People who say there aren't jobs out there are LYING
It is true that the economic and employment situation is dire, but the one complaint I can’t stand is people saying that there are no jobs available. That is simply not true. What is true is that you have to know where to look for these jobs, and you have to be (truly) qualified.
If you have having trouble finding a job, maybe you aren’t looking in the right places, or maybe you are not being honest with yourself about what you are/aren’t qualified to do in this market. Now is not the time to make that big, bold career change you’ve been dreaming about because employers have the pick of the litter in this buyer’s market. Think about your strengths, and what skills and accomplishments you can ‘prove’ on your resume with facts. Bolster those strengths by investing in more education in those areas, like a six sigma or PMP certification. Defend your title. Win the war you know how to fight.
I know this isn’t what some of you wanted to hear, but it is the harsh truth that will help you get on your way to making money faster than any other scheme.
The good news about staying the course is that recruiters, who are often the gateway to many jobs, are more attracted to candidates that have strong work experience that supports the job qualification. You will get more attention and TLC from recruiters in your current industry/function.
For example, my own professional background before career management was in consumer goods marketing. I just looked up a few of the recruiters i’ve worked with to see how many jobs there are available. Let me tell you there are HUNDREDS OF JOBS AVAILABLE. Don’t believe me? Here are a few examples:
http://www.hunterm.com/jobs.asp
http://www.dussick.com/jobsearch/jobpull.asp?sort=11
http://www.iaxcel.com/opportunities.htm
This post is a bit ranty – but I had to let off steam after hearing so many people claim that there are not jobs. There are jobs, but you have to look beyond the major job boards to find them, and then you have to actually be qualified for them to get an interview. Be honest with yourself and try to maximize your yield by focusing in on jobs that capitalize off of your past experiences as much as possible.
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There’s been an ebb and flow of jobs. I got laid off in April ‘08, and there were plenty of jobs available. I applied to many jobs, and had 6 interviews. Late July, beginning of August, the job market started to grow cold. I got more and more responses like “position has been eliminated.” September, the bottom fell out. Even Craigs List was quiet. I was happy to be finishing my M.Sc. in IT & Privacy Law then.
Now, there has been an increase in open positions. Slowly but surely, businesses are adjusting to the changing landscape. The trick is to find a way to stay active until you get hired. Been at this a year now, and am happy to have been told about Out of Work Chicago.
After being laid off recently, I have found that there are very few job opportunities out there. This problem prompted me to create a website to help people like myself locate government jobs. The site, http://www.freegovtjobs.com, helps people locate government jobs.