by Alex A. Kecskes
Labor Department data for May and June showed the private sector struggling to create jobs, adding just 33,000 in May and 83,000 in June. In July, the biggest growth occurred in the West--principally, California, Colorado and Arizona--driven by higher demand for office and administrative support jobs.
If you're one of the unlucky job seekers who were laid off and haven't been able to find work for some time, here are a few tips to help you "get back in the game."
Don't play the blame game. Realize that the job market is still pretty bad and that most employers see no benefit from the stimulus bill. Their vendors are raising prices, they're uncertain about "Obama Care," new fees and regulations, the expiration of the Bush tax cuts. And all the while their state and local taxes are going up.
Don't "shotgun" your job search. Responding to every available opening can be a waste of time. Better to target your job search toward positions for which you are best qualified. Some employers have begun to construct discriminatory filters to wade through the avalanche of resumes.
Network. Use the friends and contacts you've made over the years on all those online business and social media sites. Check out the Facebook and LinkedIn integrations offered by SimplyHired.com and Indeed.com.
Practice your pitch. If you've been out of work for a while, chances are, you're out of practice in dealing with employers. So do some mock interviews and sharpen your interview skills.
As a freelance writer, I go on interviews two or three times a month. This keeps my interviewing skills at a high level. It also exposes me to many different types of employers and various questions they like to ask.
For handy advice on landing an administrative job, check out Martha Gillmore's ebook: "How To Get An Admin Assistant Job"
For more information on administrative jobs, check out:
http://www.administrativejobsblog.com/
Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients.
Labor Department data for May and June showed the private sector struggling to create jobs, adding just 33,000 in May and 83,000 in June. In July, the biggest growth occurred in the West--principally, California, Colorado and Arizona--driven by higher demand for office and administrative support jobs.
If you're one of the unlucky job seekers who were laid off and haven't been able to find work for some time, here are a few tips to help you "get back in the game."
Don't play the blame game. Realize that the job market is still pretty bad and that most employers see no benefit from the stimulus bill. Their vendors are raising prices, they're uncertain about "Obama Care," new fees and regulations, the expiration of the Bush tax cuts. And all the while their state and local taxes are going up.
Don't "shotgun" your job search. Responding to every available opening can be a waste of time. Better to target your job search toward positions for which you are best qualified. Some employers have begun to construct discriminatory filters to wade through the avalanche of resumes.
Network. Use the friends and contacts you've made over the years on all those online business and social media sites. Check out the Facebook and LinkedIn integrations offered by SimplyHired.com and Indeed.com.
Practice your pitch. If you've been out of work for a while, chances are, you're out of practice in dealing with employers. So do some mock interviews and sharpen your interview skills.
As a freelance writer, I go on interviews two or three times a month. This keeps my interviewing skills at a high level. It also exposes me to many different types of employers and various questions they like to ask.
For handy advice on landing an administrative job, check out Martha Gillmore's ebook: "How To Get An Admin Assistant Job"
For more information on administrative jobs, check out:
http://www.administrativejobsblog.com/
Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients.
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