Wiser Worker Blog

Earlier this year and a wise man said to a large group of people “Tough Times Don’t Last, but Tough People Do” at the time this statement struck me as profound, but today it means more to me than it did on that day.  Our labor market is in what I can only describe as tough times, I also know we are a nation of determined people. The answer: job seekers need to dig in and ask am I a tough person?  In this labor market the tough people will prosper and will professionally survive.  

If you are a job seeker you need to get tough. It’s a essential for survival in the workplace.  You might ask yourself what does it mean to be a tough job seeker. As a person who works with job seekers and employers daily, I think a tough job seeker might possess these attributes:

Confident in their abilities to succeed

Aggressive - know what you want and they go after it

Skilled - a full profile of abilities to enhance your resume

Determined to be the best candidate!

Innovative– create solutions without supervision

Mentor – have the desire to share your knowledge with others.

Problem Solver – ability to solve a problem on your own

Diverse Experience - years of life learned skills.

If you’re not already become a tough person, when you apply for a position go into confidently. When you interview for a job put your best foot forward, highlight how you intend to make the company you are interviewing with a better place.  Don’t place all your focus on the negative rather highlight the positive.  The media tends to report on the negative because let’s face it that’s what sells.

Hang in there; what I can tell you is WiserWorker.com places new postings on our site every day. We strive to provide you with up to date information.  I can also tell you that people just like you are using online job boards more now than ever.  I can guarantee you WiserWorker.com is here to stay and wait out the storm with you because we are an organization made up of tough people who are here to help you the tough job seeker.  

In case you were curious, Jeff Littlejohn is the wise man who said “Tough Times Don’t Last, but Tough People Do” to our group. He is our leader and one tough guy.

Is it possible to be too aggressive in the search for a job?  I say NO, in some cases I am sure it’s happened however more commonly job seekers tend to send a resume or fill out an application and then wait and then, well ….wait some more.  To those job seekers I say….get out there and make it happen!  If it’s a job you want and think you are the ideal candidate follow up and make sure you are don’t become just another applicant in a pile of applications.   

Just yesterday I was talking to a job seeker who told me they had put in an application for the perfect job and never heard back.  My response:  Did you follow up?  Well you guess it they had not. They were waiting to see if they would call back.

Folks, there is no shame in calling and asking about the hiring process, the conversation can go something like this:

Job Seeker:  Hello, I turned in an application last Monday and I was wondering where you were in the interview process?  I am very interested in the position you have open.

Employer:  Hold on I have had so many people interested in this position, what was your name? 

Employer:  Why do you feel you are the best applicant for my position?    

Job Seeker:  I have many years in customer service as well as customer retention and I like to work with the public. I would appreciate the opportunity to come in and meet with you and discus my qualification.

Employer:  Can you come in tomorrow? I would like to sit down with you and tell you more about the job.

The current labor market is one where the eager are going to get noticed and the aggressive are appreciated.   As a manager who often recruits, I have always been in the opinion if a job seeker shows me they are interested in a job; they deserve an interview.   Make sure you start your job search  with WiserWorker.com for all the latest job openings.  

First, don’t panic. When you’re faced with the prospect of an unexpected job search, or a planned job search you’ll need to act deliberately — not just fast.

Ramping up to land a new job quickly after a layoff, a downsizing, or company relocation takes thoughtful planning despite the urgency of the task. More professional and middle managers have been laid off since March 2007 than in the previous three years, according to Right Management, an outplacement and career transition consulting firm. “The trick to a successful transition is not to panic,” says Doug Matthews, President and CEO of Right Management. “You don’t want to hit the market in a chaotic fashion,” he says.

Take stock of your finances.

Identify and prioritize your bills and debt. An immediate need for cash flow may require you to take a temporary assignment. “It can give you a sense of productivity and give you some good experience,” says Mr. Matthews who notes that the number of people taking temp work has risen 10% in the last two years.

Create a planned job search strategy.

Despite the need to mobilize a quick job search “you don’t want to send out a bunch of things into the marketplace without any thought behind it,” says Mr. Matthews. Take some time to step back and create a thoughtful and measured approach to your job hunt. Be specific about the position you want and target the companies where you want to work.

If there is an onslaught of professionals in your field who are flooding the market, think creatively about where to apply for your next position — consider a smaller company or another industry that may need your skills.

Determine your market worth.

Conduct research with several executive recruiters, career coaches and others in similar positions to the one you’re seeking to determine what salary and benefits you can request. If you happen to be in an industry that is in general contraction, make a checklist of your skills and identify those that are transferable to other industries that are in a growth mode.

Practice your pitch.

No matter how quickly you need to land a job, make sure you take at least 72 hours to process your emotional reaction to job loss. You don’t want to jump in immediately, but rather practice your pitch until it is devoid of as much anxiety and negative emotion as possible. Try it on friends or family, then a trusted colleague or mentor. A successful job search is partly about how you present yourself. “You’ve got to be out there telling people about yourself,” says John A. Challenge, president of outplacement firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas.

Polish and post your resume.

A resume is your window and calling card to the world of work. Make sure it highlights the position you want, your key accomplishments and measurable results of those accomplishments. Post your resume on the Internet at general and industry specific job boards as well as social networking sites like LinkedIn. Make sure it gets in the hands of executive recruiters as well. “You don’t want to leave any stone unturned,” says Mr. Challenger.

Network, network, network.

An estimated 42% of people found their job through a networking contact, according to a Right Management survey. To that end, make a list of contacts from your college or university and former companies, to charities and volunteer organizations. Reach out and tell them what kind of position you would like, but “never ask anyone for a job,” says Mr. Matthews. “Instead ask them for information and referrals.” Find a contact who can introduce you to a decision maker at companies where you want to work. And take heart, nearly two-thirds of the 21,000 professionals that Right Management serves annually end up finding a job within 90 days.

(This post was written by Joe Rinaldi, the General Sales Manager of the Houston and San Antonio Employment Guides. Joe can be reached at joe.rinaldi@employmentguide.com for questions and comments regarding this article.)

Picture courtesy of http://inveraray.ning.com/

This initial post on the Wiser Worker Blog is a guest post from our Wiser Working friend Dr. Marvin Copes of the AARP Alabama State Leadership Group.

• So you’ve been out of work?
• You want to return to the workforce?
• Where do I begin to look for employment?

Planning for the job search is important. What type of job am I looking for? Assess your talents, skills, and abilities you have to offer an employer. Are you looking for part-time or full-time employment? What type of a schedule fits your needs? Do you need benefits (if not, this may give you an edge)? Do you want seasonal or temporary work? How flexible are you? These questions need carefully considered and YOU need to know the answers.

The best source of job searching is your network of people you have worked with, socialized with, gone to church with, and organizations you are involved in. By previously being in the job market, you have an advantage. Use your network of contacts in developing your plan and learn more about the labor market climate. Look to employers who have made a commitment to hiring older workers. Look for articles or stories concerning senior workers in the media, chamber of commerce office, state employment office, or state career center as sources. Visit career sites such as WiserWorker.com to see what jobs are available in your market.

Many individuals find that job-search activities are a major drain on their energy and on their self-esteem and confidence. Finding a job is a lot like selling a product and you are the product. The most successful salesperson is one who gets out there and makes lots of calls. It’s a number game. The same holds true in looking for a job. The more contacts you make regarding employment, the better the opportunity you hold to get a job.

Keep a journal or record in order to help you track your job search. Do some job-search activity each day. In order to maintain an accurate and current record of your job search, faithfully make entries in your journal. Remember – “The squeaky wheel gets greased.” You may find that volunteering is the perfect outlet for sharpening your skills and getting a foot in the employment door. If you do well at your volunteer job, the organization may want to hire you to keep your expertise.

Selling yourself to an employer may be difficult. You may feel that you don’t have a lot to offer compared to a younger worker or you are unsure about what you have to offer. GET OVER IT!

Employers continue to say that one of the most important things they look for in a job applicant is attitude! Most employers say you can teach individuals how to perform specific tasks, but it is impossible to teach anyone how to have the kind of positive outlook that will be an asset to the organization.

Dr. Marvin Copes, Maylene, Alabama; AARP Alabama State Leadership; Corporate Online Profile Employment Solutions (COPES), www.CopesSolutions.com; Job Counselor, AWARE, Aging Workers Are Reliable Employees, Positive Maturity, Inc., A Partner of United Way mlcopes@charter.net