conflict later in the hiring process.
This article may be reprinted and excerpts may
be used only with this exact footnote immediately following: "Becoming a
Better Domestic Employment Candidate , found at www.dpnonline.com".
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