Layoffs just keep coming. Sprint announced plans to let 8,000 workers go. Home Depot is firing 7,000 employees. Caterpillar announced they will lay off 20,000 people this year. Here in Omaha, First National Bank announced they are furloughing 350 employees.
In December 2008, the national unemployment rate rose from 6.8 to 7.2 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. Unemployment hit 4 percent in Nebraska, with more than 39,000 Nebraskans estimated to be out of work in December.
If your job is next on the chopping block — or if you’re afraid it is — there are some steps you can take now that will help you find your next job faster.
• First, update your résumé. Do it now, while you still have access to internal data to quantify your accomplishments. Make sure you have hard copies of your performance reports and letters (or e-mails!) of appreciation from customers and colleagues.
You will want to start circulating your résumé right away as soon as you learn of layoffs (or even rumors of a downsizing). Have your résumé ready to go when that happens.
• Alert your network. Start assembling your network of contacts now so that when the ax falls, you can get the word out quickly. The first 30 days of unemployment are the most critical.
Don’t have a contact database yet? Start with your Christmas card list. Collect snail mail addresses, home/work/cell numbers, and e-mail addresses. Now is also the time to establish your social network online — sites like Facebook and LinkedIn will let you keep connected with personal and professional contacts.
While you’re at it, join a professional association or two — and get involved. You’ll learn about changes in your industry that may impact your company … and your job. You’ll also make valuable contacts in your field that may lead you to your next position.
• Improve your skills. You’ll be more valuable to your current employer — and more marketable to your future boss —if you update your skills. Enroll in a class; learn a new language; pursue a certification. Continuing education in your field can also expand your network.
• Start researching your next job. Prepare a plan of action that you can implement immediately. Identify companies you’d like to work for — even if they’re not actively advertising openings. Read trade publications, local business journals, and follow the Business section of the newspaper to identify companies that are growing and may need someone with your skills and experience.
“Don’t wait to see what will happen with your job — take action,” says Bridget Brooks, a Certified Professional Résumé Writer with Image Building Communications. “If you are laid off, you’ll be better prepared to start your job search immediately.”
— Bridget Brooks is a Certified Professional Résumé Writer and “Get Hired Now!™” Facilitator. In February, she will co-lead a four-week Employment Transitions group for unemployed professionals along with therapist Marla Cohen, MS, PLMHP. Bridget can be reached at (402) 393-4600 or via e-mail at OmahaJobHelp@yahoo.com.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Stand Out From the Crowd!
As reported in the January/February 2009 issue of Inc. magazine, at the end of October 2008, there were 33 people looking for work for every 10 openings in the U.S.
That's THREE people competing for EVERY job you're interested in! How can you stand out from the pack?
1. You must have a great resume. Most initial contacts with a prospective employer come via the resume. If your resume doesn't catch the hiring authority's attention immediately, you won't get a second look.
3. Research the company. Find out more about what they do and what their specific needs are before you apply. Then you can include some of your observations in the cover letter -- and DEFINITELY do in-depth research before going on any interviews!
4. Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up! Call to follow up on any resumes you send (unless it says "no phone calls"). Don't just say, "Did you receive my resume?" Ask if there was any information that they were needing in order to consider you as a candidate. Give your 15-second "commercial" when you call.
"Hi, this is Amanda Lewis. I'm the nurse with more than 10 years of experience in hemodialysis and renal care that sent in my resume for the Staff Nurse-Dialysis position. I wanted to make sure you received my resume, but also see if there was any additional information I could provide to you to outline my qualifications for this position."
If you get a chance to talk to a real life human being, send a thank-you note (either via snail mail or e-mail; it's perfectly appropriate to send the thank you via e-mail and attach another copy of your resume/cover letter with it).
Here's the rest of the information from the Inc. article:
The number of job seekers relative to open positions in the U.S. surged in 2008. At the beginning of 2008, there were only 19 job seekers for every 10 open positions, according to an analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data by Heidi Shierholz, an economist at the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, D.C.
That's THREE people competing for EVERY job you're interested in! How can you stand out from the pack?
1. You must have a great resume. Most initial contacts with a prospective employer come via the resume. If your resume doesn't catch the hiring authority's attention immediately, you won't get a second look.
- Make sure you have targeted your resume towards the type of position you're seeking. In this competitive hiring environment, employers aren't going to try to figure out how you "fit" their needs ... they want to see it spelled out for them. At a minimum, this is a customized cover letter.
- Quantify your value to the company. If you're not including lots of $$, ##, and %% figures on your resume, you're missing out on a prime opportunity to show how you can make the company money, save them money, save them time, solve a specific problem -- or any one of the Employer Buying Motivators that are the REASON why companies hire employees.
3. Research the company. Find out more about what they do and what their specific needs are before you apply. Then you can include some of your observations in the cover letter -- and DEFINITELY do in-depth research before going on any interviews!
4. Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up! Call to follow up on any resumes you send (unless it says "no phone calls"). Don't just say, "Did you receive my resume?" Ask if there was any information that they were needing in order to consider you as a candidate. Give your 15-second "commercial" when you call.
"Hi, this is Amanda Lewis. I'm the nurse with more than 10 years of experience in hemodialysis and renal care that sent in my resume for the Staff Nurse-Dialysis position. I wanted to make sure you received my resume, but also see if there was any additional information I could provide to you to outline my qualifications for this position."
If you get a chance to talk to a real life human being, send a thank-you note (either via snail mail or e-mail; it's perfectly appropriate to send the thank you via e-mail and attach another copy of your resume/cover letter with it).
Here's the rest of the information from the Inc. article:
The number of job seekers relative to open positions in the U.S. surged in 2008. At the beginning of 2008, there were only 19 job seekers for every 10 open positions, according to an analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data by Heidi Shierholz, an economist at the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, D.C.
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