days in the office or you could set aside some time and get a better job. Here are ten great tips to help you put together a great application, ace the interview, and ultimately work for a company you'll love rather than hate. Note: This week's top 10 list is more in the order of the process of getting a new job than a ranking of the best tips.
10. Put Together a Resume That's Actually Compelling
10. Put Together a Resume That's Actually Compelling
While I'm no fan of the resume—as they're often documents skimmed rather than read—they're still requested by the majority of jobs you'll come across. You don't want to reinvent the wheel, but a little creativity can set you apart and help you stand out from the pool. Online tools can be of great help when it comes to creating something a little less ordinary. Visualize.me can create an attractive infographic. Sites like Re.vu and Zerply help you create professional landing pages that can serve as digital resumes. About.me and Flavors.me can be tailored to do the same. Use the tool that suits you best and make sure your page or resume stands out. Often times it is just as simple as choosing the right font and color. It doesn't take much to make a resume look nice, so put in that little additional effort to keep yours from
10. Put Together a Resume That's Actually Compelling
While I'm no fan of the resume—as they're often documents skimmed rather than read—they're still requested by the majority of jobs you'll come across. You don't want to reinvent the wheel, but a little creativity can set you apart and help you stand out from the pool. Online tools can be of great help when it comes to creating something a little less ordinary. Visualize.me can create an attractive infographic. Sites like Re.vu and Zerply help you create professional landing pages that can serve as digital resumes. About.me and Flavors.me can be tailored to do the same. Use the tool that suits you best and make sure your page or resume stands out. Often times it is just as simple as choosing the right font and color. It doesn't take much to make a resume look nice, so put in that little additional effort to keep yours from ending up in the generic pileEnsure Your Resume Isn't Filled with Common Words and Redundant Phrasing
8. Search Unconventional and Career-Specific Job Sites
If you don't know where you want to work you're obviously going to have to search for some options., but you'll be looking for a needle in a haystack if you go to popular sites like Monster.com and Craigslist. That isn't to say they won't have a great job here and there, but you'll find yourself wading through a lot of undesirable positions just to find the ones you want. Instead of going the traditional route, try an unconventional job site like OneDayOneJob.com, which sends opportunities to your email inbox every day. SimplyHired is a seemingly standard job search, but it aggregates listings directly from company web sites and other locations so you're not just pulling directly from one big pool. TweetMyJobs will handle the searching for you. Just tell it what kind of job you want and it'll text, tweet, and email options to you as they're discovered. Even if you're several years out of college, you may also want to look at any job listings provided to alumni. Even if overqualified for the jobs being offered, you'll learn about companies that are friendly to graduates of your school. You can look on the company's site for more suitable positions and apply for those.
Alternatively, you can focus on sites that target the specific kind of job you want. For example, Dice.com is a good option for tech-related jobs and Authentic Jobs is a great option for designers and developers. Conduct a web search for the type of job you're looking for and the term "job search site" and you may find a tool that's more focused on your specific needs.
7. Find a Better Job by Searching for a Great Company Rather Than a Positi
Getting a great job isn't just about doing something you enjoy, but also about working in a good environment. That means you want to seek out companies who have a reputation for treating their employees well. You don't have to apply to Google or Zappos—companies well-known for their great benefits—but just seek out companies that interest you and do a little research. All you have to do is call them up and talk to pretty much anybody. Just tell them this: "I'm thinking about applying for a job at your company but I wanted to know what it's like to work there. Would you mind telling me how you like it?" Most people will be happy to share their opinion, and if they're busy you can always schedule a call later. If the company sounds good, you've likely just made a friend who you can call back when you're ready to apply and get some additional help. It's a double win. In the event this doesn't work as planned, however, Glassdoor is an online resource that can help you learn about a specific company from people who definitely want to share.
6. Learn to Make Even Your Irrelevant Experience Seem Relevant
I've never gotten a job because my previous work experience was particularly relevant, but rather because I learned how to spin my past experience to make it seem relevant. This doesn't mean I lied, but instead concentrated on tasks in previous positions that were applicable to the job I wanted to get. If your current job is much different from the one you want, think about anything and everything you've done at your current job that's out of the ordinary. Often times you'll find examples of things that relate to the job you want because you were always excited to do that kind of work if it presented itself where you are now. If not, you can always start creating relevant experience now so you can use it when you're on your interview. For example, if you work in a non-creative field but want to become a designer you would have plenty of opportunities. If you make lots of graphs and flow charts, finds ways to make them more attractive. If your company is having an outing, ask to design the flyer. When I worked in customer support, I used to create posters about inside jokes in the office or images based on funny things customers said. Sometimes I'd show these at interviews if I needed to demonstrate my Photoshop skills. As silly as that sounds, it not only demonstrated my capabilities but also showed how close I was with my team. When you put yourself into you work, you'll find that your seemingly irrelevant experience can easily be tailored to most of the jobs you'll apply for. You may have to start lower than you'd like, but if you work hard you'll work your way up pretty quicklyDear Lifehacker, I have no relevant experience in the field in which I want to work and am having a … Read more
5. Dress Well for the Intervieressing for the interview doesn't necessarily mean putting on crisply-ironed formalwear. Depending on the company, they may prefer you came in your everyday attire or just wore something that shows you can look nice without overdoing it. If you're not sure what you should wear to an interview, just call the company and ask to speak with the human resources department. Let them know you're coming in for an interview and that you want to know the expected dress code. In most cases, they'll be happy to help you out. If you have to go in uninformed, however, business casual is generally a good bet. While nobody really knows what business casual actually is, you'll generally be safe in a nice pair of pants and a button down shirt or sweater. Your goal is really to show that you're capable of grooming yourself and looking presentable. If your clothing fits, is well-ironed, and isn't something you'd wear around the house you're probably in good shape. For some extra assistance, the Dress Code Guide can help you figure out the proper attire.
4. Learn to Read Body Language for a More Successful Interviel
learning to read body language is helpful in a lot of situations, but understanding the cues you send out and reading cues from others can be immensely helpful in a job interview. It's especially important that you come of as pleasant and charming right off the bat because many decisions are made on the basis of a first impression. The most important thing is to avoid negative body language. For the most part you just want to avoid nervous ticks like touching your face and letting your leg become restless. You also don't want to slouch or sit to rigidly. Basically, your goal is to appear comfortable but professional. If you can do that, you'll be in good shape
3. Know How to Give Great Answers to Common Job Interview Questions
What's your greatest weakness? It's an obnoxious question but you'll hear it on the majority of job interviews in your life, and there are many others where it came from. (There's plenty of debate on how to answer this question. I've always found the best strategy is to pick a skill you are actually bad at that sounds relevant to the job but really isn't. Then you come across as honest but your weakness won't hurt you.) You have to answer the questions if you want to get the job, so there are two things you want to do: understand the motivation behind the questions and prepare your answers in advance. Understanding the motivation is generally as simple as putting yourself in the company's shoes. Why would they want to know your greatest weakness? Probably more to know how you respond to a question that asks you to be vulnerable than to actually find out where you can improve. They may also ask because they want to know if you can realistically gauge your abilities accurately. Once you consider the motivation behind these common questions it'll be easier to tailor the answers you want to give. You don't want to script them out and memorize them in advance, of course, but developing a list of sound bites can help you go in prepared while still being able to provide natural responses.
2. Ask for a Signing Bonus
Congratulations, you got the job! But you might be throwing away an extra month's salary if you don't ask for a signing bonus before accepting the position. If apply for a competitive job, chances are the company will really want to hire you if you're chosen and they may be willing to pay you a little bit extra to get you on board. All you have to do is ask if they offer a bonus. You're not demanding one, but simply asking the question. Whether you're considering other options or not, asking this question will make it seem that way and they'll be more inclined to offer you that bonus if they really want you. If they can't, they'll tell you no and there's likely no harm done. It's one of those low-risk questions that can often yield a high reward.
1. Leave Your Current Job Without Burning Any Bridges
If you hate your current job, it can be tempting to let everyone know it when you leave. As cathartic as that may seem, it'll cause you trouble down the line. You want to leave your current company on good terms. You never know when you may encounter a coworker again or need to call that company for information or a favor. Burning bridges simply isn't in your best interest. If you hate your job so much that you're afraid of saying the wrong thing, however, you can reference these sample resignation letters and read tips on how to resign gracefully. Before you quit for real, run your plan by a friend or two to gauge their reaction. It always helps to have a few outside opinions to help ensure you don't make a mistake you'll regret. Photos by iQoncept (Shutterstock), vgstudio (Shutterstock) and Bruce McTague.
Determined to increase your salary? Follow these tips from Reesa Staten, vice president of communications and director of research at recruiting firm Robert Half International and Anna Ivey, a Boston-based career and admissions counselor, to increase your salary this year.
Determined to increase your salary? Follow these tips from Reesa Staten, vice president of communications and director of research at recruiting firm Robert Half International and Anna Ivey, a Boston-based career and admissions counselor, to increase your salary this year.
1. Get comfortable negotiating salary raises. “Women fall behind here, because they generally aren’t as aggressive and fall farther and farther behind with their salaries. You can’t be shy about asking to be paid what you’re worth,” Ivey said. Along these lines, she said, it’s important to keep detailed documentation of your achievements.
2. Research and compare your salary. Staten urges workers to make sure they know how much their skills are worth before they pursue a different position or a promotion. Compare your salary.
3. Become an indispensable expert. Continue to learn about your line of work, so that you stay current with trends and developments. Your strategy might include going to industry conferences, reading industry publications or setting up regular lunch meetings with others in your field to exchange information and ideas. This is a key to increasing your salary.
4. Make yourself visible. Network and mingle, making sure you are continually visible to others in your industry and your workplace. At work, take on difficult challenges and make sure that management is aware of your contributions.
5. Update your skills. Consider training or certifications that could lead to a promotion. “In some companies, if you don’t have a bachelor’s degree, you can’t advance to the next level. Some jobs require an MBA; get as much education as possible,” Staten said. Search for online learning that could help increase your salary.
6. If you return to school, make sure that it will pay off. Ivey said it’s important to investigate degree programs before launching into one that might not increase your salary — and could end up costing you more in the long-run. Also, find out what continuing education benefits are offered by your employer. You may be able to “earn more” by getting your employer to cover tuition costs. Research the best college degrees for higher earnings.
7. Absorb and adapt to new methods. “Things are changing quickly; what is state of the art now will be obsolete 10 years from now,” Staten said. When things change at work instead of getting grumpy, be the first to jump on board. Your enthusiasm for change and adaptability to new systems and ideas are to how your employer values you and could lead to a salary increase.
8. Be receptive to criticism. Constructive criticism can help you improve your performance, Ivey said. Not only is it important to be able to gracefully accept criticism from your coworkers and boss, but integrating that feedback into your work can win you points and opportunities for promotion.
9. Sharpen your communication skills. “I don’t care what role you’re in. If you can read and speak well, you are way ahead of the pack,” Ivey said.
10. Get comfortable with math. “A lot of people coast through college without number knowledge — just basic knowledge, like how to read a financial statement. We live in a Sarbanes-Oxley [SOX] now. If you work in a publicly traded company, you will be affected by SOX. Accounting is a great skill to have in your tool set,” Ivey said, referring to the federal law that tightened corporate governance standards.
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Minimum-wage increases are happening, whether you like it or not. In cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle, bills have been passed to gradually increase minimum wage to $15 an hour. New York City has a proposed bill that could raise the minimum to $15 and there’s a bill before congress to raise the federal minimum wage to $12 an hour by 2020. But why wait until a law is passed to begin paying your hourly employees more? It’s not just workers who are calling for pay increases. A 2015 Careerbuilder survey found that 64 percent of employers believe in raising minimum wage. It’s time to put our money where our mouths are. We need to stop looking at wage increase as a bad thing that will only raise costs we’ll have to pass on to the consumer.
Giving your employees a raise now, before you legally have to, can be a good thing for your company. Here are three reasons you should increase employee pay to help your company:
1. It will help recruit and retain talent.
The 2015 Jobvite Job Seeker Nation survey revealed that 61 percent of job seekers choose to take a new job because of the amount it pays. If you’re having trouble finding the right employees for the job, take a hard look at the pay you’re offering for the position. Money talks, and while vacation days and excellent health insurance are nice, it’s not going to attract and keep top talent. Consider benefits the sprinkles on top of the salary cake. Unless the money you’re offering is sweet and satisfying, potential employees aren’t going to care about what else you throw on top.
Since it’s only a matter of time before minimum-wage laws change, increasing what you pay now will help you stand out to job seekers. Draw in top talent before it’s too late and they’re working for somebody else.
2. It improves employee satisfaction.
If you want your employees to perform well, you need to take their happiness and health into consideration. Helping employees manage stress goes a long way in improving their satisfaction and performance at work.
Employers have done a lot to ensure workers are maintaining a work-life balance by offering things such as flexible hours. But that’s not what’s really stressing out employees. In a 2015 report from the American Psychological Association, 72 percent of respondents reported feeling stressed about money and 22 percent said they experienced extreme stress over finances.
Increasing the amount you pay your employees will not only alleviate their present stress, but also help them feel more secure about their futures. The aforementioned CareerBuilder survey found that 36 percent of workers surveyed do not participate in a retirement plan and 28 percent were unable to set aside money for savings last year. The best way to help your employees manage their financial stress is to help them make ends meet. It will improve their productivity and satisfaction because they’ll no longer be distracted by financial problems.
3. It improves your company brand.
A lot of companies worry that raising the minimum wage will mean they have to raise prices, and that will push customers away. Depending on how you decide to facilitate higher pay, your costs and your prices may go up. But that doesn’t mean customers will be scared away from your brand.
A 2015 report from the Hart Resource Association found that 75 percent of Americans support increasing the minimum wage to at least $12.50. Taking the lead and increasing your employees' pay before it’s federally mandated will do wonders for your PR. You could attract even more customers by proactively changing wages because it’s the right thing, rather than because you have to.
Also, think about the types of employees you pay hourly, such as customer-service representatives and receptionists. These are the types of employees that have significant interaction with your customers and clients. They are the face of your company brand. It’s important that they believe in your company, so they can do a great job in making your customers happy. After all, a happy customer is a repeat customer.
7 telling questions that reveal a candidate’s true potential
Have you ever interviewed a candidate who talked a great talk,
but didn’t end up cutting it in the actual job? Enthusiastic job seekers
may be tempted to stretch the truth a little on past performances in
hopes of leaving the best impression, which means a hiring manager’s
greatest challenge is often in deciphering a candidate’s real ability
and fit.
With limited face time during an interview, asking specific, targeted
interview questions can reveal much more about a candidate than they
may even realize. As an interviewer, applying such a strategy can help
you unravel falsehoods, and accelerate your ability to get to the heart
of who a job candidate really is. Behavioural interview questions are designed to uncover insights beyond just technical skills such as:
Attitude and motivation: how does the candidate accept direction, feedback and works under pressure?
Loyalty and work ethic: how committed are they to the job and their career
Honesty:while embellishment may be expected, lies are not acceptable
Preferred managerial style: do they like to be hand-held or do they thrive when working autonomously?
Here are seven telling interview questions that can help reveal a candidate’s true potential:
1. To gauge their ability to work under pressure:“Describe what is a stressful situation for you? What is your worst case scenario and how do you cope with it?”
2. To uncover how motivated they are at work:“Tell me about a situation when you had to go above and beyond your call of duty in order to get a job done?”
3. To understand their ability to balance work with personal responsibilities: “We
have all faced a time in our lives when we had to be pulled away from
work for personal reasons (i.e. sick child, family emergency, etc.) –
how did you handle this?”
4. To detect embellishments or fabrications: ask the
same questions in a pre-screening phone interview and during an
in-person interview. You may be surprised at how much the answers can
vary. For example, “Why did you leave your last job?” Often, during the
in-person interview the answer changes or is a lot less glorious, and
more honest. 5.To discover their managerial style preference:
“If you were made the manager in your last position, what would you
have changed?” This question can also uncover what they liked and
disliked about a previous boss. 6. To learn about their favoured company culture:
“Tell me about the best position you’ve had, and why it was great?”
This can provide clues into what they liked about various aspects of a
company, the job, work environment and their boss. 7. To determine their enthusiasm for the job: “Tell
me about your ideal position – your ‘dream job.’ What is important to
you in your next role?” Compare their description to the job at hand, to
see how much they understand the role and how much they want it. This
question should also be asked during the initial phone screening when
candidates won’t necessarily have the job description in front of them
to reflect on. For more interview tips and tricks, download our free eGuide, Interviewing for success. Here’s a sneak peek:
The goal of all job creation strategies is to stimulate healthy economic growth.
Economists agree that annual growth between 2 and 3 percent is
sustainable. It will create the 150,000 jobs per month needed to employ
new workers entering the labor force.
In a free market economy,
the government need not do anything when growth is healthy. Capitalism
encourages small businesses to compete, thereby creating better ways to
meet consumers' needs. Because of this, small businesses account for 65 percent of all new jobs created. The proper role of government in this healthy economy is to provide a supportive environment for growth.
Nevertheless even a healthy economy is subject to the bubbles and busts of the business cycle. When the economy contracts into a recession, the government must create solutions to unemployment.
It may use expansive monetary policy, expansive fiscal policy or both
to stimulate job growth. Some are more cost-effective in creating jobs
than others. Here are the four that give the most bang for the buck.
Expansionary monetary policy is when a central bank, such as the Federal Reserve, uses its tools to stimulate the economy. This often means lowering the fed funds rate in order to increase the money supply. The action increases liquidity,
thereby giving banks more money to lend. As a result, mortgage and
other interest rates decline. With cheaper credit, consumers can borrow
and spend more, allowing businesses to expand to meet the increased
demand. Companies hire more workers, whose incomes rise, allowing them
to shop even more.
This should be done first when a recession is looming. It’s because decisions can be made quickly through the regular Federal Open Market Committee meeting.
The Fed can quickly put trillions of dollars into the economy by making
credit available without increasing the U.S. debt.
The main
disadvantage of this is that it relies on bank lending. It doesn't
directly put money into consumers' pockets. It can take six months or
more to stimulate demand. It doesn't work once a severe recession
is underway. That's because there won’t be much demand for loans. If
people feel too poor to borrow, it doesn't matter how low interest rates
are.
If the recession continues, then banks become unwilling to
lend. That's because borrowers' credit scores fall. Banks won’t be
willing to risk taking on bad loans. Another con is that, if
overdone, expansive monetary policy can trigger inflation. To prevent
that from happening, the central bank must begin raising rates as soon
as the recession is over.
A University of Massachusetts at Amherst study found that all
government spending is not created equal. The most cost effective ones
are building roads, bridges and other public works. One billion dollars
spent on public works created 19,975 jobs.
Public works creates
jobs because it puts people right to work. The federal government can
quickly fund construction projects already in the approval pipeline. It
can hire contractors, send money to the states or hire workers directly.
That was one reason why the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act ended the Great Recession in 2009. It spent $87 billion in shovel-ready construction projects.
(Source:
“The Employment Effects of Military and Domestic Spending Priorities”,
University of Massachusetts at Amherst Department of Economics and
Political Economy Research Institute, October 2007.)
The second most cost-effective solution is unemployment benefits. Every $1 billion spent created 19,000 jobs.
Unemployment
benefits create so many jobs because the unemployed must spend all the
benefits received. They buy necessities such as groceries, clothing and
housing right away. Retailers and manufacturers respond to the added
demand by hiring more workers to keep up.
These benefits also
help keep the unemployed from becoming homeless. It is more difficult
for them to find a job if they lose a steady address. The third most effective spending solution is education. For each $1 billion spent, it created 17,687 jobs.
Tax cuts create
jobs by letting families or businesses keep more of the money they
earn. The idea is that consumers will buy more things, thereby
stimulating demand. Businesses use tax cut money to hire much-needed
workers.
All tax cuts are not created equal when it comes to job
creation though. A Congressional Budget Office study found that, for
example, the Bush tax cuts created 4,600 jobs for every $1 billion in foregone tax revenue.
Payroll
tax cuts did better. They created 13,000 new jobs for every $1 billion
spent. That's because companies use the tax savings in one of four ways.
All of them increased the demand needed to drive job growth for the
following four reasons.
Reduce prices.
Increase employee wages.
Buy more supplies.
Hire more workers directly.
The best was a payroll tax cut given only for new hires.
With it, every $1 billion created 18,000 new jobs. (Source: "The
Economic Outlook and Fiscal Policy Choices," CBO, September 28, 2010.)
When people think about the best way for the government to create
jobs, they tend to think of World War II. According to the U
Mass/Amherst study though, defense spending only creates 8,555 jobs per
$1 billion spent.
This finding surprises many people. They've heard that the New Deal failed. The government needed to gear up for World War II and to end the Great Depression.
It made sense back then when you consider the fact that World War II
was much more labor-intensive than today's defense spending. Now, more
is spent on drones, F-16s and aircraft carriers than the salaries of
military personnel. Second, there were no unemployment benefits during
the Great Depression, just soup lines. For more on the job creation ability of government spending,
Expansionary fiscal policy works best once a recession is underway or
becomes severe. Tax cuts create jobs by putting more money directly
into the pockets of consumers and businesses. Discretionary spending creates
jobs by directly hiring workers, sending contracts to businesses to
hire workers or increasing subsidies to state governments so that they
don't have to lay off workers.
One disadvantage of fiscal policy
is that legislators disagree on whether tax cuts or increased spending
is more cost effective. The resulting debate can delay action. Another disadvantage is that it can increase budget deficits and the U.S. debt. That's why Congress should cut spending or raise taxes once the recession is over.
When looking at job creation statistics, it is important to remember
that not all jobs are created equal. Federal spending on public works
creates construction jobs. That will successfully reduce the unemployment rate. It may not stimulate as much demand as it would if the same number of better paying high-tech jobs were created.
In fact, jobs created after the last few recessions have led to greater income inequality. This happened because rehired workers became willing to take jobs that paid less. The high level of long-term unemployed and underemployed individuals in this recession means that this trend will only continue. For month-by-month job creation statistics since 2008.
President Bill Clinton created the most number of jobs (21.5 million) during his term. President Barack Obama came in second, creating 17.2 million jobs from the beginning of his term (January 2009) to the end.
But
Obama created 22.3 million jobs from the worst part of the recession
(January 2010) through to the end of his term. That’s because there were
more jobs when he started. The recession continued during the first six
months of his term. The economy continued to shed jobs, reaching the
low point in January 2010.
When you first graduate from college, you will be competing with a lot of people for an entry-level position. If you are looking for a new job
after a layoff you may be in a similar position, where you are looking
for a position, and you need any work that you can find. Some employers
are not offering full-time work or even a guaranteed number of hours.
This is happening in all types of work at several different
companies.
time employees, because they are unsure of how fast the economy is
growing, and they do not want to hire someone for more hours than they
need, plus they can save on benefits. This means that you will not make as much as you expected with your first job. It may be difficult but there are strategies you can use to help you live off of a part-time job.
Determine If the Job Is Right for You
If you find yourself in a position where you are offered a part-time
position, you will need to consider your options carefully. It is
difficult to fully commit to a part-time position, while you are
struggling to get by and really need full-time work. First, consider how
much the part-time position will pay you. Often this is higher than you
would make at a full-time job outside of your skill set. You may be
able to make twice as much as you would at a job at a minimum wage job.
You may be able to make ends meet by working the higher paying job and
supplementing with another part-time job that pays less money.
It is also important to consider the experience that the job is
providing you. For example, if you have just graduated from college and
did not complete any internships, you may not have very much work
experience in your job field.
If this is the case, working a part-time job in your field may give you
an edge over other candidates with no experience. It also can
demonstrate that you are a reliable worker and give you contacts within
your field. You may be able to find freelancing work you can do while
you are working at your part-time job.
Start with a Plan for Your Finances
The trick to taking on a part-time job is to find a way to manage your
finances while you are working part-time. A part-time worker may not
qualify for benefits such as health insurance
and retirement. You will need to make plans so that you can afford to
have health care and make regular contributions to your retirement
accounts. In fact, you may want to treat your finances the same way you
would if you were self-employed or working as a freelancer.
Create a Tight Budget
You will also need to create a budget
and determine if you can afford to live on the income from just the one
job. Your budget will help you prioritize the most important expenses
and should help you find ways to save money. You may need to get
creative when looking for ways to save, like moving back in with your parents to save on rent or you may want to consider a roommate.
You may need to cut back on eating out and other unnecessary expenses.
Consider Working Two Jobs
You may need to take on additional work to make ends meet. If you are
married, you may be able to get by with just a part-time job for a few
months, but if you are living on your own or if you are the only income
provider, you will need to find additional ways to make money. You may
want to consider jobs that will net you more per hour than typical
minimum wage jobs. Hours in the evenings or at nights can also leave the
days free to look for work around your other job. Be creative as you
consider other jobs to take.
Keep Looking for a New Job
It can be physically draining to work two jobs, even if they are both
part-time hours. While you are working, you need to keep an eye out for a
full-time job in your field.
You should look for a full-time position in your current company because
you may have an advantage in getting an interview and landing your job.
Make sure that you are doing your very best work since you are building
references and contacts with this job. It is easy to not take a
part-time job, as seriously as you possibly could, but when you are
struggling to find full-time work you do not want to make this mistake.
Once you have a schedule figured out and you get used to working two
jobs it is often easier for you to begin looking for a job again in
earnest. It is important that you do not settle into a financial rut
of part-time work because you will need a full-time job to do the
things you need to financially. Make sure you are still working your
contacts and looking for a solid full-time job.
Zig Ziglar once said, “Your attitude determines your altitude.” He couldn’t be more right.
I remember when I lived next to an exceptionally grouchy old
neighbor. No matter what, I always said “hello” when I spotted him
outside sitting on his porch. “How are you doing?,” I would venture. His response?
“Just TERRIBLE.” It never varied. Day after day, the same reply. And he sat alone on that porch, day after day. I never did see him smile or look happy. And that kept me and other neighbors away. We tried reaching out, but his attitude was so awful that everyone finally gave up. Now, imagine that in a job search. Yes, looking for a job, especially when you aren’t working, really sucks. But so does a bad attitude. Do you really think that people want to be around someone who is grouchy and negative all the time? I didn’t think so. Keeping an upbeat attitude (despite the occasional pity party) is
critical to your success. Positive attracts positive. Negative simply
repels everything it comes into contact. Your attitude soaks into everything you do – how you talk, how you
walk, how you look someone in the eye, how you respond, how you engage. Your attitude, truly, is everything. It defines you and your job search. So, pick up the pieces, and keep going, and don’t become that grouchy old neighbor who ended up being all alone. This post was originally published at an earlier date.
In this day and age, finding a job is increasingly difficult. If you can't find a job for you, why not create it, and create jobs for others?
1
Plan. In order to create a job for yourself, you need
to think about how exactly you will go about it, what you will do, etc.
Set aside a notebook or folder for your planning. Make a list of all
your work experience, skills, and achievements. Then, using these
suggestions, think about what you want to do in the way of a self made
job. Will you be working for someone else as an agent or contractor, or
really be self-employed?
Decide what area or field you want to work in? Will this be a full-time or part-time job that you will create?
2
Get training, as necessary, if you may lack the proper training required for an interesting job.
Do you need lots of training or classes to be qualified for the job? If
so, how will you get that? Maybe you can work and get free training or
the job/and valuable experience at the same time. So, if you want to
become a freelance writer, for example, but have no experience in
writing for publications, you are not likely to be successful without a
few courses, or published articles in your portfolio.
3
Find and fulfill a need for this particular product, skill or job. Look into up-and-coming fields or check out businesses in the area to see what is missing and fill that void
4
Gather your resources. Once you have a fairly clear idea of what you want in the way of a job, you need to prepare. Do you have an up-to-date resume?
Do you have friends, relatives, or associates that may be able to help
you? Do you need to take any courses or complete additional training in
the field?
5
Be assertive (not aggressive!) and seek out
opportunities. Be kind to everyone you meet so you can gain an excellent
reputation in your community. Networking is key at this stage. Maintain
ongoing professional relationships by contacting them with specific but
brief thank you notes, and congratulations to your business
contacts/colleagues, and be sure to meet or exceed all expectations and
deadlines. Be sure to sell your services nicely/effectively, by not
being pushy or rude to anyone.
6
Be flexible. If you can't make a go of it in one
area, don't beat yourself up. There are many reasons the job you are
attempting to create may not work out. For one thing, if the job is too
specific or 'niche' for most people/businesses, you are likely not going
to succeed. A narrow idea such as a reptile pet grooming and care
salon, for example, may not do as well as an animal grooming salon that
services dogs, cats, and birds as well. However, there is also the
danger of overextending yourself, losing focusing by too broad a target,
instead.
7
Find a happy medium specialty. Do some research. If
you are looking to create a job for yourself within an existing
business, don't be too disappointed, if you are turned down. If the
current state of the economy is where many businesses are letting
employees go, they may not be able to take on another good person. Don't
take a rejection personally.
8
Keep your eyes on businesses who may be hiring. Even
if your present job is a success and you are making money, a better
opportunity may present itself. If you feel you can do better some other
way, or you see a great new idea that will make you more money, take
it!
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