Despite economy crisis, jobs are still available

You’ll find jobs are still available despite the Wall Street crash. For example, John McKenna -- a manager at SecondMarket -- is quoted n the New York Post saying his trading firm in lower Manhattan wants to quadruple its 50 trader staff as it moves into larger quarters. 

Other veteran traders told the Post that big money can still be made; from the low six figures into the millions of dollars. 

While massive layoffs at Lehman Bros and Bear Stearns grabbed headlines, opportunities you haven’t read about have been created at Merrill Lynch, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, and other brokerage firms who are looking to grab the best of the talent downsized during Wall Street’s latest crisis. 

You’ll find jobs out there in most other fields, too, despite doom and gloom reports from the business press. All you need to do is find one of them. 

And November and December have been good job hunting months traditionally. That’s because people are more receptive to networking during the Holiday Season. And many openings scheduled for the beginning of the year are filled by contacts developed during this time of year. This is also the season companies set budgets for ’09. 

When you can network like crazy from now until Christmas, you might just find yourself employed by the start of the New Year. 

What to buy the unemployed

by Randy Place

Because being unemployed can be a traumatic experience, it isn’t going to be a happy birthday, anniversary, or holiday for that job hunter you know. 

So what do you give to people who are on the beach? Why not buy gifts that will lift your job hunter’s spirits. An appointment with an image consultant or hair stylist is an idea. These are things the unemployed might not be able to afford. 

You can also buy practical gifts like leather portfolios Because portfolios hold resumes and a pad and are attractive, they’re great to bring to interviews. I call them interview kits. Organizers and planners – electronic or paper based -- are also excellent presents that make a job-hunter’s life easier. 

Let’s say the shoe is on the other foot with you as unemployed. What kind of gifts can you give on special days? Do not be embarrassed by your lack of funds. People understand you’re between jobs. You might bake a cake and decorate it. Make a small gift item in your workshop. Knit a sweater. Or give needlepoint. 

Whether you can afford an expensive gift or not, this old saw holds true: It’s the thought that counts. 

Click here to read, "The trauma of a job loss," posted last January on Your Career Service.

Effective skills help you find the right job

by Randy Place

You can pick up effective skills needed for youy next job by taking training in areas needed in to get yourself up to speed. 

A situation that’s sticky is when an employer says you lack experience for the job you’re being interviewed for. This scenario is easily handled. Take courses that will help you land the job you want. 

After taking training, find a way to incorporate your newly acquired skill into a volunteer situation. How to volunteer? Think about offering your services at no charge to an organization like your church. Or to a friend in need. Put that experience on your resume under the heading, CONSULTING SERVICES.

You’ll find lots of employers are looking for just a little bit of experience that demonstrates you have the ability to do the job. And the best time to develop new skills is before your company dumps you. 

So evaluate job skills needed for your next position. Classified ads in newspapers and on the Web are windows through which you can look out at the world of work to see not only what’s available in your field, but also the skills needed to perform them. 

Then take courses to pick up those effective skills that will help you find the right job. Remember, taking training is the easiest way to bring you up to speed. 

Successful job hunting

by Randy Place

In order to get your next job fast, Your Career Service suggests that you apply these three rules for a successuful job hunt -- 

1.  Initiate

2.  Initiate

3. Initiate

 As you’ve taken the initiative at work to accomplish your goals successfully, you need to also initiate your job campaign right away -- while you’re still in a working mode. That's why successful job hunting begins immediately following your dismissal.

How quickly should you job hunt after a layoff? Victims of job cuts in today’s sluggish job market should not take time off to catch up on work around the house. The job market is too competitive for time outs. You lose momentum that way. You can take a vacation and get caught up around the house after you land a job. 

Its true, lots of job candidates prefer to take some time off after being laid off to accomplish personal chores they haven’t had time to do while working. What’s wrong with weekends? The reason stuff piles up has more to do with not managing your time properly than  not having time to do things while employed. Because today’s job market is so competitive, now is the time to begin your job finding campaign. Right now. 

And if you feel awful about being dumped, use the energy generated by your anger and desire to get even in the service of your job hunt. The best revenge is to get a better job than the one you lost. That means to initiate your search at once. 

It's easier to do when you establish a routine. To lose the routine you’ve been accustomed to for many years is a real kick in the head. So when your feet hit the ground each morning, you’ll have a new structure in place to replace the one you lost when the job expired. You can turn a corner of your dining room into an office. Or take advantage of office resources provided by your company or state labor department. 

You’ve never enjoyed waiting for the phone to ring. You won’t have to when you remember the three rules of  a successful job hunt: initiate….initiate…initiate. 

Remember, job opportunities seldom ring once, much less twice. To take advantage of them, click here and read about "More job search tactics to help shorten your job finding campaign," a previous post on Your Career Service. 

Jobs for all ages at smaller companies

by Randy Place

Because you are now job searching in a tight job market, Your Career Service suggests shortening your job search by thinking small. There are jobs for all ages at smaller companies. They offer tremendous opportunities for young people just out of college and for workers over 50 who have been dumped by large corporations and need to plan their next career moves.

Whatever your age, you’ll find smaller companies are more responsive to your needs. This, for several reasons –

1. You can often choose flexible work hours
2. There are fewer bosses to contend with 
3. Smaller companies offer more room for advancement.

Those advantages are wonderful all right. But you need to weigh them against these disadvantages --

• The challenges of working in environment could make you feel like you’re on an emotional roller coaster. So if you don’t like getting excited, small companies are not for you. 

• Besides, you’ll probably be working for the boss. So you have to enjoy working directly with the person at the top. 

• And Small businesses cannot offer you the tremendous salary and benefits of large corporations. 

So why are small companies good prospects for job hunters young and old? Small business owners need experience. Enter the older worker. And small organizations are looking for people to train. That’s where young people come in. 

When it comes applying to small companies, workers of all ages get a break. Smaller companies provide job opportunities at both ends of the job spectrum. 

And nobody has to tell you that it takes longer to find a job when the market is tight. That's why many job hunters choose temporary work to tide them over. For a quick review of why you might want to consider temping for awhile, read "Employment contractors, temporary help," an a post earlier this month on Your Career Service. 

Follow up thank you letters

by randy place

The best way to get job offers is to write follow up thank you letters after each interview. You either do it the old fashioned way – send your letter via regular mail. Or write email follow up letters. Either way, to send follow up thank you letters after each interview is job search etiquette.

And when responding to a classified ad or job posting on line, do not make them look like boilerplates, as in this opening line: ”I’m responding to your ad in Sunday’s Times.” 

You need to grab the reader’s attention in the first sentence as you zero in on your qualifications that match the job description. Summarizing your resume doesn’t do this. It defeats the purpose. Telling your interviewer how your qualifications match the job specifications does it.

That’s how to focus on what you bring to the table. You can write about contributions you made to previous employers. And state what information you are enclosing, whether it be a resume or samples of your work. 

End your letter by indicating the next steps. If you plan to follow up with a phone all, state when you expect to do it. Or if you want the employer to contact you, type your phone number and e-mail address right under your name, if it’s an e-mail; under your signature if a regular letter. Example --

Sincerely,

Joseph Alexander

718- 222 9678

joe alex2@xxx.com

A convincing letter is tailor made to fit the job you’re applying for.

For more tips about how to follow up after your next interview, read "You have to follow through," which was posted on Your Career Service last May.

Employment contractors, temporary help

by Randy Place

Middle managers who get the axe often discover their kind of full time jobs have vanished. That’s why employment contractors, providing temporary help to corporations, are great venues for you to consider.

You probably lost your job -- especially if you're in middle management -- because over the years, companies have been shrinking to about 75% of their current full time staff and surrounding them with part-time workers. When the job market is tight, many job hunters – especially middle managers –are able to bring in some income by applying to temporary employment agencies.

Companies used to hire temps to fill in just for clerical and unskilled workers. Now employers are hiring managers and accountants, lawyers and engineers for temp jobs. Matter of fact, professional people are the fastest growing category of part time workers. You’ll find staffing personnel agencies are placing virtually all types of professional workers in temporary positions. 

However, a part time job could be as good as it gets. You know you’ve been hired for several months but might have been led to believe if you do a good job you’ll be put on the payroll full time. Take that promise with a grain of salt. A large percent of temporary workers do get full time positions. But keep this in mind: companies are aiming for a quarter of their staffs to be part time. 

Do not look at your part time job as a try out. Consider temporary position as just that. Temporary. There are no more auditions. 

What are the benefits you'll experience by taking temp assignments? Click here to read, "Benefits of part time work," a previous post on Your Career Service.