With all that is going on in the economy today many companies are forced to make cutbacks to their workforce. Unemployment is at the highest it has been in years in Florida. A rule of thumb for finding a position: for every $10,000 in salary per month, figure one month of job search time. So if you are looking for a $50,000 job, that means five months of dedicated effort.
The major difference between successful and unsuccessful job hunters is not necessarily a tight job market, but rather the way they go about their job search. Here are some key factors to consider:
- Plan out your search: put together a clear strategy, target the companies you would like to work for, do the appropriate research on each company, decide how much time each day you will dedicate to your search, organize your search tracking your postings/contacts on an Excell spreadsheet, etc.
- Use all possible avenues to find out what positions are available: networking, Internet postings, job fairs, classified ads, recruiters, email campaigns, etc. Networking has the highest return with about 35% or more jobs found in this way. Remember it is not just what you know that is important in finding a position. It is what you know, who you know and who knows you!! However, no one way is the right way. Use them all to speed up your job search!
- Make sure your career documents are in order: your resume and cover letter make a statement about your professionalism, attention to detail and overall performance. A hiring manager looks at a resume for 10 to 25 seconds…make sure your career documents stand out from all the others.
- Practice your interviewing skills: very often the best candidate with the best qualifications does not get the job. The job often goes to the job seeker who is the best communicator and marketer at the time of the interview.
- Stay positive: keep a positive state of mind; exercise, eat right and participate where you can in activities that keep you moving forward with enthusiasm. Remember on average it takes 3 to 6 months to find a position, so be patient and focused.
