Thursday, October 07, 2010
Beginning the Job Search Following a Layoff
by Brian Sorensen Edited Thursday, December 02, 2010
Originally Published in Biz to Biz NW Arkansas
The U.S. Labor Department recently reported the national unemployment rate fell from 10% in December to 9.7% in January. While this is a promising statistic as it relates to economic recovery, it is clear that there are still many people reeling from the loss of employment. Losing a job is one of the most emotionally devastating events that can occur to a person. Finances, relationships and one’s sense of self-worth can all suffer as a result of being laid off. It is natural to feel depressed and go through a grieving process after it happens, but one must quickly shift gears and begin creating a strategy to get back on track. Here are some tips for job seekers trying to find their way in the choppy waters of today’s employment environment:
- Research. There are a multitude of internet job boards available to job seekers. The websites that spend the most on advertising (e.g., CareerBuilder, Monster, Hot Jobs) are where most people start their search, but don’t overlook smaller job boards such as Indeed and Simply Hired. These two sites are vertical search engines that pull job postings from across the internet and give results in an easy-to-sort fashion. Corporate websites and niche job boards hosted by professional associations (e.g., American Marketing Association, Society for Human Resource Management) are also excellent sources of available jobs.
- Update Resume. The job market is flooded with quality job seekers, allowing hiring managers and recruiters to be more selective in who is chosen for an interview. It is wise to update one’s resume to highlight skills that relate to specific job openings. Job descriptions, along with contacts inside the hiring organization, are the best sources of information regarding the specific skills and competencies being sought for the position. Resist the urge to create a generic resume that will be submitted for every job of interest. Instead, create multiple resumes based on the subtleties of each job, highlighting the relevant skills, competencies and experiences that would lead to success if hired.
- Network. Most people are uncomfortable working a crowd and meeting new people. While the job seeker should take advantage of these opportunities when available (i.e., meetings of professional associations, chambers of commerce, job fairs, etc.), technology has created an environment in which networking can take place in the absence of face-to-face interaction. Social networking sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook provide opportunities to meet new people and inquire about available jobs. In fact, LinkedIn provides its own job board that allows job seekers to discover which of their own personal contacts work for the hiring organization. Knowing someone on the inside may greatly improve the odds of obtaining an interview…and ultimately a new job.
Finding a new job is a job in and of itself. Hours of diligent work must be done to identify, apply, interview and ultimately accept a new position. Frustration is easily felt when all of that hard work does not quickly pay off and weeks searching start to turn into months. Willingness to change career paths, or perhaps to relocate to a new geographic area, may improve the odds of finding something acceptable. Above all, a well thought-out strategy and plenty of patience are the keys to a successful job search.
Brian Sorensen is President-Elect of the Northwest Arkansas Human Resources Association (NOARK), an affiliate of the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM). He is employed by Tyson Foods, Inc. as a Talent Development Manager, and is certified by the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI) as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).
