1. Set your expectation right

This is the most important thing you have to get it right before you start. You want to ask yourself what kind of job at what level is right for you given your past experience and educational background. It's a employer's market in today's environment. The employers are spoiled with choice and they want to get the best deal. Hence, you'll have much better chance of securing a job if you are over-qualified rather than under. You should be able to differentiate what are the can-do jobs which you feel comfortable with your current skill sets and what are the challenging ones which you will be stretched too thin. Having the right expectation about your capability and hence the right job match can save your lots of time and emotional stress down the road.

2. Generate a list of potential source of job opportunities

Look hard at your network and generate a list of people or places where you can start searching. If you have worked before, put down your ex-manager, ex-HR manager names. If you have not, ask your tuition providers if they know anyone who is hiring and who are the main recruitment agents in the market. Register yourself with the online job search engines such as Finance Vacancies. I actually put newspaper ads as my last resort.

3. Be patient

In a slow market, you have got to be patient. We talk here about weeks not days. With those online search engines, they take about a month to start feeding you with meaningful job vacancies. Setting up interviews can take a while because the interviewer may have a busy travelling schedule.

4. Learn from each interview session

Give yourself a pat on the back when you get an interview from the hiring company. You are one giant step closer than the other applicants. Be over-prepared. It means know your resume thoroughly, understand your strength and weakness, prepare for questions around key career/life decisions, major achievement or failures. Lastly, have a good understanding of the hiring company in terms of their business model, key financials and major markets. You shall feel lucky if the first interview is NOT conducted by a HR manager. They are the most difficult to please. You must ask for feedback after each session. So you can be sure if you project the right image and delivery the right message as intended.

I will continue my advice in my next blog...