There are NO Jobs Out There! True or False?
FALSE! Even during a (dare I drop the "R" bomb) recession, there are still plenty of jobs out there. Now, it's true that many of them may not be what you want, require a degree and maybe if you don't have one that could hinder you, but what we're mainly finding are a few things:
1. Job seekers not willing to take a drastic pay cut
2. Under-experienced job seekers for a particular position
3. Job seekers not willing to relocate
4. Job seekers who do not go about their search correctly
5. Those who don't interview well
6. Negotiating salary too high
7. Distributing non-effective resumes
8. Impatience
9. Just a lot of competition!
What I recommend:
1. If you are unemployed, take the lower pay for now. Even if it's not much more than unemployment, or will barely make a difference once you pay taxes, bills, food, gas and child care (if applicable). The reason I say this is because some pay is better than NO pay, and when you're working, the easier your job search will be. The old saying it's easier to find a job when you already have one is true! The longer you stay out of work the more difficult it is because your former employer may leave, which may shorten your list of references, and hiring managers like to see that you are remaining productive despite what may be odds against you.
2. Update your skills! Seek out free or low cost courses at your community colleges or high schools. If you are currently working for a company, find out what courses they offer. Today, a degree is just not enough. Take advantage of every free (or low cost) opportunity for professional development out there!
3. I know it's a lot to relocate, especially if the company you want to work for does not cover any portion of relocation expenses (I went through this), but if it's a good paying job, benefits and you've exhausted all other options why not do a temporary move for now? If it's selling your home and transferring your kids from one school to another try finding someone to rent your home and someone to help out with the kids until you're settled in. I know it's not easy, we're talking about a total transition! Remember this is if you've exhausted all options.
4. When conducting your job search you should hit the ground running! In addition to responding to newspaper job postings, visiting your labor department, signing up with recruiters, networking, door-to-door company visits and cold-calling I'm a firm believer in using online job search engines. But... in order for these to be effective you have to do several things. When my former company announced layoffs I remember one contractor colleague of mine who quickly found a very good paying, full-time, permanent position before they gave us the final ax. I asked him how he did this and he said: "I just signed up with multiple search engines!" He said he signed up with about 30 and he kept searching and applying everyday! Follow up calls are good too if the company welcomes these. Don't hound them!
5. Even if you're an expert at playing the game and think you've heard every possible question or scenario out there, it's always a good idea to polish up those interviewing skills. Get some coaching from a Career Expert if necessary! We do interview coaching by the way. There are tons of articles online with free interviewing tips. Get a friend or someone to practice with you.
6. When it comes to salary negotiating you do want to let the Hiring Manager know your worth, but don't expect to go into a new company or position commanding $75,000 or more when you only made close to $50,000 on your last job. I don't care if you did just complete your Master's degree or received those highly sought after certifications, remember there are others inside the company who would gladly take the average starting salary for the position you're applying for. Not only that, but you still have to prove yourself to the company. Don't negotiate yourself out of the job. If you can, find out before the interview what the position normally pays, or do some research to find out what most companies pay for the position. A range of no more than $10,000 what you currently or used to make is safe. I would even go lower than that depending on the benefits and compensation package. Ask about this!
7. Does your resume list all of your duties from your current and previous jobs? Do you find that these same duties are a direct correlation to the positions you're seeking? Well if your resume is loaded with numerous duties and no examples of how well you did those duties then it may look like everyone else's resume. You need to make it stand out. Hire a Professional Resume Writer! If you can't afford a Professional Resume Writer (We're one of the few companies that offer a 50/50 payment option and various discounts) then go to your local bookstore or library and check out some resume books. Not all of them are good and they'll work better for you if you at least have a general idea of what elements go into a resume, but hey it's a good start!
8. I've heard on more than one occasion, 'It's been two weeks, my resume is posted on all of these search engines and I'm not getting the kinds of job postings I want!' Or, 'It's been three weeks and I'm barely getting any postings sent to my email address.' Well... first of all it could be your resume and/or the kinds of positions you're applying for. Is your resume tailored for these positions? Second, you can't just post your resume to search engines and sit back and wait. You've gotta put the work in too and seek out positions. Go to the company sites too! Third, your dream job may take a few weeks to appear. If it's for federal government jobs it can take at least 2 months before they even contact you. And that's just to say you've past the initial screening process!
9. The competition is fierce! That's why you absolutely must have a high impacting, value-based resume and cover letter ready before you even begin your job search. They should be tailored for the positions you're applying for as well. Remember there are millions of job seekers out there just like you with the same skills and qualifications. You have to show why you should be a company's first choice!
Remember, these are just my recommendations based on what I've seen. I worked in Corporate America for over 10 years and network with many recruiters and hiring managers on a daily basis.
Good luck in your job search!
1. Job seekers not willing to take a drastic pay cut
2. Under-experienced job seekers for a particular position
3. Job seekers not willing to relocate
4. Job seekers who do not go about their search correctly
5. Those who don't interview well
6. Negotiating salary too high
7. Distributing non-effective resumes
8. Impatience
9. Just a lot of competition!
What I recommend:
1. If you are unemployed, take the lower pay for now. Even if it's not much more than unemployment, or will barely make a difference once you pay taxes, bills, food, gas and child care (if applicable). The reason I say this is because some pay is better than NO pay, and when you're working, the easier your job search will be. The old saying it's easier to find a job when you already have one is true! The longer you stay out of work the more difficult it is because your former employer may leave, which may shorten your list of references, and hiring managers like to see that you are remaining productive despite what may be odds against you.
2. Update your skills! Seek out free or low cost courses at your community colleges or high schools. If you are currently working for a company, find out what courses they offer. Today, a degree is just not enough. Take advantage of every free (or low cost) opportunity for professional development out there!
3. I know it's a lot to relocate, especially if the company you want to work for does not cover any portion of relocation expenses (I went through this), but if it's a good paying job, benefits and you've exhausted all other options why not do a temporary move for now? If it's selling your home and transferring your kids from one school to another try finding someone to rent your home and someone to help out with the kids until you're settled in. I know it's not easy, we're talking about a total transition! Remember this is if you've exhausted all options.
4. When conducting your job search you should hit the ground running! In addition to responding to newspaper job postings, visiting your labor department, signing up with recruiters, networking, door-to-door company visits and cold-calling I'm a firm believer in using online job search engines. But... in order for these to be effective you have to do several things. When my former company announced layoffs I remember one contractor colleague of mine who quickly found a very good paying, full-time, permanent position before they gave us the final ax. I asked him how he did this and he said: "I just signed up with multiple search engines!" He said he signed up with about 30 and he kept searching and applying everyday! Follow up calls are good too if the company welcomes these. Don't hound them!
5. Even if you're an expert at playing the game and think you've heard every possible question or scenario out there, it's always a good idea to polish up those interviewing skills. Get some coaching from a Career Expert if necessary! We do interview coaching by the way. There are tons of articles online with free interviewing tips. Get a friend or someone to practice with you.
6. When it comes to salary negotiating you do want to let the Hiring Manager know your worth, but don't expect to go into a new company or position commanding $75,000 or more when you only made close to $50,000 on your last job. I don't care if you did just complete your Master's degree or received those highly sought after certifications, remember there are others inside the company who would gladly take the average starting salary for the position you're applying for. Not only that, but you still have to prove yourself to the company. Don't negotiate yourself out of the job. If you can, find out before the interview what the position normally pays, or do some research to find out what most companies pay for the position. A range of no more than $10,000 what you currently or used to make is safe. I would even go lower than that depending on the benefits and compensation package. Ask about this!
7. Does your resume list all of your duties from your current and previous jobs? Do you find that these same duties are a direct correlation to the positions you're seeking? Well if your resume is loaded with numerous duties and no examples of how well you did those duties then it may look like everyone else's resume. You need to make it stand out. Hire a Professional Resume Writer! If you can't afford a Professional Resume Writer (We're one of the few companies that offer a 50/50 payment option and various discounts) then go to your local bookstore or library and check out some resume books. Not all of them are good and they'll work better for you if you at least have a general idea of what elements go into a resume, but hey it's a good start!
8. I've heard on more than one occasion, 'It's been two weeks, my resume is posted on all of these search engines and I'm not getting the kinds of job postings I want!' Or, 'It's been three weeks and I'm barely getting any postings sent to my email address.' Well... first of all it could be your resume and/or the kinds of positions you're applying for. Is your resume tailored for these positions? Second, you can't just post your resume to search engines and sit back and wait. You've gotta put the work in too and seek out positions. Go to the company sites too! Third, your dream job may take a few weeks to appear. If it's for federal government jobs it can take at least 2 months before they even contact you. And that's just to say you've past the initial screening process!
9. The competition is fierce! That's why you absolutely must have a high impacting, value-based resume and cover letter ready before you even begin your job search. They should be tailored for the positions you're applying for as well. Remember there are millions of job seekers out there just like you with the same skills and qualifications. You have to show why you should be a company's first choice!
Remember, these are just my recommendations based on what I've seen. I worked in Corporate America for over 10 years and network with many recruiters and hiring managers on a daily basis.
Good luck in your job search!
posted by WSteele @ 10:46 AM
1 comments
