First, you need to discover job openings (by networking and talking to people) and also by uncovering them in a public library.
Second, you'll need to land interviews. (Most self-written resumes are too "basic" and unfocused to sell you. They are simply too weak to compete. One job seeker mailed out 600 basic resumes, got 4 interviews and only one job offer. His resume looked like hundreds of others who also used the same resume template or software.)
Third, you'll have to impress and persuade employers how valuable you can be. (Can you sell yourself in person?)
Although it is a picky buyer's job market, hiring has NOT come to a standstill. Companies are still hiring but job seekers need to work smarter to find job openings and also to get interviews.
The competition for a job is stiff. About 6,000,000 jobs have disappeared and most of the jobs that do come open are quickly filled.
The official U.S. unemployment rate is 9.7 percent. But don’t underestimate the scope of this crisis: the unemployment rate is at its worst level in 26 years!
Millions of hidden casualties of the Great Recession are NOT counted in the unemployment rate because they have stopped looking for work.
I don’t think businesses will hire back anytime soon,” says Allen Sinai, chief global economist at Decision Economics. “Companies are rewarded by the stock markets for not hiring and keeping their costs down. We may see another jobless recovery.” Martin Weiss feels that the employment situation is dire and a double-dip recession is a real possibility.
WHERE AND HOW TO FIND JOBS?
Research both old and new classified job ads in any major public library. That will tell you who was and may still be hiring in your field of competency. Some of those positions might be vacant again. (Please scroll down to my blog post dated 3/1/09.)
Networking at events, parties, functions, and in churches or temples or synagogues or mosques is essential. And don't leave out cabs and elevators! (One of my M.B.A. clients decided to take his resume to a housewarming party. Crazy? No! There he bumped into an old buddy, a fellow officer from his days in the U.S. Merchant Marine. This soon led to a senior Banking position in Credit Suisse.)
The choices of jobs may not be as numerous, but they are still out there -- from smaller mom-and-pops to larger government organizations like the U.S. Census Bureau.
Private companies in health care, smaller or boutique financial firms like Broadpoint, Pinetum Capital and BTIG, human resources, startup technology companies and biotech companies like FluGen, animal companion nutrition & drug companies, public relations firms, time-shares, security firms, and supermarkets are still looking for people to hire, as others scale back and trim down their staff.
GREEN JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR MBA's
And what about jobs in all of those "green" alternative energy industries that President Obama has been stimulating?
Shannon Small, an MBA coach and senior consultant with nextsteppartners.com, says: "In this economy, one of the greatest benefits of an MBA is the broad exposure. Companies that are trying to do more with less are more willing to put them to work knowing they have capabilities in business fields. With an expansive network they can tap into the greater reach of the alumni networks."
Small says that many of her students have gone onto jobs in "green tech and clean tech," two popular fields in the environmentally conscious Bay Area, alongside financial services firms and computer and internet startups.
Some students are taking an MBA as a "hedging strategy" against unemployment.
High Demand for Skilled Labor
Employers are begging for qualified applicants for certain occupations, even in hard times.
Most of the jobs involve skills that take years to attain. Welder is one, employers report. Critical care nurse is another. Electrical lineman is yet another, particularly those skilled in stringing high-voltage wires across the landscape. Special education teachers are in demand. So are geotechnical engineers, trained in geology as well as engineering, a combination sought for oil field work. Respiratory therapists, who help the ill breathe. And with infrastructure spending now on the rise, civil engineers are in demand to supervise the work.
The hospitality sector has been hardest hit, with retail not far behind, as national chains announce closures and cutbacks.
But Wal-Mart is hiring! While almost every other large retailer is cutting jobs, Wal-Mart says it will add 22,000 new workers this year. (Reported on June 4th)
It says a great deal about the world's largest retailer's strength and success during the recession. Wal-Mart has been adroit at keeping its prices low during the downturn. While the chain has often done well bringing in low-income shoppers, the middle classes now shop at the stores as their credit has been pinched and their salaries frozen.
With today's high unemployment rates you've got to work SMARTER to find a job. Job listings are not coming in as rapidly as before but you can still find them out there if you look hard enough. DON'T STOP LOOKING. You just have to use ALL of the resources available to you -- from traditional classifieds to online job boards and continue to build your network.
AMERICA IS GOING GREEN
It's no secret that America is going green. Green jobs are popping up everywhere, whether it's the technician installing solar panels on a home, the scientist researching ways to build better batteries for electric cars, or the executive looking for ways to reduce waste, eliminate unnecessary packaging and cut costs.
Job growth in this area is expected to top 50% by 2016, nearly four times the job growth for all other occupations combined.
A few business schools offer specialized programs, but a better bet might be enrolling in a few courses in the engineering or earth sciences school. Perhaps you could even find an industry-specific internship. (Reported in Career News, 8/4/2009)
FINDING A JOB IS THE HARDEST JOB OF ALL. YOU HAVE TO WORK AT IT FROM 9 TO 5 -- OR LATER.
Employers are still seeking to hire top-quality job candidates. While many employers throughout the United States may be cutting back on overall staffing levels, companies also recognize this period of time as an opportunity to hire top-quality job candidates.
Many corporate recruiters say the recession offers an opportunity to bring in top talent to their organizations, according to a JobFox poll of 200 recruiters. But 53 percent expect their companies to hire fewer new employees during the first six months of 2009.
Despite the growing list of corporate layoffs, employers continue to post millions of new jobs each month.
Are you logging onto an online job board or looking in the paper for your next job opportunity? These days job seekers should spend 60 to 70 percent of their efforts on NETWORKING. Let everyone know you're out of a job and available for work. People like to help, but they can't help if they don't know you're looking. On the average, 80 percent of job openings are NOT advertised at all. Networking may be the only way to hear about them.
Networking includes constantly using tools such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, as well as in person.
The best way to find a job remains through word of mouth. And, in the recession, a lead or referral from a contact can give you the edge you need to land a new position. Online networking websites make it easy for you to keep in touch with members of your network, but keep in mind that face-to-face interaction is still important. Offer to treat people to coffee on occasion to catch up and talk about your search.
RECRUITERS: Otherwise known as headhunters or search consultants, recruiters are hired by companies to find candidates for them, and often know about unadvertised jobs. It's important to note, that recruiters do not work for or charge you, the job seeker. The company pays a fee, typically when a candidate is hired.
So, please stop to think if any company will be willing to pay $20-70,000 for the privilege of hiring you when so many other candidates are available without a pricetag. That is the downside of working with a recruiter. (Please read the first three chapters of John Lucht's classic for executive job searchers, Rites of Passage at $100,000+. Lucht explains WHEN to use a headhunter and when and why to AVOID them. This book is a "must have" for the job search.)
Recruiters must be able to identify easily how a candidate's past positions will help that person be successful in the role applied for. The language used to express past accomplishments takes the guesswork out of whether a candidate is qualified.
A cover letter should introduce the candidate and explain the reasons for applying for that position. The cover letter also should discuss why the candidate would be a great fit for the organization.
How can you beat the competition for jobs? First, by focusing and tailoring your job resume. You also have to work smarter searching all top career sites and niche job boards.
WHAT TO DO AT JOB FAIRS:
Paul Anderson, a former hiring manager for Microsoft and Expedia, offers a few ways to tackle a job search in the new world. First, scrap the elevator pitch. "Why the elevator pitch doesn't work," Anderson said, "is that nobody cares about you. They care about themselves. You have to change your mindset from self-serving to serving others. That means finding out what need you can fill for the recruiters.
Second, at job fairs, don't bring a sheaf of resumes and hand them out to recruiters like Halloween candy. Instead, get business cards from the recruiters. Ask them what kinds of jobs they need to fill and what kind of candidates they like." (Reported in Career News, 6/17/2009)
JOB INTERVIEWS: Did you know that when the job market was booming it took an average of 3 interviews to get 1 job offer? Now it can take as many as 17!
Reading business and trade publications gives you an advantage. They keep you sharp, well informed, articulate and in-demand. It's no secret that keeping up with the news and trends of your industry or profession (as well as that of your clients') will give you the competitive edge you need.
Try ending the interview by ASKING for the job on a trial basis. It never hurts to be proactive. If you feel the employment interview has gone well, don't be afraid to ask if you can prove yourself on a temporary basis. You'll demonstrate your enthusiasm for the job and desire to hit the ground running. At the very least, ask to schedule a second interview by saying: "I feel this interview has been so good, I'm sure you'ld like to see and talk with me again."
TRICK QUESTIONS: When you finally do land the job interview of your dreams, will you have what it takes to land the job offer? You must stand out during the job interview or you might as well be playing the lottery.
Most job seekers spend hours creating their resumes and cover letters, searching through job postings, reviewing classified ads and networking--all in order to land the job interview. Yet 90% of them don't know what to do when they get one. For example, one interview question still floors many candidates. It is the seemingly friendly but very dangerous: "Tell me about yourself." A weak or boring answer may cost you the entire interview! Another killer question is: "What is your biggest weakness?" SO, BE PREPARED FOR TOUGH INTERVIEW QUESTIONS. (Please buy Martin Yates' book on answering 200 interview questions and also consult Kenneth Iverson's book about how to apply for and obtain a Medical Residency.)
KEYWORDS: Many companies are subscribing to websites containing resume databases or using internal software to sort through resumes. Job seekers must use the correct language to make sure their resumes appear in these searches. Read through job postings and company websites to find recurring verbiage, and use that language where appropriate in your resume. Every part of a resume should speak directly to the open position and company. IT MUST BE FOCUSED.
DON'T GIVE UP. EVERY "NO" BRINGS YOU CLOSER TO THE FINAL "YES"
Job search guru, Tom Jackson in his "Guerilla Tactics in the Job Market", gives the following paradigm of the typical job search -- whether you are entry-level or a senior executive:
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
NO NO NO NO NO NO YES!
After each unsuccessful interview, a single "NO" needs to be crossed out. Then remember to thank God. Why? Because that "NO" brings you one step closer to the final "YES." And that is really good news!
NETWORK! NETWORK! NETWORK!
With the high volume of candidates in the market, having a direct connection to a recruiter or company can make all the difference. The larger the candidate's network, the greater the chance of meeting someone who can help in the job search.
Good fortune came to one lucky job seeker by attending church events. (AOL recently reported the story.) One of my own clients took his resume to a housewarming party where he met an old friend from his days in the Naval Reserve. This led to a senior Banking position in Credit Suisse.)
Wasn't that the wildest coincidence?" Coincidence is just God's way of remaining anonymous.
TODAY'S PLAN B ... TODAY'S PLAN B ... TODAY'S PLAN B
The Great Recession is filling the ranks of Avon, Mary Kay, and Tupperware. Armies of new Avon ladies, Mary Kay reps and Tupperware sellers are advancing on living rooms across the country. Their ranks are full of professionals forced to take a second job amid the recession.
Laid-off bankers and stay-at-home moms, but also gainfully employed people worried how long they'll stay that way. All of them are willing to knock on doors, host parties or do whatever else it takes to peddle some makeup. "'I need money."
Job cuts, shrinking bonuses and scaled-back hours have pushed more people than ever to become direct sales representatives, a phenomenon industry experts say they've seen before in previous recessions.
In 2007, an estimated 15 million people nationwide were in direct sales. Some 58 percent of became reps as a second job, according to the Direct Selling Association.
When money began getting less, one full-time pharmaceutical sales rep signed up to host Mary Kay parties and give facials, working just six hours to make about $600 a week. "We were looking for a plan B for our family to make additional income,"
Direct sellers also can earn rewards, too, including jewelry, handbags, furniture, appliances, cars and vacations.
During stronger economies, people usually take on direct sales jobs so they can have money for leisure spending, said Larry Chonko, a professor at The University of Texas. "Times are tough as we know and there is an absolute need for extra income."
"Direct sales is not recession-proof, but it is the kind of business that even in a recession you can make success of it. And if you create a solid foundation now, then just wait until the economy comes out of the down cycle and goes into an up cycle."
OTHER OPTIONS -- A GOOD HOME BUSINESS
"As a manager of a Circuit City store. I was making over $70K a year but they let me go right after Christmas. In retrospect they did me a favor. I got a couple of months severance pay and used the time I had to find something new and different. I had read many books by Robert Allen and decided to check out a program that he had available. It was a way to develop multiple streams of income, http://tr.im/RobertAllenIncomeStreams .
I have to say that he knows his stuff and has excellent ideas and training. I am now making a little more money than I was before and see that my businesses should continue to grow. Best of all, I'm working less 20 hours a week, when I was putting in close to 60 before. I'm able to play ball, have a hobby, and best of all, spend so much more time with my children.
My suggestion to most is to do what millions of people are doing now, find a good home business. That won't work for everyone but if you find one that you can get into for virtually no investment and learn the right skills, you should do well.
There are two opportunities that my clients have had the most success with. One is an amazing opportunity to profit from Ebay and there are well over 720,000 people making a full time living with them. http://cli.gs/HomeBizSuccessSystem . That's a huge company to work with.
The other great opportunity is working with a company that we all know, Google, http://cli.gs/GoogleCashSystem. So many of my clients tell me that they are loving working for themselves, making more money than before, in less time, and enjoy the extra time they have to spend with their families."
Avoid all MLM, they are mostly scams.
(Reported in Career News, 8/4/2009)
KEEP MOVING. KEEP MEETING PEOPLE. KEEP TALKING TO THEM. NEVER GIVE UP!
KEEP MOVING. KEEP MEETING PEOPLE. KEEP TALKING TO THEM. NEVER GIVE UP!
Please E-mail or call me for a FREE consultation or price quote.
mattgreene@aol.com
Tel.: 1-718-436-3504
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