The JobStreet.com Job Fair 2013

As the month of March ushers the entry of another batch of high school and college graduates into the country's workforce, JobStreet.com, the country's number 1 online job site is happy to kick-off this monumental event of our dear graduates with their annual country-wide  JobStreet.com Job Fair!


The Philippines’ number one job site, JobStreet.com, will open the career fair series via JobStreet.Com Career Fair in Manila this coming April 1 and 2 at the SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City.

And to reach more and more Filipinos and link them with the job of their dreams, JobStreet.com will also hold career fairs in eight key cities nationwide namely Laguna, Cavite, Pampanga, Bacolod, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro and Davao.

The leading job site is estimating that the Manila  leg alone will draw around 30,000 jobseekers vying for local and overseas job vacancies from over 300 participating top companies and POEA-licensed agencies.


Last year's Manila career fair had hundreds of short-listed applicants and thousands more that were kept for reference by over 300 companies during the two-day hiring activity in June 2012.

And for all of you jobseekers who want to make to the cut, read about these 10 best tips for online job-hunting that I learned from Grace Colet, the country manager of JobStreet.com Philippines, Inc.:

1. Search every day. New positions are uploaded on job sites like JobStreet.com daily, and being the first to respond has its advantages. But don’t ignore old postings, either. Some dated postings may be hard-to-fill jobs that you could be qualified for.

2. Do online research too. Complement your online search by finding out more about the companies you’re applying with. The information you gain can be helpful when you’re called to interview.

3. Make your resume acceptable online. Many companies ask applicants to submit an electronically formatted resume by providing an online form. Be sure to fill in all the required blanks. Without the information he needs, an employer is less likely to take your application seriously.

4. Use key words. Since a single ad can receive numerous applications, some employers activate an automated screening system to weed out unqualified applicants and save time. Be sure to put in relevant key words to raise your chances of getting pass these filters.

5. Use the cut-and-paste format. It’s better to send a resume (in plain text format) as part of the message body. With viruses crawling all over cyberspace, most employers have second thoughts about opening attachments.


6. Focus your search. Don’t submit resumes for different positions with one employer. Worse, don’t blast copies of a general resume to as many firms as possible. Target your job hunting: Be sure you meet the job’s requirements and that you customize resume contents to the particular position.

7. Avoid using office facilities. Remember that employers have the means to track Internet use. You may be violating your employer’s computer and Internet acceptable use policy and revealing to them that you are job hunting. Neither should you job-hunt during office hours, even if it’s lunch break.

8. Protect your privacy. Don’t be so ready to provide your landline, social security number, tax identification number and other sensitive details in your resume. Such information can fall into the hands of unscrupulous persons. Read a job site’s privacy policy to know exactly what it does with applicants’ personal information.

9. Make a good first impression. Be professional: Don’t send a resume that’s hard on the eye or use a cute, weird or funny e-mail address.

10. Don’t just wait. Searching online is undeniably fast and easy, but it doesn’t guarantee you a job. As with traditional job hunting, you still need to work hard to stand above the competition. This means being proactive and following up on your application to catch the employer’s attention.


And as for those companies who wants the best of best employees, let me also share to you the Laws of Attraction that was also shared to us by Grace Colet:

Like Attracts Like

If a company shows excellence in everything it does, then they will hire only excellent talents. But how exactly, is excellence measured? When is a talent excellent enough? Grace shares that, first of all, a company should know the employer brand first. The employer brand should be driven by the company’s mission, vision, and values. It is important to create a map of talent requirements, and to personify the targets to understand how they behave.

Jobseekers should remember that employers look for employees that are distinctive, motivating, credible, enduring, and strategic. Employers also look at the reasons why people stay in their company. Companies also look for talents who will stay with them for the long run.

Say the Right Things

65% of the jobseeker population checks the website of the company they want to apply to even before click the “submit resume” button. Having said that, the challenge now lies on how complete and friendly the company website is. Will it compel the jobseeker to apply? Or will it turn him off? It is important for the company’s website to deliver the right message not just to the jobseeker, but even to everyone who visits them. Above everything else, the company’s career microsite should be memorable, and has an application form that works for both jobseekers and HR practitioners.

It is important for jobseekers to know that what’s important to them is also provided by the company. The connection between “what applicants are looking for” and “what companies provide” should always be present, and is actually a big factor.

Make a Compelling Promise

Jobseekers nowadays are more particular when it comes to choosing their next workplace. While benefits and salary are the top things jobseekers consider in deciding on a job offer, office location is also becoming more important across the board. People are already changing filter behavior, prioritizing things weren't looked at before. For instance, based on a study, engineers look at the salary first, then the location, and then the specialization. For IT practitioners, however, salary is at the 4th rank, while position level is most important for managers and up. Overall, the “benefits” factor drives a person to accept a job offer.

It also shouldn't be forgotten that employees and jobseekers alike look for good career opportunities, and not just work. They like a work environment that provides continuous training and development, which will eventually lead to an accelerated career track.

With the rampant change in job hunting trends as Gen Y jobseekers enter the career zone, it is important to offer opportunities that excite them and keep them engaged. A company should make a compelling promise, centered on their brand identity.

More than anything else, guided by its mission of improving lives through better careers, Jobstreet.com is hoping that with these series of Job Fairs, they'll be able to connect jobseekers and companies in a very harmonious way to make both lives prosperous.

Good luck to everyone!



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