According to the “Employment Situation Summary” released by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in August was 9.6 percent; the number of unemployed persons was 14.9 million; and of that 14.9 million, 1.1 million were “discouraged workers,” meaning those who had simply ceased looking for jobs because they believed none were available.
Making the unemployment scenario even more frightening is how holding a position for several years no longer provides people with job security, as was usually the case prior to the Great Recession. In fact, as the Bureau relates in its report “Worker Displacement,” “From January 2007 through December 2009, 6.9 million workers were displaced from jobs they had held for at least 3 years, nearly twice as many as for the survey period covering January 2005 to December 2007.”
Yes, today’s employment market is definitely scary for job seekers, and it doesn’t seem as if the situation is going to improve anytime soon. If you are among the unemployed, however, there are things you can do to give you a competitive edge in your search for employment.
Use Networking for a Successful Job Search
According to Barbara Zarna, author of The Job Search: Your Guide to Success, networking should be a paramount component of anyone’s job-hunting strategy because most employers prefer to hire either someone they personally know or someone referred to them by someone they know. In fact, as Zarna relates, networking accounts for “60 to 80 percent of all job offers,” so the first step in your job search should be expanding your network of personal and professional contacts (p. 49).
Zarna suggests that you begin by composing a list of business associates, company owners, former coworkers, friends, relatives, neighbors, or anyone else you think might possibly be able to provide you with information regarding job openings. Then, contact these individuals, but whatever you do, don’t bluntly ask them for a job, desperately beg them to hire you, or bombard them with pleas for help. Instead, be courteous, respectful, and professional in your approach.
Charles Zimmer, Professor Emeritus of California State University School of Business and Economics, suggests that you might also consider contacting previous college instructors since alumni or local business executives often contact colleges and universities seeking employee recommendations.
Don’t get discouraged if the people whom you initially contact don’t personally know of a job opening because, one, they might know of someone else who does, and, two, chances are some of them will speak to at least one other person, which will increase your job-hunting network.
How to Ask for Information About Job Openings
Zarna maintains that when you speak with someone who says that he or she might know of a possible job opening, you should attempt, in a businesslike manner, to obtain as much information as possible by asking specific questions, for example:
- What personal attributes do you believe are essential for success in this company?
- What educational background is required for someone applying for a position?
- What personality traits are desirable in company employees?
- Is there anything in particular about the company that you think I should know?
- Do you know whom I should contact about employment?
- Would you mind if I used your name when I call or send a letter of application?
- Would you mind looking at my résumé and making suggestions for improvement?
Market Yourself in Order to Find Employment
When a potential employer asks you to come in for an interview, your number-one goal must be to sell yourself. As Zarna says, “You must make a prospective employer believe there isn’t anything you can’t do” (p. 13). You must demonstrate self-confidence, without appearing arrogant, and convince a prospective employer that with your training, your education, your personality, and your past experiences, you are the ideal candidate for the position. You must also stress that you possess the desire and the ability to learn new methods, to be innovative, to be flexible, and to adapt to change.
Increase Self-Confidence for a Successful Job Interview
If you lack self-confidence, you need to increase it before your job interview because how else can you sell yourself? In order to increase your self-confidence use the tried and true method called creative visualization:
The night before the interview, or, better yet, beginning several nights before, sit down, close your eyes, take a dozen or so deep, slow breaths, relax, and picture yourself doing the following:
- Getting dressed for the interview (Choose an appropriate outfit and don’t overdo the cologne or perfume).
- Driving to the interview and feeling confident that it will be successful.
- Arriving a few minutes early (Don’t be late, but don’t be ridiculously early).
- Striding confidently into the room.
- Shaking the interviewer’s hand, smiling, and looking him or her directly in the eye.
- Knowing you’re prepared because you did your homework.
- Providing intelligent and forthright answers to his or her questions.
- Asking thoughtful and clearly expressed questions in return.
- Holding your head up, maintaining eye contact (but not staring), exuding confidence, and making an all around good impression.
- Now, picture yourself being offered the job.
In summary, if you use networking, if you do your homework, if you market yourself, and if you show confidence, you will have a competitive edge that will make you stand out from the competition and greatly increase your chances of being hired in today’s weakened economy.
Sources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics: “Worker Displacement,” retrieved September 24, 2010 from bls.gov.
Bureau of Labor Statistics: “Employment Situation Summary,” retrieved September 24, 2010 from United States Department of Labor at bls.gov.
Zarna, B. The Job Search: Your Guide to Success. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1997.
Zimmer, C. & Camp, S. College English and Communication: “Communicating in the Job Search.” New York: McGraw-Hill, 1994.
Carol Rzadkiewicz - Carol Rzadkiewicz has taught college English for over 14 years and is the author of three published novels and numerous short stories.
