Simple steps to help cope with job loss
Abridged: Carolyn Bigda, Chicago Tribune CHICAGO, IL -- Imagine walking into your office, as always, and discovering that your desk has been cleaned out; your department is shuttered and locked; or you have 30 minutes to collect your belongings and leave. Would you be able to cope with unemployment? Here are four must-dos if you suddenly find yourself without a job:- Get government help. File for unemployment insurance.
- Stay insured. Unless you receive a severance package that extends your health insurance, your priority should be to find new coverage.
- Preserve your 401(k). Try not to raid your 401(k). It's very tempting to do if you lose your job, but there are certain penalties.
- Stay on top of your bills. Prioritize secured loans, such as a mortgage or car loan. Apply to lower your monthly payment on student loans or defer payments temporarily. Transfer a credit card balance to a zero-percent rate card.
'Fax' you need to know about your job search
Staff Writer, The Career News VIRGINIA BEACH, VA -- Have you spent hours upon hours in your job search only to find that you get few responses back no matter how many resumes you email? These days emails are being deleted at a significant rate without ever being opened. Many hiring managers are simply overwhelmed with the amount of emailed resumes they have to go through.
Consider a different approach. Try faxing your resume directly to employers you're interested in. When you fax your resume it is delivered already opened, unlike email. The recipient can't delete your resume prior to it being seen, and if your faxed resume is addressed to the actual decision maker it almost always ends up on that person's desk.
If this sounds like a good idea to you, we recommend using JobsByFax. This company has categorized 3.9 million employers into about 73 categories. They'll quickly fax your resume directly to the exact type of employers you want in your selected geographic area. To find out how many employers matching your criteria you can fax your resume directly to, just go to JobsByFax. Tips for mature workers - The interview
Abridged: The Boston Globe BOSTON, MA -- Mature workers face many challenges when competing for jobs with younger workers. One of the most important things to consider is the way you present yourself at interviews. You'll want to maximize your experience and minimize any preconceived notions the interviewer may have about older workers. Here are a few tips to help you achieve this goal:
1) Dress up to date. 2) Speak in crisp, concise business language. Do not ramble. 3) Be prepared. Have examples at your fingertips of how you learned a new skill, tried a new way of doing something or made a snap decision. The perception is that the mature worker doesn't do any of these things well. 4) Speak with enthusiasm and good energy. 5) Slip into the conversation some physical activity that you are doing such as painting the house, swimming, working out, etc. It lets the interviewer know that you have good physical stamina. 6) Assure the interviewer, who may be your son or daughter's age, that you enjoy working in a diverse workplace and that you have learned a great deal from younger colleagues and that you believe they have learned a lot from you. Report: Largest number of businesses - LA County
Abridged: The Los Angeles Times LOS ANGELES, CA -- For the most chances to get a job, consider working in Los Angeles. But if you want to earn a high wage, try New York City. A new U.S. Census Bureau report shows that populous Los Angeles County leads the nation with the largest number of businesses while Manhattan tops the chart with the highest average salary. The bureau's 2003 County Business Patterns report analyzes business establishments in more than 1,000 industries on the national, state and local levels. The data are used by business planners to study economic activity.
In the report, Los Angeles County had 235,000 businesses, followed by Cook County, Ill., with 128,000 and Manhattan, also known as New York County, with 103,000. In 2003, businesses in Los Angeles County had 3.8 million workers, who earned $147 billion. Cook County had 2.4 million employees, who made $102 billion, and New York City had 2 million workers and a payroll of $148 billion. Among the nation's most populous counties, Manhattan had the highest average annual salary per worker at $73,000; the lowest average was in Riverside County at $29,000. Rounding out the top five counties with the largest number of businesses are Harris County, Texas, with 86,000 and Orange County with 83,000. A recruiter can help broaden your job search
Staff Writer, The Career News LOS ANGELES, CA -- Are you stuck in a rut and not getting phone calls for interviews? If so, it can make sense to use a recruiter to broaden your job search. It can also make sense if you are in a high level position since those jobs are not typically advertised or in an industry that traditionally uses search firms to fill vacancies.
Search firms have contacts in industries and at companies that you might not even be aware of. They can help market your resume and provide you with additional exposure to potential employers that may not be advertising openings. If you don't know of any good recruiters, consider using a service that will send your resume to 100's of pre-screened recruiters, who are currently requesting resumes of people with your skills, in your geographic location. One of the more quality services like this we've found is called Resume Mailman. The power of rituals during your job search
Pat Schuler, Business Development Coach MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- Do you ever watch the batter in major league baseball games? Ever notice the specific series of motions they go through. One taps his left shoulder three times. Another moves from left foot to right, then crosses himself. Many visualize hitting the ball cleanly out of the park.
What does this have to do with the job search process? Those rituals may look like simple superstition to the onlooker, but the batter believes they work. Think about the times you've been most effective in the job search. What had you done to prepare? Were you rested? Did you have lemonade right before the call, or listen to your favorite music? Was it early morning or after lunch? Were you wearing your lucky shirt or sitting in your power chair?
There is strong psychological basis to the practice of rituals. Make your own rituals. They can put you in a place of greater perceived power and control. Does the batter hit a homer every time? He believes his odds are greater because of the ritual, and that belief increases his odds. Confidentially post your resume online
Staff Writer, The Career News LOS ANGELES, CA -- While the job market is very competitive right now, there are still millions of jobs being offered by hiring managers who search all of the top career sites. Sure it may take some time, but posting your resume on ALL the top sites will give you better exposure than your competition.
If you want the benefit of maximum exposure, but don't want to spend 60 hours researching and filling out website forms, consider letting a service like Resume Rabbit do the work for you. With this service, you fill out one easy form and in about 15 minutes you'll be posted on 75 top career sites like Job.com, CareerBuilder, Monster, Net-Temps, Dice and more. A comprehensive list of all the sites they post to is on their home page.
If confidentiality is a concern, use Resume Rabbit's new confidentiality feature. Your resume can be seen, however, no one will see your name, street address, phone number or even your current company name. Whether you do it by hand or use a service like Resume Rabbit, creating accounts on all the best career sites will give you access to millions of jobs and exposure to 1.5 million employers and recruiters daily. Try Resume Rabbit today! Letters of Recommendation
Abridged: Jobsearch.bz LOS ANGELES, CA -- Letters of recommendation are convenient substitutes for work references: they neatly sum up a previous or current employer's perspective and allow prospective employers to avoid the sometimes awkward and vague conversations that result from interrogating references over the phone about your strengths and weaknesses.
In addition, such letters help prospective employers to skirt the difficulties of reaching a reference. Finally, they are also a great advantage for the job seeker, because they offer concrete, credible, and readily available evidence of past accomplishments and abilities.
If you have been laid off but left the company on good terms, a letter of recommendation will provide prospective employers with a credible, thorough account of why you had to leave the company -- for instance, if the layoff was part of a general downsizing. Job Seeker: Always have your business cards handy
Staff Writer, The Career News BOSTON, MA -- Up to 80% of job seekers today find their jobs through networking. That's because it works. Job seekers are having the best luck making networking contacts at places like Alumni Events, Job Fairs and Professional Industry Association functions. But networking can happen at any time, so no matter where you go, employed or not, you must always carry a fresh supply of business cards to hand out when the time is right.
There's nothing worse than making a great contact, searching for a pen and writing your number on a napkin - that they're sure to lose. Personal business cards project an image of professionalism and leave a lasting impression.
Free for The Career News Subscribers: Get 250 premium quality, full color business cards, an $85 value, at no cost to you. (There is however a very small shipping and handling fee). Using pre-designed online templates, you can create professional, attractive business cards in seconds. Instantly preview the cards online before submitting your order. To get your free business cards, go to VistaPrint. |
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