Out of Job or Business?
Our economy is in a recession and every business is suffering. Those businesses associated with the housing industry are even more distressed. Many companies have lain off large numbers of workers and there is great uncertainty about the future so most businesses are reluctant to hire right now. Many of those who are lucky enough to have retained their jobs have had their wages or hours reduced. Congress has not passed another extension of unemployment after three prior extensions in the last 18 months. There is no question that the lack of jobs will force more and more of us into bankruptcy. Taking action in that direction may be necessary to allow you to survive until you regain full employment. Even the best of the best are not immune from layoffs in this economy. Bankruptcy means a fresh start and for many who have taken that route, they found great success after obtaining debt relief through bankruptcy.
Here are some tips to consider in rebuilding after losing your job:
Take a Day or Two Off to Clear Your Mind
Take a day or two off. Most likely you need a short vacation. There are many inexpensive things you can do to temporarily take your mind off of your troubles. The job hunt will require you to be at your peak performance and by taking some initial time off you will put yourself in a better position to succeed.
You can go to a museum or the zoo. You can go for a long bike ride or a walk. You can go fishing, play pool, swim or go for a massage. You can even go to a retirement community or a hospital to brighten up someone’s day. Doing charity work will put your situation into perspective that life can be worse. The idea is for you to relax and take your mind off of your situation so that you will be refreshed for your job-hunting journey.
Consider What You Have Learned From Your Experience
After your short time off, get a note pad and a pen. Write down your learning experiences from your past job. Where did you excel? How could you have improved your performance? What did you enjoy about your previous job? What would you like to avoid in future jobs? The key is to learn from the experience of losing a job. That way you turn a negative event into something positive.
Next, write down your greatest strengths. This could be anything from your ability to communicate to the fact that you are a hard-worker. Maybe you are a great cost-cutter or you have a unique ability to motivate others. Whatever your strengths are, write them down.
Determine Your Ideal Job
Then, on a fresh sheet of paper write down the traits and characteristics that would make up your ideal job. Maybe you want a job where you can work out of the home. Perhaps you want a job working for a small entrepreneurial company. Maybe you even want to change careers.
Once completed, compare your strengths to your ideal job characteristics. Identify those positions that fit your talents best, yet allow you to do what you enjoy. Write down all the possibilities you can think of. You now have your target market (list) of opportunities.
Job-hunting is like a trip. Before getting in a car, you first pick out your destination and then decide on the best route to get there. With your target list of opportunities you have identified your destination. And, as a result of your short vacation, you have a full tank of gas. Now, plan how you can best get to your destination’ your ideal job. Your friends, family, ex-coworkers, ex-customers, stock brokers, and doctors along with the Internet, recruiters, newspapers, and industry events will all be possible routes you can take.
Network with Friends and Others in Your Industry
One of the best and fastest growing methods of finding a job is the Internet. Most companies now post open positions through online job portals as well as their own web sites. Companies will often post opportunities in a section of their web site called “employment opportunities.”
There are many online bulletin boards, job portals and services on the Internet where you can electronically view job openings and post and send resumes. Some of the most popular sites include http://www.careerbuilder.com, http://www.hotjobs.com, http://www.monster.com, http://www.jobhunt.com and http://www.career.com. In addition, there are many “headhunters” and job placement agencies on the Internet. One great source is http://brilliantpeople.com.
In addition, many local newspapers have their own web sites that provide you with the ability to search online for jobs. You can search by job category and job location. Additionally, many of these newspaper web sites allow you to post your resume online. Also, these sites provide recent articles and sections on job hunting that give fabulous advice.
Finally, there are many sites on the Internet that provide free advice on resumes and cover letters. Some of these include http://www.jobweb.com, http://free-resume-tips.com, http://quintcareers.com, and http://www.rpi.edu/web/writingcenter/cover_letter.html.
You are a great individual and you deserve the best. By following some of these simple steps you will succeed!