Tips on Finding That Job

Susan Brannon
31 August 2011

With the downfall of our economy, companies cutting back both employees and hours, or outsourcing jobs to other countries, it is no telling how long it will take to find a job.  You may land a job in a week, or 1 year.  You can look 24/7 and 365 days a week with no luck and without an interview.  Even temporary work services is down and not hiring.  There are over 16 million people looking for work.  You will need to be patient, do not take it personally, and stay persistent.

Adjust Your Mindset:

1)    Decide that you are going to get a job, and there are no other options.
2)    Spend as much time looking for a job, because this is your new job!  Spend more time on looking for that job, than you did in your previous job.
3)    Be willing to take something that is "beneath you"  This way you will stay connected in the workforce.
4)    Disregard the talk that no one is hiring!  Companies are always looking for productive solutions, new creative ideas, that create more money.
5)    Stay away from others who are unemployed, their attitude may creep up on you and you want to stay positive.  People can feel your energy, if you are down trodden, or up in spirits.  No one wants to hire or be around those who are depressed, maintain a positive attitude.
6)    Do not relay on your resume' to land you the job.  You are the person that will help you to land your job.
7)    Bypass the HR department, find the decision makers, keep your shoulders high, and head forward.

What you need to do:

1)    You need to develop a system for looking for a job.  Try not to focus on the results, but the system that you use.  Keep a list of where you have searched, including the dates and process.  I would suggest an excel sheet with columns;  When,Who, What, Contact, How, Response, and Notes
    When:  The date
    Who; list the company name
    What;  The job position; title
    Contact; name of person, phone number, email,
    How: Online or hand in resume'
    Response: An automatic email, a call, an interview
    Notes:  when you should follow up, and how...by a call or email.      Also include, notes about the company, their website etc... This     way if you land an interview, you can be prepared to research the company before going.

2)    Make sure that you are looking at places that fit your talents.  If you do not know accounting, don't apply for a bookkeeping job.  If you like people, apply for customer service positions.

3)    Don't waste your time online.  The number of people who find a job online is between two to five percent at the most.

4)    Tell everyone that you know, that you are looking for a job.  Send out mass emails; even if it is to someone that you hardly know.  Tell neighbors, friends of friends, the grocery store that you shop at...everyone.  It is not beneath you to let everyone know.

5)    Update your resume' (that is a given) and have a digital copy (pdf) and paper copies on hand at all times.  The average resume' is read in 10 seconds.  You need to hit the reader with your mouth and in person. 

6)    After sending your resume' follow up with a call and introduce yourself to the supervisor.  Ninety-eight percent of companies in the U.S. have fewer than 100 people working for them.  Contacting one of the managers is not hard to do.

Where to look:

With job freezes, hiring freezes, and layoffs that means (and we all know this) that the competition is tough.  You need to dig deeper, the quality of your job search skills becomes critical, your skills need to be better, you need to be aware of "career branding" and you must be strategic about approaching employers.

1)    Don't count on job boards.  I call them resume' black holes.  The data system hunts for "key words" relating to training skills, degrees and experience.  Even if you are a perfect match for the job, your resume' may never get to someone who could stand by your potential value.  Also, a vast majority of jobs are Not Advertised - online or anywhere.

2)    Tap into your Network find out about job leads, before they go public.  It is more important to know who knows you, than what you know.  Keep in touch with everyone, and keep them on their radar to gain access to job leads.  As I stated in a previous article: using LinkedIn to connect with a current employee with a company that you are interested in.

3)    Offer help to others:  For your contacts; pass along a tip or article to your network, it is like putting money in the bank.  Offer to give a lecture, a link to a website of interest.

4)    Blogs:  Find blogs relevant to your interest written by professionals, become a regular commenter.  This way you will not be judged by your resume' but your ideas and passions.  Once you have developed a rapport with a blogger, ask about career advice and job leads.

5)    Create "your brand" and develop and promote it:  Don't be modest.  Become an "expert", volunteer your skills for a community project, engage in an online forum, create a website, and yes...blog.

Don't get discouraged, in the meantime, find a way to earn money to get you by, offer house cleaning services, land a part time job, and remember that it is temporary until you find that job you really want.

Related Articles:

How to get a job using LinkedIn
LinkedIn Profile Tips
Job Search:  Don't Apply Online