Well, it finally arrived. The Labor Department reported that the official unemployment rate for October 2009 rose to 10.2%, from 9.8% in September. We knew this was coming and that it was just a matter of time.
Now that we've broken that barrier, where do we go from here? What do we do now?
One of the bigger problems that I've noticed with job seekers is a sense of defeat or cynicism. As I've noted in my Resume Writing Workshop teleseminars, we are constantly bombarded with bad news followed up with all the "commentary" that reinforces a sense of hopelessness. In this age of political divisiveness, there is a huge amount of bashing and finger-pointing.
The Work Is Yours
Regardless of your political persuasions, the plain fact is that there is no magic-bullet solution to today's problems. Here's the plain truth: As a job seeker, you're on your own. Don't expect the government, Obama, your senators, Rush, Glenn, your uncle or your mom to bail you out of this one. The ugly fact is that many of the over 15 million unemployed are not going to find a job again. Any job.
Only twice since WWII has unemployment been over 10%. The one other time was late 1982 until June 1983. Bad as it was then, it was a different world than it is now. We don't have the same economic structures to fall back on today. For example, in the early 80's we had a more robust manufacturing base, higher personal savings rates, and lower personal debt than we do now.
True, today we do have the Internet, but how many of you are jumping up and down because there are so many job sites you can search? One problem is that the old (easy) ways of finding a job either no longer exist or no longer work.
Are You a Problem Solver?
I still see hundreds of job seekers attempting to sell their skills. Or they're promoting their 15 years of work experience. This economy doesn't care anymore about your skills or work experience.
Many companies are barely surviving and their senior managers are shaking in their boots about how to survive the next six to nine months in this economy. So get out of the "it's all about me" frame of mind. It's really hard when the rent's due and you've had no income for the past many months. Think "bigger picture." Look for ways to show that you are a problem solver. Answer this question: "How can I help them solve their problem now?"
Make a list. Demonstrate specifics. Then boil it down to the best of the best. These are problems that you've already solved. This is what employers will buy today, but you can't just rely on point-and-click (the Internet) to sell. You need to take our message out there to the real world to get an audience.
Perfect Your Pitch
Networking is where it happens, but that could be as simple as talking to someone in line at Safeway. You have to be "on" all the time. So develop a great elevator pitch that's short and sweet. It should sound natural and reflect exactly how and why you're a problem solver. Be ready to back it up with examples from above.
If you've worked as a safety coordinator, your elevator pitch might sound like this:
"Certified Safety Coordinator whose strengths in training and program implementation have helped reduce Workers' Compensation claims by 37% over a 4-year period for my current employer."
True, not everyone is buying right now. But opportunities are there. You'll snag one only if you're "on" and ready to offer someone solutions for the immediate future because of problems you've solved in the past.
A former recruiter, Joe Turner is the author of "Job Search Secrets Unlocked" and "Paycheck 911." You'll find his free tips and advice on landing a job in this tough economy at JobSearchGuy.com.
Job Info , Jobs Sources , Career
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