In some countries, the number of job seekers is reaching unheard-of proportions. Ireland and Spain, two of the worse cases, are on their way to a 20% unemployment rate. Some American Counties face the same grim statistics. Merced County in California is just up the road from me. They found themselves a lead story in USA Today with unemployment figures hovering around 19%. In fact most of the counties around me including my own are at least in the 15% category. As part of Road to Jobs we had a booth set up at our local career fair. I only spent a few minutes because I had appointments set up on the coast. But just that few minutes almost hurled me into a panic attack. The convention center floor was wall-to-wall people looking for jobs.
The depressing job statistics deceive many people into believing that no one is being hired in this economy. But 162,000 Americans got hired in March 2010 alone, this at the height of the recession.
If you have work, count your blessings even if it’s not your ideal gig!!!! If you are un-employed at the moment don’t panic. As the above numbers show, thousands of people are still being hired, just make sure you are doing everything you can to be one of them. Mass un-employment is a phenomenon that results from major economic shits. Don’t take it personally. Just get into action.
How you handle the job statistics will somewhat governed by your unique goals, needs, and circumstances as well as the unique conditions in your area. Are you looking for Cash, a Career, or a Calling in this season of your life? Ideally these all come together in one nice job package but in the real world you sometimes have to pull them in one at a time.
Here are some thoughts:
1. Go Where The Jobs Are! While jobs are being lost in certain areas and sectors of the economy, go to the places where you stand a better chance. Don’t waste a lot of time trying to find work in companies that are falling apart.
2. Be Relentless In Your Search! Don't post your resume in two places, try ten or twenty. Call up ten to twenty companies per day, ask to talk to their human resources manager, and present your skills.
3. Package Yourself Perfectly! Polish your resume and your shoes. Polish everything. This is a time to “Kick It Up A Notch”. Ask for feedback on your presentation.
4. Make Special Offers! Offer to work the swing shift. Go to the location nobody wants. Propose a reduced introductory salary. Whatever you do… make sure you have made it very clear when you really want to work somewhere. This is not a season to be coy. Follow up...even a few weeks after you didn’t get the job. Often an employer’s first choice doesn’t work out the way they’d hoped. If you are waiting in the wings and easily accessible you might get a shot just because the person in charge of hiring doesn’t want to go through whole publicizing and interviewing process again.
In our Road 2 Jobs program almost 90% of those who completed our one-week program found work, on average within 10 days. Many our clients had huge hurdles to overcome including parole restrictions. Don’t give up! You can still find work.
Your Moment of Truth: People Are Being Hired Somewhere in Every Economy!
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