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: ILO Publications :
GETTING HIRED: A Guide for Job Seekers
Who Face Barriers to Employment
3. Learning about Jobs and Employment Practices
3. Learning about Jobs and Employment
Practices
Learn about a pine tree from a pine tree,
And about a bamboo plant from a bamboo plant.
Matsuo Basho, Japanese poet
Before you begin your job search, you may need to learn more about
jobs and employment practices. In this section you will:
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Learn what you need to know about jobs before you go looking for
one; |
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Find out where to look for job information; and |
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Learn about informational interviewing. |
Job Duties, Requirements and Qualifications
Job duties or "terms of reference" refer to what you do
on the job. For example, office clerks may be required to file, type or
operate a word processor.
Job requirements refer to skills and abilities applicants must
have to do the job. Examples are physical strength or good communication
skills. Sometimes jobs may require that you have certain things like tools
or a car. Job qualifications refer to specific training, experience
or certificates that demonstrate certain skills. For example, to qualify
for some jobs, you must have a college degree or complete a test of skill.
Salary and Benefits
When you get hired for a job, you agree to perform the job duties in
return for a salary or wage. In addition, some jobs include benefits.
Depending on the employment practices in your community, benefits might
include:
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Transportation allowances; |
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Housing or a housing allowance; |
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Paid leave (earning pay for absences due to illness or holidays); |
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Assistance if you become sick or injured on the job (sometimes
called worker's compensation); |
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Medical or life insurance; |
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Pension, retirement or other savings plans; |
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Free equipment, tools or uniforms. |
Generally, if you work on a daily, temporary or part-time basis, you
do not receive benefits. If you work as a regular, full-time employee, you
are more likely to get benefits.
Job Availability, Job Security and Career Advancement
Job availability is related to being able to get a job. In seaport
towns, there are jobs related to shipping, but you won't find such jobs
inland. As computers become more common, so do jobs for people skilled in
programming or operating them. The availability of jobs is related to the
natural environment and the types of businesses that exist. Learn about
job availability so you know where have the greatest chance of getting
hired.
A secure job is one that you are likely to have for some time.
Positions with stable or growing companies or in job areas where growth is
expected may have good security. Some jobs, like temporary or casual
labour positions, have little security. Other jobs may lack security
because machines are replacing people.
The opportunities to learn new skills and advance on the job may be
important to you and your future. Some employers train you on the job or
have formal apprentice programmes where you learn a trade. Other jobs may
provide opportunities to advance to more responsible positions, such as
supervisor or manager.
How to learn about Jobs, Employment Practices and Labour Laws
The following list describes ways to learn about jobs that interest
you and how employment practices and labour laws may affect these jobs:
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Talk to someone who is doing the job; |
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See a job counsellor or job placement specialist; |
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Go to the library and read about the job; |
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Talk to an employer or business person who may hire people for
that type of work; |
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Read the newspapers, including classified advertisements and
articles about jobs; |
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Consult professional associations; |
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Visit a trade school or rehabilitation centre that provides
training in those job skills; |
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Visit a labour union office that represents workers who do the
job; and |
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Contact government offices such as a labour ministry that deals
with employment. |
Labour Laws
Labour laws in your country may set minimum levels of pay and define
practices that employers must follow in giving benefits. They may also
define standards about safety, work hours and other issues. Some labour
laws also protect groups of people such as children, women, or people with
disabilities from unfair treatment in the workplace.
Exercise 3.1: The Informational Interview
One way to learn about jobs is informational interviewing. In an
informational interview, you ask to meet with an employer or someone who
does the job or knows about it. In an informational interview, you ask for
information, not a job, but you may learn about job openings in the
process. Here's what to do:
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Select a job that interests you from the list you made in section
2. |
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Develop a list of questions you want answered. |
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It's best to start an informational interview by asking about the
place of work in general and then about specific jobs. You will find
that most people enjoy talking about their work. With one or two
questions, the person may go on without any more prompting from you.
If not, take the opportunity to ask all of your questions. |
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Here are some questions you may want to ask: |
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Would you tell me about this company (office or factory) and the
type of work done here? How long has the company been in business? How
many people work here? What type of growth has occurred? Is expected
to occur? |
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What are current developments in this industry? |
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What are the different types of jobs at this company? |
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How is this company (office or factory) different from others that
do the same type of work? |
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I am thinking of targeting (name of job or job area) as my goal.
What are the current opportunities for this type of work? What are the
chances for advancement? |
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What are the job duties? Requirements? Qualifications? |
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Can you tell me about the salary range and benefits that are
typically offered? |
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Can you suggest other companies or individuals for me to contact? |
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What is the best way to find job leads for this type of work? |
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Would it be possible to take a tour? (Use this as an opportunity
to learn more.) |
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Note: You may want to take this opportunity to ask the
person questions to learn his or her opinion about how to deal with
disability issues or other problems that you may encounter in getting
hired. For ideas about what you may want to ask, refer to sections in
"Finding and Responding to Job Openings" and "Interviewing for a Job"
that deal with disabilities, differences and problem questions. |
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Set up a meeting with an employer or someone who knows about the
job or type of work. |
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To set up an informational interview, explain to the person you
want to meet that you just want information. Explain that you are
trying to learn about different companies and jobs before you begin
your job search. Tell him or her why you have chosen that individual
and, if someone referred you, tell who it was. Promise to be brief and
express your appreciation for the person's time, whether or not he or
she agrees to meet with you. |
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Use the questions you developed as a basis for discussing the
company (office or factory) and its work. |
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Note: Section 7, "Interviewing for a Job", has additional
tips about dress, behaviour and asking questions that will help you
with informational interviewing. The main difference between the two
types of interviewing is this: In an informational interview, you take
the lead and ask questions; in a job interview, the employer takes
control and you follow his or her lead. |
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( You have learned about jobs and employment practices.
Now it's time to develop your job goal. |
3. Learning about Jobs and Employment Practices
GETTING HIRED: A Guide for Job Seekers
Who Face Barriers to Employment
|
