Always be in a career marketing mode

What is a career marketing mode? Headlines abound about the ending of Federal unemployment benefits. The media is making a big deal of it. We don’t know but that may change rapidly when the lawmakers return to work. Federal benefits kick in after state benefits are gone and are essential for some people.

Why long-term unemployment is dangerous

As someone who has been self-employed for a very long time, I understand the fears that set in when the paycheck stop. Not knowing how much income you can make or will have is scary. I also understand the danger of people who see the unemployment check as an asset.

Unemployment payments were originally designed as a stop-gap while you look for a job. Your employer pays into the system so that in the event that they need to let someone go there is something to help you with the loss of income.

Many people, however, don’t start a search properly. They apply to the required number of jobs, which is 4 per week in Wisconsin. But they may do that simply by clicking on an online application and adding their data without even having a well-written resume.

The deceptive nature of unemployment checks

Some people see the unemployment checks as an opportunity to take the summer off or slow down around Christmas or perhaps during hunting or fishing season. See the trend? This creates multiple problems:

• Lulls the job seeker into complacency and takes the edge off.
• Slows down momentum.
• Less marketable to employers. Some employers look at gaps and wonder if you would use unemployment to gain extra time from them if you were laid off from them.

What should you do if you are always in a career marketing mode?

• Resume should always be ready. Always have a well-written presentation resume stoked with accomplishments even if you plan to be at your company for the rest of your life. Why? You never know. Today’s economy is unpredictable and the 15, 20, or 30 year jobs, the lifer jobs are rapidly dissolving.
• Develop your network using both real life and social media tools. Think LinkedIn!
• Add to your education so that your value is cutting-edge for your industry or for the industry you want to enter.
• Focus on technology. It is never going away. You need to know how to use a computer and you must willing to learn new applications.
• Save! Too many people live paycheck to paycheck, one breakdown away from trouble.
• Eliminate debt. Many people live over their head in debt and can’t cope with job loss.

Focus into a career marketing mode

Don’t let the unemployment check lull you into complacency. Be prepared and start your job search immediately with the best resume and career marketing possible. My clients land new jobs and some even better paying jobs than their old ones. Why? They were not complacent, they took off running within a week of being laid off. No moping around or time off for hunting or fishing, these clients made sure they had the best resume, used the best career marketing strategies, and stayed proactive.

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