Biz/Tech
(2010-06-15)
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People perform job searches at a Worksource center
AP Photo
Mark Brindle is fifty years old. He moved to Seattle from North Carolina 21 years ago for a job with a firm that did environmental remediation. They would look at soil samples that had been treated to remove spilled petroleum - and make sure the lab results met EPA requirements.
"I'm an environmental chemist. And I have been looking very hard for a new job," he says.
He's been out of work for a year and nine months now. His last job was working as a data reviewer for an environmental consulting firm, where he says he earned about $43,000 dollars a year.
But when he first lost that job, there were no positions available in his field - so he would apply for anything, just to keep his unemployment benefits coming.
"Grocery store, drug store, hardware store - you know, Sears. Just - you know, the man needs a job!"
Last year he got $28,000 dollars of unemployment pay from the state. He's learned to live on less - never eating out and cutting out all but the most essential purchases. Three weeks ago, he thought his benefits were going to run out altogether - because he'd been unsuccessfully looking for work for so long.
"I was dealing with the hard truth of well, what do I do? You know, if I can't pay rent? Shall I get a storage locker and put everything in it or should I have a fire sale and you know, end up sleeping on a friend's sofa?"
Early this month, he learned he's been extended one last time. Thanks to federal help, he has twenty weeks of emergency benefits. This means he has to apply for 4 jobs a week (instead of 3) to keep the unemployment pay coming. Putting in the applications in and of itself is almost a full-time occupation. But he says it's easier now. There are jobs opening up again in his field.
Since March, the number of people residing in Washington who have exhausted all their unemployment benefits has doubled, bringing that number up to nearly 12,000. And once those people stop receiving benefits, they're no longer tracked by the state.
More Information
Full report for May from Employment Security
Regional economists
Employment Security Web site
WorkSource Web site
Numbers & Trends online tool
Worksource locations for job seekers
Economix 'Great Recession' article
20 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE JOB SEEKERS
Career Coach, Speaker and Author Ford R. Myers Shares 20 Key Job Search Tactics and Strategies Every Job Seeker Can Use -- Even in Today's Tough Economy
Haverford, PA (June 14, 2010) -- Even in a down market, job seekers and employees are not powerless or without recourse. In fact, they have more control over their career circumstances than they might think.
Ford R. Myers, Career Coach, Speaker and Author of "Get The Job You Want, Even When No One's Hiring" (John Wiley & Sons, 2009, http://www.getthejobbook.com), has developed 20 specific strategies and tactics that consistently generate powerful results for job seekers, even when it seems like no one is hiring.
1. Network, network, network. Continually increase your level of networking and keep expanding your contact database. There is no substitute for connecting with people one-on-one.
2. Seek help. Get career support from a professional. A qualified career coach can better prepare you to land your next position.
3. Read career books and attend career seminars. Being informed about business will keep you "fresh" as a candidate, and helps you consistently improve your career management and job-search skills.
4. Leverage technology. Utilize Web sites and online services to connect with your industry and to build greater visibility. Create a career Web site and reach out through social networking sites such as Facebook, Linked-In and Twitter.
5. Differentiate yourself. Position yourself as an expert by writing articles, giving presentations, or teaching a class. Get involved in professional organizations and assume leadership roles there.
6. Use your time off wisely. Pursue professional development by participating in classes, seminars, certifications and industry conferences.
7. Pursue a temporary, part-time, or contract position. Volunteer, provide pro bono work, take on a consulting contract, or complete an internship or apprenticeship. All these options provide excellent "bridge job" opportunities.
8. Act with speed and urgency. Demonstrate that you're more serious and more determined than the competition. Show up earlier. Arrive more prepared. Move quickly and efficiently. Make an impression by being more responsive and assertive than other candidates.
9. Take care of yourself. Eat well, exercise, and get plenty of rest. You'll need to be healthy and vital to maintain the pace of an active job search campaign.
10. Be flexible and adaptable. Consider shifting industries and/or being geographically mobile to open-up more career possibilities, even if you would not choose these options under normal circumstances.
11. Improve and enhance all the documents in your career portfolio. Craft a unified package that consistently conveys a highly professional image of yourself. This will include a Resume, a one-page Professional Biography, a collection of powerful Accomplishment Stories, a series of compelling Cover Letters, a page of Professional References, a list of Target Companies, and a 15-second commercial (Positioning Statement).
12. Identify industries that will emerge stronger when the market improves. Research emerging opportunities and niches that will offer career growth, and position yourself to take advantage of these trends.
13. Practice interviewing and negotiation skills. Solicit the help of a partner to role-play with you, and switch roles as needed with the questions and answers. Practice with an audio-recording device, and listen to yourself as you continually improve your performance.
14. Be patient, but persistent. Be persistent, but don't be a pest, as you follow up consistently on every opportunity. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Instead, keep moving forward as you explore every appropriate opening you can find.
15. Focus on tangible results and practical solutions. The primary question in the employer's mind will be, "What can you do for me -- now?" This means that you should quickly identify the employer's most pressing needs and challenges -- and then explain exactly how your relevant accomplishments will allow you to successfully address those issues in the short term.
16. Work from a budget. Instead of going into a panic or worrying that you'll lose everything you've worked for, conduct a detailed analysis of your financial situation and develop a family budget. You may discover that you're in a better financial position than you had thought.
17. Be kind to yourself. There is no longer the same stigma there used to be about being unemployed, as almost every family in America has been touched by layoffs and downsizings. Forgive yourself, forgive your ex-employer, and forgive the world. Move on toward a better career future.
18. Pay extra attention to your personal image. First impressions count. Make a deliberate, consistent effort to present yourself in the best light. Now is the ideal time to take stock of your appearance, and make whatever changes you feel could improve your image -- and your job search results.
19. Watch your attitude. Maintain a positive attitude. Never state anything negative or act desperate. Spend some time each day focusing-in and recalibrating your internal attitude.
20. Be philosophical. Try to find the life lessons and new perspectives in this transition. Commit to yourself that, somehow, you will make this a rewarding and productive experience.
"Conducting a successful job search campaign takes energy, discipline, and career support. Despite the pressures many face in today's employment market, job seekers must stay focused on their goals and search smart," says Myers.
© Copyright 2012, KPLU
