markewicken in Job Search

The secret to a successful job search

The secret to a successful job search is nothing more than a series of carefully planned disciplines practiced regularly.

There is no shortcut to job search success but there are several simple things you can do that will put you ahead of your competition. Too often looking for a shortcut or pure laziness keeps a first- time job seeker from reaching their goals. Here are a few simple rules to follow that will make a big difference in the success of your search.

Know yourself, interests, skills, attributes and strengths. These will lead you to the right opportunities.
Do your homework…research, research, research. The more you know about the business/industry you want to enter the better. Read everything you can. Be better informed than your competition.
Use your network. You will not find a job without the help of others in some way. Reach out to your friends and family and treat every contact you make with respect.
Be professional, polite and respectfully to all you meet. “Please” and “Thank you” work wonders.
Be a great record keeper. Every contact you make, every lead you follow will become valuable at some point in time.
Never give up. Every action you take, every person you meet will get you one step closer to landing your first job.

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markewicken: Mark Wicken is a marketing professional with over 30 years of advertising, communications and strategic planning experience within the retail and packaged goods industries. He has been a senior member of agency management teams with both account and brand management responsibilities. His strengths have always been on innovative thinking, solid organization and strong interpersonal skills. Starting in the advertising agency industry, Mark held senior account management positions at several multinational agencies including Leo Burnett, Foster, Caledon, Vickers & Benson and Saffer Advertising, and has been responsible for the management of accounts like IBM, McDonald’s, Esso and General Motors. Mark moved from his agency roles to the Client side and held the position of Divisional Vice President of Marketing for Domino’s Pizza International and Director of Marketing for KFC, Hardee’s and Sbarro restaurants in the Middle East. In 2002 he established The Mark Wicken Group, a business specializing in executive search, training and consulting within the marketing, advertising and communications industries. In addition to executive search, Mark has devoted much of his lifetime to teaching, education and youth development. He is President of MusicFest Canada ‘The Largest Annual Music Festival in North America’ and has been an instructor at the International Academy of Design and The Toronto Film School since 1998. Mark graduated from The University of Toronto, took post-graduate studies at Northwestern University, and is married with two sons.