What’s with a stagnant no-job situation not getting any better? Are we doomed for another hike in unemployment rates yet again, after hitting six-months high of 9.2% this month? Where do we go from here? Too many uncertainties are continuing to swallow our confidence in this frail economy. Now the prognosis appears to dictate that small businesses will not provide any of the hopeful increase in job numbers any time soon. A small business sector has been a hopeful ray of light in this recession to no avail. Grim economic news proposes we take a hike to….What’s left?….A reassessment, a reevaluation, a reinvention of our own skill set.
Just like many of you, I have been through layoffs, downsizes, position eliminations many times over in the past number of years. Do yourself a favor and rename yourself – a survivor, an inspiration. You managed to pick up recession-prone remnants off the floor piece by piece – you’re on the right track! Face it, you won’t get a monument in your honor for surviving economic downturns; but for those of us, cool cats, who have been through numerous work lives, you are an in-your-face-type-a-soldier!
From my professional experience of those unemployment battle fields, here are some recommendations to keep in mind:
1. Don’t get fixated on the big 3.
It is an unspoken rule for a large majority of job hunters to hit primarily these biggies: Careerbuilder.com, Monster.com, and SimplyHired.com. After all, they are the proverbial job-finding triangle that we think is the salvation to all our unemployment issues. Think again; think outside of your pre-programmed box! There is a whole job hunting world outside those non-pun intended monsters.
2. Recruiters’ World.
An increasing number of business organizations turn their human resources needs to recruiting agencies. Depending on what career you are looking to switch to, there are specific agents that headhunt for a specific field. When a recruiter finds you as a good candidate for one particular requirement, it is your chance to be strategic and do what it takes to get on their radar for further job opportunities.
3. Networking is a powerful thing!
To survive this unemployment jungle is not a walk in a park. The more networks you’ve created in the past by way of an excellent work performance, an impeccable reputation of a reliable business person, the more chances for your survival and landing a desirable job. In summary, don’t burn the bridges!
4. Reinvent the wheel
It doesn’t mean you have to fudge your credentials. Think of some great skills, experiences, talents that you are leaving off your resume. Don’t shy away from adding them – portraying yourself as a well-rounded, multi-faceted employee is an asset to any organization, especially someone who is cross-trainable and a fast learner.
SEE ALSO:
Easy Ways to Start Business Without Quitting Your Day Job
5 Hot Business Careers to Consider
5. Reinvent yourself
Don’t get fixated on applying only for positions that you have experience in. This is the time to recreate your new professional identity! Look deep within yourself. Make a list of your own hidden talents, your suppressed God-given gifts. If nothing found, you are not looking deep enough, I promise you. On a positive note, it’s never been a better time than now for a still-successful professional, like you, to take a very thorough look at the world around you and, finally, do what YOU want to do. Good luck with your HAPPIER endeavors!
And, as usual, feel free to share your tips on how you’ve been surviving your unemployment jungle.
[Post Tags]: how to avoid layoffs, best careers in bad economy, best ways to invest in yourself, how to succeed, interviews with entrepreneurs.
From: http://www.moomkin.com/how-to-avoid-layoffs/
No comments:
Post a Comment