How to Get a Job If You Are Out of Work for Longer Than a Year
1. Tailor your resume, stop sending templates
However, it is still possible to land a job if you are a good fit. Layoffs do happen, especially in businesses that have encountered huge downturns. Just make sure that you are the right person the potential employer is looking for, inasmuch as without you, that company is going to make a loss. You can do that starting with your resume. Write a specific one that's tailored for the job you are applying for; meaning, you can't use the same format every application. It has to be edited to match what's needed by the job. Refer to "How to tailor your CV for different jobs" by CV-Library Ltd for a guide.
2. Clarify what you were doing when unemployed
Also, you have to do well for the interview, if invited. How well? I would guess better than the meeting which you had done for the past occupation. Clarify about the work gap and what you were doing while jobless. In spite of the fact that you may have been looking for jobs, you were busy with helping a relative, travelling, attending classes, and so on.
Be straightforward, be practical, and leave no doubts in the interviewers' mind. Remember, it is essential to clarify what happened amid the long time of joblessness so as to ease any potential worries for the business. Demonstrate that you have been aware of any patterns, innovations, or changes in the business affairs.
3. Find a consultant and let them help you
The fastest and easiest way to get the hell out of this mire, is to start finding and visiting job agencies. When you are searching for jobs online, you are bound to see some posted by job agencies. Visit their websites and contact them. The consultants there may have suitable jobs for you which are sourced from an eclectic mix of companies (their clients). If one agency doesn't work for you, move to another one.
4. Reconsider about your ideal job
Recruiting software company Jobvite states that "jobs are filled most quickly by hospitality and retail employers, at 36 and 40 days, respectively. Healthcare jobs are getting a lot of buzz because the industry is growing rapidly, but job seekers should be prepared to wait it out: It takes just over two months — 65 days, on average — for healthcare employers to fill positions.
"Jobs with either "vice president" or "director" in the title take a lengthy 76 days to fill. If you’re just starting out in the workforce but have your sights set on the management track, you’ll also need to be patient, because even assistant gigs take an average of 53 days to be filled."
So what does it all mean?
It means that you may have to settle for a lower-paying job if you are still unsuccessful in finding your ideal job. I believe it is irrational, but in the interim, to pay the bills and support your family, you have to adapt to the erratic economy.
5. Be yourself
Be Yourself. Susan Heathfield, Human Resources expert, says that you need to be yourself. Rehearsed answers, fake smiles, and saying what you think the interview wants to hear instead of what you actually believe, mislead the employer. Employers want to know who they hired, and that’s the person they expect to show up for the first day of work.
— Alison Doyle, 15 Quick Tips to Get Hired Fast6. Be optimistic
Yes, and always, be optimistic. Everyone is different, so don't be afraid of explaining the job gap. It's a vicious circle: The longer you're out of work, the more anxious, insecure or depressed you may be -- and this can hurt your chances of landing a job. So, start being optimistic.
