Getting desperate in search for job? Here are some tools that can get you back into the employment ranks

Posted on 09. Mar, 2008 posted by Bill in Employment News

Getting desperate in search for job? Here are some tools that can get you back into the employment ranks

David Marshall got laid off this past October for the second time in two years. The 61-year-old credit manager fears the worsening economy will leave him jobless longer than his last six-month bout. “I am discouraged,” he frets. “I really would like to get back to work.”

Unfortunately, Marshall’s misery has plenty of company. About 18.3 percent of jobless Americans in January had been out of work for at least 27 weeks. The figure far exceeds the 11.1 percent of those who had gone as long without work when a recession began in March 2001. These individuals often battle pinched wallets, age bias and depression.

Facing a similar predicament? Don’t lose hope. Smart strategies could revive your stalled job search and boost your sagging spirits. The key: Treat your hunt like a business problem. Package yourself based on a frank reassessment of your strengths and weaknesses.

You can target possible employers better by figuring out and promoting what sets you apart. “Build your personal brand,” advises William Brown, a senior managing director for an arm of DBM, a New York human-resources consultancy. Ask yourself and acquaintances, “Why is this product not selling?” recommends Dave Opton, CEO of ExecuNet, of Norwalk, Conn.

One reason may be a flawed resume.

“Make sure that your resume is doing the job,” says Damian Birkel, founder of Professionals in Transition, in Winston-Salem. Even tiny fixes enhance the appeal, such as an easy-to-read format and plenty of white space. Similarly, “a subtle variation in font choice can sometimes help a resume stand out from the crowd,” suggests Alex Douzet, a founder of TheLadders.com, an employment Web site.

A professionally written resume counts more than an attractive typeface. Listing your cell phone and private e-mail address signals that you’re ready for employer contacts outside normal hours. Your career summary should be specific enough that HR officials can easily pinpoint your abilities.

Other long-term unemployed people frequently waste too much time looking online. Nearly two-thirds of applicants find work through networking, ExecuNet surveys show.

You could enlarge your circle of face-to-face contacts by doing community service, accepting a temporary job and participating in trade groups. Sharon Harrington, a purchasing professional laid off in July, has pursued all three.

Among other things, she helps to rescue and care for abused animals. She and a fellow volunteer were cleaning paddocks when that woman agreed to submit Harrington’s resume to her boss at a food marketer.

Harrington, 53 years old, is also soliciting introductions with other potential employers during monthly meetings of a nearby chamber of commerce.

After you’ve been jobless for months, you also should meet with your references again and review what they tell hiring managers. Stevens advocates drafting an informal outline of your prior duties, accomplishments, departure rationale and the reference’s expected endorsement.

Marshall laid out his job goals with each of his references after his latest job loss and says he plans to update them about his search. Birkel adds that mature job candidates like Marshall can overcome any age discrimination by emphasizing their work ethic, dependability and experience.

EmploymentDigest.net

Getting desperate in search for job? Here are some tools that can get you back into the employment ranks

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