9 Point Checklist if you can’t find a job!

Can’t find a job? In my mind, no one should get to that point. Invest from DAY 1 of your unemployment into researching and learning new job strategies. You can’t stop to enjoy the summer or enjoy the winter or spend time with family.

You must work at finding a job

I am sure this will be hard to hear for some people but as a career professional, as hard as the market has been even throughout the recession, we see people getting jobs. It takes work though. It takes research into job search marketing and research into what makes a good resume, how to apply, and how to follow up.

In my experience, those people who can’t find a job are not doing research, homework, bullwork, and the follow through to create a strategic job search plan. Nor are they the type to hire someone to do it for them.

I hear the frustration from people who tell me they feel that their resumes are falling into a black hole. I hear people who said they keep pointing and clicking and never getting a reply. But as I have said before, there has never been a better time to be unemployed.

Quick 9-Point Checklist to see if you are on target to win your job search

1. Is your resume targeted to a specific job or area and filled with keywords and accomplishments?
2. Is your cover letter compelling and marketing the contributions that would make an employer seek you out?
3. How are you looking for a job? Are you only using job boards or are you reaching out to your online and regular network to connect with people who may point out new options?
4. When you apply online, are you always following up with a call to someone connected with the company?
5. Are you on LinkedIn with a fully optimized profile?
6. Are you using LinkedIn to connect with companies, hiring managers, and recruiters?
7. Are you using every social media source to connect and build positive visibility?
8. Do you prepare for every interview by role-playing and answering tough questions?
9. Do you send thank you and follow-up proposals to everyone who interviewed you at every stage of the interview?

If the answer to any of the above is no, you need to do more work and research because you have not yet figured out how today’s job search differs from the one you did 10 or 20 years ago.

Learn who are the leaders in the career industry

The resources are all over the Internet. It is difficult to know who to trust. Start with reading job search information from people who belong to professional organizations: Career Directors International, Career Thought Leaders, and the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches. People who are active in these organizations, who hold at least one certification, and who are writing content marketing blogs like this one know what they are talking about.

Follow us on Twitter and on LinkedIn. Check into our pages on Facebook. You can learn a lot and correct your incorrect job search strategies.

In the best economies, there have always been people without jobs. There are more people unemployed now, but it is still possible to find a new job. Make your own future!

Don’t tell me there are no jobs!

In the last few months:

• A teacher who previously was getting no interviews landed two interviews in school districts she would love to join.
• A graphic designer who was working in an unrelated field for low pay landed an interview in a marketing department for a large corporation.
• An education administrator landed her new role as a Career Service Advisor internally against a stiff field of internal and external candidates for a newly created role.
• A non-profit executive successfully achieved her goal of becoming the Executive Director of the organization she worked for as a director. The competition was still stiff even though she was the internal candidate.
• Another client landed the job of her dreams, actually offered two positions but took the second after relocating to Nebraska from Georgia.
• A civil engineering technician landed a new job as a Senior Civil Engineering Technician for more money and better benefits than her old job.
• A non-profit executive transitioned from arts in Cincinnati to health care in Wisconsin as Special Events & Annual Giving Coordinator

There are jobs! You must work at learning new job search strategies, and it does take time to process through the sometimes-lengthy interview process, but savvy job seekers are landing.

Frustrated with your job search or existing career? Don’t know how to find a new job or career? Hire me, an expert career professional, to do it for you. You will find your new role and be doing what you do best. To find out how Click here!