Complaints about the job market abound as more people are becoming part of the long-term unemployed each month. While the national unemployment rate declined to 9.7% in January, 40% have now been out of work for more than 27 weeks. That is more than twice as many as when the recession officially began in December 2007 (17.5%). The average unemployed person has been jobless for more than 30 weeks.
Long-term unemployed people need to focus on making a breakthrough and revitalizing their searches, according to OI Partners-Venturion (San Antonio), a leading global career transition and executive coaching firm.
“Unemployed people are facing some historic numbers and formidable competition. However, they need to pinpoint those areas they may be able to change, make a difference, and increase their chances for success. Despite the odds, people are still landing jobs every day. Job-seekers need to continually make adjustments and never give up,” said Don Huse, Managing Partner of OI Partners-Venturion (San Antonio) (www.oipartners.net).
The ways that long-term unemployed and under-employed people could make an impact on their job searches, according to OI Partners-Venturion consultants, are:
– Double-check your references: “Make sure that your references are telling potential employers what you think they are, and they are up to date on your skills and accomplishments. Determine in advance exactly what your references will say about you, and use only those that will ‘sell’ you the best to potential employers,” said Huse.
– Be sure you are targeting the right industries. The healthcare industry has added more than 640,000 jobs since the recession began. Also, the financial services, manufacturing, and services industries are the most likely to re-hire people they have previously laid off, according to an OI Partners survey, indicating they may have cut back too deeply.
– Increase your face-to-face contact: “Some long-term unemployed may be spending too much time looking for jobs and posting resumes online, and have not had enough face-to-face contact. Networking accounts for 7 to 8 of every 10 jobs that people land. Join networking groups, and increase your networking contacts by volunteering your services with civic, charitable, and religious groups. Continue attending professional association meetings. It’s also important to work the phones,” said Huse.
– Check out the competitors of all of the companies for which you have worked. Companies that have gaps in their management teams are more than twice as likely to hire people who have worked for their competitors as those that currently have sufficient bench strength, according to an OI Partners survey.
– Use social networking websites to identify contacts within targeted companies and possible jobs that have not been posted or advertised. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter are particularly helpful for finding inside contacts. “Utilize different methods to identify internal contacts who can be helpful in getting your resume reviewed,” said Huse.
– Focus on the immediate value you can bring to an employer: “You may not have clearly communicated to potential employers what you can do for them right now and within your first three months on the job. Write a proposal including a performance pledge and a timetable for achieving results,” said Huse.
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Note to Job Seekers: Current economic conditions have lead to a proliferation of job search scams. Venturion encourages those in career transition to read the following: