When it comes to finding a job, we all know times are tough. Getting recognized, interviewed and hired is a step by step process, and there are many pieces that need put into place. Here are some tips that other professionals have offered on the subject.
The first step is usually a phone or in person interview and it is at this point that you need to shine, selling yourself as the prime candidate for the position. Approach this as if you were in sales, and be prepared to give a sixty to ninety second sales pitch that covers a brief bit on yourself and a focus on your career accomplishments. Be prepared ahead of time and know what key selling points you want to discuss about yourself, avoiding the need to shuffle papers or draw things from thin air. If later in the interview, you are presented with another time to “tell us about yourself” or “why should we hire you” then be equally as prepared to immediately give a formulated sales pitch in a bit broader detail than initially.
Obviously, if you have been doing your networking homework, and have established contacts within a company of interest, then using that inside source to get your resume to the hiring agent will serve you better than submitting as a regular applicant would. If you have any means by which you can get your resume into the hands of the hiring agent through inside means, attempt that instead of the normal means. If you have a friend who has a friend at the company, even that kind of connection can be of benefit. Your resume will usually stand out more if it comes through a route not as common as the rest, and that is a goal to shoot for. Standing out from the crowd even at this point could be beneficial in the scheme of things.
Maybe time and finances do not allow you to seek advanced training/degrees, but if you can seek some additional part-time coursework in your field, this will help to keep your skills up to date, and adds to your education and overall skills set. If, while unemployed, you use your skills in a voluntary manner to assist local community and non-profit projects, that is a great addition to your recent experiences section on the resume. Anything that will assist in keeping your resume fresh and displaying current activity will be a benefit.
Keep an eye on your desperation and underselling yourself. Times are tough, and companies know it, and some companies can take advantage of that. When the competition is high for a position, companies can look to hire the candidate willing to accept the lowest compensation. While that is a factor, you must also be sure to know what you are worth and be sure not to just take whatever is offered in order to get in the door. This is when it is important to sell yourself as an essential asset to the company over the other candidates. While the company may wish to save money, they are actually looking for the best candidate, which will payoff for them in the long run.
The last thing to share is what I am seeing from more and more professionals in the job search field, and that is regarding activity in your job search. Never let the time get you down to where you just stop looking. Make it a goal to do something in your job search each and every day. Submit a resume or speak to new contacts about your job search each and every day. Stay active and do not become stagnant.
So keep some of these tips in mind and apply them to your specific situation, and if you have any other tips that have worked for you, I am sure the other readers would love to hear, so please share in the comments section below.
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