Job Search Resources

You hear in the news all the time how bad the economy is and that nobody knows when the end will come. Searching for a job in this economy is difficult at best and awful for many. Many people need help and are searching for ways to find a job. As a recruiter, I can offer some pieces of advice for anyone who is in this position and may be looking for job search resources and ideas.

The Search

There are a number of strategies in searching for a job. Every one's favorite is the career web portal. It is easy to access and there are lots of postings out there with potential jobs. The down side is that it is very impersonal. The best way is to get recommended or introduced. To do this you must network. It may sound like a MLM speech but think of all your friends, relatives, former colleagues, associates, groups, churches, dentist, plumber, etc. Reach out to see if they know someone at a company you are targeting. For instance you can see on the search site, some idea on how to network. This is the best way to start your job search.

The Resume

The resume is not going to get you a job. Don't worry too much about making it pretty. It needs to tell a story. It needs to show a hiring manager that you have the right mix of skills. In this job market, nobody wants a fast learner, that is for entry level jobs and those have dried up.

If you do not have a resume, there are a number of online resources to help you create one. The ones I like will have you put your accomplishments up top and teach you to think about different keywords for the same skill.

If you have a resume, maybe it needs a little update. There are several common resume mistakes that are easily correctable. Examples of a couple resume do's and don'ts include, do check your contact information. You would not believe the number of resumes floating around there that have out of service phone numbers. Do not be overly wordy. Get to the point. Use bullet points. People don't read resumes they scan them. Help them find the information they need quickly.

The Interview

If you get to the interview, you need to do two things, prepare and prepare more! The way to prepare to do research on the company and it's people and to review some sample questions from any number of sites including the one noted above. First the research...part of the job search resources you will need to tap into is in your local library. Go there and find the following; you need a couple of nuggets about the company and use them in the conversation during the interview. Example;'I read that you just released a new accounting package that will reduce report times by up to 50%. I have to believe that this product will be well received by the market!' This is just an example but it shows you have done your homework.

Second when it comes time to preparing, do review some example interview questions and have pat answers for some of the typical ones like, 'Tell me about yourself.' This is not an opening for your full biography. The interviewer doesn't really want to know that you came from a family of 10 kids or you were born in a small town famous for fish sticks! It is a conversational opener. Use it to sell your skills and accomplishments. Talk about your successes. It also serves to calm your nerves because you are just talking about yourself. Use it to relax and talk about yourself. Find resources that can give you more interview tips and use them.

The Follow Up

Always and I mean always put a note in the mail to anyone who interviews you. Ask for their card and send them a hand written note saying two things, thank you for your time and remind them what strengths you will bring to a job. The dirty little secret of interviewing is that if there are multiple interviews, sometimes the people doing the interviews mix up the answers of candidates. Send a note to remind them of your strengths. Do it quickly but do it.

Final Thought

The last thing to remember in a tough economy, getting a job is like real estate. Real estate is location location location. Getting a job is about timing timing timing. Put yourself out there. Use whatever job search resources you can find. Search, Network, Submit and Interview then repeat. You may get discourage but you will get a job and this is the shortest route to finding a good one.