NEWSFLASH

 

It’s not just your imagination; hiring’s happening again. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics confirms: 

  • Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 288,000
  • The unemployment rate fell by 0.4 percentage point to 6.3 percent in April 2014.
  • Even the number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) declined. 

That’s fantastic news for most of us here in the US. However, those statistics can be especially disheartening to anyone, who for one reason or another, find themselves still without a job… recent college graduates, company reorganization, out-sourcing, laid-off or fired, re-entering the work force or relocation (to name a few).

 

Searching for a new position when you are unemployed presents special challenges – and opportunities. While there’s truth to the old adage, “The best time to find a job is when you already have one,” now is the perfect time to re-invent a bright new future for yourself.

 

How?

 

Your Game Plan (not an exhaustive list)

 

  1. Develop your list of accomplishments, for the greatest impact quantify your contributions using numbers and percentages.
  2. Create or update your resume and LinkedIn Profile.
  3. Develop your list of references.
  4. Find and contact 1 to 3 recruiters in your niche. Do this immediately. Studies show that the best candidates are snapped up early in their job search.
  5. Develop a list of professional connections friends and acquaintances. Contact them to inform them of your job search – even if it’s been a while. They can help you with intelligence about opportunities and maybe even help you get your foot in the door. Trust me, you’ll be amazed at your breadth of contacts, encouraged by their assessment of your skills and useful industry, company and job insights.
  6. Develop a list of 30 to 50 target companies in your industry. Utilize WatchThatPage.com and job board aggregators such as Indeed.com or SimplyHired.com to be alerted to openings for your skills. Arrange for introductions to the hiring manager through your recruiter or through one of your professional connections. Send your resume through the online job board as a last resort. Remember people hire people not paper. Arrange for introductions to the hiring manager through your recruiter or through one of your professional connections.
  7. Practice interviewing with friends and family. Practice answering all the tough questions.
  8. Set up Informational Interviews at your target companies.
  9. Find and participate in local job seeker groups. Generally, they are free and they will provide you with accountability partners, job leads, and job search partners.
  10. Create and maintain a Job Search Log to track your job search activity, interview results and dates for follow up.

 

Keys to a successful job search? Your job search requires active participation, every day. Follow your game plan. Your momentum and the right attitude are essential to your successful job search.

 

Should you find that your job search results are lagging, remember that asking for help is a sign of strength. Contact me for a list of resources.

Hot job market but you’re unemployed? (Or you know someone who is?)

Connie Dorigan, Founder and Director of Recruiting, sees the food processing industry as the link between good living and good people. She’s the west coast’s most experienced and trusted food processing recruiter. She also provides Executive and Career Coaching and lots of free job search tools. Once you’ve connected with Connie, you’ll always be connected.

© 2018 Connie Dorigan. All rights reserved.

This is a general interest article and does not constitute specific or legal advice.

 

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