This is a warning, not a "how to" post. The longer you are unemployed, the more damaged you appear to be. Is that mean, it isn't meant to be. It is how recruiters and employers have been thinking for ever and that's not likely to change any time soon, if it does, I will be the first to let you know.
There is a pretty good chance that your ideal job is going to be more difficult to find. You might be thinking, not me, I'll beat the odds. Even some of the best networkers are finding it more challenging right now to find something.
Here are some ways to change your thinking:
I can't survive on unemployment. Become determined to get off unemployment as quickly as possible. It is a false security net. The government has extended Unemployment Insurance benefits, but that shouldn't mean you feel entitled to use all of it.
I don't need to stick it to my ex-employer. Lose the anger quickly. They let you go, and it wasn't because they wanted to, it was a dumb business decision. One they might regret later, but one they had to make. There was nothing personal about it.
I can uproot my family, our future depends on it. Relocating isn't such a bad thing. The pioneers did it for a better life. Do you want a better life? "Move West, my friend" or so the saying goes. I am not advocating mass exodus, what I am recommending is seriously looking for work in other areas of the country where they do need you so you can have a job.
I can't just wait this out. The longer you are "waiting", the greater the odds are you will become depressed. Once depressed, you lose your self confidence, once you have lost your self confidence, you will be unable to present yourself as a solution to any employer.
I can't do this the way I used to. Don't just read the Sunday Help Wanted and complain there are no good jobs out there. You probably don't know what else to do. Find resources available to help you learn about HOW TO CONDUCT A JOB SEARCH. If you google this, you will be amazed. Read well-known blogs. (That is why I have a blogroll on the side) By the time a book is published, the information can be out of date.
I can't do this alone. Don't let the negative perception of networking prevent you from trying. It is probably the ONLY way you will be able to find opportunities. Networking requires you do a little self promotion. You'll have to do this in the interview anyway, so you better get good at it. I know you don't like this idea. You don't feel you should have to, but you do.
I can't be all things to all employers. Each employer has it's own specific needs. Let them know that you are the solution to those needs only. Over selling or telling everything you have ever done, just makes you look expensive and overqualified.
Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success.
