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How to Find a Job when there are none around

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If you cannot see something it does not mean it is not there; it only means that you have to try harder and perhaps with a different vision to find the unseen.
If you are in a layoff as a result of the economic downturn; then you will benefit from these tips on how to find a job when there is a hiring freeze everywhere and the companies are getting our of business left and right.Network to Penetrate the Unpublished Job Market
Where all to look for jobs, when there are none being advertised? The answer is: Do your research and the answer shall come to you.

  • Read newspapers, trade magazines, journals, BLS website (this is the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and would be different statistics if you are not in US). What are the current industry trends? Where all is the funding money being channeled? These could towards the new solar development companies or other green-tech; there might be many unadvertised jobs here and all you have to do is first find out which ones could be the ones to apply for and how.
  • Research and find out which companies are showing good profits and sales increase in the tough economy; they could be the ones looking for hiring new employees since money is not a constraint with them.
  • Research to find which companies are launching new products and there is a possibility that the project teams could be expanding.
  • There could be some jobs that are recession proof, perhaps there could be the right job for you where you can channel or re-package your skills. (Read more at: Best Jobs to have during Recession )

Once you are ready with your research the next action step is finding the right contact to approach the position internally. Do not be put off if you do not see any advertised jobs on their online job boards. Some internal positions are not advertised and you can very well approach these jobs by smart networking.

Vocational Training for a new Job and Skill
May non-profit vocational training center and job placement centers offer training sessions for jobs like JobTrain which serves hundreds of youth (ages 14-21) each year in both in-school and out of school programs. Trainees also learn to improve their communication skills, to understand the importance of punctuality and working hard, and to build self-respect and self-sufficiency. JobTrain youth can spend summers working and gaining real-world experience, or can earn high school credit in non-traditional courses. This is very important for the youth especially since just out of college you may not land a job immediately during an economic downturn.

Use your Current Skills to Freelance
It won’t bring in the same money that you might be getting as a full-time job but when paying your bills and taking care of a family are the priorities then any additional income is welcome. Also make sure that you spend say about 40 percent of your “work” time in freelancing and rest of the time in networking with friends and ex-colleagues on any possible job openings leads and enhancing your skills.

Find Work that you can do during Weekends
You or your spouse can work a few hours during the weekend to make some extra dough – not a bad idea in a recession. Well, it could be as simple as helping in advertising for a local pizza place to showing your web savvies online by either learning a new skill (there is tons of information online and self help courses that you can learn from) or teaching others and charging them for it – Ok that means have your website or blog (Note: you may not monetize this option in a short time, it needs time and careful nurturing and advertising.. but yet again, it is good to begin something that and then evaluate the options on the returns and your interest in taking it to different heights).

Be Ready to Relocate
Many good corporate jobs are moving overseas, there have been many reports during the last few months where companies in India and China have offered good positions to those laid off from Lehman and others affected from the Wall Street roller coaster debacles. Asian economies are growing and many companies are eager to absorb these globally experienced professionals.
An international experience would only enhance your portfolio and there is always a possibility to return to your native land when the going gets good.

Related Posts:
Recreate and Diversify in a Recession
What to do after a Layoff
Accepting and Dealing with a Layoff
Best Jobs to have during Recession
How to be Optimistic during the Job Search Process
Who all to Contact when Looking for a Job
How to be Optimistic during the Job Search Process
Learning from a Layoff – is it the Right Time to Innovate and be Independent?
7 Tips to help you Work effectively from Home

Careerbright – Career Article and Information for Professionals and Working Women
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Accepting and Dealing with a Layoff

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Have you been in a layoff or want to help your friend or spouse through these tough times?
Is everyone telling you that this may be the best for you, or are you just trying hard to find the silver lining?

There are deep emotions and a truck load of advice around once you are in a layoff, there is confusion and sadness too when a lifestyle and routine that you had been so used to for that many years suddenly does not exist and it almost feels like you are starting anew. How do you feel? What would you do? This article takes a close look on what you could be doing immediately after a layoff to ensure a smooth transition into a different life setting when you feel you are in unsettled waters and taking control is not that easy.

Layoff Emotions
Getting a pink slip or just witnessing your friends go through a layoff in a company can be extremely stressful. It takes time and strength to overcome the feelings of depression, tension or anger. Also at times you simply don’t know how to react to the news, either your own layoff or your spouse or your friend’s.
Don’t feel frustrated if you are confused about your emotions. It is OK to vent out your feelings either through angry verbal expressions with your spouse or your close friends, whatever you do just don’t get cocooned in a gloomy shell. Talk it off; with friends of family or even with strangers on the YouTube – it works.
Deal with your emotions first and then begin on the planning step – what needs to be taken care of first?

Consoling Friends or Spouse
If your close friend or spouse has been in a recent layoff, don’t try to mask emotions by always saying “oh, there is something better for you out there.” Sure enough that is a very positive statement, but give them some time to reflect on how they are feeling. Be a good listener and ask them how you can be of help. Right now they seek someone to talk to, an outburst or a heart-to-heart talk might help them lighten the often felt complex emotions of shame or depression. Then help them slowly towards building a positive outlook and offer tips and advice on moving forward with a positive attitude.

Evaluate your Priorities or Immediate Needs
Layoffs can be scary and can have major implications on your personal and financial life, if you have large liabilities with less assets stacked away in your “rainy days fund”. But then, being depressed and shutting yourself off for a long period would only do harm, the faster you are up on your feet planning and executing your action plans the sooner you will see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Layoffs could be one of the better turning points of your career if you were already stuck in that job and the new opportunities and possibilities open up for you leading your towards a more successful career path. But it depends on several factors, during the downturn or a recession time it may not be rank in the good events of your career or life.
Your immediate worry might be to land a new job; but as soon as you come to know about the layoff focus on your priorities.
What needs immediate attention? Health insurance, daily spending money or mortgage payment?
Spend time in finding out about your unemployment benefits (insurance and compensation) and medical insurance coverage with your employer’s HR.

Unemployment Insurance
If you are in the US, check out the websites of U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Department of Labor Employment & Training Administration for the latest information on unemployment benefits.

Medical Insurance
In most cases in the US, the federal COBRA law protects you for 18 months after being laid off (provided there are more than 20 employees in your company), but find it out from your employer whether and for how long you would be covered under such a plan.
Some articles and tips on insurance after a layoff:

Keep your Bridges Strong
With the necessities taken care of, it is time to write a goodbye Email to your friends, coworkers and manager in the company. This is an important step to maintain touch and strengthen your network with your ex-colleagues. There could be possible openings in the organization later on and if you have been diligent enough to keep the contact bridge strong, they’ll know who to tell about the new position as soon as they hear about it.

Seek Good References
Sooner or later you will land a new job and the previous work experience and references count and matter a lot. Do not be in the layoff-blues right now thereby ignoring this another important step before you are ready to pack up your stuff from the cubicle.
Ask for favorable references from your manager and a couple of team members. Get their personal Email addresses and contact numbers and later follow-up with them on how they could talk about your strengths and present an appropriate referral in future.

There are some additional tips on my previous post on Saying Goodbye to Work – The Right Way.

Now with that taken care of, it is time to be on your feet, some tips here:

  • Don’t take too much time being in the “WHY ME” phase; the faster you move on the most beneficial would it be for you and your family.
  • Don’t take it personally, layoffs are and have been the norm of 21st century workplace, there is no embarrassment in admitting a layoff and even if you do not see a silver lining anywhere right now, it is best to just keep moving on positively. Look back only to learn from your experiences not to feel dejected by them.

Some books which can guide you through layoff are:

  • Reinventing Your Career: Surviving a Layoff and Creating New Opportunities by Stephen Adams
  • The Disposable American: Layoffs and Their Consequences, by Louis Uchitelle

Follow me on Twitter to get the latest and best info on Careers, Jobs and Employment news.

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Managing your Career during Recession

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Keeping your Job
With talks of global recession taking over the media and in general discussions, it is a good time to think on how to keep your present job and recession-proof yourself.
Keep abreast of news around your company’s performance and your division’s importance, be ready to evolve and also be ready to change. Remember that “Noticing small changes early helps you adapt to the bigger changes that are to come” (my reference is here to the “Who moved my Cheese” if you have not read it, perhaps a good time is now.)

A recent interview at NPR in Talk of the Nation, Stephen Viscusi, author of On the Job, offers tips on what you can do to protect your finances and your job. Some tips that he offered:

  • Learn how to work, be valuable
  • Be more visible at work and do a good job
  • Be on time, it is not a time for big vacations
  • And be practical

It pays to be persistent with trying to keep your career healthy. It is always a good time to start paying attention to your overall career health and strive to maintain it so.
Continue and try your best to integrate more work related training courses in your current schedule and work towards developing your skills – it must be an integral part of your ongoing career development. Always remember that your skills are what will be with you forever, jobs come and go. Never compromise or slacken towards personal and professional development.

Move Beyond your Current Job Capabilities
Taking on additional responsibilities is also a smart move to recession proof your career. Take initiatives brings forth your leadership qualities. Although it is never suggested to take on responsibilities more than you can handle, but going an extra mile to help in another project or area/division of the company portrays your commitment and dedication to work.

Also continue to build on your network.

Some Career and Personal Questions to Ponder on during Recession
The questions to explore during the recession time are:

  • Which types of industries and job definitions are seeing the most layoffs?
  • Is demographics affecting the availability or restricting certain jobs?
  • Am I ready to move on to a different sector if need be? If yes, how prepared am I?

Other than the questions on the best jobs during recession it is time for some present and future planning as well. Think about these questions as well:

  • What can I do to protect my present job?
  • If I am in a layoff this year, am I prepared?
  • How can I maximize or consolidate my savings to survive the recession?
  • How can I react positively to a recession?

Preparing for the worst is a good approach but being paranoid about it would not help. Again I take on quoting Who moved my Cheese (I highly recommend you to read this book or revisit it if you have read it once already this is the time to prepare and move with the cheese).
“As time went on he began to wonder if it was realistic for him to expect to find New Cheese. He wondered if he had bitten off more than he could chew. Then he laughed, realizing that he had nothing to chew on at that moment. Whenever he started to get discouraged he reminded himself that what he was doing, as uncomfortable as it was at the moment, was in reality much better than staying in a Cheeseless situation. He was taking control, rather than simply letting things happen to him. …. Just realizing he was not letting his fear stop him and knowing that he had taken a new direction nourished him and gave him strength”

Don’t let the fear of recession stop you in your growth, when you move on and strive to do better at what you are doing now you are contributing towards pushing away the recession. After all, recession is just “the act of receding or withdrawing”, all you have to do is to help things move forward and contribute to growth and development.

Ponder on this writing on the wall:
“When you Move Beyond Your Fear, You Feel Free.”

Strengthen Skills during Recession
If you were in a layoff and finding jobs at present is a hard nut to crack, it might be the best time to focus on strengthening your skills. Also it is an opportunity to reinvent your skills. Work towards building new technical skills but keep focus on the soft skills as well. Narrow your focus on towards the present industry trends and the skills that are most in demand. All you need to do now is to ride it out and once the hiring opens up, you would have an edge over many others.

Just Keep Moving
Don’t get put off when everyone talks about recession, it does not mean you have to slow down in what you are doing today. Negative discussions on recession fuels rumors and often results in detrimental reactions in a community. There was an interesting story I read somewhere which talks about how two people reacted to the news of recession (might be slightly abridged as I write here from memory of this story and my own interpretation of it) –

The news on recession was all around in the big town, everyone was talking about the bad shape of the economy and that things would be on the downhill from now on. Everyone dreaded that everything would be extremely expensive, many will lose jobs and it would be the beginning of the depression era – the fear was evident in all social and professional discussions. The story is about how two small business owners reacted in different ways. One of them was pretty depressed, he started hording stuff and stopped investing in further development of his business – in short he stopped growing. He had visions of expansion of his store but he thought it would not be a good time to do so. Slowly his sales dropped and the profits dipped. He was disheartened and he told everyone “I told you so, it is the recession time, and there is nothing I could have done about it.”
While the other small business owner went on to continue with what he wanted to do although with diligence and caution. He continued to grow – he invested in areas where he analyzed there was a slightest growth potential. He focused on products and services which might help people in these times and continued his research and execution with enthusiasm and a positive attitude. He continued to thrive even during recession and in-fact contributed to the upturn of the economy.

There would always be people around you crying wolf, it is up to you on how you take the call. But of course, it does not mean that you close your eyes to the news and predictions of economic downturn or upturn. The point is to learn to move with the cheese and be prepared for all possibilities.

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