Regardless of how you became unemployed, actually being unemployed isn’t a fun experience. However, take this as an opportunity to find a better job that really suits you. For inspiration and insight, read on.
Regardless of what job you are interviewing for, always dress appropriately. People often think the better dressers are the better candidates. You do not need to dress to the nines, but you do need to look successful, even if you’re just filling out an application.
Use social media to build and define your online presence. More employers are starting to factor in candidates’ public profiles on the most popular sites, which include Facebook and Twitter. Update your privacy settings to ensure that any questionable images, updates and links are not visible to people outside of your network. Do not forget to change visibility settings for photos that have been posted by your friends.
Bring several copies of your resume with you on the day of your interview. This is very important as you will need this to present to the person interviewing you. Also, you can look over your resume before the meet, as a lot of the questions will come off of this document.
Instead of accepting that you do not have what it takes to land a specific job, ask yourself what you can do to become a better candidate. For example, if you lack experience with a certain software program commonly used in your chosen field, look for online tutorials and how-to books. MIT and other prestigious universities offer a variety of free, non-credit online courses. Topics range from marketing research to XHTML, and completing the programs demonstrates your willingness to go the extra mile.
When writing a resume, be sure to include all of your important contact information. This makes it much easier for employers to get in touch with you if they need to. Important information for them includes your full name, your email address, your street address, and your phone number.
If you’re writing a resume, try picking a format that suits the position you want. There are many types of common formats like a chronological, targeted, or combination resume. Take some time to see what works best for you. If possible, try to create your own format that gets your information across in a clear and concise manner.
If you are going to use someone as a reference for a job, make sure you give them the heads up. You don’t want to have a potential employer give someone a call, and they are not expecting it. This increases the likelihood that they will say something that could be damaging.
Remember that when you are at a job interview that you need to keep everything you say positive. Never speak badly of previous employers. This never reflects badly on your previous employer, it only reflects badly on you. If you do not have something good to say, then try to switch the subject.
Network, network, network! When looking for a job use all of your resources, including both business and personal contacts. Connect with anyone that is in the field you are in and use resources like LinkedIn to find other contacts, too. Submitting your resume and application via an inside track gives you an edge over the many people who submit via the standard practice.
If a full-time job is not readily available, consider working part-time as a contractor in your field for the time being. This may get your foot in the door with a company. Recruiters also do not like to see huge time gaps in an applicant’s employment history. So, working part-time can make that gap smaller.
Use a one page resume. A lot of people really want to use more than one page, but here is the truth: People don’t care about the resume as you think they do. They use a resume as a first step. They call you in for an interview, so they can learn more about you as a person, so keep that resume short and use only the most relevant information.
It is very important to make a good first impression during a job interview. You should wear some clean clothes, apply makeup and do your hair. Greet the interviewer with a smile and shake their hand firmly. Introduce yourself and let your interviewer know you are glad to finally meet them.
You need to be continuously aware of your online presence since things are moving online. Do a quick search online for your name every once in a while to see what might come up about you. By doing this, you can see what potential employers will see when they search for your name, which is very likely. If you see unpleasing results, you can quickly change them before they do.
Your job search may be just the first step in having a long career in the field you enjoy. Getting up and going to a position you enjoy, wouldn’t that be great! Prepare yourself, and get out there to get the job you want.
