Looking for a job after a layoff?
A reminder from the past which led to the beginning of Marketing Me.
What NOT to do when you lose your job
1) Use severance pay for training.
Training sounds like a good idea. The government likes it as it gives out of work people something to do. But think about it. Would you hire someone who spent 20 years doing one occupation, but then received "training" to do something new? I didn't think so. Save your severance pay for a haircut or style, a new suit, transportation and other preparation for interviews.
2) Pay for a resume service.
Who knows you better than yourself? An out of work writer? Or you? There are websites on writing your resume. Better yet, there are free services to help you. Consult these options before dropping the coin on a for hire service.
3) Blindly apply for jobs online.
Great idea. Toss your name into the big faceless nobody pool.
4) Be too embarrassed to tell others about your job search.
Here is a secret. Your next job is coming from someone you know. Promise.
5) Refuse to act financially like you are out of work.
We have all heard the story about the laid off worker who immediately scheduled a trip to Thailand to "get his bearings and find himself". Instead, make that trip a reward after you start working again.
6) Applying for jobs you have no business applying for.
Do not shotgun resumes at every position and hope it works out.
7) If part of a company wide layoff, avoid contacting others in the same situation.
Guess what? The person who was laid off with you is looking for work as well. If he finds a position, there may be others. Keep in contact with your network.
8) Avoid coaching, a mentor or anyone who can help you with advice.
Tiger Woods has a coach. Company presidents have a board of directors. Who is on your board?
9) Do not think out of the box.
Why are you not working three things at once? A part time job consulting? A contract gig online?
10) Let pride stand in the way of success.
Yes it stinks to be out of work. But being unemployed is worse than admitting you need help finding a job. Get off the cross!
Friday
Marketing Me! Using LinkedIn Answers and the origin of Marketing Me
I try and keep up with LinkedIn and Yahoo answers. Both are good methods for getting the word out on you. The reason is easy. Answering questions establishes you as an expert in any number of topics. Experts are easy to hire.
I had the chance to answer a networking question recently, and it reminded me to tell once again, the story behind Marketing Me! and why I started this blog.
A few years ago, I found myself suddenly out of a job. Since then, I have turned the experience into the theme for my personal blog.
Here were my steps to secure a new and far better position in 30 days.
To start, know what you want to do and what industry you want to work in. That is a given that many overlook when they are out of work.
1) Collect your contacts. Divide them into hot, warm and cold with hot being good possible employers. Warm contacts are persons you use for advice and referrals. Cold contacts are names without possibility but good to have as referring points.
2) Start phoning. Never start out with email - nothing says lazy like email Call, connect and communicate.
3) Clearly state what you are looking for. Never phone and state "I need a job, got anything?". Instead, use the value proposition "I have known you a long time. What is your best advice about where I should look/what I should do?"
4) Plan to visit in person for follow up. I scheduled a trip to an industry convention which happened to take place two weeks after my last day. I scheduled meeting times with prospects. That included breakfasts, lunches, dinners, walks, anything which put me in front of a prospective employer. Remember to schedule with a set time and place. Leave nothing to chance. Be flexible. You may meet someone walking from one hall to another or on a shuttle bus or at a reception (all of these happened to me).
5) Meet. Be clear about your goals, skills and value to any prospect.
6) Thank. Send a thank you note, hand written, never email, to each person who took the time to meet with you.
7) Follow up. I was fortunate. I ended up with five solid job offers, two possibilities and dozens of future business contacts. Had this not happened I would have directly contacted each of these people again until something happened.
28 days to the day, I had my starting date at my next job. It was a lot of work and travel, but it has paid off nicely. To this day, I network constantly.
Marketing Me! has transformed into a blog about anything which appeals to me in my profession. Be it business travel, cell phones, productivity tools, conference calling and even entertainment.
In the 21st century, we are often defined by our career or more correctly, our work. Marketing Me! has become my diary, journal and sanity check over the past three years.
I don't plan on changing any time soon.
I had the chance to answer a networking question recently, and it reminded me to tell once again, the story behind Marketing Me! and why I started this blog.
A few years ago, I found myself suddenly out of a job. Since then, I have turned the experience into the theme for my personal blog.
Here were my steps to secure a new and far better position in 30 days.
To start, know what you want to do and what industry you want to work in. That is a given that many overlook when they are out of work.
1) Collect your contacts. Divide them into hot, warm and cold with hot being good possible employers. Warm contacts are persons you use for advice and referrals. Cold contacts are names without possibility but good to have as referring points.
2) Start phoning. Never start out with email - nothing says lazy like email Call, connect and communicate.
3) Clearly state what you are looking for. Never phone and state "I need a job, got anything?". Instead, use the value proposition "I have known you a long time. What is your best advice about where I should look/what I should do?"
4) Plan to visit in person for follow up. I scheduled a trip to an industry convention which happened to take place two weeks after my last day. I scheduled meeting times with prospects. That included breakfasts, lunches, dinners, walks, anything which put me in front of a prospective employer. Remember to schedule with a set time and place. Leave nothing to chance. Be flexible. You may meet someone walking from one hall to another or on a shuttle bus or at a reception (all of these happened to me).
5) Meet. Be clear about your goals, skills and value to any prospect.
6) Thank. Send a thank you note, hand written, never email, to each person who took the time to meet with you.
7) Follow up. I was fortunate. I ended up with five solid job offers, two possibilities and dozens of future business contacts. Had this not happened I would have directly contacted each of these people again until something happened.
28 days to the day, I had my starting date at my next job. It was a lot of work and travel, but it has paid off nicely. To this day, I network constantly.
Marketing Me! has transformed into a blog about anything which appeals to me in my profession. Be it business travel, cell phones, productivity tools, conference calling and even entertainment.
In the 21st century, we are often defined by our career or more correctly, our work. Marketing Me! has become my diary, journal and sanity check over the past three years.
I don't plan on changing any time soon.
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