Strategies for Dealing with Unemployment Part III

In this third installement of "Strategies for Dealing with Unemployment" we will examine the financial issues created by unemployment.

You should create a budget for yourself so you can survive on less money than you are accustomed to. It would also be a good idea to sit down with your family and let them know of pending lifestyle changes that may be forthcoming. Develop a plan "B" that can generate some income and implement it immediately.

Five things most people can consider to earn extra income while you are unemployed.

1. Landscaping
2. Car Detailing
3. Babysitting
4. House Cleanning
5. Personal Services (running errands, transportation service etc..)

If you were fired then you need to apply for unemployment benefits as soon as possible. You can sometimes take care of this online and sometimes you have to go to the state unemployment office. Know matter what handle this task immediately. If you have a 401k seek the assistance of a financial professional to determine if or when you should rollover your 401k proceeds.

If your company is downsizing and your position is being eliminated you need to find out if you are going to be offered a severance package. A severance package is a portion if not your full salary that you will receive for a specified amount of time.

Strategies To Deal with Unemployment Part II

In this second installment of "Strategies To Deal With Unemployment" we will examine Job Search Techniques and Networking. In an employer's market it is critical that you have excellent job searching techniques. Gone are the days of going to websites like CareerBuilder, Monster, and HotJobs and posting your resume and getting calls for interviews right away. If you need to start a job search consider the following solutions:

(1) Go directly to the websites of companies that you are interested in. (There are jobs that are posted internally that are never posted to the public.)

(2) Utilize community resources such as churches and libraries! Many churches have career ministries that are comprised of volunteers who are either business professionals or human resources professionals. Their insights can be invaluable to job hunters. Your local library can be an excellent resource to fuel your job search. The library has computers that are FREE for public use for those who do not have a home computer. They have a wealth of material available such as online resources, and books. Many libraries are bringing in professionals to speak on career related topics. You can find out pointers on resume writing and interviewing which can help you during your job search.

(3) Networking with everyone you can network with. Start off with family and friends and let them know the type of job that you are seeking. Instead of it being just you involved in your job search you will develop a team to assist you in this process. If you are a member of any professional organizations seek the help of the organization. For recent college graduates who are searching for employment continue to network with college job placement offices and alumni associations. If you have a lot of pride and prefer not to network with people who know. You may consider networking within talent communities such as BrightFuse.com or Linkedin. Both websites give you an opportunity to post an online resume with a picture of yourself. You can network with colleagues within your industry an earn recommendations.

Ultimately, a job search in today's times requires creativity and a variety of activities. Check back next Tuesday when we will examine Setting Goals while you are unemployed.

Strategies to Deal with Unemployment Part I

This is the first installment of a four part series brought to you by Resume Solutions, LLC on " Strategies to Deal with Unemployment". The first topic we will examine is Time Management. When you are working your time is planned for you. You are hired in as a full-time, part-time, or contractual employee. In any case you have a defined amount of hours that is assumed that you will be working. 

Once you are unemployed you no longer have a work schedule and for some of us that means we lose structure. Most of the time you have things to do. Some of those things may include searching for a job, catching up with family, or finishing a project that you never had time for while you were working.

Finding a job in this economy is tougher than ever before and if you waste time it could cost you big. You could become discouraged after the weeks start to pass and you don't get any calls for interviews. My solution to this problem is creating a calendar or planner of your daily and weekly plans. Keeping a planner will help you make the most of each day. In addition to that it will give you something to look back at when the week is over. You should be able to identify activities that are working and ways that you can make better use of your time. Be sure to log all your activities daily so that this exercise can be most effective.

As you manage your time make attainable goals. Start off by setting a goal for the number of interviews you will go on for a month. Follow up that goal with setting a goal for the number of jobs that you will apply for each day. You may also want to set a goal for the number of people that you will network with within a week.  The whole goal of your activity is creating activities that will help you make the most of your time and help you find a job.

Check back on next Tuesday when I examine what strategies to use while you are conducting your job search and the art of networking. 

Controlling the Controllables

There are many things that we can not control during a job search. But this blog is not intended to enable underachievers. This blog is being created to inspire those who are striving for success. In order to achieve anything you must set some goals. When you set goals you are taking control over your situation.

For example you can not make an employer call you.  However, you can attempt to increase your chances by setting a goal for the number of companies you submit your resume to.  If you don't have a resume or if your resume needs work you can set a goal of devoting a specific amount of time to creating a new resume. In each scenario you are in a proactive mode that allows you to focus on what you can control.

Our mindset and attitude are other things we can control. Life may be tough for you but you can choose to look at things from a positive perspective or a negative perspective. A positive perspective will eventually lead you to uncovering some new opportunities. A negative perspective will mentally drain you and leave you stagnant.

Breathe life back into your job search by setting attainable goals and rewarding yourself when you achieve them.

Job Searching Resources

There are many online job boards like CareerBuilder, Monster, and HotJobs that are common places to search for jobs. Some people may be thinking that they have put their resume on every online job board and they need new resources to fuel their job search. So the question becomes what should I do next?

I recommend that you utilize every community resource. You can start with your local library. Most libraries have computers for public use. Remember to bring your flash drive so that you can save your work. They also have books on creating resumes and cover letters. The libraries I have visited are hosting career workshops and they are FREE! 

If you have a church home find out if they are running any programs for people who have suffered job loss. Many churches have career ministries that can be utilized for people who have questions. In addition to getting career information, you can get spiritually uplifted.

I also recommend that you check out your local television stations websites. They have job information from companies that post jobs directly on their website.

The goal of a successful job search is to equip yourself with as many tools as possible to land yourself an interview.

How many resumes should I have?

It is a good idea to have multiple resumes if you have specific skills that can be used in different industries. For example if you were a Sales Manager you could potentially have one resume for sales and another resume for a management position.

I have noticed that when people try to fit multiple skill sets into one resume it creates a lengthy resume. A lengthy resume is not bad if it is justified, but remember that it is your job to quickly capture the attention of the reader of your resume and show them how you could fit into their organization. Don't forget to use keywords relating to your industry because many times companies don't even read resumes anymore, they have software that scans the resumes in their database to find candidates for open positions.

When you try this two resume approach it allows you to be specific about what content you will use for each resume. Creating an industry specific resume will likely shorten that specific resume and it may show some gaps in your employment history. You will address this by attaching a cover letter with your resume explaining your specific qualifications and overall employment history. 

Take a look at Industry Data

If you are unsure of what career you want to pursue next there are two things to consider. First, I would take a  career assessment. You can find FREE career assessments online at websites like monster.com and thebeehive.org. A career assessment should help guide you in the right direction. Secondly, I would research industry data.  According to an article in the Jobs section of the Sunday Detroit Free Press you should research industries and job sectors that are experiencing worker shortages or still experiencing job growth.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics releases updated figures every month on occupational job growth. The following sectors have gained jobs this year: health care, education, government, food services, and IT(Information Technologies).

Ultimately, if you are considering going back to school or getting additional training then it would make sense to get training in sectors where there is job growth.