Looking for a job is always a challenge. But with the current economic situation it's becoming even harder. There are fewer jobs and more competition. The good news is there are ways to improve your chances and give yourself an advantage. over other job seekers.
1. Decide what you want. Look through job descriptions and find your ideal job. See if you meet the qualifications. If not, is there a class you can take or a certification you can earn that will qualify you? Will you need to take another job and work your way into the perfect position?
2. It can never be said enough: Network, Network, Network. Let your friends know you're open to a new position. This includes old school friends, people at your church, your mom's Mah Jong club. You don't want to sound desperate. But talking to people in a positive way can help open doors that you'd never have access to by just mailing resumes.
3. Learn to use technology to your advantage. This doesn't mean post your resume online and hope for the best. But you can set up a profile on LinkedIn and reconnect with old friends and coworkers. You never know who might know of a position open in their company. Visit the webpage's of companies you like and apply at their site following their directions exactly. This is much better
than posting randomly to online job boards.1. Decide what you want. Look through job descriptions and find your ideal job. See if you meet the qualifications. If not, is there a class you can take or a certification you can earn that will qualify you? Will you need to take another job and work your way into the perfect position?
2. It can never be said enough: Network, Network, Network. Let your friends know you're open to a new position. This includes old school friends, people at your church, your mom's Mah Jong club. You don't want to sound desperate. But talking to people in a positive way can help open doors that you'd never have access to by just mailing resumes.
3. Learn to use technology to your advantage. This doesn't mean post your resume online and hope for the best. But you can set up a profile on LinkedIn and reconnect with old friends and coworkers. You never know who might know of a position open in their company. Visit the webpage's of companies you like and apply at their site following their directions exactly. This is much better
4. Be realistic. If the job market in your field is depressed you might need to take less than your ideal job to work your way into a good company.
5. Update your resume and focus it on the position you want. You might need to write two or three resumes and tweak each one for certain fields. Don't try to be a jack of all trades. A generic resume is a weak resume.
6. Get the help you need. If your resume is not working think about hiring a professional to write it for you. If you're not sure what kind of position you want, talk to a career coach.
7. Keep yourself healthy. Exercising and eating right will give you more energy. It will also keep your from falling into a depression. Movement creates energy and will help you feel proactive and not a victim. Interviewers want to hire positive upbeat people. Don't give up. Keep taking action every day until you've achieve the results you need.
By Rose Anderson
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