Job Search Advice for Desperate Job Seekers

Another morning of job hunting lies ahead of you. You pour a cup of coffee and open the paper to the employment section. With a mixture of anticipation and desperation you pick up a stub of pencil and prepare to target and identify some possible job opportunities.

There are less ads to circle this morning and despite the promising words and vague descriptions you have begun to believe that none of these potential employers will seriously consider you. Perhaps they have family or friends or maybe you'll hear once again "I'm afraid you're overqualified for this position".

After making a few phone calls you try to get into a positive frame of mind. You head out the door, a folder of resumes in one hand and a list of addresses at the next. You will drop off a few resumes and have plans for an interview this afternoon.

Maybe today will be different...

Are you or a friend looking for work? Have you heard of acquaintances laid off from long-term employment only to find four or five months later that they are still unable to find a job?

If you think the only way to find a job is to have connections, you may be partly right. With such a demand for employment many jobs never make it to the paper. How can you compete?

NETWORKING

"Leave no stone unturned". Tell friends, family and acquaintances of your job search. These people can give you an 'IN' to their businesses when positions come available.

They may also hear of someone who is hiring and keep you updated on opportunities you may not otherwise have heard about. Their personal referral can also make an impression on the employer in your behalf.

NON-POSTED JOBS

You don't have to wait for a job to be listed in the paper, or even posted on the company board, to apply for work at a company.

Go through the phone book and make a list of companies you'd like to work for. Call and ask if there are any positions available. Ask for the name of the human resources manager or the individual in charge of hiring for the area you are applying to.

Send a resume and direct it to the person in charge of hiring. Write a cover letter that expresses your interest in the company and why you'd like to work for them. Follow up several days later and ask for the individual. Tell them you're checking to see that they received your resume and ask if there are any positions that may become available.

If they are not hiring suggest you'll check back at another time. Often positions are made available unexpectedly and by keeping in contact (without pestering) you may be the first person that comes to mind.

This is not a secret. If you're not taking advantage, someone else will. You can't afford to miss out on making yourself known to employers BEFORE the job posting is made public.

Accessing this hidden job market may open up opportunities you never thought possible. By staying one step ahead of other job searchers you can be sure that your new job is just around the corner!

Roger Clark is senior editor at Top Career Resumes who provide free information to job seekers on all aspects of finding a new job and Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.

---

Layoff Survival Guide - Do You Have The Career Management Horsepower It Will Take To Survive?

In a recent survey of over 662 career seekers, some... Read More

An Unexpected Career Direction

My starting point was how to draw on 25 years... Read More

Resume Writing Dos and Donts

Do these things Include your full name - don't... Read More

Do More than Expected to Get Ahead

One of the best things you can do to increase... Read More

Medical Billing And Coding Profession

Medical billers and coders are in high demand among the... Read More

Employment Screening Today ? Are Online Database Searches Enough?

In today's employment environment, HR managers are faced with the... Read More

How To Survive A Job Loss

Has this ever happened to you: You have been working... Read More

Careers-Changing Jobs: The Fantasy of the Ideal Job

Most people would agree that the concept of a job... Read More

Avoid Your CV Always Ending Up in the Bin

Cover Letters must grab the reader's interest so that they... Read More

Are You Bored By What You Do?

Is your working life in the doldrums? Do you feel... Read More

Can You Compete?

Are you looking to hire the best talent? Are you... Read More

How You Can Find Freelance Writing Employment

How can you find writing jobs? Do you have proven... Read More

Targeting Your Resume is So Important For Your Career

Targeting your portfolio, (resume and cover letter) can get you... Read More

Beat the Crowd with Winning Resume Cover Letters

Far too many people underestimate the importance of resume cover... Read More

Loving What You Do

Man is a social animal and survival is his major... Read More

Why a Professional Resume?

As a job search tool your Resume is your main... Read More

Using Keywords to Find Legitimate Telecommuting Job Leads

Many people are choosing telecommuting as an option to bring... Read More

Benefits of Mystery Shopping For Secret Shoppers

Mystery shoppers are people who are hired to scrutinize employees,... Read More

Why Do Interviews Die: That Sinking Feeling and How to Prevent it!

Interviews die because a mistake occurred. Sometimes, you've made a... Read More

Should You Seek Temporary Or Contractual Employment While Searching?

According to US Department of Labor statistics, the average time... Read More

Job Interview Mistakes To Avoid

By avoiding these 8 simple mistakes, you can improve your... Read More

The 5 Ps Of A Job Search

Step One - Plan:Most people spend more time planning a... Read More

Resumes Arent Important - They are Everything When it Comes to Getting an Interview

Employers and recruiters receive hundreds of resumes for every position... Read More

Have Enough Money to Change Careers - Five Key Steps

At every talk I give, I ask the audience to... Read More

8 Steps to Getting On-Track When You Start a New Job

Starting a new job can feel like moving to a... Read More

Seven Steps to Better Networking

If published statistics are accurate, employment agencies and search firms... Read More

Are You Suited for Self-employment?

A recent poll conducted by Yahoo! Small Business showed that... Read More

How Long Does It Take To Write A Resume?

Many people can easily write a resume in just a... Read More

Job Search Advice for Desperate Job Seekers

Another morning of job hunting lies ahead of you. You... Read More

Looking the Part

I don't know his name and he wasn't trying to... Read More

How to Overcome a Bad First Impression

Have any of these situations happened to you? Forgetting your... Read More

Whiners Need Not Apply

Sometime last summer I decided to host a pity party... Read More

7 Deadly Cover Writing Sins

Don't start off your job search with one (or more)... Read More