I n today’s difficult economy, finding a new job probably won’t be easy -- especially if you’re getting back in the workforce after being away from it for a few years. These winning strategies will help...
Play to your strengths, particularly your day-to-day-experience on the job. Senior workers have advantages that are in great demand today. They arrive on time, dress appropriately and put in a full day, among other things.
Acknowledge the realities of today’s workplace. Salaries have generally taken a dip in the last year. You might get lucky and find a high-paying job, but be prepared to settle for less.
Unless salary is an absolute necessity, look for work you truly enjoy, not just as a means for staying active. Ask yourself if there’s something you’ve always wanted to do that will make you feel better for having walked on the Earth. Then go after it.
No one I have ever known has found happiness in just keeping busy.
WHAT DOESN’T WORK
“Get a job through the Internet.” That’s been the mantra for the last decade, but it’s baloney!Reality: Only 7% of job hunters successfully find work on-line. Classified ads -- another haphazard way to find employment -- have historically had only a 5% success rate, meaning that the Internet isn’t much better.
Also ineffective: Mailing out résumés at random, answering ads in trade journals and going to private search firms.
WHAT WORKS
Determine what you have to offer an employer and the type of firm you want to work for. Then research companies in your community to find businesses that may need your skills.
Increase your chance of success by targeting fast-growing companies with 20 or fewer employees.
Use libraries to research companies, and talk with friends who know about specific companies or the type of business they’re in. You can also learn about these companies by talking with members of the Chamber of Commerce or civic groups.
The Internet can be helpful here. Enter the name of a company, its industry group or the name of its CEO in a search engine. You’ll learn about a company’s history, product line, marketing strategy, corporate culture and other information that will help you determine if it can use your skills and whether you’d enjoy working there.
INTERVIEW STRATEGY
Visit companies on your target list simply for information -- don’t just send your résumé and call for an interview. You’ll get a better sense of what you can offer the business, and you’re likely to meet people who can set up an interview -- in some cases that same day.
In interviews, make it clear that you know the company. Ask questions that demonstrate your knowledge, such as inquiring about new products, the latest marketing strategy or plans for expansion (or contraction).
Use research to find out about challenges facing the company. In interviews, describe yourself as someone whose skills and experience can help the company meet those challenges.
Examples: “I know that your effort to improve quality requires working with many types of people. As you can see from my background, I have just the kind of people skills that would be useful.”
In this way, you demonstrate your knowledge of the company and how the company can benefit from hiring you. The vast majority of today’s job applicants won’t use this strategy.
Be sure to arrive on time. A surprising number of new job candidates ruin their chances by showing up late for interviews.
Helpful: Think of an interview as a date. If you have a date that doesn’t talk much, it’s easy to get the impression that there’s something to hide.
General rule: Talk half the time and let the interviewer speak the other half. That ratio helps promote a genuine exchange of information. Interviewers like that.
FOOT-IN-THE-DOOR TACTICS
Consider working on a temporary or part-time basis. As the economy improves, this type of work may become full-time.
Many companies offer temporary work to applicants they’re unsure of, including those who are very young or in their senior years. If the choice proves to be a good match for the worker and the employer, the job can become permanent.
Looking for temporary work also lets you use a particularly effective resource -- temporary agencies. Though many temp agencies are hard hit by the current recession, some are still doing well as more and more companies look for part-time workers in an effort to cut costs. As the economy picks up, temp agencies will be an even greater resource.
Most temp agencies fill specific types of positions, such as accounting, clerical, medical, data entry and public relations. An agency is likely to have a dozen or more clients that would take you days or even weeks to apply to individually.
Another temp advantage: Agencies often help set up interviews for you.
Smart move: When you draw up a list of companies to approach, show the list to a temp agency and say, “Not only do I want to sign up with you, but I also have some leads that you may want to call.”
Most temp agencies will be grateful, particularly if your research shows that companies on your list are actively recruiting.
If increasing your income isn’t a priority, volunteering can be an effective route to a job -- and a way to learn whether you like the work. Even if you’re not offered a paying job, volunteer organizations are great places to develop contacts among prospective employers.
Example: People who volunteer at political organizations are often offered jobs by businesses whose executives are big party boosters.
