7 tips for job hunting in a tougher market

I just recently landed a new job after a layoff and the best advice I can give is this: Do not waste your time submitting your resume at the Monster.coms of the world - your resume there is like a needle in a haystack. Instead, utilize the Monster.coms to research actual companies hiring in your area or companies that you may like to work for outside of your area. Once you have found those companies - find a PERSON within those companies. This is easier than you may think - someone always knows someone who works somewhere. Have that person personally put your resume in front of the hiring manager - not just hand it to the HR Dept. - and have them personally recommend that the hiring manager talk to you. Networking is everything. Recruiters are excellent resources as well. They know what’s out there, it benefits them to place you, it won’t cost you a dime and with the right skill sets, you’re almost guaranteed an interview or two - so hone up on those interviewing skills (recommend reading “Now, Discover Your Strengths” by Marcus Buckingham & Donald Clifton) and knock ‘em dead when you get the opportunity - you don’t want to waste any opportunity. I found a couple of good recruiters just by telling my friends I was looking for work. Put them to work for you - you can’t have enough advocates. The recruiters I met I will follow up with every couple of months now - even though I’m not looking. They give great insight to the job market, what’s out there and what you can do to land certain positions - tailor your resume, etc. I would recommend doing this for anyone out there - job or no job. Good luck!

Hi,

As a college senior, this tougher job market isn’t great timing for our Generation.

But, I just read a book that IMHO was filled with excellent advice and action steps for college students to take to prepare for their job search. It’s called “Getting from college to Career” by Lindsey Pollak. While it’s written for college kids, I think anyone looking for a new job can get action steps to take as they start a job search.

Thanks for the great article, Annie!

Cheers,
Linda

Annie here: My pleasure, Linda — and stay tuned for my next column! Counterintuitive as it may seem, the job market for the Class of ‘08 is looking pretty strong!

JOBS FOR OLDER WOKRERS
Finding a job if you are a senior or retired can be a challenge unless you are a pharmacist, nurse, researcher, chemist or someone with such sought after experience. However older workers do have some advantages so use them. Often a senior can accept a part-time or temporary job or project assignment which younger workers are not able to take. Indicate this when applying for a job. If you have not worked other than full-time jobs, register with several temp firms. They are more interested in your skills and experience than in your age. Check out job boards designed to connect older workers with employers interested in hiring them like RetiredBrains.com and RetirementJobs.com or Seniors4Hire.org.

First thing to do is go to the library and read Barbara Ehrenreich’s book Bait and Switch, The (Futile) Pursuit of the American Dream. It will give you a clue of what is ahead of you. As for advice 1) start looking for a survival job and 2) call up everyone you know and tell them that you are looking for a job.

Never Burn Bridges.

Even when I have left a job I didn’t like or was let go due to a down turn, I never left a negative impression. I kept my contacts and stayed in touch. Every job I have ever had has been due to networking. My last job of 17 years ( still here) is due to prior a co-worker who set up a telephone interview from 3,000 miles away. Also treat people well on the way up. The may be needed as a backstop if you ever have to step down a rung or two.

I was in the same situation where my job was moved to another group within my organization. I initially panicked then realized that I can control the situation. The first thing I did was update my resume to make it stick out from others. I looked around the internet for award winning format examples. The second thing I did was contact numerous colleagues and mentioned that I was looking for a new career path. You never want to sound desperate or beg to be hired. In the meantime I also talked and met personally with a few external recruiters to see what the job market was like. Fortunately a few days later I received a call from a colleague who mentioned there was an opening in a similar group to his and asked if I was available to interview as the team needed someone right away. It took a few weeks of being patient but I got the job at my existing salary. Based upon my story, networking is the most important, never burn bridges with a previous manager and have patience. Things do work out for the better!!

As mentioned in the article, one of the best and most effective ways to boost your chances of landing the perfect job in such a volatile market is to have a set of professionally written career documents that will catch a recruiter/HR decision maker’s eye and ultimately lead to more interviews. I recommend using a certified service, like Precision Resumes (www.precision-resumes.com). Their team is highly experienced and knowledgeable, and their prices are very reasonable.