So, how are you handling the tough employment times? I encourage you to think about which profile fits you.
Type 1
You are out of work, desperately wanting to go back in, north of forty years-old, and the only job search techniques that you know are from when you were nineteen years-old. That means that you are checking the newspaper classifieds and, in an attempt, to keep up with the times, you are also checking a couple of online job boards.
Your family and friends know that you are out of work and are kind enough to “keep their eyes open for you”. You have talked to the state employment security office to start receiving unemployment compensation and thought that it might be a promising idea to speak with one of the employment/vocational counselors who works there. The information that you receive from the counselor is helpful, but the number of things that you are told you should now be doing seems overwhelming to do on your own.
You have sent out some resumes and cover letters to places that you heard were hiring, but you have not heard back yet from anyone. You also left a couple of voice mails with the hiring managers, but you have not received any replies.
This stretch of unemployment is lasting longer than you thought it would. You are getting depressed, feeling unappreciated, and getting scared that your future is in serious jeopardy.
Type 2
You know that finding a job in a deep Recession is bigger than you can handle alone. You know that you need a plan, but figuring out what that plan should be, which really increases your chances of getting happily hired, is as hard to put together as getting a job has been.
You decide that the time has come to hire a career coach. What had before seemed like an extravagant expense now seems worth it, even though paying for anything right now is hard. So, you find a coach, your own career consultant, who actively listens to your situation, employment history, and gets a skilled reading as to your personality.
All the while, this trained ear is listening for information that will help determine an appropriate match between the client and the workforce and whether you are ready to advance by jumping industries or hoping to grow within the industry you have worked in historically. After some time, your global big-picture direction seems clearer, so you work together at developing your professional brand.
This effort shines a light on your strengths and makes it very apparent to anyone paying attention, like potential employers, what the value is that you have to offer. You take your brand into a strategized job search consisting of exposure and research. Time is spent targeting your efforts toward those openings and opportunities that exist from which you can benefit. Even though the first couple of interviews do not go well, you process and dissect your performances with your consultant and mutually determine a more effective approach.
Competition is stiff, but you find some solace in that you are approaching this challenge with smarts and well-directed energy. You enjoy having a trusted colleague to work with you as you try to make the best of a tough situation and time in your life.
Which profile most closely describes you? Not the one you want? Get in touch. Let’s talk.
