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Finding an Opportunity in a Depressing Job Market
By Sid | March 28, 2008
So, you’ve heard the latest job news, and it’s depressing… downright demoralizing. You’ve been holding out in a less-than-exciting position in a mediocre company, waiting for things to turnaround so you could make a move. Yeah. You and how many others?
You’re not the only one that had to hunker down and just stay employed when things started getting bad. Or maybe you were just lucky to grab something, anything to pay the bills, and you’ve been waiting to get back on track. That’s a bad enough situation, but when you think about the fact that you’re just one of many and that the market’s going to be flooded with folks jockeying for change and advancement once things do start looking up, it’s enough to sap any sense of optimism you have.
The job market (and the whole economy for that matter) has been moving en-masse the last seven or eight years… very little individualism, few rewards for independent thinkers or entrepreneurs, pretty much everyone moving together: up, down, sideways, watching this or that, waiting for the next “window of opportunity”. The rapidly expanding economy in the nineties led us to believe that everyone could win, that there really was “gold in them there hills”, and that there was enough for everyone who was willing to go after it. That was then; this is now. Times have changed.
So, you just have to wait a little longer, right? Wrong! Unless you want to continue being a part of the crowd and settling for the common denominator, that’s the wrong approach. There ARE opportunities out there, and there is actually LESS competition for many positions because most candidates are playing it safe, going with the market momentum and staying put. That is an opportunity for those who stay active, who keep their resumes current on the job boards, and who stay in touch with recruiters through resume emailing services or networking.
First, keep your resume up-to-date. If you’ve been in your position for a while, you might be surprised at the new experiences you’ve gained that are not reflected in the resume you were peddling a while back. Take a moment to review your resume and dust off the cobwebs. Streamline or refocus some of the previous positions, skills, or experiences in light of today’s market and your objectives. Maybe your objectives have changed… one or two or three years ago when you were looking, maybe you were more desperate, maybe your feelings about relocation have changed (one way or the other – maybe you don’t think you could sell your house now!). Maybe it’s time to consider a resume writing service to help with your resume. There are a lot of excellent resume writers out there, and many of them offer a free resume checkup.
Secondly, think about your cover letter. If you don’t have one that’s appropriate anymore, take the time to invest in one. Your cover letter (even if it’s in email form) is the first thing a recruiter will see, and it’s what determines whether your resume gets read. Your cover letter should be short and to-the-point, conversational in tone, but professional. It should highlight two or three compelling qualifications that you bring to the table, either significant accomplishments or skills and experiences that will be of interest. Your goal is to get the reader to look at your resume. If you don’t have a solid cover letter or a good template that you can use, you’ll be at a disadvantage when you do see an opportunity worth considering. Coming up with a cover letter will be just one more obstacle, or you’ll do a mediocre job of throwing something together, hoping it does the job. That’s not going to get it done for you. Consider using a resume writer to help you draft a cover letter or get your hands on some good examples or templates and do it yourself.
Next time you read another lousy headline about the job market or hear another depressing statistic on the radio or television, you can take hope in the fact that YOU are doing something. You are moving forward. You are differentiating yourself from the crowd.
Topics: Writing a Resume |
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