Is your job search getting too lengthy for your taste? A Wall Street Journal online article, How to Hunt for Jobs as Time Out of Work Drags On and On, by Joann Lublin reports:
18.3% of jobless Americans in January had been out of work for at least 27 weeks. The figure far exceeds the 11.1% of those who had gone as long without work when a recession began in March 2001.
Lublin suggests several strategies for you if you are in the same boat. (I love to quote experts who agree with the advice I give clients!) Some ideas she suggests (in bold):
Reassess your strengths and weaknesses. If you were a brand, why wouldn’t you be selling? Seek advice and figure out what makes you special so you know how to sell yourself.
One reason may be a flawed résumé. Lublin notes, “A professionally written résumé counts more than an attractive typeface.”   Ensure that your resume conveys exactly what you have to offer. Don’t make the potential employer figure out how you fit in. Connect the dots for your reader.
Don’t waste a lot of time sending online applications. This article notes:
“Posting résumés on job sites should be the smallest part of your search,” because you rarely land positions that way, says Annie Stevens, a managing partner at ClearRock, a Boston outplacement and executive-coaching firm. Nearly two-thirds of applicants find work through networking, ExecuNet surveys show.
Network, network, network, network. Even if you are shy, be sure to take advantage of the #1 job search strategy! (Follow the 5 links in this paragraph to get you started on the right foot!)
Consider re-meeting with your references to ensure that they are highlighting your best skills. Keeping in touch with referees is an important job search strategy from day one, but if you have gotten to the reference-checking stage without landing a job, this could be an important evaluation point.
Do what you can to keep up your spirits. Frequent exercise, support or networking groups and chocolate can be good stress relievers! Don’t spend every minute on your job hunt. You still need to have a life! Plus, you never know – it could be someone you meet on a trip to the grocery store or a seatmate on an airplane while on vacation who winds up linking you to your next job!
Job search dragging on? Get some professional help! Keppie Careers is here for you. We’ll make sure that your resume is top notch and coach you every step of the way. Save time and money – hire Keppie Careers! www.keppiecareers.com