Job Hunting in this Economy

I know how bad the economy is these days. Cratchit prattles on incessantly about how difficult the times are and how lucky he is to have his current situation. Him, a clark making 15 schillings a week with a wife and family and he is happy about it.

From time to time, I like to terrorize Cratchit and have discussions about how to look for a job in a bad economy. He often leaves these conversations looking quite pale and stays to himself the rest of the day.

Remember that employers want value when they hire you. If you are just another face in a crowd of people with the same background and experience as everyone else, then you do not stand much of a chance at finding the job that you want. Let me point out a few things that will help you to improve your chances of finding a job in a bad economy. If you are persistent enough, I may even give you Cratchit's job.

- Your Resume

What does your resume say about you that will make employers want to interview you? Resume experts that tell you to follow a template are steering your wrong. Yes, your resume should have a professional format to it. But the content needs to really stand out in order to be effective. Start off with a summary of your career accomplishments and your career goals. Let the human resources manager see your highlights right away.

Use a consistent structure for your resume so it is easy to find information on it. The layout should flow from beginning to end in manner that presents your information in a concise but interesting way. Don't skimp on the resume. Hire a professional to help you lay it out and design it. Your resume is the first impression you make on an employer. It is one of the most important job hunting tools you have, so make it count.

- Your Skills

If you are having a difficult time finding a job, then you should be looking for ways to add to your skills. Attend training classes pertinent to your industry or get certifications that will add value to your experience. It is entirely possible that you will have a lot of down time during your job hunt. Rather than let that down time go to waste, you should use it to improve your educational and professional background to help you stand out from other candidates.

Here is an idea that some of you may find hard to take. Go to work for free if you cannot find paying employment. Yes, I know. It seems counter-productive. But you can look at it as a sort of unpaid internship. If you are a marketing professional, then offer your services, on a limited basis, to local companies at no charge. Your only requirement is that you get to list the experience on your resume and the company management gives you a letter of recommendation when you leave.

This little trick accomplishes two things. First of all, it gives you valuable work experience to add to your resume. Secondly, it can act like an unpaid audition for the company that decides to give you a break. Remember to offer only limited services. If you do a good job on a limited basis, the company may offer you full-time employment. It is a good alternative to doing nothing at all and getting nowhere.

Finding a job in this kind of an economy is a challenge. But if you continue to work on things that will allow you to stand out from the rest of the crowd, then you will eventually land the job you are looking for. I have to get going now. Cratchit just put more coal on the fire and I need to remind him about the coal policy in this office as it applies to his situation. Good luck!