While the 2009 job market has been bleak, there are indications that hiring is poised to accelerate in 2010 and 2011.
To help the nation’s job-seekers improve their chances of success, Challenger, Gray & Christmas national outplacement firm is providing free job-search advice to callers from anywhere in the U.S. Monday and Tuesday (Dec. 28 and 29).
The call-in runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Denver time). The telephone number is (312) 422-5010. More information about the call-in is at http://challengeratworkblog.blogspot.com/.
Nearly 8.5 million Americans have joined the ranks of the unemployed since the beginning of the recession, sending the jobless rate to 10.2 percent, its highest level since 1983. Making matters worse is the amount of time it is taking the unemployed to find new positions. As of October, 5.6 million people, or nearly 36 percent of the nation’s 15.1 million unemployed, have been out of work for 27 weeks or longer, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That is the highest level since 1948.
Payrolls are shrinking, but firms across the country are hiring millions of new workers. The latest BLS data show that employers hired more than 4 million new workers in September. There were another 2.5 million job openings, as well.
One of the common complaints from callers is that they have sent out hundreds of resumes and responded to dozens of help-wanted ads, but haven’t heard back from anyone. Their mistake is relying too heavily on their resume and taking a passive approach to the job search.
Simply posting resumes on Internet job sites and answering classified ads rarely work, even in a good job market. These activities are even less effective in a weak job market. Under current conditions, it is critical that jobseekers expand their job search through networking.
Job-seekers should also consider widening their hunt to include a variety of industries, companies and cities. Do not rule out firms that are struggling, as they are looking for talented individuals to help turn around the business.
*Network, find ’action person’ for hiring success*
• *Advertise your job loss.* It is essential that the right people know you are seeking a job. Too often people are embarrassed to tell anyone about their job loss; this secrecy will not provide any job leads.
The minute you lose your job or decide you want to change jobs, start telling everyone you know that you are looking. Begin with friends, family and neighbors. Talk to former co-workers and even casual business acquaintances. Share your plight with people at your house of worship. Join new social groups, professional associations and volunteer organizations to expand your circle of potential contacts.
• *Meet with new people every day or as often as possible.* Whether it is an official interview, an informational interview or just meeting over lunch with a friend who has extensive contacts in a variety of industries, it is critical to meet face to face with people in your network frequently, if not daily.
Electronic mail has made staying in touch with contacts faster and easier, but face to face remains the most powerful and effective way to communicate your skills, experience and qualifications, as well as to obtain the most useful help from your contact.
• Once you have created a list of contacts and job leads, the next step is to *begin making phone calls to arrange interviews*. In each call, your goal is to contact an “action person,” someone who can see you and then offer you a job.
• *Contact the firm’s hiring authority, not HR*. Human resources employees rarely make the final hiring decision, unless the job opening is in that department. The heads of the various departments determine when new people are needed, so it is critical to get their names. If you want to work in sales, then get the name of the head of sales. Simply call the company. (Avoid saying that the call is about a job or else face transfer to human resources).
• *Seek interviews when others are not*. The key to obtaining an interview often is having the flexibility to fit into the interviewer’s schedule. Since you are meeting with a manager, chances are the person is very busy with several projects, in addition to hiring someone. Let the interviewer know that you are willing to meet before or after hours, on the weekends or at a location other than the office.
• *Do not take a holiday from interviewing*. Many job-seekers take a vacation from the job search during the holidays, figuring that no one is hiring. This is a mistake that can be used to the diligent job-seeker’s advantage. The fact is that employers are hiring all of the time. If there is a need for workers, it does not matter if it is Christmas.
And, while it is true that some managers are on vacation, there are going to be many others who are working throughout the holidays. Job-seekers who keep up their interviewing schedule during the holidays, or even try to increase their activity, will likely be rewarded with several interviews.
__John Challenger is CEO of Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. global outplacement consultants based in Chicago._