I spent the morning at the Wausau Region Chamber’s Economic Outlook Summit listening to Clare Zempel, a noted economist share his view of the economy and teach those of us who are not economically-focused what indicators have an impact on the likelihood of a return to a recession.
One of the audience members question was what impact extending unemployment benefits had on the economy. The response was somewhat anecdotal but I could totally relate. He spoke of a Milwaukee manufacturer with more than 100 openings that could not be filled because the only applicants were not able to read and write even at a basic level. Even with peak unemployment, employers are having a tough time filling positions.
Is there complacency among the unemployed?
I can relate. I have had three clients since December ask me for referrals for positions. I have had a restaurant general manager ask if I have a night manager to recommend, a director of sales and development for a printing firm ask I had people to recommend for a newly created network administrator, and a regional sales manager ask if I have an account manager potential for his retail food industry sales position.
All three were having trouble finding the right qualified candidates. I reached out beyond my client base and still found no good fit for them.
I tend to work with very proactive people. The majority of my clients who are unemployed use a strategic job search process which includes networking and are not unemployed for a long period of time. They are go-getter kinds of people who know how to network, reach out to their connections, and employ active search strategies.
However, even I have worked with some people who used unemployment the wrong way. I have seen people who waited too long to see me. They spend the first part of their unemployment period doing the bare minimum or otherwise using old style resumes coupled with a point and click job application strategy.
What is the point and click job application strategy?
This strategy is used by people who are thinking that online applications are the end all for job search. They make applications, sometimes in high volume, but they simply apply online and never take it the next step.
They never check out networking connections, they never spend time connecting with resources, they don’t volunteer, or find any ways to access the hidden job market. They assume (incorrectly) that all jobs are online and the more the better.
Wrong! As I have said many times in the past, the secret to job search is not volume nor is it assuming that a job will fall in your lap. Job search is hard work. Spend that time wisely using the best resources and getting out of your chair to connect.
Stuck in your job search or just ready to move on or up from your existing position? Julie Walraven, a Wausau, Wisconsin-based professional resume writer and career marketing strategist, can help you get ready for your next role! To find out how, Click here!
[...] the easy way out. Using point-and-click strategy instead of targeting their search. By applying only online and not taking the next step to follow up [...]