Job Hunting Tips

My employer announced their closing in August of 2008. I joined thousands of unemployed people affected by the poor economy. I was in a real pickle because I had just had knee surgery and was recovering so I could walk. Completing the surgery was the only advantage and benefit received from this well known southern telephone company.

I join the ranks of the unemployed and the job seekers. I believe that it is harder to search for a job , than to actually work a job. I started web searching and now I know why the web is called the web. The internet is a spider web with many webs that connect to other spider webs and continues forever. I search for employment 8-12 hours a day, every day. I have found that some sites are better than others, for instance indeed.com allows a person to target their general area first, and the site pulls a lot of jobs from other sources, such as newspapers, and job boards. I also found call center.com which allows a user to pick any state, this site works and I have had responses for interviews. I became frustrated when I could not access newspaper classified ads any longer and I would be directed to Yahoo or Career builder. I have not had much success with these sites.

I also check my local newspaper, and this may appear cold, for people that have been arrested that had a job, or the people that have passed that had a job, after all they do not need the job any longer. In this tough economy being inventive may land you some kind of a job. I also know that a jobseeker has to stay close to their qualifications, either you are over qualified, under qualified, banned for being a smoker, ignored because you are not bilingual. Speaking many languages is now needed in the workplace.

A important issue is always make sure that you are dressed in business attire for any and all interviews. Please do not take your children or spouse or friends with you on any job interview. I always arrive 5 to ten minutes early for an interview, and if the person interviewing makes you wait longer than 5- 10 minutes, forget the interview. This tactic is to show control, I do not play that game and I would not want to work for someone who has control issues. During a interview never ask about the wages, if it is not mentioned let it go, if the company is interested in you the wages will be discussed at some point and time.

In this tough economy the companies are well aware that supply and demand rules and wages are lower. We are competing with a vast amount of college graduates, a degree rules less the fact that they may have little or no work experience.

The other important point I would like to stress is to steer clear of work at home scams, I have seen many that advertise clerical jobs with a 877 number and they are phony check scamming crooks. There is no easy way to make money from home, and you never pay a company a penny for anything.

So that leaves us with net working, finding good and honest web sites, checking all companies to see what jobs they may have available, state and city websites, out of state websites.

Share your job searching, you may find jobs that are not good for you, but may be good for someone else. I have found more jobs for others than myself, I share.

Never give up the search, refresh your resume, your skills and believe in your self and that God knows your path and you will get there.