Covid hit hard. The state of the United States economy isn’t a pretty one. Employed people have stopped purchasing things they don’t need, and only focusing on staples. Less people are traveling and eating out and practically no banks are offering people loans to buy cars homes and other expensive things.
Many people have been unemployed for months at this point, and the unemployment rate keeps getting higher. From my experience in job hunting, here are 10 tips to keep you at the top of your job search.
Don’t get discouraged.
If 1 place rejects you, its no biggie. If 10 places reject you, you have to look at it the same way. If you’re putting forth the effort to try, you’re doing a good job. Don’t be discouraged and just halt your search. There is a job position out there for you.
Dress to impress.
Today is an employers market. Most publicly posted job positions have hundreds of applicants. If you show up looking like you just rolled out of bed, or like you didn’t put any effort toward you appearance, what makes an employer think that you’ll be interested in the job they are offering?
Overdressing is not the answer, either. If you’re looking for a retail job at a pet supply store, there is no need to wear a Fendi suit. You don’t want to give the impression that you are above your job position.
Be timely.
If you have an interview at a specific time, make sure you’re 15 minutes early. The manager or supervisor will appreciate that they don’t have to wait for you. Also, if you’re attending an open application/interview process, be prepared to wait. A lot of employers want to make sure that the applicant really is interested, and in some cases they will make you wait an extra 20-30 minutes just to know you are willing to give the job your all.
At an interview…
Try to take notes, remember the name of your interviewer, and attempt to obtain information like an email address or business address. After the interview, send over a thank you note. It doesn’t have to say much, just ‘Thank you for interviewing me and I hope we can work together very soon.’ During the interview, try to say something memorable. That way, you can mention it in your note and their memory will be refreshed.
If you don’t get called back right away…
Call them back. Or go back in. Persistence will make you stand out from all of the other applicants.
Chose a position in a field that you are already familiar with
If you just graduated college, don’t apply for CEO positions–chances are, you won’t land them. Apply for an entry level management position. If you have done telemarketing before, stick to phone positions. If you have served food before, stick to that. A recession isn’t the best time to switch careers. Employers want the best they can get for the least amount of money. If you don’t know anything about the field, you probably won’t get the job.
Be available.
If you get offered a job, make sure that you can work during the time frames they suggest. Limiting your availability on an application limits your chances of working for said employer. If you apply at a restaurant but want evening and weekends off, they may feel more inclined to go with a different applicant, as evening and weekends are usually the busiest restaurant shifts.
Finding a job position using free or inexpensive classified websites will yield more results.
Newspapers are costly and many employers won’t spend that extra money to hire someone new. Using a website like www.monster.com is more effective, because potential employers can see your information as well, and may contact you directly regarding an opening.
Communication
Communication is key to any relationship, including employer and employee. If you’re looking to get a job with a small company, make sure you discuss all aspects of your employment to get rid of all confusion. If they ask, let them know how much you expect to make, what you expect the job position to be, and how comfortable you are in the situation.
Lastly, you need to research and sell yourself.
Before applying, learn a bit about the company you’re applying for. Tell the interviewer how much you want to work there, how much you believe in what they do and the products they sell. You have to kiss some butt, without making it too obvious. Small business owners especially love this. If you want to be a landscape architect for a one-man-band employer, tell him how much you love the work he’s done and how you’d love to be a part of it. Flatter their pants off of them.
Hope this helps.
Best of luck,
Jake
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