No job is forever – Be Prepared!

No job is forever! In today’s economy, there are no promises. Even if you lost a job before and landed with a great new one, there are no promises it will last. The economic volatility for the last decade pushed many people to the job market. Some thought it would never happen to them.

Add to the economic crisis, the multiple unknowns of the Affordable Healthcare Act and the uncertainty of what that will do to their budgets. Many employers err on the side of caution and keep hiring to a minimum.

As much as December can be lauded as a season of joy, for many people it is also the season when they find out they no longer have a job. As employers look at long-range and short-range projections of both earnings and expenses, people are expendable.

What should you do if you lose your job or think you may lose your job?

Be proactive. Don’t wait to see what will happen. Get organized and create opportunities.

You really do need to hire a career expert. Don’t turn to government job centers or college career services, which often rely on 10-30 year old text books and training guides. As a career professional and resume writer for 30 years, I wouldn’t even let someone use anything I wrote in 1995 much less 1983. There is a huge difference in working with a cutting-edge career professional.

1. Hire an expert to write your resume. At Design Resumes, it is a collaborative process. Whether you are in Wausau, Wisconsin or on the East or West coast, I deliver services using an interactive interview process, writing as you watch. My unique process helps me delve into your accomplishments and create a professionally written resume to resonate with your talents and gifts.
2. Learn to use social media to benefit you. Your job search benefits from you connecting with people you know and people you meet. Often you have no idea who connects to whom and LinkedIn is a great way to figure that out. Facebook is a great way to build personality and use messages to speak privately to people who could help you. No whining on social media or it will all be in vain.
3. Understand the meaning of true networking. When I ask clients if they are networking, they almost always reply that large gatherings (Chamber events, networking meetings) don’t work for them. But this isn’t what I mean by networking. Let key people know you are looking and often that is best done with a phone call or over a cup of coffee.

No job is forever, use a job loss as an opportunity for good.

1.  Explore what you love to do. I know many people stuck in jobs they don’t love but who stay for the paycheck (or the benefits). In their heart, they have something they have always wanted to do. If it is a different job, find out how to learn to do the job and then apply. Or if it is that entrepreneurial adventure you always wanted, there has never been a better time from the standpoint of technology to launch your own endeavor. You can build businesses, work from home, and reach the world from your phone, tablet, or laptop.
2. Don’t get trapped into feeling sorry for yourself. Too many people choose a bottle or a drug when they lose a job or don’t like the job they have. If you grab the beer or your drug of choice, you ensure your job search will go in reverse.
3. Invest in yourself. Reading is not outdated. Whether you like paper books, or like me, enjoy ebooks, more books come on the market all the time about every topic under the sun. Many are free or low-priced if you know where to look so spend time learning. Blogs like this one are also written about every possible topic so you can find credible experts and learn away.

To get your career or job search launched with an outstanding resume, creatively written cover letter, cutting-edge LinkedIn Profile, and innovative career marketing strategies, simply click here!

Photo Credit

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles on FreeDigitalPhotos.net