Which Items Will You Need?
Buying a phonecard might be useful if you do not have a mobile phone. If you are out and about,
carrying a bag of change may be inconvenient. If you have not already got a telephone answering
machine then now is the time to buy one. This will be an essential tool in your job hunting, because
if people cannot reach you they cannot offer you interviews or convey information to you. Your
message should be professional, something along the lines of "This is [your name] speaking.
I am sorry but I cannot take your call at this time. If you would like to leave a message please
state your name and telephone number after the tone". You may also want to consider adding
a second phone line if other people spend a lot of time using your current phone line.
A good diary (A4/A5 size) with a page per day would be ideal. You will need to write down your
appointments here, including the person you are seeing, the name of the company, the time you are
meeting them, the address of the company, directions (how to get there) and any other important
information such as how you found out about the company.
You will also need to build up profiles of companies/people and keep notes of jobs you applied
for and interviews you attended. So the purchase of some A4 loose-leaf binders and A4 paper would
be a good idea.
During your job hunting campaign you will need to write a lot of letters and you may want to
alter your CV for a specific application. A PC, laser printer and word-processing package may therefore
prove very useful and, if you were already thinking of buying these items, now would be a good
time to purchase. If you are buying from a shop or by mail order it is usually safest to pay by
credit card as the credit card company is then jointly liable if anything goes wrong. If you buy
second hand equipment you should ensure that everything is in full working order before parting
with your money. Another alternative would be to use a friend's equipment or just pay someone to
type up your letters.
Using good quality stationery is a must, as you will need to convey a professional image when you are writing to people. Paper should be good quality
A4 100-gram paper in a tasteful shade of white, cream or vellum. A4 matching envelopes can add that extra special touch and look more professional than
plain brown envelopes. Always use A4 envelopes so that you do not have to fold your letters/CVs. A personal business card with your name, home address
and telephone number printed on it may also prove useful.
Job hunting - check list.
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