Free Book Summary : Get The Job You Want Even When There’s No One Hiring Take Charge of Your Career, Find a Job You Love and Earn What You Deserve! Author: Ford R. Myers Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2009 ISBN: 978 0 470 45741 2 202 pages

The Big Idea

You can find a job in a bad economy – but not with conventional search strategies.

To win a job now, you need a recession-proof plan. Get the Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring explains why your chances are better than you think, gives you the strategies to land your dream job, and includes:

• The twenty habits of effective job-hunters in a down market
• Why Your resume is your least important job-search tool
• Tips on building an online career identity with blogs, web sites, and social media

The job market is weaker than it has been in 80 years. The US recession has claimed more than 4 million jobs to date. More than 4 million jobs have been lost in a one-year period. One hundred forty-five thousand positions were recently eliminated in just one week, with nearly 650,000 jobs lost within one month. Unemployment continues to expand with more layoffs and downsizings. As the economy shrinks, debt soars, and the headlines proclaim one financial meltdown after another. Worst of all, it seems that no one’s hiring!

We are in the middle of a perfect storm, and it’s almost surely going to get worse before it gets better

Why You Need This Book

This book is a must-have that will present to you step-by-step instructions on how to reinvent, reignite, and reestablish your career even in the most challenging times.

TWENTY HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE JOB SEEKERS IN A DOWN MARKET

Even in a down market, job seekers and employees are not powerless or without recourse in dealing with the challenges listed so far. In fact, you have more control over your career circumstances than you might think. Following are some specific strategies and tactics that consistently generate strong results for job seekers even when no one’s hiring.

1. Network, network, network. Continually increase your level of networking and keep expanding your contact database. Reach out to reestablish and nourish business and personal relationships. Offer to help others, even if they’re not in a position to help you (because what goes around comes around). There is no substitute for connecting with people one-on-one. Stay connected and don’t isolate yourself. Being out of work does not mean you have to be out of touch, so be sure to build and maintain your networking momentum.


2. Seek help . Get career support from a professional. A qualified career coach can better prepare you to land your next position. If career coaching is unaffordable for you, take advantage of the support provided by government programs, nonprofit agencies, job search groups, college/alumni career centers, or faith-based missions for the unemployed and underemployed. If you’re thinking of changing industries, get some career testing. If you are struggling emotionally, get help from mental health service provider.


3. Read career books and attend career seminars . Take advantage of learning opportunities to improve your job search and career management skills. Keeping informed of business trends will help you gain greater knowledge of the industries and careers that are poised for future growth. Stay plugged in to the market and your field to ensure that you’ll be current and to maintain your intellectual capital. Apply what you learn to generate stronger search results.


4. Leverage technology . Utilize web sites and online service to connect with your industry and to build greater visibility. Create a career web site, using tools like VisualCV and LinkedIn. Reach out through social networking sites, such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. Keep in touch with colleagues consistently via e-mail. In addition to leveraging career portals and job boards, learn how to use online tools like blogs, wikis, and virtual job fairs.


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. Do something noteworthy in your community that will garner special recognition and build your positive reputation. Focus on what makes you special, and build your brand within your industry.


6. Use your time off wisely . Pursue professional development by participating in classes, seminars, certifications, and industry conferences. Take advantage of free and low-cost programs to enhance your credentials. Explore more of your world to generate new ideas. Do the important things that you never had time to do when you were working full-time. Enjoy the feeling of still being productive and making a contribution.


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. This tactic is especially useful for those who wish to pursue a career in a different industry. Keep yourself in the game, so you won’t lose traction in your career growth.


8. Act with speed and urgency . One way for you to get an edge over other candidates is to 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 the others.


9. Take care of yourself. Eat well, exercise, get plenty of rest. You’ll need to be healthy and vital to maintain the pace of an active job search campaign. Stay in close touch with friends and family. Keep up with your interests, hobbies, and activities. Follow your normal routines, even as you word hard on getting the job you want. Maintain balance in your life, and don’t let the job search become all-consuming.


10. Be flexible and adaptable . Consider shifting industries and/or being geographically mobile to open up more career possibilities, even if you would not ordinarily choose these options. Rather than waiting for the perfect opportunity, offer your skills to other industries and lend your experience to different positions. Do whatever you need to do (within reason) to keep your career intact and earn a living.


11. Improve and enhance all of the documents in your career portfolio . Now is the time to expand your career portfolio far beyond just the resume. Craft a unified package that consistently conveys a highly professional image of yourself.


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 . You’ll want to pursue two basic strategies: (1) Be persistent, but do not be a pest, as you follow up consistently on every opportunity; and (2) 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 . This means that you should zero in and 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.


17. Be kind to yourself . You can look at your situation in a more positive way and 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.


19. Watch your attitude . Spend some time each day focusing in and recalibrating your internal attitude. Even if you’re out of a job, you probably have many other wonderful things in your life, so remember to be grateful.


20. Be philosophical. Think of the old saying, “Things happen for a reason.” It usually turns out to be true.

EXCELLENT TOOLS TO HELP YOU GET A JOB WHEN NO ONE’S HIRING

There are some great tools and resources you can use to help you identify appropriate career paths and job roles. Many people are unaware of them or simply do not make the effort to track them down. When no one’s hiring, these tools can make all the difference between you becoming a career victor – or a career victim. The following resources are often as close as your nearest public library, university, newsstand, or convention center:

• Library research


• Dictionary of Holland Occupational Codes


• Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Department of Labor


• Professional associations and organizations


• Free and low-cost career seminars and professional development programs


• Online employment and business databases


• Trade magazines, books, newsletters, and blog


• Industry-specific networking functions


• Business conference and expos


• Job fairs

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