| p>In times of high unemployment and fewer job | | | | 4. Force yourself to conduct every interview with an |
| opportunities, there are some curious trends that | | | | attitude that you are a highly sought after |
| develop. As job seekers flood into competition for | | | | commodity, with much to offer any organization. |
| fewer jobs, some employers seem to develop an | | | | NEVER let your disappointment or desperation appear |
| attitude that prospective employees must be the | | | | to an interviewer. High self confidence, positive |
| "cream of the crop" with very little interest in | | | | attitude, and a "can do" spirit are the number one |
| wasting time on interviewing less qualified candidates. | | | | elements that can generate a good job offer, |
| For those who continue to work, an employer's | | | | regardless of how much competition you are facing. |
| market seems to add more stress, require higher | | | | Employers have no mercy for negative attitudes. Be |
| standards of performance from the work force, and | | | | prepared to give the performance of a lifetime in |
| demonstrate less appreciation for existing talent. | | | | every interview. If employers are looking for the |
| Though these perceptions may truly apply in some | | | | "cream of the crop," you must be prepared to |
| cases, when industries tighten their belts to weather | | | | demonstrate they have found what they are looking |
| the storm of decreased profits, staffing cut backs, | | | | for in speaking with you. |
| and fewer employees, the focus of many companies | | | | 5. Increase your visibility to the "hidden" job market |
| turns from growth to survival. Communication and | | | | by posting your resume on highly visible job boards |
| appreciation tends to be reduced during these times. | | | | like Dice, Career Builder, Hot Jobs, and Monster. Focus |
| During times of higher unemployment, those | | | | your attention on the resources that produce the |
| companies that think in terms of becoming more | | | | most results in having your resume found on these |
| selective about who they hire due to the sudden | | | | types of sites. Refresh your resume on your |
| increase in availability of more qualified candidates | | | | selected job sites regularly by making slight editing |
| soon discover a real problem with adopting this | | | | changes to your posted information. This will help you |
| perspective. Even though it is true that more qualified | | | | to keep your posted resume "fresh," and standing at |
| candidates are seeking new jobs, putting these | | | | the top of the pile of people who share your |
| people in touch with potential hiring companies is also | | | | qualifications. In times of employer markets, you may |
| much more difficult. Many firms that post job | | | | find more potential job inquires coming from |
| openings receive such an overwhelming response to | | | | employers and agencies finding you, rather than |
| their postings, it becomes a daunting task to sort | | | | hunting through the available listings. |
| through the resumes that come flooding in, to find | | | | 6. Many companies who have become frustrated by |
| the qualified candidates they wish to interview. | | | | the overwhelming responses they receive from |
| This problem may also occur in times of lower | | | | posting new positions turn to employment agencies, |
| unemployment, but in hard times, the situation can | | | | temporary services, and recruiters to carry out the |
| send companies looking for alternative ways to stem | | | | task of locating qualified candidates to interview. |
| the tide, and clear their vision for a practical approach | | | | When choosing agencies to represent you in your job |
| to finding the talent they seek. The situation results | | | | search, do not stop with choosing a single firm to |
| in more companies taking the search for appropriate | | | | locate job opportunities for you. Choose reputable |
| candidates into the realm of the "hidden" job market. | | | | companies that are paid by the employer to find |
| Availability of "hidden" jobs tends to swell to greater | | | | suitable candidates, and do not fall into the trap of |
| numbers than when fewer people are looking for | | | | paying a recruiter to locate a job for you. In finding |
| work. The impact of networking with previous | | | | employment, you are the commodity, and your |
| co-workers, friends, family, or other acquaintances is | | | | services are what brings value to the bargaining table. |
| also reduced as companies become more reluctant to | | | | Refresh your connection with your selected recruiting |
| announce available openings, and employees become | | | | firms on a regular weekly or monthly basis. These |
| less likely to recommend coming to work for a | | | | companies are constantly receiving new leads, new |
| company that does not seem to appreciate their | | | | applicants, and new information. It is just as easy to |
| people. For those who may have been able to | | | | get lost in their shuffle as it is to be ignored by a |
| network with potential companies by "interviewing" | | | | company that has too many candidates to handle. |
| key personnel about a particular need or area of | | | | Persistently communicate with firms that bring you |
| expertise, the doors to establishing these types of | | | | the most job leads, and drop those who take your |
| contacts are slammed shut. | | | | information and never contact you. Recruiting firms |
| Finding a job in an employer's market can be one of | | | | are motivated by the payment they receive for |
| the most difficult challenges anyone will ever have to | | | | finding well qualified candidates; if they have no leads |
| face. Being successful in seeking opportunity requires | | | | and no candidates, they will not make money. Try to |
| several key changes in perspective. There are some | | | | find out what kinds of jobs are most frequently |
| important things to remember when finding a job | | | | being filled by these resources, and consider shaping |
| becomes increasingly difficult: | | | | your skill sets to reflect the appropriate experience |
| 1. Regardless of how many people are competing in | | | | to fill these needs. Keep in mind that potential |
| looking for work, the individual job seeker only has to | | | | employers will be less willing to negotiate salary |
| be concerned with finding one suitable place to hire | | | | expectations due to the added fees they are paying |
| them. It is very easy to become discouraged when | | | | to the recruiting firm for locating you as a qualified |
| you realize that nearly everyone you know seems to | | | | candidate. |
| be looking for a job. Your task is not to find a job | | | | 7. Find as many resources as you can to showcase |
| for everyone else in the world; it is only important | | | | your experience and skill sets that will allow other |
| that you locate one reasonable opportunity for | | | | companies to find you using key word searches or |
| yourself. | | | | other internet based tools, sites, and resources to |
| 2. Maintain a persistent search for posted | | | | seek out candidates. Consider putting together your |
| opportunities, even when nothing seems to be | | | | own web site to showcase your skills and talents. |
| coming back in response to your inquiries. The law of | | | | Recognizing an employer's market versus a seeker's |
| averages will eventually provide some job | | | | market can be as simple as understanding where the |
| opportunities where your resume reaches the top of | | | | most leads for jobs are coming from. Whenever you |
| the pile. | | | | need to move on to your next opportunity, |
| 3. Persist in trying to locate any "inside" contacts with | | | | exploiting as many resources as possible is always |
| companies you can exploit for interest in the talents | | | | the best approach. Though the search may be very |
| you bring to the table. You may find yourself able to | | | | difficult at times, reaching your goals will require skill, |
| land a position that is of less interest to other people | | | | experience, and persistence in seeking out the best |
| looking for work, but perfectly suitable for you to | | | | opportunity that is right for you. |
| ride out the stormy business environment. | | | | |