LOST YOUR JOB? DON’T WAIT!

Searching for a job in the best of times is difficult. We have moved into an unprecedented job market, and we don’t know what’s coming. We do know that requests for unemployment benefits are at all-time highs, with more than 3.2 million people filing in March. There are likely 100,000s of additional folks that have lost their jobs who worked in gig and consulting positions that aren’t eligible for unemployment.

I suspect that many recent unemployed workers have decided to wait to look for a job until the world settles down a bit. I challenge this approach!

 Now is the time to act. We do not know how long the pandemic will last, so you must move quickly to get in front of those seeking new employment.

The good news is that there are options for you to land a job successfully. The other good news is that hiring managers know the reason why so many people are out of work right now, so the adage that “it’s easier to get a job when you have a job” is thrown out the window.

Check out the information below to fine-tune and speed up your job search.

DEFINE AND MAINTAIN YOUR BRAND

The ‘throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks” technique seldom works. Companies hire people who want to perform a specific job. Managers rarely hire someone who will do anything; they want folks that are specialized or wish to be specialized in a particular career. With 93% of recruiters using LinkedIn to vet applicant resumes, it’s almost impossible to pursue multiple career opportunities at the same time. So, you must define your career direction and tune all of your job search and online branding in one direction.

Tune-up your Resume

Update your resume and brand it to your selected career. Use the hybrid resume style to sell your functional skills and use the STAR technique to turn your resume bullets into achievement statements. Update your keywords. Be sure to include an achievement statement that says, “Remotely communicated throughout the organization using tools including Zoom, instant messenger, Hangouts Meet, Slack, or Microsoft Teams, maintaining close contact with leadership, teammates, and customers.”

Update LinkedIn

Copy your resume, word-for-word and section-to-section, into your LinkedIn profile. Utilize keywords and other SEO techniques to raise the visibility of your profile and improve your opportunity to be discovered. Actively network into each company to get your resume seen by hiring managers

Prepare for Virtual Interviewing

Study the job posting, research the company, and practice interview techniques, including the STAR methodology and the Sandwich Technique, to respond to the most common questions. Prepare your response to the “Tell me about yourself” question so that it sells your brand, including your strengths, industry technical skills, and transferable skills. Practice using Skype and Zoom with your friends before the interview. Be sure the room lighting is adequate and that the person on the other side of the camera can only see a favorable setting.

NETWORK EVERYWHERE

Call or email your friends, family, and LinkedIn network to explain your job situation and ask for help. Use social media, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, to get the word out about your job search. Find, connect with, and contact recruiters and hiring managers in your preferred companies.

SEARCH FOR JOBS EVERYDAY

Remember, you are not on vacation. Each day matters when searching for a new job. Spend at least 6 hours every day looking for employment and tuning your brand and LinkedIn SEO.

Use the Top Tier Job Search Engines

The best job search engines are Indeed, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor. Put your most substantial focus on the paid job posting (Indeed – Easily Apply, LinkedIn – All, Glassdoor – Easy Apply). The paid job postings are likely still open since many companies will pull down their job posting when they have a strong pool of candidates. Secondly, look for jobs that have been posted in the previous 1-10 days as these may still be open. Be sure to check LinkedIn to see if you have any connections or alumni that may help open a door for you.

Find Remote Jobs

Remote work is a valid solution because they offer social distancing and the potential for a full-time job.

Several job boards focus on remote placement, including Remote.com, FlexJobs, and Upwork. You can also find remote jobs on Indeed, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor. Useful search terms include Remote, Work at Home, Distributed Workforce, and Virtual. As a side note, job scammers tend to use remote jobs as a way to attract potential victims. To avoid being scammed, use your gut instinct and avoid opportunities where they ask for your bank accouyou discovered any newnt or other financial information, use bad grammar and spelling, request you to pay for expenses, or offer quick financial rewards.

STAY EMOTIONALLY POSITIVE

Remember, you are not on vacation. Each day matters when searching for a new job. Spend at least 4-6 hours every day looking for jobs, tuning your brand, or performing LinkedIn SEO activities.

• Surround yourself with positive people. Call, Zoom, Facetime, or Skype at least two positive people each day to be seen, heard, and valued. Provide positive support in return.
• Identify your targets, develop a plan, and create checklists to keep yourself going. Prioritize your list, break up projects into smaller actions, and focus on the easiest and quickest tasks to give yourself a sense of accomplishment.
• Connect with industry influencers and follow them.
• Journal your positive experiences each day. Write down all of the things you are grateful for, and review your journal frequently to keep positive and appreciative.
• Minimize your time watching the news and reading Facebook. Ignore negative posts, follow positive people, and join supportive groups.
• Improve your industry technical skills by taking advantage of LinkedIn Learning to develop subject matter expertise or gain a certification.
• Move around and be active. Take frequent breaks from your job search to walk around your home or go outside and run in the neighborhood.