Summary Sunday: Job Search Refresh

My call to action for all job seekers is to take the time to do a job search refresh right now. The job market is shifting quickly and there are things you need to know and do.

There was a lot going on this week on the job search front! What I mean is that now is a good time to amp up your efforts and conduct a job search refresh.

[I realize the May jobs report may have misclassified unemployment numbers, but let’s focus on the positive.]

Job postings are increasing. The economy gained 2.5 million jobs in May.

This is a positive sign that we’re on an upswing.

Here’s what you can do:

1. Build stronger relationships with people inside companies where you’ve applied for jobs or are interested in working.
2. Stay in touch with Hiring Managers you’ve interviewed with before they put the job on hold or implemented a hiring freeze.
3. Invest your time reconnecting with people you know and meeting new people, especially those who work inside target companies.
4. This might be the time to consider changing industries.
5. Keep your job search active. Yes, you should apply for some jobs online. It’s like buying a lottery ticket. You can’t win if you don’t play.

This week’s Summary includes articles to help you compete for jobs by understanding who’s hiring, how to stand out and other ways you can find a satisfying career.

JOB SEARCH

770,000 Available Jobs This Week | Susan P. Joyce

NOTE: 200,00 are director, manager or supervisor roles, including:

58% of the Wendy’s jobs
35% of the Deloitte jobs
26% of the Amazon Web Services (AWS) jobs
25% of the Aramark jobs

Top 100 Employers with 770,000 Jobs Open Now

By Susan P. Joyce Week 9: researched on 2 June 2020. I will update this list every week for the foreseeable future. Most of these employers have more jobs open this week than they had open last week. The total this week is a 20,000 job increase from last week!

Changing Industries | Cayla Denegate

Though written for the Australian job market, the idea of focusing on your soft skills (and transferrable skills) applies to US job seekers as well.

Subpar Job vs. Unemployed | Dr. Dawn Grahan

Everyone’s situation is different, but don’t think you HAVE TO take any job.

Should I Accept A Subpar Job Over Being Unemployed?

In this market, the popular saying “beggars can’t be choosers” may come to mind, but that doesn’t mean you should just accept any opportunity that comes your way. While the global pandemic has taken a toll on the economy and has led to some unusual circumstances in the job market, it’s still worth doing your due diligence before signing on the dotted line.

OLDER JOB SEEKERS

Great Second-Act Careers | Nancy Collamer

Not ready to retire? These 100 second-act career ideas will help.

100 Great Second-Act Career Resources

This list of 100+ great resources is for boomers (and others) interested in fun, flexible and fulfilling second-act careers. There are lots of other “best-of” career lists out there, but as far as I know, this is the first and only one to focus on flexible, part-time and entrepreneurial options.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Social Proof | Shep Hyken

While this is written for businesses, job seekers can adapt these tips about social proof to increase their personal brand and reduce any perceived risk as a candidate.

Four Ways To Build Trust Through Social Proof

Trust manifests itself in many ways. It’s more important than ever and vital to the survival of any business. With social media and online reviews being read by millions of consumers, evaluating the trust that companies elicit is practically an American pastime.

Target List | Marc Miller

This explains the logic of using a target list, where to find companies and the power of weak ties!

Building your Target List – The Targeted Job Search (Updated) – Career Pivot

Your target list should contain companies that could hire you. You should be looking for companies that are looking for your skill set. We are not looking for companies that are hiring, but those that are capable of hiring you at some point in the future.

How To Explain YOUR JOB at a Family Dinner
Lee Lefever | CommonCraft

If you struggle to explain what you do…then read this! Even if you don’t struggle, you should read this because when you explain what you do and what you are looking for EVERYONE needs to understand.

MENTIONS

Andy Foote’s Foote-Notes Podcast
EP: 07 Hannah Morgan, Job Search Strategist, Career Sherpa.net

I was excited to talk with Andy about LinkedIn and how to improve your job search. If you like Andy’s style, smooth accent, and topics, definitely subscribe to his podcast.

UPCOMING EVENT

How To Job Search During The Coronavirus

This is the first webinar I’ve hosted on my own…hard to believe, I know. I’ve presented hundreds of times through other organizations, but I’ve finally taken the leap on my own. I hope you’ll join me and discover new ways to search for a job!