Getting a New Job in a Bad Economy

The amount of unemployed individuals is high and, unfortunately, still rising and will probably remain an important issue for many more years to come. Are you one of those people? Are you seeking new employment? Do you feel hopeless that you will ever find a new job? Have you given up on finding a "great" job, and are you now just looking for really anything that will pay the bills? Have you applied to tons of jobs and you didn't receive a call for an interview? Have you interviewed at some places but they didn't end up hiring you.....perhaps they chose someone who was more qualified......or worse, someone less qualified than you so they don't have to pay them as much money? Whatever the reason is that you are still unemployed, there is hope. Okay, I will agree that the economy is awful. But I will not agree that there aren't any jobs available. Many people seem to have this argument. The reason that it is currently hard to find a job is because the unemployment rate is so high......hence, there are more candidates applying for the same job that you are applying for. Therefore, you need to stand out from the crowd. Or think of other, more creative, ways of finding employment.

Basic Job Searching

You open your local newspaper, or go to the newspaper's website, and there are no jobs.......well, maybe a few, but nothing that you're interested in. So, where else can you find job listings? You can always try Monster (www.monster.com) or Career Builder (www.careerbuilder.com). These two websites supply useful tips and information about employment, as well as help in creating a resume. Another website that I really like is www.indeed.com. This website has tons of job listings and is really organized. My favorite website for finding jobs (which is the website where I have found all my own employment) is www.craigslist.com. This website is amazing and is categorized by state and job-type.

Networking

Besides just searching for jobs, you can always "network". Networking is one of the most useful tools in finding employment, and a lot of people don't do it. You can start off by asking all of your friends and family members if their own company that they work at is hiring. They can give a great reference. If not, ask them if they know anyone else that they can refer you to. A friend of a friend of a friend just might know someone who's hiring. It never hurts to ask.

Online networking is huge right now. LinkedIn is probably the most popular website for marketing yourself. If you're not a member, sign up asap. More than likely, most people you know are members as well. Friend them on LinkedIn and then look at all the people that they are connected to. It's a great way to meet new people who work at companies that you just might be interested in. Also, Facebook has a new feature now that is similar to LinkedIn. I don't know anyone who is not a member of Facebook, so if you don't want to sign up for LinkedIn then definitely do this one. It's called BranchOut, and it's an app on Facebook. Most of your friends probably have this too, so just connect to everyone.

Career Centers

Most states have a career center. The state that I live in (MA) has quite a few. Career centers are great for finding new employment. Most of them have computers, so if you don't have a computer at home this will benefit you. Also, the computers will probably have software on it that is specific to job-searching. At a career center, you will also find flyers and brochures for free trainings and workshops, as well as other employment resources. The information is invaluable, so if you're not sure if there's a career center in a town near you, ask around, search online, or look in the phone book.

If you've sent your resume and cover letter in the hopes of obtaining a job, don't just sit there and wait for a call. Now, I know this might be making you anxious. Most of us do just wait; I will admit that I have been guilty of this too. But I will tell you right now, most of the jobs that I ever got were given to me because of determination and perseverance. What I'm trying to tell you is that you can not just wait for them to call you. Remember, there are probably a whole bunch of other people who applied for the same position. And remember, you have to stand out! Therefore, about 4-7 days after you've sent the resume and cover letter you should call the employer to check on the status. If you sent the information to them by fax, mail, or email, you can use the call as an excuse to make sure that they received it. If you handed your resume and cover letter in person (always the best way), you can use the call to just check on the status of your application and kind of get a ball-park idea as to when they may be calling prospective applicants. The bottom line is, calling once or twice is not a bad thing and it's not annoying.......so stop thinking that. Calling them makes you stick in their mind and it shows that you really want the job. It shows that you are determined and work hard to get what you want.....which are always good traits in any employee. So, when they are about to call "prospective employees" for interviews there is a good chance that they will call you because you are persistent and they remember you.

The interview is where you sell yourself. So, keep that in mind at all times. Show up in appropriate attire......no jeans, no flip-flops, light on the make-up and jewelry. You should hopefully know this by now. When you first meet the person, smile and give a firm handshake. Look them in the eye....it shows that you're confident. Throughout the interview, answer the questions to the best of your ability. It might also be helpful to bring along another copy of your resume, just in case they misplaced the original. At some point, probably close to the end, the interviewer will most likely ask you if you have any questions. Never say No! Saying No makes it seem like you are not that interested. It's wise to do some homework beforehand. Before the interview, go on their website (if they have one) and read all about the company. You can ask interesting questions such as, "What's the best part of your job? What's the company culture like? How do I get to where you are?"......stuff like that. The interviewer will love talking about themselves......trust me......and this shows that you're interested in the company, not just interested in snagging the job.

Ok, so you just had an interview.....congratulations!

Now, again, you don't want to just sit around and wait. The best thing to do immediately after an interview is send (by snail mail, not email) a personalized note, to the person who interviewed you, thanking them for taking the time to interview you. You can also add that you hope they see you as a great addition to the company and that you would be honored to be a part of the team. The personalized note is professional and will continue to make you stand out during the hiring process.

Good Luck! I hope you got hired!