FINDING A JOB DURING THE RECESSION

by Tom McKenna

Few people relish the idea of looking for a job. It can be a humiliating and humbling experience, especially in a poor economy like the one we are now going through. Even within difficult times such as these, some people are finding jobs. They don’t have secrets; they are just using tried and true methods that have proved successful in good times and in bad.

You can find your next job with professional tips. Follow these techniques to shorten your current search.

1. Your Health: First, and this is important, keep yourself healthy. That means eating the right foods, setting up a regular exercise program and feeding the mind daily with upbeat music, perhaps a motivational movie or reading positive material - just doing something daily to maintain your spirits. Keeping yourself healthy will also reap positive interviews and improve your ability to network.

2. Top Notch Resume: Of course you will need a top notch resume. The resume should identify not only job responsibilities, but should stress your accomplishments – those areas that have shown how you have made the company better because of how well you did your former job.

3. Review the Classifieds: Although advertising revenues continue to go down in newspapers, don’t forget to review the classifieds in your daily and Sunday newspaper. In addition to sending your resume, make sure your cover letter or email explains why you want that particular job. Each correspondence should be specifically written to address that particular job and that company.

4. Utilize Recruiters: Don’t forget the recruiters. Most people call 2 or 3 recruiters and wait for the phone to ring. In the Capital Region there are over 50 employment agencies. Why not increase your chances by contacting 10, 20 or more?

5. Internet Job Boards: Of course everyone knows that the internet lists hundreds of thousands of jobs. But how many do you visit, or are you just using the two or three that your are familiar with? Like recruiters, you increase your chances by searching multiple website each day. Using the internet also means visiting specific companys’ websites because an organization may first list its openings to attract people who are motivated to work in their company.

6. Networking: Make sure to ration your time. Don’t spend all your time on the internet. Research has shown that over 50% of the job seekers found their job through networking. Some books estimate that the real number may be closer to 75%. Networking is not calling a company to see if they have a job opening. Networking is making a list of everyone you know and calling to ask them for 2 or 3 other people to call. There will be individuals on your network tree that will be aware of openings.

Our research shows that the typical unemployed worker takes 121 days to find a new job – in good times. The average job seeker spends 3-5 hours per week looking for a new position. We teach our job seekers that if you are not putting in 3-5 hours per day at a minimum, you’re not doing an adequate job.

Your job search may still be frustrating but by following these guidelines you will shorten your unemployed days.

The writer, Tom McKenna, an Officer, Past President, and Member of the Capital Region Human Resource Association is President of McKenna & Associates an Outplacement and Career Counseling firm in Albany. Over the past 20 years he has coached thousands of people into new and better jobs. He has written articles, appeared on TV and radio, and has spoken to groups around the world from Paris to London and across the United States. Tom started his career teaching (he taught at Columbia Greene Community College), moved to the corporate world with Xerox Corporation and then opened his own business. He is licensed as a Social Worker with a specialty in career counseling. He frequently takes calls for advice from job seekers and welcomes questions about this article and the successful steps to a job. He can be reached at his office at 867-3500.