Career Corner Tips for Job Hunting During a Recession - Hallie Crawford

Career Corner Tips for Job Hunting During a Recession The R word tends to scare people in the workplace. We think wed better hold onto our jobs, or if were looking for a new job we think the task is going to be that much more daunting. People get fearful and freaked out. It doesnt have to be that way! Yes a recession affects the economy and therefore the hiring decisions employers are going to make. But if you approach your job search from a place of fear or desperation its not going to go well period. So dont do this. Assume that you will be able to find something that works for you regardless. Just be smart about it and re-consider what youre looking for if you need to. Here are some tips: 1) Be money-wise: Re-evaluate your budget if you need to. If you cant find a job for the next few months, do you need to dip into savings to stay afloat and not feel strapped and scared? Are there things (like consulting, taking odd jobs you find on Craigs list) you can do in the short term to bring in some income. Remember you dont want to come from a place of fear when job hunting. Feeling cash strapped can make you fearful and feel desperate. Do things to manage your finances so you dont get into that position. 2) Be ok with something less: If you need immediate income, be ok with taking something you may consider beneath your skill or experience level. Money is money and if you need it, do something about it. Its ok to do temp work, or take a short term part time job that isnt your ideal. Theres nothing wrong with this! It serves a purpose. I did temp work for months while I was in career transition. It got me out of the house and made me feel better. Which in turn, helped my job search. Remember its only temporary while youre looking for something bigger. 3) Be realistic: Is the job youre trying to land realistic for you, or do you need to gain more experience/learn new skills to get it? People are probably less willing to take a chance during a recession so make sure the job youre applying for is realistic for you. 4) Know your limits: You may have to accept less money, benefits or something else during a recession. Before you go on the interview, know your limits. Whats the least you can accept and still feel comfortable? Remember to ask for more than you need at the beginning. You can negotiate down but its much harder to negotiate up. 5) Amp up your networking efforts: Knowing someone who works in the field you want to work in always helps, but is even more critical during a recession when companies arent necessarily combing the internet for resumes. Brush off your list of networking contacts and see who else you can add to the list and get in touch with to network. Look for local networking groups. Dont be shy! This is the time to brush up on your networking skills. Finally, remain positive and optimistic: Dont assume the worst, assume that youll find something. It will help you attract what you want! Heres to having a career you love!Atlanta Career Coach

Top Five Tips to Create Great Resume Formats

Top Five Tips to Create Great Resume FormatsThe best resume formats you can use to make your resume stand out are not all the ones that are on your computer screen. You also have to consider how it will be used, as well as the company that is asking for a resume. Here are a few tips for getting your resume ready for you to present.First, go to Google and type in 'Free resume formats.' It's a very easy process to use. When you get to the form on the home page, you'll notice that there are multiple pages to choose from. You should carefully look through the options to find the format that match your interests, as well as the career that you have chosen.For example, if you're looking for a career change, then maybe a blank field or just the phrase 'career change' is the best choice. If you are applying for a position at a local home-based business, then maybe that would be an appropriate format. You will want to do the necessary research so that you can find out which format works best for you.Second, try to make sure that the format of your resume matches what you are looking for. This may mean taking a close look at your current resume. Maybe there is something about it that you don't like. However, if there is not much information to read, perhaps you can edit out the information that is incorrect.The free resume formats you'll find on the Internet may not match what you really want. If you have the time, then consider visiting one of the resume building sites and going through each format there. At the end of the day, it's up to you to choose the one that you feel best suits you. You may be surprised at the results!Finally, you may want to consider printing out your resume and having some samples mailed to you. You don't have to do this, but if you don't have time to mail one to yourself, then it may be worth the investment. It will keep you up to date with new trends. After all, if your resume is not ready to go, you may run into trouble at your next intervie w.These are just a few of the ideas that you can use to create the perfect resume formats for your job hunt. Good luck in your job search!

5 Job Search Tools to Keep ReadyJust in Case

5 Job Search Tools to Keep Readyâ€"Just in Case Suddenly, you find yourself on the hunt for a new job. Do you have the tools on hand to start the search right away? They’re good to have ready at all times, like a life preserver on a boat. Why waste precious time getting your job-search act together? I see evidence of that need all the time. A human resources executive confided to me that his group has been moving functions out-of-state. While his job is supposedly staying put, he’s not sure. A communications consultant was happily working part-time but her spouse unexpectedly got downsized, causing both of them to jump into a full-time quest for new employment. In a recent post, I mentioned eight reasons why you might find yourself in an unexpected job search. Here are five job tools to have readily available so you can jump into a search at a moment’s notice: 1. Clean, concise, chronological resume. Ideally, you update your resume thoughtfully, using the keywords your target employers will look for, and including tangible results and metrics from your career. At the very least, you want a resume that has all of your experience to date in an easy-to-read format, free of grammar and spelling mistakes. If you keep this basic document updated for each role, you will always have something you can share that won’t embarrass you. You can make more substantive changes as you get deeper into your job search. Video Player is loading.Play VideoPlayMuteCurrent Time  0:00/Duration  0:00Loaded: 0%Stream Type  LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time  -0:00  Playback Rate1xChaptersChaptersDescriptionsdescriptions off, selectedCaptionscaptions settings, opens captions settings dialogcaptions off, selectedAudio TrackFullscreenThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaqueFont Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall CapsReset restore all settings to the default valuesDoneClose Modal DialogEn d of dialog window.PlayMuteCurrent Time  0:00/Duration  0:00Loaded: 0%Stream Type  LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time  -0:00  Playback Rate1xFullscreen 2. LinkedIn profile with photo, tagline, summary and chronology. Your LinkedIn profile can be a multi-media platform, designed to sell you. Its elements include video, publications, and presentations. Status updates keep it dynamic. At the very least, your profile should have the basic chronology to match your resume, plus a professional-looking photo, a tagline to describe your expertise, and a summary that explains your skills, expertise, and experience. Remember that your LinkedIn profile is used, not just by prospective employers, but by all of your networking contacts. If you need to jumpstart your networking, you want a working profile so people agree to meet with you. 3. Your “tell me about yourself” story. There are lots of interview questions you want to prepare for, but this is the one that you should be ready to answer at all times. If you unexpectedly need to find a job fast, you’ll want to rally your friends, former colleagues, and other lifelines to help you. They have to know what you do, what you’ve done, and what you want. Even if you don’t need another job, you may unexpectedly get a moment with senior management, and you can use your story to make a connection. If it’s been a while since you’ve interviewed, you probably don’t have a current story. If you don’t practice this, you’ll likely get mired in the details, rather than present a crisp, focused pitch. 4. The two- to three-line description used to recommend you. You won’t only be presenting yourself person-to-person. You’ll have friends who will offer to make an email introduction or walk your resume over to their HR group. They’re not going to write up your whole story or memorize even half of it. People who recommend you need a two- to three-line cheat sheet of who you are and what you offer. Don’t assume people know. Don’t make your allies do the prep work for you. Help them to help you. 5. Your compensation history and targets. Just like we don’t regularly tell our story, we certainly don’t regularly share our compensation figures. Money is an uncomfortable topic for many. But in a job search you’ll find yourself asked about your pay history and expected target again and again. Have your latest numbers readily available to ensure you don’t short-change yourself (forgetting to quote your bonus or an above-average benefits plan) and also appear confident. It takes time, attention, and energy to actively look for a job, so you don’t want to do it until you need to. However, in today’s volatile market, you may not have much notice that your employment is in danger. By having some of the tools already in place, you position yourself to be productively searching from day one.