Warning: this post may contain references to the movie, Clueless, which, incidentally, was anything but.
I’ve been getting more than a few emails and comments from readers who have lost their jobs. To those of you in this position, I am so very sorry. I wish I could offer the advice you’re looking for, but even going through this twice in a calendar year has not made me any more of an expert on reemployment. In both cases, I got lucky. Twists of fate.
But here’s what I can do: I can use my popularity for a good cause. After seeing how many people, in every corner of the world stop by here from time to time, I figured well, that right there is a community of folks. Folks who also have other communities of folks and so on and so forth. Surely, you will be able to help each other better than I ever could.
The comment box on this post is dedicated to just that. Have you weathered the unemployment storm before and can offer some tips on how to do it… gracefully? Advise away! Are you recently jobless and need to cry on our collective shoulders? I will bring the tissues. Do you have a website with a link to your resume? Let us have it.
In the meantime, here are a couple links that I used while job hunting in October:
Solo Gig (temp, consulting, freelance, etc.)
Indeed.com (pulls from tons of other job listing sites)
FYI: For those seeking jobs, some very kind recruiters are leaving their contact info in the comments box. I won’t lie. It makes me feel warm and fuzzy.
Websites can be a great but every job I’ve ever gotten has been through someone knowing that I was looking for a position and thinking of me when they heard of something. When I talk with someone and they say they want to get a job in (fill in industry), my first reaction is, “Who do I know that is in that industry or might know someone in that industry?” And I try to connect them to that person. I find that if I just start to tell people what I want, they are more than willing to help try to get it for me. My best advice is to blatantly tell people what you are looking for as much as possible. Best of luck to everyone searching!
I was recently laid off at the end of January by a Fortune 500 corporation located in Dallas with the initials tee eye.
I had worked there for 20 years, so I hadn’t had a resume (that was up to date) in forever. Fortunately they provided a career counseling service to us. For those without that resource, I can offer some advice.
1. Join LinkedIn.com it is a professional networking site, similar to Facebook but for your resume and professional networking with former classmates, co-workers, former co-workers etc. I now have over 150 in my LinkedIn network.
2. Keep email addresses and put them in your gmail, yahoo, hotmail or whatever email you have PERSONALLY as when you leave a company, you loose access to your address book stored on their email system. Or if on Outlook you can dump your contacts list to a file and take it with you. I did both. I found about 200-300 email addresses on my Yahoo to communicate with about my job search. Some people opted out but you never know who can help you.
3. 85-92% of jobs are found through your network or their networks etc.
4. Do a targeted job search… figure out where you would like to work and research the companies to see if they would have the sort of position and be a place you would like to work. Then put it out to the network about 7-10 companies at a time. If you can get 2 people on the phone or email in a week from your network of 100 (who have a network of 100 thus 10,000 people) you will be doing great. They don’t need to be a HIRING manager, just a contact at the company that can shop your resume around.
5. Resume… if you’re relatively new to the job market you might have one sort of resume, but if you’ve been working several years you need a chronological resume. Your objectives can be taylored to where you are applying for a job.
6. Use all sources: job fairs, websites, Sunday want ads etc. Just because there is a smaller chance of finding a job that way, leave no stone unturned.
You should spent 30-35 hours per week on your job search. Including networking meetings, phone calls and LinkedIn time. The coach that I had suggested if you do that it will cut your looking time in 1/2.
It took me 3 weeks to land a new (Information Technology) position (via a job fair) doing something similar to what I was doing. I took a pay cut and I’ll be commuting to downtown (1 hour each way). So I did compromise on what I was wanting to get a job more rapidly in a bad economy.
Good luck to everyone. You can contact me via my website by making a comment on a post and I’ll provide any other help that I can to friends and readers of “This Fish”.
I am a recruiter for a Healthcare staffing company. I look at resumes and find people jobs all day. I’d be more than happy to assist people with resume tips and tweaks. If you’re a Healthcare professional I might be able to help you out in finding a job as well. Email me, just please give me time to reply.
I’m the Recruiting Manager for a consulting firm in DC. We do management and IT consulting for Federal clients. If anyone would like to send me their resume I’d be happy to take a look!
What a great idea for a blog post! I’ve been out of work for about three months now, and have sent my resume out to literally hundreds of places. Unfortunately, my employment background is in writing (specifically for the news) – a dying industry! So… if anyone knows anyone I could send my resume to (I’m based in NYC)… I’d be indebted to you forever!
I am also a recruiter, for a political consulting firm, and look at resumes all day, and would love to help people out, and let people know we are still hiring as well. Feel free to check us out if you’d like! http://www.grassrootscampaigns.com.
I guess I should have added to my comment that I’m looking for any kind of job, not just in the news! I also have experience in online writing…
For people interested in media-type jobs, try http://www.mediabistro.com.
For people interested in working from home or freelancing, get a kick-ass bizcard for yourself & put it up on local bulletin boards.
Join your local chamber of commerce.
Be frugal.
-h
Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away, I was fired. It was traumatizing. I still don’t believe I deserved it but it was probably one of the best things to happen to me. I took the first job that came along after that. With a big swallow of pride, I might add. I learned so much from that second job. I guess my two cents is that sometimes windfalls come from really crappy situations.
Hi Betsey! You didn’t leave your e-mail address. Would love to shoot you an e-mail re. medical positions, but don’t have it. Thanks!
She did – her email address should be linked to her name. Click on her name, and it should open an email. If not, I believe it’s betseann at gmail dot com.
I was “let go” back in 2002 – I thought I would do just fine waiting things out, but because my former boss was an a******, I didn’t get any severance pay (although I did get unemployment for about 3 weeks until I found another job – even though the jerk filed an appeal – which he lost).
So, my suggestion for how to deal is to register with temp agencies and get any job you can find. It is easier to find a job when you already have one, even if it’s just a temp job you take to pay the rent. I’ve found permanent offers through all of the temp work I’ve taken on, even if I didn’t ultimately take the permanent job that was offered, and I always had a reason to get up in the morning.
Sara in DC – do you have a contact email?
mallorysara at gmail dot com
Sherie, it’s betseann at gmail.com
Email me!
I have been looking for permanent work in Marketing/New Media for a long time now. Does anyone have any marketing/advertising contacts in the San Francisco Bay area?
kristencoast at gmail
My company Magellan Health Services has offices in various large cities and is always hiring for certain positions. I’ve worked for them for 13 years and can’t say enough good things about working there. Please check out job boards at http://www.magellanhealth.com
First, I am very sorry to those who are having a tough time. I was laid off last July and know how shocking it can be even when you see it coming. I know the pain of having to move because you simply cannot afford your rent anymore.
I found my recent job (which I love more than any other job I’ve ever had so far) because I network and stay friends with old coworkers. It was a stellar recommendation that convinced my (now) manager to call me in for an interview.
Now as a staff supervisor at a staffing agency, I can offer the following advice:
- Tailor your resume to the position.
- Applying for “any job” doesn’t work. So many people are desperate but remember that recruiters are thinking about the future. We know that if you made $20/hour in your last three jobs, the likelihood that you will stay in a $12/hour job is low once the economy picks up. Same goes for experience — being overqualified does NOT guarantee an interview, much less a job.
- Talk about your experience. Explain gaps in employment. It really is okay.
- Dress to impress. (Maybe I am speaking to the wrong crowd but I see people who forget to shower for interviews on a weekly basis. Ewwww.)
- Network like crazy. Talk to everyone you can think of. Follow through on leads.
Things do work out. Good luck!
I’m unemployed for the second time in a year and it is annoying. See I put myself through school to become an interior designer which I did for almost 10 years and now it’s not a good field to be in…at the time. The way I got through it and still an getting through it is I’m looking for any job at this point and changing my resume geared toward more of and admin type position. I collect unemployment and where I live I get $400 a week which isn’t bad. I also live with my boyfriend who still has a job so it isn’t so bad this second time around. Sadly the first time I was alone and I cashed in my profit sharing from a previous employer to get through it. Not a good idea but desperate times call for desperate measures.
I’m just looking at everything and always thinking what I can do next. I’m glad to know I’m not alone but also frustrated that this is happening to all of us.
Good Luck
Great idea Fish! Thx for looking out!
My name is Erin and I live in Washington, DC. I just completed an 18 month contract with a humanitarian organization and am looking for new opportunities. I specialize in public outreach, constituency building, and world changing.
If anyone has any thoughts/ suggestions, feel free to email me and I’ll pass along my CV. erinfinucane@hotmail.com
All of my friends in my field are currently being laid off by the handfuls. I work in architecture and from my observations a good idea is to individually email everyone you know in your field (including past co-workers and college friends). A lot of places usually hum and haw about hiring but are a bit more keen when it’s a friend of a friend. Also, if you’re like me and lucky enough to still be employed – help out your friends as much as you can. It’s emotionally exhausting to look for work and it helps to have someone help you out a bit.
Thanks for this post. I stumbled on your blog quite by accident. Unfortunately, I don’t really have any great advice to offer anyone as I am currently struggling with this. I am at the senior end of a IT professional career – last year I turned down a Senior Director job at a Fortune 500 company on my boss’s insistence. That was before the economy really came crashing down and now I have been looking for almost 6 months. I keep hearing I have too much experience so I can at least vouch for the comments above about tailoring your resume. I would also like to offer this personal advice to anyone at a more senior level – adjust (lower) your expectations, constantly reevaluate and keep a few different versions of your resume handy for different roles. And of course, network like crazy. Sadly, I didn’t do any of this the past few months. Thought my experience and credentials will be enough and normally it would be but this is a tough market. And while you are waiting make the best use of time. I didn’t do this earlier either but I am starting to and somedays when things appear to not be moving at all having something else to focus on can help.
Good luck to everyone!
http://venusreinvented.blogspot.com
The US government is hiring (for a wide range of positions all over the country) and thanks to the stimulus package should be doing even more hiring. The best way to find out about federal jobs is to search your city at http://www.usajobs.gov. The site is free and the jobs are listed by deadline to apply.
I’ve hired everything from writers to research scientists for federal jobs lately, so give it a shot!
Request FOR opinions and ideas, here:
I just have a basic pay-the-bills kind of job. It’s all I actually want at this time, though I do want something with a good work environment and decent pay. My avocations, passion, and ambition lie elsewhere, so I’m happy to just clock in and out and do a good job for someone. I do well at information organization (“______ Coordinator” and “_____ Organizer” have often been job titles) and metrics-based positions, but would be just as happy in a mid-level admin assist position. I’m in my mid 30′s, having worked my way through a liberal arts college in my mid- 20s.
Recently,I job-hunted for a year. A solid year. I quit looking 4 and 1/2 months ago. I took a job I knew wasn’t for me which doesn’t pay my living expenses a year ago to keep making contacts and circulating my resume as well as applying to temp agencies, etc. Nada.
What are the “Big Guns” to pull out when you’ve got seriously Bad JuJu somehow over your head? Other than frequent moves (some jobs lasting for only a year) and a couple of weasel bosses (but I have great references that I direct potential employers to instead) I don’t have any major resume flaws.
Any thoughts?
After two rounds with unemployment, I found myself as a staffing coordinator at a small temp agency. And within a week I felt like an expert on resumes. Here are some helpful tips that you may think are small but, you can trust me, as someone who looks at hundreds of resumes a day, matter a lot:
1.) Your resume needs to be only 1 page. I never even look at a second page. Just put the important stuff on there: Your experience and how to contact you.
2.) Organization is a must. Don’t make your potential employer search for a reason to hire you.
3.) Be honest and be yourself. Do no lie about your work dates do not say the same things that everyone says (ie. “I work well independently and with a group.”)
4.) Have good manners and be professional. I won’t even talk to people on the phone whose opener is, “So, what kind of jobs you have?” How about a “Good Morning,” Ms. Job Seeker?
5.) Remember that everyone is looking for work. EVERYONE. I can post a job on Craigslist and within an hour I’ll have 200 resumes. So instead of just sending it, follow up with it. Call or email. Get your name stuck in the employer’s head. Ask questions. Be smart about it. I just hired a girl who didn’t have much experience in the field but showed that she was smart and cared about finding a job.
6.) This is just a personal issue but unless you’re applying for a job where your looks matter, don’t send a picture. And if you must, make sure it’s professional. I once received a resume with a picture attached of the applicant in a rather revealing top. It was for a clerical position. I showed my boss and her response was, “Did you post a job for a streetwalker?”
Good luck everyone!
actually, i’d probably PAY money if you posted more here, like i believe your contract demands, since the reason i’m here is, surprisingly, to READ your posts. just a thought.
Here’s my thought: you have absolutely NO idea what is going on, so if I were you, I’d hold back on the judgment and that nasty tone for the time being, okay?
Hey, Federal Recruiter – thanks for the tip! After this last election I’m a lot more fired up about working for the government than I’ve been for the past 8 years. I applied for a Program Manager job at General Services Administration.
And regarding LinkedIn, I like to use it in conjunction with searching for opportunities on other job sites. If I find a job to apply to, I’ll go to LinkedIn and see if I know anyone who knows anyone who works at that company. Then I’ll contact them either through LinkedIn or independently, and see if I can get their contact at the company. That way you can talk to someone directly about the position, rather than just send your resume into the online black hole.
Dear Fish,
I’ve been following your blog off and on since my very first temp job right out of college several years ago. I’m not always on top of it. but every once and awhile I find myself back at your blog chuckling at the wonderful world of dating.
Sorry to hear about the unemployment. I feel your pain. I’ve started a social project based around my own recent unemployment. Wondering if you would participate? I felt super alone through the process as most of my friends have jobs still… until I found friends of friends who have been laid off as well. it’s only 10 questions. in hopes of creating a space of exchange about being laid off and survival techniques.
1. What was your job?
2. When did you get laid off (how long has it been)?
3. How did it happen? (What did they say? Who did it specifically? Was it expected?)
4. How did you feel?
5. Do you have any dependents? (anyone depending on your income other than yourself that this has caused a burden?)
6. What are you doing now?
7. If you are looking for jobs, What kind are you looking for?
8. What is the hardest part about being laid off? Is there a good part to being laid off for you?
9. Has being laid off motivated you to do anything different?
10. What are you doing to survive being laid off? Do you have any suggestions for others?
Thank you!!!
I recently dont have a job and i feel like crap!! No purpose in my life, i cant help my poor father-in-law pay for the rent, i just feel useless. I needed to do this…. I had to know that i wasnt the only 1 going through this…
Please remember to spell check your resume! This is probably one of my biggest pet peeves when I read them. We received one in yesterday…….are you ready……..OK…….the first word at the top of page 1 (there were 4 pages) “RUSUME”. And it went downhill from there.