Job Searching in a Shaky Economy

Article Source:  http://tinyurl.com/l3htjm

By Kerry Knapp, Monster Contributing Writer

With the economy ailing, stock markets in free fall and job cuts making headlines day after day, it’s easy to give in to the doom and gloom. Especially if you’re looking for employment. And yet, people are still working, consumers are still buying goods and factories are still churning out products. Even companies laying off employees in some areas are still hiring in others. There may be fewer jobs out there, but they haven’t disappeared entirely. So how do you find a job when times are hard?

In this article, we’ll bypass standard job-hunting techniques and focus on timely strategies for finding work when the economy’s stuck on life support. Here’s your prescription:

Get your skills working for you!

When the competition’s fierce, you have to stand out.

List your top skills and the achievements you’re most proud of, and play them up in interviews. Now’s not the time to be shy. Pay special attention to soft skills that can be transferred to a wide variety of positions, like communication, teamwork and leadership. If your resumé is looking a little sparse, volunteer or work part-time work to give it a shot in the arm.

Market yourself

Like it or not, you’ve got to sell yourself to prospective employers.

Step 1 focused on perfecting your product (that’s you!). Now it’s time to think about the packaging. Start with a flawless resumé and compelling cover letters.

Then dress for success, rehearse your sales pitch and practise your interview techniques to make sure you communicate clearly and effectively.

Finally, you’ve got to get that project to market. Develop a marketing plan that utilizes all available resources to find job leads, including research, job fairs, recruiters and personal referrals, and lets you effectively represent yourself to prospective employers. Set realistic goals and determine your time frame.

Make your plan as detailed as possible. If you can stick to it, you’ll set yourself apart from everyone else who has lost confidence and given up the search.

Start early

When times are tough, some younger job seekers choose to go back to school or prolong their studies. Others put off or abandon their job search all together. For you, this is an excellent opportunity to get in there early. By looking for employment while others are sidelined, you cut your competition in half.

If you’re a student, take advantage of campus career centres and job fairs as early as possible.

Network, network, network!

Work all your contacts, not just for job leads but also for introductions to employees at companies that interest you and people who can provide vital information on trends affecting your field.

Get the word out that you’re looking for work. Talk to professional associations, fellow job seekers, past employers, school career placement staff and even your Great Aunt Matilda. Don’t be shy to ask friends of friends for favours, and don’t forget online networks like LinkedIn and Facebook.

Target your job search

Concentrate your job search on organizations most likely to be hiring. Read the business section of local newspapers to learn which companies are expanding or what new projects are getting under way.

You can also find out what industries are still experiencing job growth by using websites like the Canadian government’s Job Futures or Looking Ahead, employment indexes and information on industry trends.

Good bets include small to medium-sized businesses of 200 to 300 people, which experts say account for most hiring across the country, along with “recession-proof” industries like healthcare, education, environmental sciences, security and government.

Broaden your search techniques

To improve your chances of finding employment, try new ways of getting in touch with employers.

Ask job holders in your industry for an “informational interview” just to sound them out on industry trends and labour market realities. Or place “cold calls” (calls to people who can hire you but whom you don’t know) to ask employers if you can meet with them—even if they haven’t advertised a position. Use the opportunity to bring up your skills and qualifications.

Informational interviewing and cold calls are great ways to get your foot in the door and tap into the hidden job market, the great majority of jobs that are never advertised in newspapers.

Be flexible

We all go into the job market with visions of scoring a cushy $100K dream job with full benefits and a company car. Well, best put that dream on hold a little longer!

As a new recruit, you may have reduce your expectations and settle for an entry-level position, a lower salary or fewer benefits. You might also have to consider moving—literally—to a hotter job market.

To really put the odds in your favour, you may even have to shift career tracks—at least in the short term. Instead of insisting on a position as an investment advisor, for instance, consider starting in a related field like banking instead. (Remember those transferable skills? This is where they come in handy.)

Consider part-time or casual work

Don’t rule out temporary assignments, part-time positions, job-sharing, leave replacements and other short-term contracts, internships and project-oriented roles—maybe even volunteer work and unpaid contract work, for a limited time. While opportunities like these may not be what you had in mind, they can provide steady income, a chance to network and invaluable experience while you continue to look for full-time employment. They can also give you exposure to fields you might not get to explore otherwise. Who knows, some could even turn into full-time jobs down the road!

 

Think outside the cubicle

If you’re the entrepreneurial type, why not create your own job? With employers reticent to take on extra staff, this could be the ideal time to leverage your skills through self-employed contract or consulting work.

Don’t panic!

Hunting for a job hunt is always an emotionally charged process. In a challenging economy, it’s twice as stressful.

In the last major economic downturn, many first-time job hunters reacted by abandoning their job search or picking up a study program that really didn’t interest them. Be careful not to make rash decisions, and understand that finding a job may take a lot of time and work. Tackle each step as it comes up, and keep your sight firmly on your goals. In time, you’ll get there!

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