New Tactics for “Unsteady Economy”?

I read Tom Musbach’s article today, “Job Hunting in an Unsteady Economy – 7 Tips for Success” on Yahoo! HotJobs. It smartly addresses tactics job hunters can apply during the current economic downturn.

In it, he makes some good points. For example, although the unemployment rate has gone up, it hasn’t gone up enough to cause panic for job seekers. There is still a demand for workers, especially in the areas of education, health care and energy, which remains strong for job search now.

The article added that during times of economic uncertainty, job seekers may have to alter their approach by earning a paycheck while job hunting, or doing volunteer work during your spare time that can lead to opportunities.

To reach your job search goal, Tom suggests tailoring a specific presentation rather than staying generic, and this includes your resume.

I agree, as we always advise our readers to “focus” on their next job title and build their resume around that job alone. Employers today, more than ever, are looking for problem solvers who are experts in their niche. This means moving away from that handyman “I can do lots of things” approach. Employers want specialists, not generalists.

Here is an idea I particularly like: he suggests creating a target list of companies, then sending out a list to 25 individuals, asking them if they can put you in touch with an employee working at one of the listed companies. Of course, with social media coming more into play, you can do this online using Facebook and LinkedIn. You can’t afford to be shy these days.

Another suggestion worth mentioning is to make yourself and your skills more visible by posting and refreshing your resume in more places by applying to online job boards and attending job fairs.

I encourage you to review Tom’s article in full to access more creative ideas that can enhance your job search during challenging economic times.

Sue