Hints for the Unemployed Job Seeker

Posted by Guest Author at 31st March, 2010

Over fifteen million Americans are currently unemployed. Recently, a friend of mine reentered the world of the employed after searching for over a year. This past year was difficult for her emotionally, physically, and financially. However she never gave up hope and her efforts were finally rewarded.

For the millions who are in similar situations, there are steps they can take towards employment. Below are some of the career guide strategies you and other job seekers can implement.

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Keep Resume(s) Current

Add any new skills, certifications, contract work, and/or classes you have taken. Maintain several versions of your resume suitable for different positions or potential employers.

Network, Network, Network

Many jobs are filled via word of mouth. Your contacts know individuals who are connected to someone who could be your future employer. In today’s difficult job market a referral from a trusted source could be your ticket to employment.

Consider Working for a Temporary Agency

This will keep your skills sharp and bring in needed income, while letting potential employers gauge your work performance. Likewise, a temporary assignment could lead to a permanent position.

Brush Up on Your Interview Skills

When interviews are scarce, it is important to perform your best when you are given the opportunity. Thus, prepare responses to common interview questions and participate in mock interviews. This preparation will also increase your confidence during a real interview.

Update Your Wardrobe

Since you are unemployed, money may be tight. However, go through your closet and see what you have. You may only need a new shirt or blouse to make an existing business outfit interview ready. If a new suit or business outfit is in order, consider looking at consignment and second hand stores. These stores often have “gently used” name brand garments for a fraction of department store prices.

Participate in Professional Development

Feel free to update or acquire new skills via formal and/or informal training. You could also participate in pro-bono or volunteer assignments to keep your skills sharp. These activities can increase your marketability and grow your network as well.

Finally, remain positive and hopeful. Finding a new position takes time. However, those who continue searching and are diligent will eventually find and secure employment.

The knowledge of a crowd is greater than the wisdom of a few individuals. Thus, participate in JobRadioUSA’s online career community and encourage fellow job seekers to do the same.

Bonus Articles You Should Read (If You Have Not Done So)

Category : Career

http://teriabel.wordpress.com/ teri abel

There's nothing new here. People who are job searching are already doing these things. More to the point, they are seeking new information; information that truly adds to their strategy and approach going forward. This doesn't do that. Anyone who doesn't already know the above is wretchedly disadvantaged and likely has challenges precluding any powerful search in this competitive economy.

In this recession, people have resorted to: printing their resumes on T-shirts and pacing on the sidewalk outside of a company with which they seek employment; wearing sandwich boards advertising their candidacy; and abandoning the resume in full (as recommended in Don't Send a Resume http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Send-Resume-Other-Co… ).

We are miserably awash in the “tepid”; “of course” advice that does nothing beyond underscoring what we knew 10 years ago. I just think people's appetite is greater than that. It would have been more interesting to read what the factors were in the friend's finally securing employment after her one year search: Did the market change for her? Did she change? What exactly were the drivers in her securing employment now vs. a year ago.
http://kenrickchatman.com/ Kenrick Chatman

People may know these things. However how many are them are good at it? How many of them know how to network well or are willing to do what it takes to land a position? The secret to the job market during this economic downturn is persistence and consistency. There is no magic formula that is going to lead to a job. Likewise one must use advertised ads, networking, the hidden job market, cold calling, recruiters, passive marketing approaches, and so on on a consistent basis until one of these fronts lead to the interview that leads a job offer.
http://teriabel.wordpress.com/ teri abel

Thanks for your reply, Kenrick.
http://kenrickchatman.com/ Kenrick Chatman

No problem Teri. If you want “How To” advice and alternative strategies, view the previous blog posts written by (me: Kenrick Chatman). Also listen to the career radio shows… I lost my six-figure+ job in 2009 and wrote about the techniques I employed during my search. I accepted another six-figure job this month. There was no secret formula. The key was persistence, keeping a positive mental attitude, not giving up, and so on. Likewise, my current employer was seeking someone like me and as a result I was hired.
Hubert Pereira

Hi Kenrick

I still beleive that you owe us the information on what “extra” did your friend do to land that job! Did she do any upgradation of her skills in the meantime, finish a new diploma, or attend personality enhancing sessions.

I think there might be a key there too

Cheers
http://kenrickchatman.com/ Kenrick Chatman

Hubert,

Like I stated earlier my blog contains the answers to your questions. You just have to be more proactive and find this information by viewing my previous blog posts.

Here are links to 10-15 minute success stories of five individuals who landed a job during this current economic downturn:

http://kenrickchatman.com/job-campaign/success-…

http://thecareercatalyst.podbean.com/2009/08/15…

Make sure you tune in to my JobRadioUSA episode scheduled for May 25th at 9PM EST which David Perry, Kevin Donlin, and I will be interviewed discussing how current and future executives landed jobs utilizing creative techniques. I will provide the traditional and outside of the box strategies I utilized in my search to help me land my current position.

So if you want to know how to find a job (which is explained throughout my site in detail) you can implement some if not all of these strategies:

-First determine the job title, profession, industry, and 10-20 targeted companies you are interested in

-Next craft a resume that lists your quantifiable accomplishments or show how you can grow revenue, reduce cost, and/or increase efficiency. I explained how to do that in previous blog posts including sharing the highly quantifiable resumes I used.

-Use your network including LinkedIn, alumni, and other professional databases to have your resume/cover letter delivered directly to hiring managers for advertised positions
-Use these same resources to connect with hiring managers for informational interviews or business discussions to tap into the hidden job market. Share your one page marketing plan with these individuals to help you network in a structured and professional manner. I shared this information on previous blog posts as well.
-For advertised positions you applied for blindly but did not get a response, apply for the positions again with a different resume
-Place your resume on the job boards so recruiters who are using these databases can contact you for suitable positions
-Make direct or cold calls like a headhunter to senior executives including owners of small to midsized companies
-Show up in person to businesses and request interviews (technique that Jeff Allen shared during JobRadioUSA episode 38 talk show)
-Mail sales letters to hiring managers of your targeted companies
-Use the coffee cup caper technique
-Set up website/blogs and share your expertise
-Participate in, assume leadership roles, and or speak at professional and industry associations events
-Provide consulting expertise, participate in temp assignments, or provide pro bono work to companies to gain experience, get an “in”, and to build up your network (i.e. ask for referrals to other hiring authorities who could use someone like you)
- And so on
-If someone does not help you, move on to the next person. If you do not acquire a job lead, ask for referrals to other individuals.
-Practice to ace traditional, behavioral, and case interviews like I explained in several articles
-Most importantly, you have to keep a positive mental attitude, confidence, enthusiasm, and do not give up. Employers are looking for individuals who confident in their ability to produce excellent results and individuals who will not bring the morale down for their current employees… I provided several articles of how to keep hope alive during your job search.
-On a weekly basis, determine what is working and not working. Implement a new strategy to keep hope alive, and keep working on a consistent basis even if you are down since success is just around the corner. It may take some time but you will eventually land a job. Likewise, you cannot get discouraged and make sure that the job search strategies you are using are effective.

Predominantly applying blindly to advertised jobs is not an effective job search activity. Yet several job seekers rely on this.
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