“Eight Ways to Be a Smart Job Seeker” by Greg Olsten

We are all familiar with the hardships involved in being an unemployed job seeker.  Not only is it frustrating and depressing when you can’t find a job, but the feelings become magnified as the length of time unemployed increases.

Rather than be depressed over what you can’t have today, career expert Elena Bajic, founder and CEO of Ivy Exec, is telling job seekers to think of the jobs they can have tomorrow. Bajic is offering eight tips on how to become smarter job seekers and be better equipped for the future job market. Here are her suggestions:

1. Take a hard look at your finances: If you’re currently searching for a job or are about to start looking for a job, immediately look at your finances to see where you can curb costs and expenses.

2. Take inventory & do a full and honest self analysis: Take time to understand who you are and what you can bring to the job table. Really understand your strengths and weaknesses.

3. Set realistic and achievable goals and review them daily: Make your time count when it comes to finding the right job. Make a specific to-do or checklist each day to make sure your job search is productive. Set goals such as “I need to make at least five calls today” or “I’m going to reach out / network with four people today.”

4. Treat your job search like you’d treat a job: Finding the right job requires the same commitment as one would commit to a full-time job. 

5. Network to build relationships, not to find a job: Networking is about building relationships with people who can connect you with people who can help you find a job.

6. Focus on self improvement: For those who are currently unemployed, dedicate time during your job search to acquire new skills and to improve your candidacy. Use this time as an opportunity to build on your existing skills and experience. Make your time fruitful.

7. Develop a job search with professional help: if you can afford it, hire a professional who can offer objective advice and help anchor you so that you’d avoid making common job search mistakes (ie. take the first job offer that comes through, start interviewing with any company that shows interest even if it is the not right fit, etc.) .

8. Stay positive – Interviewers can read negativity pretty quickly, and nobody wants to hire a negative person. By following the first seven tips, you will be a more confident job seeker with more focus, and with a clear picture of the right job that’s the right fit.

Greg Olsten is an Associate in Professional Services at IvyExec.com.
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“Don’t Stop Looking Now” by Dr. John Manni, Psychologist

If you think the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day  is not a good time to follow up on job leads, think again.  Yes, everyone is preoccupied with year-end details.  There are lots of office parties and other distractions. Many take the week as vacation.  There are a lot of apparently “good” reasons why not to look.

However, the fact remains, if a job is posted it is still available.  There could be an extreme urgency to get that position filled.  The company might want someone to start right after the first of the year, and they still haven’t found the best candidate.

Since many job seekers believe this is a bad time to look, the competitive pool is now smaller, and that can increase your chances of standing out.  If you’ve already had an interview, following up this week demonstrates your continued interest and perseverance.  Who knows, that might be all it takes to tip the balance in your favor.

In previous posts we’ve talked about how negative thinking, or believing something that isn’t true, can get in your way.  The key is to challenge the validity of those thoughts.  Ask your self if there are alternative possibilities.  Look for a positive thought and take action.  For example, “Companies are too busy to hire this time of year” should be replaced by “I have nothing to lose and everything to gain by following up right now.”

As I finished writing this post, I came across an article in The Wall Street Journal,  http://on.wsj.com/vJ6XJA, confirming the wisdom to press on during the holiday season.  I think you’ll find it interesting.

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"Personal Connections: the Best Way to Get a Job." by Lisa Jacobson

If you are unemployed, my heart goes out to you. Listen-up. Here is some tough love and savvy advice from someone who has selected and interviewed hundreds of people. Let me put this as plainly as possible. Move away from your computer and towards your local coffee shop, little league park or ordinary social event. Go anywhere people gather. Meet new people, tell everyone you know that you need a job or a project. The “friend of a friend” is very likely going to be your next boss. 

In the meantime, go to your favorite charity and volunteer to do a specific and meaningful project. Work while you are looking for work: Serve coffee, mow lawns, run errands. There is nothing more honorable that earning a living, no matter how humble the job. 

Another tip…please stop the madness. Stop pressing the “apply” button expecting to get a reply or phone call. Do the math. At Coca-Cola, I received hundreds of resumes a day. They were dumped into a data base of millions. I know the same to be true of most, if not all, major corporations. You are more likely to win the lottery than get an interview by merely pressing the apply button. Stats indicate that only somewhere between 5-15 % of people get jobs that way. Use the job boards to find out what jobs are open. Then ask everyone you know if they know someone at the companies where you see posted openings. Get an introduction. Ask your “friend’s friend” if he or she will do you a favor and meet you for coffee. After you meet, ask him or her to hand deliver or email your resume to the hiring manager with a personal note attached. Then pay the favor forward.


Lisa Jacobson, career advisor and HR consultant, is the founder of Workplace Solutions, http://www.workplacesolutionstampa.com. 

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“I’m Tired of Sending Out Resumes and Not Getting Any Responses." by Dr. John Manni, Psychologist

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this from clients and people attending my workshops. It’s frustrating to do all that work and not get a single reply.  I can’t understand why companies don’t send polite rejection notices.  Nor can I explain why anyone’s resume doesn’t attract an employer’s attention.  I can state explicitly, however, that action leads to motivation.  It is persistence that will pay off. Let’s look at some ideas that can help you keep moving ahead.

We all respond to positive reinforcement.  In fact, it is difficult to sustain motivation without it. Unfortunately, in today’s job market, people often encounter long stretches without a positive response from employers.  As a result, our motivation gets eroded and negative emotions like frustration, anger and despair set in. In order to keep plugging away at meaningful job search activities, you have to focus on your emotional state and provide your own positive reinforcement.

In a sense, when unemployed, you are your own boss.  Set a daily schedule that works to your benefit. Follow the “Premack Principle.” Take on the difficult or unpleasant tasks first, followed by those you find more pleasant.  David Premack,a psychologist, has shown that applying this principle raises the probability that you will complete the tough (but important) tasks you tend to avoid.

Next, do not rely on external forces for reinforcement, create your own.  Make a list of easy-to-do “reinforcers,” things you really enjoy, like hitting some golf balls, watching a funny movie or cooking something fun.  Use these reinforcers after you complete a couple of daily tasks.  It’s like giving yourself a reward. Finally, keep reminding yourself it’s persistence that pays off.

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