Health Educator
Hands-on exercises
Author: Dorene Weston, Full Circle Consulting
- Occupational Profile
- Maria's job search
- Hands-on exercises
- How to identify jobs which are suitable for you?
- How to read and analyze job postings?
- Sample job posting
How to identify jobs which are suitable for you? Step-by-step approach:
Maria was very systematic in her approach and did the following:
- assessed her own personality, situation and experience;
- identified her transferable skills;
- researched positions;
- read and analyzed the job posting carefully;
- addressed both stated and hidden requirements;
- matched her skills and experience to the stated and hidden requirements.
How do you approach your job search?
Are any of these steps new to you?
Would you have done anything differently?
How to read and analyze job postings?
- Reread the job posting included in this article.
- Complete the following chart with information about Maria. You will need to add extra rows.
| Stated requirements | Hidden requirements | Maria’s qualifications and experience | Gaps |
| 3-5 years experience | 9 years | ||
| Act as a resource to empower parent groups | Facilitation skills | Working with community groups | |
| Referring children to appropriate childhood development resources | Knowledge of national and local resources | Lack of knowledge about such resources |
A sample job posting: Relate this
to your own experience
Read the job posting below, and go through the above steps for yourself. Complete
a chart for yourself, using the one above as a model. Remember to include personal
attributes as well as skills and knowledge.
Download a chart
|
Our Neighborhood Community Health Centres Position Type: Contract - Part Time We currently have an opportunity for a Health Promoter to join an interdisciplinary team delivering services to people from diverse communities living in the downtown area. ONCHC provides services to many people who face barriers to receiving services such as poverty, settlement, language, mental health and discrimination. This position is a part time contract, 0.75 FTE through March, 2006. Responsibilities:
Qualifications:
Salary range: $ 37,471 - 47,106 (pro-rated) plus benefits Applications are encouraged from qualified members of groups traditionally under-represented in the workplace. Please send a letter of interest and resume by December 20, 2003, quoting
Job #QW25 to: No phone calls please. We regret that only those we wish to interview will be contacted. Compensation Type: Salary |
Do not forget to "pull out" both the requirements stated in the ad and those that are "implied" or "hidden".
Go through the exercise of identifying your transferable skills. How can you use some of your old skills to do the job of health promoter? Which of your transferable skills are relevant to each job requirement?
Assess your gaps: how many gaps have you identified? Are they related to the most important job requirements and duties, or to a less important ones?
In most cases the experience and qualifications of a candidate will not match the job description perfectly. Gaps are normal. One or two small gaps should not stop you from applying for the position.
If you see significant gaps, think how you could overcome them? Do you require additional training? Can you volunteer in order to develop new skills and knowledge?
Most importantly - remember that your strengths, now your weaknesses will help you find a job. Find ways to show how your strongest skills will help you to meet the job requirements.
Good luck!
- Occupational Profile
- Maria's job search
- Hands-on exercises