Thursday, April 19, 2012

Quick Tips for the Long Term Unemployed



The economy is slowly improving, but there are still a lot of folks out there that have long-term unemployment issues. Here are 3 quick tips to help you out:

1) Volunteer:   I understand that your goal is a paid position, but if you haven’t worked in a while, you may have two problems working against you in the eyes of future employers, first off, a significant gap in your employment history and second, a lack of references.  Volunteering can help with both of these issues.  Your volunteer supervisor can serve as a reference and volunteering can show you’ve made a productive contribution to society even though you’ve not been employed. Volunteering can also give you additional experience in areas where you may lack and help banish the job seeker blues by helping you to feel useful.

2) Diversify Your Strategy: One of the biggest mistakes I see job seekers make is to stick to one job search strategy, most often just applying online via big job boards.  While I wouldn’t recommend abandoning this strategy entirely, it’s important not to forget the power of things like face-to-face networking events or approaching  organizations that you are interested in whether they currently have open positions or not. 

3) Expand or Narrow Your Target: Have you been searching for teaching jobs in your county, but haven’t found anything? Maybe it’s time to expand your focus outside of your immediate geographic area or look for another similar job that serves children and families, such as at a nonprofit organization to give yourself more opportunities.
Been applying for anything and everything under the sun? Maybe you’re inadvertently putting in applications for jobs you are over or under-qualified for. A little more focus in your job search could help you make more effective use of your (and your future employers) time.

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