The Ultimate Guide to Managing the Transition from

Transcription

The Ultimate Guide to Managing the
Transition from Pink-Slip to Paycheck
By Nancy Collamer
 2002-2003
How to Use This Book
This book is designed to be used in two ways. You can print it out and/or you can use it
online as an interactive document (make sure your browser is open while reading the
document). When you use it as an online document, you can click on the many
hyperlinks throughout the book and connect to the corresponding websites online (book
links go directly to Amazon.com). Please note that all of the links were active at the time
of this writing. However, sites change constantly, and consequently, some of the links
may no longer be functional. I would greatly appreciate it if you could alert me to such
changes at [email protected], so that I can modify future editions of this document.
If you opt to read this document online, you might find it valuable to change the
magnification on your toolbar to your liking so it will be easier on the eyes.
This book is divided into three sections. If you anticipate being laid-off, you’ll want to
start reading right at the beginning of the book. If you have just been laid-off, start with
page 12 and go forward from there. If you have already been laid-off for several
weeks, you can just skim through the chapter on “What to Do in the First 72 Hours” and
then begin your serious reading on page 22.
Important Note
The purpose of this document is to inform and educate. The author shall have neither
liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage
caused, or alleged to be caused, directly or indirectly by the information or links
contained in this document.
Copyright Info
Copyright 2002-03 by Nancy Collamer. All rights reserved worldwide. Reproduction or
translation of any part of this work beyond that permitted by the 1976 United States
Copyright Act without the permission of the author is unlawful.
This document is for the personal use and application of the individual purchaser
only. No part of this document may be transmitted or reproduced without the
expressed written agreement of the author. If your associates or friends could
benefit from The Layoff Survival Guide, I respectfully request that you and they
abide by the copyright law and purchase one copy per user at
www.layoffsurvivalguide.com.
The Layoff Survival Guide
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
………………………………………………………………….
4
PART ONE: When you Sense a Layoff Coming
Smart Protection Measures to Implement Now!……………………………….
5
D-Day: How to Make a Graceful Exit…………………………………………
11
PART TWO: After the Layoff
The First 72 Hours ……………………………………………………………...
12
Your New Financial Reality: Prudence not Panic ……………………………...
22
The Stress of Unemployment: Riding the Emotional Roller Coaster…………...
28
Evaluating New Directions: The Old Way May Not be the Best Way…………. 33
PART THREE: Moving Forward
Setting up Job Search Central…………………………………………………..
42
Tools of the Job Search …………………………………………………………
45
How and Where to Find the Openings………………………………………….. 54
Landing the Job…………………………………………………………………
90
EPILOGUE
Concluding Thoughts/ About the Author………………………………………
The Layoff Survival Guide
96
3
Introduction
We knew for months that my husband would likely lose his job. Nonetheless, when he
finally got “the call” the news caught both of us unprepared. Unprepared for how to tell
our children, unprepared for the jumbled mix of emotions and most dramatically,
unprepared for the sudden loss of routine in our lives. I remember watching my husband
sitting in our home office as he wondered aloud, “Okay, now what am I supposed to do?”
The reality was that as well versed as we both were at finding jobs, we had never done
this “unemployment gig” before. Being laid-off created a whole new set of questions and
challenges. Questions arose like:
•
What are the most important things to do following a layoff?
•
How drastically do we need to cut our spending?
•
Can we negotiate the severance package?
•
What are the best ways to quickly discover the hidden job openings?
Over the next several months, we worked our way through these and other issues. We
made our mistakes as we went along (like learning the tough way why you need to file
for unemployment immediately). We kept notes of what worked and didn’t work. I
spoke with professionals in the career industry, talked with hundreds of individuals at job
fairs and looked up resources on the Internet. Before I knew it, I had the makings of a
book - the results of which are now in front of you.
From the point you suspect that you may be laid-off to the day you negotiate a new job
offer, this book is filled with hundreds of practical strategies and resources to help you
better manage this transition; an interactive “how-to” guide designed to quickly and
efficiently move you from pink-slip to paycheck. To the best of my knowledge, it is the
first and only updated guide to managing unemployment in the new millennium.
My greatest hope is that your need for this book will be short-lived. But, in the event that
you are not so blessed, I am confident you will find the information useful every step of
the way.
Wishing you a successful and speedy transition back to employment,
Nancy Collamer
Collamer Career Consulting
www.layoffsurvivalguide.com
Layoff Survival Guide
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PART ONE: When You Sense a Layoff Coming
Smart Protection Measures to Implement Now!
“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist
adjusts the sails." - William Arthur Ward
Ten Signs a Layoff Might be
Imminent
The time period leading up to a layoff is filled
with clues and warning signals that job cuts may
be coming down the road. Lowered earnings,
heightened emphasis on booking sales, and
across-the-board pay cuts are just some of the
many signs that layoffs may be inevitable. Take
a look at the list on the right. How many of
those apply to your employer? One…three…all
ten?
If looking at the list is making you
uncomfortable and you’re concerned that your
job may be in real jeopardy, you can either
continue to worry or you can take action.
I am confident that you are ready to get proactive. So, what should you do next? First,
accept your job may not be safe. Regardless of
your perceived standing within the company,
very few people are truly indispensable.
Second, stay calm and continue to pay attention
to your job. If management has not yet selected
who will be let go, you want to improve your
odds of being maintained.
Finally, prepare for the worst. If you’re not
selected for the layoffs, that’s great. But if your
name is on “the list”, you’ll minimize the
negative impact of a layoff and gain greater
control over your destiny at a time when many
key decisions are out of your influence.
Let’s now take a closer look at seven specific
actions you can take to best protect yourself
when anticipating a layoff.
The Layoff Survival Guide: Smart Protection Measures
1. A hiring freeze is
implemented.
2. Salary increases, performance
reviews, training sessions and
promotions are deferred.
3. Rules regarding travel,
especially “non-essential”
travel, are made more
restrictive.
4. Corporate earnings have been
flat or declining.
5. The expense reimbursement
process requires more
approvals and oversight.
6. The whole HR department is
burning the midnight oil.
7. Top brass is spending an
inordinate amount of time in
closed-door meetings.
8. Key executives (and their
assistants) are making a lot of
confidential phone calls.
9. A merger has recently taken
place resulting in duplication
of positions.
10. The rumor mill is in
overdrive.
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1. Activate your network
You’ve heard it one hundred times before – networking is the single most effective way
to find another job. While you’re still employed you have a multitude of reasons for
contacting colleagues, vendors, co-workers and clients. Use this time wisely (and
creatively) to expand and strengthen your networking web:
•
Attend industry association meetings. Volunteer to chair a committee or
upcoming event.
•
Set up breakfast and lunch meetings with as many contacts as you can
comfortably arrange. Set a goal of having at least two face-to-face networking
sessions each week.
•
Check in with former co-workers who are now at other companies.
•
Send articles of interest to key contacts with a short note saying, “Thought you’d
find this intriguing. Hope all is well-look forward to catching up with you soon.”
Be careful to use discretion when deciding how much of your personal situation to
discuss during these meetings. The last thing you need right now is your boss learning
about your desire to work elsewhere. The real purpose of your networking efforts should
be to solidify your relationships so that you’ll feel more comfortable calling on these
people for assistance if and when the need arises.
2. Secure Your Contact List and Personal Files
Since your network is the key to a successful job search, you’ll want to be sure that
you’ve got the telephone numbers, e-mail, and address information of your valued
contacts secured and organized for future reference:
•
If this information is maintained on company-owned equipment (such as a
personal computer or PDA) back up those files on disk and bring the disk home.
•
Copy all pertinent data from your Rolodex.
•
Go through the company directory and record contact information for future use.
•
Invest in software, a PDA or a personal organizer system that helps you to better
manage contact information.
•
Open an e-mail account at home (if you don’t already have one) and transfer your
work online address book to your home account. Use the home account for
personal networking since you never know who might read your office mail.
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Don’t be too selective in picking and choosing whose contact information to maintain.
You might be pleasantly surprised to discover that your most helpful leads come from the
least likely sources.
If you are dismissed, you could be denied the opportunity to go back to your office and
clean out your personal belongings. Since there may be a question as to what belongs to
you and what belongs to the company, now is the time to sort through your files and take
home your personal files. Just be careful not to remove anything that could be deemed to
be company property or proprietary in nature.
TIP: Avoid making a show of your packing activities - you don’t want to create the
impression that you’re expecting to be laid off. Although the company may not allow
you back in your office after being dismissed, they will return your personal belongings
so don’t feel the need to take down photos quite yet. But, consider removing anything
you consider personal or valuable in a non-obvious manner.
3. Update Your Job Search Toolkit
If it’s been more than a couple of years since you last looked for a job, you should take a
few hours to familiarize yourself with some of the recent technological advancements in
job search techniques, as well as brush up on the more tried and true job search methods.
At a minimum:
•
Update your resume: In today’s workplace, smart workers always keep an upto-date resume on file. You never know when a perfect job opportunity might
surface; don’t let an outdated resume prevent you from reacting to new
opportunities in a timely manner.
•
Re-establish ties with executive recruiters: If you’ve successfully worked with
recruiters in the past, give them a call to touch base. Send them your updated
resume and a brief cover letter.
•
Learn how to send a resume online: There are different methods of posting and
sending resumes online. For assistance and advice on this topic, my favorite site
is Rebecca Smith’s eResumes and Resources at www.eresumes.com. The large
job bank sites such as www.monster.com and www.flipdog.com also provide
resume-posting instructions for the users on their sites.
•
Sign up for job search agents: Looking for an easy and confidential way to put
the power of the Internet to work in your job search? A growing number of sites
now have job search agents -- the equivalent of an employment-oriented personal
shopper. You input the specifications of your desired job - the job search agent
will check all the jobs posted in its database and then periodically send you emails with postings that match your profile. For an example of a job search agent,
consult The Job Hunter feature on FlipDog.com
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•
Don’t forget to investigate job opportunities elsewhere within your company:
This is especially true for employees of larger companies where one division can
be heading for layoffs while another division thrives. If you have skills that might
be attractive to other departments, look into options for transfer.
Forrester Research of Cambridge, MA, forecasts that 100 percent of large companies, 60
percent of mid-sized companies and 20 percent of small firms will be using the Internet to
source candidates and fill open positions by 2003.
4. Exercise Fiscal Responsibility
The financial impact caused by the loss of your job can be devastating, but with some
careful advance planning, it can be minimized. You’ll save yourself undue stress by
taking time now to evaluate your financial picture and short-term spending decisions.
Here are five smart and relatively painless money moves to make today:
•
Hold off on long-term financial commitments: Unless you are independently
wealthy, your dreams of buying a new home, undertaking a major renovation, or
purchasing a luxury car should be put on hold. The last thing you need right now
is to be hampered with new monthly payment obligations.
•
Pay off credit card debt: With credit card interest rates hovering close to 20%,
the cost of maintaining a monthly credit balance can be staggering. If it is not
possible to totally eliminate the debt quickly, investigate ways to consolidate the
payments on a card with a lower interest rate.
•
Creatively increase your savings account: Certain bills such as auto insurance,
health clubs, etc. can often be paid in either a lump sum or installment payments.
If you normally pay them on an annual basis, this may be a good time to look into
monthly or quarterly payments instead. Surprisingly, the borrowing cost on these
installment plans can be quite low, providing you with the option of maintaining a
higher cushion in your savings account during this critical time period.
•
Take out a home equity loan or line of credit: In general, you should try to
reduce your outstanding debt. However, if you are concerned about having
enough cash on hand to get you through the next 6-12 months, you might want to
consider securing a home equity line of credit or some other type of low interest
loan. It will be much easier to be approved for the loan while you’re employed.
And, you’ll only need to pay interest on the line if you actually use it.
•
Reduce unnecessary discretionary type expenses and increase savings: As the
old Nike ad said, “Just do it.” No downside to this one.
TIP: If you do get laid-off, cash flow will become an immediate concern so steer away
from long-term investment vehicles and keep your discretionary savings in cash or assets
that are easy to liquidate.
8
5. Benefits – Use ‘em before you lose ‘em
In the event of a job loss, your benefits will most likely be eliminated. While you will be
given the opportunity to extend your health coverage through COBRA (for more
information see page 14), now is the time to maximize your other benefits:
•
Personal Days: If you need to take time away from the job, save your
vacation days by depleting your personal days first. After termination,
you’re normally entitled to receive pay for accrued vacation time, while
payment for unused personal days or holidays is rare.
•
Vision Benefits: If you’re entitled to a vision care plan, schedule your
family’s eye exams and purchase of glasses/contact lenses immediately.
•
Max out your Medical Flexible Spending Account: If you are fortunate
enough to participate in a section 125-reimbursement account, you can
claim all eligible expenses (prescription drug costs, eye care,
unreimbursed medical deductibles, etc.) incurred through your date of
termination, even if you have not yet fully contributed to the plan. In
other words, let’s say you elected to have $1200 put into this account, but
as of your July 1 termination date, you have only contributed $600
towards the account. If you have incurred $1200 of eligible expenses by
your termination date, your employer must reimburse you for the full
$1200 even though you have only contributed half that amount. On the
other hand, if you have contributed more than you have spent at the time
you are terminated, you will lose any excess balance in your account
(unless you elect to continue your medical reimbursement contributions
through COBRA, in which case your period for qualifying expenses will
match the plan year). So, do what you can now to maximize those
reimbursable expenses – schedule check-ups, order all needed meds, and
get your family in tip-top medical shape at an unbeatable price!
•
Dependent Care: If your child is enrolled in a company-sponsored
childcare program, you should investigate the company’s policy regarding
your right to continue participating in that program following your
termination. If that is not an option, begin to collect data on suitable
childcare services in your area.
•
Miscellaneous Benefits: Is your company affiliated with a work-life
service that provides helpful information about eldercare, referrals to
summer camps, or daycare providers? How about the little perks – like
membership in the Disney Club? Take advantage of these services while
you are still eligible.
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6.
Investigate the Company’s Severance Policy
Unlike other employee benefits, most companies do not publish any printed information
on severance policies. Some companies use a formula based on rank and years of
service, while others wing it as they go along. Consequently, finding out what you will
be paid upon termination can require some savvy investigative skills. Your best source
of information will be other employees who have been recently laid off. As you gather
information, it’s important to not only find out the amount of severance you can
reasonably expect, but also:
•
Does the company make lump-sum severance payments or continue employees on
payroll? Will your severance payments stop if you find another job?
•
Will they extend your insurance benefits?
•
Do they provide outplacement assistance?
•
Do they offer alternatives to severance? Some companies have recently started to
offer employees leave of absence packages as an alternative to termination.
7. Prepare your spouse or significant other
As difficult as it may be to discuss your fears, you need to be honest with your partner
about your current job situation. Trying to spare him/her unnecessary anguish, while
admirable, may well backfire if your partner feels that you have intentionally kept
him/her in the dark.
SUMMARY: LAYOFF PREPARATION CHECKLIST
Task
Date Completed
Activated Network
Secured personal files
Updated resume
Updated job search skills
Reviewed and adapted financial plan
Maximized benefits package
Investigated severance policy
Prepared partner for possibility of job loss
10
D-Day: How to Make a Graceful Exit
When written in Chinese, the word 'crisis' is composed of two characters—one represents
danger, and the other represents opportunity." -- John F. Kennedy
It is a significant understatement to say that most employers are less than kind when
terminating employees. In truth, all too many terminations are handled with a shocking
lack of decency and common sense. Many employers do not even give employees time
to clean out their desks or say goodbye to co-workers before they are escorted
unceremoniously out the door. Regardless of whether you are blessed with an
understanding boss, or cursed with an employer who tries to hastily dump you outside the
building in five seconds or less, you can make the best of a negative situation by
incorporating these suggestions into your exit strategy:
•
Keep your anger in check: As difficult as this may be, you need to keep your
anger under control. No good purpose will be served by violent outbursts.
•
Don’t sign anything on the spot: Ask for a minimum of seventy-two hours to
review papers. It’s unreasonable to expect employees to sign documents under
duress. If needed, get legal advice before signing any legal papers.
•
Be prepared to negotiate severance packages: Hopefully, you’ve done your
homework and can quickly assess if your package is fair and reasonable. If you
believe the package is unfair, and feel confident that you can negotiate without
getting too emotional, now is the time to think about asking for more (see page 13
for more details). Otherwise, wait a day or two to present a counter-offer.
•
Say a quick and pleasant goodbye to co-workers: Assuming you are allowed
to do so, make it a point to say goodbye to the people you work with. Keep your
comments brief and upbeat so as not to make anybody feel uncomfortable.
•
Find out whom to contact for further information: Once you get home you’ll
undoubtedly have questions that need answering. Make sure you know whom to
call for accurate information regarding your termination.
•
Resist the urge to take company property – Remove only those items that are
technically your own.
Bottom line is don’t burn any bridges behind you, no matter how angry you may be.
Keep your head held high, your comments in check and you’ll be able to walk out the
door with your dignity intact. It’s always possible that your employer may ask you back
at some point, either as a contract or regular worker, so do what you can to insure that
your options are kept open.
The Layoff Survival Guide: D-Day: How to Make a Graceful Exit
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PART TWO: After the Layoff
The First 72 Hours
“It is easy to sit up and take notice. What is difficult is getting up and taking action.”-Al Batt
If the worst happens and you do lose your job, you’ll discover that it can be difficult to
focus and take action– particularly if the news of your dismissal came as a surprise. So
it’s more than understandable if all you want to do is crawl under the covers or hop on the
first plane to Bermuda. Unfortunately, there are several things you really do need to
address ASAP, and the sooner you take care of them, the smoother your transition will
be:
5 “Must Do” Items
1. Review your separation package
2. Share the news with your spouse or significant other
3. Talk to your children
4. Let people know how they can reach you during this transition phase
5. File for unemployment
Let’s take a closer look at the specifics of each of these important steps:
1. Review your separation package
At the termination meeting, your employer should provide you with a folder of
information containing specific forms and instructions to review. In addition to details
regarding severance payment (and payment for accrued vacation time), your separation
package may include information regarding:
•
Outplacement/ job search assistance services
•
Continuation of insurance benefits (COBRA)
•
401-K and/or other pension plans
•
Access to employee assistance services
•
Details regarding payment of outstanding bonuses, commissions, profit sharing
plans, etc.
The Layoff Survival Guide: The First 72 Hours
12
Severance Payment – Chances are your employer will provide you with a severance
payment upon termination. While there is no law requiring an employer to provide
severance pay, most employers provide at least some payment to employees who are laid
off. Amounts paid vary tremendously – ranging from two weeks to as much as six
months or more. Payments are typically based upon a formula determined by length of
service and position within the company. Even though your employer may present your
severance package as being a clearly defined, non-negotiable benefit, the reality is that
there are several critical decisions you’ll need to make regarding this benefit.
Here are some of the key issues to consider:
Should I sign a separation agreement or waiver?
At the time you are presented with your severance package, you may be asked to sign a
separation agreement or a waiver, in exchange for receiving severance payment. These
documents may include an agreement on your part not to:
•
Disclose trade secrets
•
Go to work for a competitor, and/or
•
Hold the company liable for terminating you.
Because of the implications of these restrictions, it is normally a good idea to have an
attorney review the separation document before you sign anything. At a minimum, you
should never allow yourself to be bullied into signing the documents “on the spot”
before you’ve had a chance to read the fine print.
Can I negotiate for a better package?
Maybe. It’s likely your employer is feeling guilty about having to terminate you and
might be willing to negotiate a sweeter deal. Now is the time to point out if you’ve
served longer or worked harder than others let go. Even if your employer can’t budge on
giving you more compensation, he/she might agree to provide other benefits such as
outplacement services, a favorable buyout on the company car or continuation of medical
benefits. Particularly in smaller companies that lack formalized severance policies, you
might have more negotiating power than you think. When approaching your employer,
choose the one or two items on your list that are most important to you—you’re more
likely to get what you want if you’re not expecting every possible concession. Now is
also the best time to secure your employer’s commitment to provide a positive reference.
However, if the company has a written severance policy that clearly spells out their
severance benefit, there may not be any room for negotiation. This is especially true
when companies undertake large layoffs and have taken great care to construct equitable
severance packages.
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What should I do if I feel that my severance package or my separation from the
company is unfair?
Gather your facts, speak with your employer and calmly voice your concerns. It’s in the
interest of both parties to resolve any disputes quickly and without legal interference. If
that fails to produce your desired outcome, you’ll need to weigh the cost and aggravation
involved with filing a lawsuit against the value of a win in court.
That said, there are times when you should hire legal representation – if your employer is
denying you benefits entitled to under the law, if you’ve been wrongly terminated, or if
you’ve been discriminated against.
To learn more about the legalities surrounding termination policies, here are two
excellent books:
Fired, Downsized or Laid-Off: What your Employer Doesn’t Want You to Know
by Alan Sklovar
Job Rights & Survival Strategies: A Handbook for Terminated Employees by Paul
Tobias (National Employee Rights Institute, 1997)
Severance pay is declining, according to a 2001 severance survey by Manchester Inc.,
an outplacement firm based in Jacksonville, Fla. Middle managers are receiving 15%
less severance pay than those who lost jobs four years ago, and senior executives are
receiving 12% less, Manchester reports.
Although severance pay has declined, companies have enhanced severance packages in
other ways. More companies are providing outplacement assistance, health insurance
and access to employee assistance programs. Plus, nearly three-quarters (74%) of
companies allow employees to keep the full amount of their severance pay regardless of
how quickly they find new work, compared to 72% in 1997.
Health Insurance
Beyond your salary, one of the most valued benefits of employment is health insurance
coverage. If you’re lucky, your employer will pay for continuation of your health
benefits for a specified period of time. But if not, COBRA is a federal law that allows
you to continue your health care coverage after you leave your job. Under COBRA,
employers with 20 or more employees must offer their terminated employees (and their
enrolled dependents) the option of continuing to be covered by the company’s group
health insurance plan, for a specific period after employment ends – typically 18 months.
That’s the good news.
14
The bad news is that in order to maintain the coverage, you are responsible for paying the
full amount of the monthly premiums – which can be a daunting amount of money. Your
employer will provide you with a letter detailing the costs involved with your specific
coverage. Because COBRA is so costly, you should carefully weigh your options before
automatically signing up for this coverage.
Tips for Managing COBRA’s Bite
•
Don’t rush to sign on for COBRA: You have sixty days to elect COBRA
coverage. This period is measured from the later of two dates; the coverage loss
date or the date the notice to elect COBRA coverage is sent (so if you are
terminated on September 1 and your employer doesn’t send out your notice until
September 15, you actually have 75 days from the date of your termination to
elect coverage). If you find another job and get access to new health coverage
during that time period, you may be able to escape without paying anything for
COBRA (assuming you don’t have any medical expenses during that time).
•
Investigate alternatives: You may be able to obtain health insurance at more
favorable rates through other insurance providers, such as your spouse’s benefit
plan, a student plan, or plans offered through professional associations. Compare
the specifics of the coverage (including any limitations pertaining to pre-existing
conditions) to insure the best value for your dollar.
•
Decide if you need to continue all of your health benefits, or if just medical
coverage is sufficient: If a plan provides both core and non-core benefits (vision
and dental), individuals may generally elect either the entire package or just core
benefits. Depending on your circumstance, it may pay to elect only medical
coverage.
•
If you choose COBRA, be certain to sign up for it before the deadline
expires: The last thing you need is to be stuck with no medical insurance. As
expensive as COBRA is, it is still cheaper than having to pay for large unexpected
health care emergencies.
Online Resources for finding Health Insurance
EhealthInsurance.com www.ehealthinsurance.com
Insure.com http://www.insure.com/health/
Children’s Defense Organization (designed primarily to help children in working
families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid but too low to afford
private family coverage) http://www.childrensdefense.org/hs_chipmain.php
Insure Kids Now (a national campaign to link the nation's 10 million uninsured
children--from birth to age 18--to free and low-cost health insurance. )
http://www.insurekidsnow.gov/
15
Other Insurance Coverage
During your employment, your employer may have provided other insurance coverage,
such as life or disability insurance. While employers are not required to continue these
policies, some employers do provide that option. Check your separation agreement to see
what information is provided on this topic. If there isn’t any, inquire with your benefits
office to find out your alternatives, and then comparison-shop with outside vendors.
While it will be tempting to let life or disability insurance lapse, it is in your best interest
to maintain this coverage, even if you do so at a reduced benefit level - having no
coverage in place could be disastrous if you incur a major loss.
Stock Options
If you were granted stock options during your employment and have met the vesting
requirements, you now have a limited window of time to exercise those options before
they expire. Check with both your benefits department and your accountant to insure that
you fully understand the restrictions and tax implications related to these transactions. Be
careful – you don’t want to find yourself stuck with a huge tax bill as a result of
exercising this benefit.
401-K and Other Pension Plans
Included in your separation package should be information regarding the transfer or
payout of funds from your company-sponsored pension plan. Be certain to file any
necessary paperwork within the deadlines specified.
•
Pensions: If you are enrolled in a pension plan, get complete, up-to-date
information about your future benefits by requesting an “individual benefit
statement” from the pension-plan administrator. Now is the time to get that
information – you want to avoid having to research this years later, when it could
be much more difficult. Be aware that you are legally entitled to receive that
information within 30 days of your request (contact your State Labor Department
if your company refuses to comply).
•
401-K Plans: Your employer should provide you with a 401-K summary plan
description and an individual benefit statement. Unfortunately, if you have not
met the employer’s vesting requirements, you will only be entitled to the money
you contributed to the account and will have to forfeit any of the employer’s
matching funds. You will be provided with several options for closing out your
company 401-K account:
1. Cash out the account (think carefully before using this option since there
are serious tax consequences and financial penalties associated with this
option).
2. Roll the account over to a new employer’s plan
3. Transfer the funds to an IRA or Roth account.
16
Each of these options has associated tax implications, so make sure you understand the
consequences before selecting your best option. Consult your accountant with any
questions.
Miscellaneous Perks
In addition to the more usual benefits, you may have been given miscellaneous perks that
will now disappear. Do you drive a company-owned automobile? Use a laptop or cell
phone provided by the firm? If the company insists that you return these items, ask if it
may be possible to purchase them at a reduced price.
Outplacement Services
Some companies offer their severed employees access to outplacement services. If your
company offers to pay for such services, take them up on it. As an outplacement client
you’ll gain access to:
•
Career guidance and assessment testing
•
Help organizing and planning your job search
•
Workshops and networking opportunities
•
Job search resources, such as lists of recruiters and access to business databases
•
Use of office space, administrative services and mailing services
Don’t hesitate to give outplacement a try. Even seasoned job hunters find the resources,
support and encouragement provided by these firms to be an invaluable asset during their
job search.
Employee Assistance Services
Some companies offer employees access to employee assistance programs, such as
mental health or credit counseling. Here again, if the company is willing to foot the bill,
make use of these services to help reduce the stress associated with the job loss.
Remember it is not always necessary to file all of the papers in your package within the
first 72 hours, but it is extremely important that you take the time to review all of the
components of your separation package carefully to insure that you receive the maximum
benefits being offered to you. If you have any questions regarding your separation
package, do not hesitate to contact your employer, accountant or attorney for
clarification.
17
2. Share the News with Your Spouse or Significant Other
It may seem odd to list this as a “must-do” step, because most people will automatically
do this without prompting. After all, it’s only logical that your partner deserves to be told
immediately about your job loss. Nonetheless, I know situations where this step was
delayed, at least temporarily. One gentleman even continued to go through his usual
routine each morning; putting on his suit, heading out for the morning train, and then
staying away from the house all day - just to create the impression that he was still
employed. As difficult as it may be to share this news, the sooner you get it over with,
the easier it will be for all involved. Putting it off will only make matters worse. Trying
to spare your partner unnecessary anguish, while admirable, may well backfire if he/she
feels that you have intentionally kept them in the dark.
3. Talk to Your Children
Once you and your spouse have an opportunity to digest the news, you’ll want to discuss
the best way to share the news with your children. While you can probably wait a day or
two before meeting with your children, thereby giving yourself some time to calm down
and gather your thoughts, don’t let weeks go by without taking action. Children often
have a sixth sense when something is wrong, so letting them know what is happening, in
an age-appropriate manner, is vital. Here are some suggestions for breaking the news:
•
Time the meeting carefully, so as not to interfere with important school activities.
Make sure you tell all the children at the same time, so that nobody hears the
news second-hand.
•
Be truthful, but try not to overburden them with too many of the emotional or
financial details.
•
Make sure your children know this situation is not anybody's fault. Children may
not understand about job loss and immediately think that you did something
wrong to cause it. Or, they may feel that somehow they are responsible; they need
reassurance in these matters, regardless of their age.
•
Ask your children if they have any questions. If they don’t raise any immediate
concerns, let them know that their questions are important and that you’d be
happy to discuss them further at a later time.
•
Keep speculation to a minimum. Issues such as the possibility of relocation are
better addressed if and when they actually materialize.
•
Allow your children to help. If they offer to defer expensive purchases or take a
small cut in their allowance, let them. It can help them feel like they’re
contributing to the family in a meaningful way.
Most important, emphasize to your children that this is a temporary situation, not a
permanent state of affairs. It will be a challenge, but with the family working together,
life will soon be back on track again.
18
4. Let People Know How They Can Reach You
One of the problems associated with losing your job, is that you can quickly lose touch
with business associates if they no longer know how to get a hold of you. To avoid this
problem, immediately send an e-mail (either from home or using the bounce-back
message on your work e-mail) to your business associates letting them know your new
contact information. While you may want to send a personal note to close contacts, a
simple business-like note to the majority of your client list will suffice. You can (and
probably should) follow up with a more detailed piece of correspondence a few weeks
down the road, but for now you just want to insure they can reach you in the interim.
Keep the note simple and professional. For example:
Dear Ellen:
Hope this finds you well. I just wanted to let you know that due to a staff reduction, my
last day with Jones Pharmaceutical was October 29, 2001. I can now be reached at 203697-3287 or at my e-mail address [email protected].
I’ll be in touch with you in a few weeks. Until then, stay well.
Kind regards,
Nancy Collamer
If you’re up to the challenge, it’s a good idea to send a more personal note to close
colleagues and business associates. They can be your strongest allies for the job search
but they may be feeling uncomfortable about calling you. Help ease the way by letting
them know you’re okay and encourage them to get in touch.
5. File for Unemployment
The fifth, but by no means least important “must-do” step, is to file for unemployment.
Granted, you won’t get paid very much, but it is money that you are entitled to and you’d
be foolish not to claim it. Don’t let pride stand in your way – this is money you’ve
earned fair and square. If it makes you feel any better, be aware that unemployment is
funded by employers and the more claims are credited against any one employer, the
higher their rate of taxation becomes – a not so subtle way to try to limit the number of
layoffs.
Fortunately, filing for unemployment has been simplified in recent years. In many states,
you can now file by telephone, removing the stigma of having to stand on long lines at
the unemployment office. Once your claim is processed, you’ll be required to call in
once a week to keep your account active. Here are some commonly asked questions
about unemployment:
19
When Should I file?
Your claim should be filed in the first week that you have become totally or partially
unemployed. Do not delay filing a claim if you do not have your pink slip or if you
are uncertain whether you are eligible for benefits for any reason.
Filing immediately is important for two reasons:
1. Ordinarily, you do not get paid for the weeks prior to the week you filed your
claim. Benefits will not be paid retroactively for weeks preceding the filing of
your claim unless it is established through a hearing process that good cause for
late filing existed.
2. It generally takes 2-3 weeks to receive a benefit check so you want to get the
process rolling ASAP.
Where do I go to file a claim?
In reality, you may not need to go anywhere as the majority of states now accept
unemployment claims via telephone.
To find the unemployment center in your state, go to:
http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/map.asp
or locate your state unemployment center in your local telephone book.
What if I live in one state but worked in another?
First, contact the state where you live. If you are ineligible for benefits in your home
state, they can direct you to the proper office.
What documents will I need to file?
Here again, the specifics vary from state to state. In general you will be asked for:
•
Your Social Security number.
•
Your mailing address and zip code.
•
A telephone number where you can be contacted for additional information.
•
A paystub.
•
The names and addresses of all employers for whom you've worked within the
last 18 months, including those in another state.
If you do not have all of the documents listed above, you may still file a claim. There
may be some delay, however, in receiving your first payment.
20
How much will I receive?
Assuming you meet the requirements for eligibility your weekly benefit will be
calculated based on your prior compensation. The maximum payment you are eligible to
receive, as well as the number of weeks you can get paid in one year, varies from state to
state (as a point of reference, in New York State the maximum weekly payment as of
October 2001 was $405 and you could receive up to 26 weeks of payments).
Be aware that unemployment compensation is taxable income. When you work, your
employer withholds money from each paycheck to pay taxes. But when you receive
unemployment compensation, nothing is automatically withheld from your check. This
means you may have to pay estimated tax to meet your tax obligation. You can find out
more about estimated tax and how to pay it by calling or visiting your local IRS office.
Other services offered by unemployment
In addition to providing unemployment compensation, there are a host of job search and
entrepreneurial assistance programs provided free of charge by the state unemployment
offices. While the quality of the programs vary from state to state, I have been duly
impressed by the scope and professionalism offered by some of the programs located in
my home state. Give them a try – you may be pleasantly surprised! To locate a program
in your state, go to: http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/map.asp or locate your state’s
Unemployment Center, or One-Stop Employment Services Office in your local telephone
book.
Three things not to do during the first 72 hours:
By now, you’ve probably noticed that I’ve made no reference to getting your job search
organized during the first three days, which may strike you as odd. But, most experts
agree that it’s important to give yourself at least a few days to calm down, absorb the
news and organize your thoughts before putting your job search into full gear. So, for at
least a few days:
1. Don't immediately send out resumes, particularly if you have not given
serious thought to the type of position you are seeking. Take the time to do it
right.
2. Avoid the urge to call everybody you know to vent about your job loss. You
don’t want your anger about the situation coloring the tone of your
conversation.
3. Don't rush to call your networking contacts until you’ve got a firm game plan
in place.
Allow yourself the time needed to begin the process of recovering from the shock of
losing your job, before attempting to move on to the job search itself.
21
Your New Financial Reality: Prudence not Panic
"Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship"- Benjamin Franklin
Once you’ve finalized your severance arrangements, have secured needed insurance
coverage and filed for unemployment, you’ll want to turn your attention to developing a
viable interim financial plan. Without question, one of the most difficult aspects of
losing your job is the financial uncertainty that suddenly clouds your life. In a matter of
minutes, you’ve gone from earning a predictable salary to a completely unpredictable
financial status – one that has no definitive end point or resolution.
When your family loses its only income, or a significant part of it, you can feel as though
it’s the end of the world. Even in families with significant assets, the sudden loss of
income creates serious worries, or worse still, a real sense of panic.
While you can’t change the fact that your income has stopped, you can minimize the
impact of the loss by making a conscious decision to actively manage your new financial
reality. The sooner you assume a proactive stance, the sooner you’ll be able to make
sound decisions, financial and otherwise, to help you regain control over your destiny.
Develop an interim financial plan
Unlike your previous financial plans that likely concentrated on socking money away and
watching your investments grow, this is a plan to manage your cash reserves and
expenditures while you are without a consistent income. As depressing as compiling this
plan may be, it is a necessary step and the sooner you undertake this exercise, the sooner
you’ll be able to focus on the main task at hand – finding another job.
Keep in mind that this is only a plan and you can reasonably expect to make adjustments
as you proceed. Here is a three-step approach to developing your financial plan:
Step One: Get a handle on expenses
Start by taking a realistic look at your family's overall expenditures.
Using old credit card statements, bills, and checking account registers to jog your
memory, make a list of all your expenses. Don’t forget to include expenses that you may
only pay once a year, such as membership dues or insurance payments. Have your
spouse review the list to make sure you’ve included all the miscellaneous expenses
(newspapers, coffee, etc.) that seem trivial, but add up over time.
It might be helpful to divide your expenses into four categories:
The Layoff Survival Guide: Your New Financial Reality
22
•
Fixed expenses: These are the bills that remain the same each month, such as
your mortgage or rent payment, car payments, COBRA, or loan repayments.
•
Flexible expenses: These are items where the amount you spend varies each
month. Examples would be utility bills, clothing, food, entertainment or
transportation expenses.
•
Annual expenses: Expenses that you typically pay for once a year, some of
which may be more discretionary than others. Example of these may be summer
camp, vacations or holiday gift expenses.
•
Discretionary expenses: Expenses that are not needed for survival, such as
fancy haircuts or jewelry.
Step Two: Ask yourself and your family, “Where can we trim spending?”
Using input from all your family members, figure out ways to cut as many extraneous
expenses as possible. If you include the family in the planning process, you’ll find it
much easier to gain their cooperation when it’s time to implement the plan.
Obviously, you can’t cut expenses like the mortgage (unless you can refinance), but the
reality is that most other expenses can be managed in a more cost-efficient manner,
sometimes with surprisingly little sacrifice.
Begin by eliminating those “nice to haves” but “definitely not necessary” expenses such
as frequent meals out or new clothes each season. Then, examine ways to spend less by
implementing some clever cost cutting measures. Here are just a few ways to become a
smarter consumer:
•
Shop the sales: Particularly during bad economic times, retailers get fairly
aggressive at running special sales and promotions. Take advantage of combining
sales with coupons and other special discount services.
•
Credit cards: If you can’t bring yourself to eliminate or reduce your dependency
on credit cards, at least manage your cards more efficiently. If you've already got
credit card debt, or you think you soon will, find a new card with a lower interest
rate and transfer your outstanding balances immediately.
•
Reduce use of services: Think of ways to creatively reduce but not eliminate
services. If your child takes weekly piano lessons, could you temporarily have
them go every other week? If you normally bring the car in for a wash each
week, switch to once a month. These small changes can add up over time.
•
Bank fees: Banks are notorious for tacking on extra fees for services like
checking accounts and ATM privileges. Shop around to see if you’ve got the best
deal.
23
•
Phone bill: Now is the time to actually pay attention to all those annoying
telemarketers who call trying to get you to switch your long distance service.
Odds are good you can lower your calling rate with just a few well-placed
inquiries. It’s also a good time to evaluate if you really need to have a cell phone
or other “ bells and whistles” like caller ID and call waiting.
•
Car insurance: Assuming you have a good driving record, you might be able to
easily reduce your premiums by shopping around.
•
Groceries: Shopping with a list, a full stomach, and coupons can help you
significantly reduce your family’s food bill.
•
Free entertainment: From concerts in the park to movie night at the library,
opportunities abound for free or low-cost entertainment options. Check your local
papers for listings of options in your neighborhood.
•
Use the library: The library is one of the best bargains going. Take advantage
of the books, free videos and CD’s, and research databases offered by your local
library.
Consider approaching your cost cutting measures in stages, to avoid the sense that you
are “punishing” yourself or family members for your unemployed status. It’s important
to convey the idea that your unemployment is a temporary status, not a permanent
condition.
For more ideas on ways to economize consult:
The Frugal Life http://www.thefrugallife.com/
The Dollar Stretcher http://www.stretcher.com/index.cfm
Step Three: Construct a revised spending and income plan
Once you’ve listed your expenses and examined ways to potentially reduce your
spending, your final step is to actually construct a revised spending/income plan. While
you can do your plan on paper, using a financial software program such as Quicken, or a
spreadsheet application such as Excel, can make your task much easier. On the next page
is a sample six-month plan. Use this only as a guide – feel free to amend the chart to
more effectively meet your needs.
24
SAMPLE SPENDING/INCOME PLAN
JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
INCOME
Spouse Income
Unemployment
Compensation
Interest
Income
OTHER
EXPENSES
Mortgage
Electric
Heat
Water
Cable
Garbage
Telephone
Cell Phone
Home
Insurance
Auto Ins.
COBRA
Life Insurance
Entertainment
Groceries
Clothing
Dry cleaning
Tuition
Daycare
Gifts
Pet care
Prescriptions
Vacations
Camp
Misc. cash
Unexpected
expenses
MONTHLY
TOTAL
25
Smart money management tips
In addition to the strategies already discussed – spending less and economizing where
possible, here are some ways to keep your financial picture sound on a long-term basis:
•
Decide which bills to pay first: Pay debts that are secured, such as house or car
payments first. Falling behind on your mortgage will lead to late penalties and
could cost you your home, so this payment should be first on your list. Don’t let
your payment decisions be dictated by which collection agency yells loudest.
•
Be judicious about cutting household help: Particularly in the arena of
childcare, you don’t want to eliminate your support system, only to have to
scramble madly to replace them in a few months. If you can’t afford to continue
full-time help, speak with friends who might be interested in hiring your sitter or
housekeeper on a temporary basis, while you only use them on a part-time basis.
•
Keep perspective when checking your investments: Given the volatility of the
stock market, your portfolio will go through ups and downs. Don’t get in the
habit of checking your portfolio on a daily basis – you’ll suffer needless worry
and anxiety.
•
Don't raid your 401(k): It's tempting when you lose a job to withdraw money
from your 401(k) or retirement plan. If at all possible, don't do it. Distributions
from your qualified retirement plans are subject to income taxes and a 10%
penalty. More importantly, the money you take out won't have the chance to
grow and help provide for a secure retirement.
Hanging in for the Long Haul
If the job search drags on longer than expected, you may be faced with increasing
financial pressure. Obviously, you should take a second look at expenses and make more
cuts where feasible. This second round of cuts will have to slash more deeply than round
one. In addition, it’s advisable to:
•
Speak with creditors about delaying payments on big-ticket items such as
tuition payments for private schools, camp deposits, and membership dues.
Particularly in situations where you have a long-standing relationship with the
organization, along with a history of reliable payment, they may likely be willing
to work out some sort of more manageable payment schedule.
•
Talk with your lender if you’re having difficulty making your mortgage
payments: Understand that lenders really don’t want you to lose your home.
Foreclosures are expensive and time consuming for all parties involved. If you
cannot make payments, contact your lender immediately to show that you intend
to work with them to address the problem and then ask to explore your options.
26
Explore ways to increase income: You can get at least some income in the door
through temporary assignments working for a temporary agency or simply by doing some
freelance work for a friend or business associate. During appropriate times of the year,
look for work that may be seasonal in nature – raking leaves, filing taxes or working in a
store during the holidays. You can also explore consulting assignments. If you are an
experienced professional, this may be a good way to bring home some money, meet new
contacts and add new skills to your resume. Just be careful to leave time in your schedule
for job-search activities. Here are some online sites you may find useful in sourcing
consulting jobs (additional ones are listed on page 75):
www.aquent.com
www.freelanceworkexchange.com
www.guru.com Currently has close to a half million users registered. Easy to
navigate.
TIP: Any income you earn as a freelance worker must be reported when filing for your
weekly unemployment benefits, and may reduce or eliminate your unemployment
payments for those weeks. Also, if you secure work on your own (instead of going
through an agency) be aware that you are responsible for filing your own taxes.
TIP: The cost of your job search related activities (travel expenses to interviews, stamps
for mailings, etc.) may be tax deductible to the extent they exceed two percent of adjusted
gross income. Consult your tax accountant for advice.
TIP: If your spouse has not been working, now may be a good time to consider having
him/her supplement the family income by going back to work, at least temporarily.
For more information on managing your finances, consult these books:
Cheap Talk with the Frugal Friends: 600 Tips, Tricks and Creative Ideas
by Angie Zalewski and Deana Ricks
Credit Card Debt: Reduce Your Financial Burden in Three Easy Steps
by Alexander Daskaloff
Financial Security in Troubled Times by Ric Edelman
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Beating Debt by Steven Strauss and Azriella Jaffe
27
The Stress of Unemployment: Managing The
Emotional Roller Coaster
It's not so much that we're afraid of change or so in love with the old ways, but it's that
place in between that we fear . . . It's like being between trapezes. It's Linus when his
blanket is in the dryer. There's nothing to hold on to.-- Marilyn Ferguson
This book is a “how-to” guide focused on practical steps to take to better manage the
transition from pink-slip to paycheck. Consequently until now, I’ve focused on the more
tangible aspects of managing your unemployment. But at this juncture, I would be
remiss, if I were to go any further without discussing the emotional impact of being
unemployed.
Much has been written on this topic and some of it is quite good. But I can tell you from
having been through this myself; you don’t need a book to tell you being unemployed is
lousy. Even under the best of circumstances; when you’ve got ample savings, decent job
prospects, and a healthy severance package, there’s no denying the unemployment blues.
I’ve read those articles telling you to look at this time as “a gift”, an “opportunity to
explore untapped horizons” and a “welcome retreat from the rat race.” While all of that
may be true; when you’ve got a family to feed, a mortgage to pay and no good job
prospects in sight, it can be mighty hard to look at this as a “golden” opportunity to feed
your soul.
Losing your job is a life-changing event, a major transition characterized by many of the
same stages that occur when there is a death in the family. If you speak to people who
have been through this, they will tell you there are some predictable stages of mourning
during job loss, similar to the grieving process:
Shock and denial: Even if the news of your job loss was expected, you may have
experienced a feeling of shock or confusion when you heard the words coming out of
your boss’s mouth. Don’t expect the shock to subside immediately - once you’ve
processed the news on a conscious level, the shock waves may continue to
reverberate for a while.
Anger: You may get angry with yourself, your employer and even your family. It’s
not unusual for people to react with feelings of anger; voicing their frustration with
comments like, “I can’t believe they could do this to me” or “How could I be so
stupid to allow myself to be in this situation?”
Bargaining: Don’t be surprised if you find yourself thinking, “Maybe if I offer to
take a pay cut or propose working part-time or… they’ll consider taking me back.”
The Layoff Survival Guide: The Stress of Unemployment
28
Over time this wishful thinking form of bargaining will be replaced by a more
realistic action-based plan.
Depression: Particularly if your job search takes longer than expected, depression
may set in. Depression clouds your thinking, saps your energy and undermines the
job search. While some periods of feeling depressed are normal, consistent
depression may need to be treated by a professional.
Acceptance: With time, acceptance of the situation as it is, as opposed to what you
would like it to be, will begin to take hold. The "acceptance" stage is the best place to
be when starting a job search, but you might not have the luxury of waiting until this
point to begin your search.
No two people work through grief in the same way or at the same pace. As you cycle
through the grief process and get deeper into the job search, expect to have good days and
bad days. You may have moments of total panic and moments of quiet acceptance,
feelings of helplessness and thoughts of “is this ever going to end?” followed by days
when it looks like everything is going to fall right into place.
Unemployment is a bumpy, unpredictable emotional roller-coaster ride. And, while you
can’t change the unpredictable nature of the ride, there are steps you can take to better
manage your reaction to the peaks and valleys you’ll inevitably experience.
Ways to Manage Fear and Depression
Don’t compare yourself to others: The impact of job loss varies from person to person.
It’s likely that a single 25 year-old who lives at home and is thinking about going back to
graduate school will react to his/her job loss with a different intensity than a 40 year old
single mother who is laid off from the only job she has ever held. But, it’s also true that
two people in similar situations may have two totally different reactions to their common
loss. Each individual is unique and reacts with a wide range of emotions and behaviors;
there is no one right way to handle this transition.
Become part of a support group: As wonderful as family and friends can be, many
people find that joining a support group of peers is the most valuable support of all.
Interacting with a group of people, who are in your situation and can fully understand
what you’re going through, can be an invaluable aid in helping you maintain perspective
and a sense of humor during your search.
Be honest about your emotions: Admitting your anger, fear, and frustrations to your
support group is the first step toward managing your emotions instead of letting them
control you.
Name and Claim the Enemy: Rather than walking around with a vague but continual
sense of anxiety, try to figure out what specific things worry you most. By facing what
you actually fear (i.e. financial instability, concerns that you’ll never find a comparable
29
position) you can see how realistic your fears are and begin to work on a plan for
addressing those issues.
Recognize that Luck Plays a Role in this Process: While it’s hard not to wonder why
your friend landed a job quickly while you’re still looking, the answer is that every
person’s search proceeds at a unique pace. Luck, timing, market opportunities and a
hundred other factors conspire together in mysterious ways. Remember the saying,
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to
change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
Avoid Negative People: A group of pessimistic nay-sayers will do nothing but reinforce
your worst fears. Align yourself with friends and colleagues who think more of you than
you think of yourself – their suggestions will inspire, empower, and encourage you to
move on in the face of rejection. Sometimes though, even the best-intentioned people
don’t know what to say and as a result usually end up saying the wrong thing. Try to
remember their intentions are honorable even if their actions are less than helpful.
Take Care of Yourself: Mom was right; it’s important to take care of yourself. Get
enough sleep, exercise and eat well. Don’t allow yourself to mope around the house in
pajamas all day – project an image that reinforces a positive outlook.
Focus on the Positive: While you can’t change events, you can change how you react to
them. Instead of focusing on the negatives on your life, take note of the positive side of
unemployment. Whether it’s the opportunity to spend more time with your children,
having a chance to explore new career directions or simply being able to sleep past 6
a.m., there is undoubtedly something positive to recognize during this difficult transition.
Keep Busy: There is nothing more depressing than staring at an empty calendar.
Schedule your job search activities (i.e. 10 a.m.– 11 a.m.: make cold calls, 2 p.m.- 4 p.m.:
work on revising resume, etc.) as you would normal business appointments. If you have
blocks of unused time, look in the newspaper for listings of business related meetings,
trade shows or seminars that you might be able to attend. Go to the library. Force
yourself to get out of the house.
Volunteer: By helping others you’ll help yourself feel more valued. Even if it’s only a
few hours each month, the psychological boost of helping those less fortunate can be
significant.
Seek professional help: If your sadness feels very profound and does not seem to
improve, consider getting professional help. The cost of ignoring depression can be far
greater than the cost of getting treatment. Consult your local mental health clinics, social
services agencies or professional counselors for help for yourself and family members
who are affected by your unemployment. Some assistance may be covered by your health
insurance or, if you do not have insurance, counseling is often available on a "sliding
scale" fee, based on income.
30
Remember your Spouse (or Significant Other) is Hurting Too
Having the support of your spouse is one of the most important factors for success in
your job search campaign. Yet, all too many unemployed workers, both men and
women, proceed with an attitude of, “this is my problem, let me fix it” that ultimately
undermines both their relationship and the outcome of their search.
Yes, this may have started out as “your problem” but if you think your spouse isn’t
impacted by this turn of events, think again. Not only are your finances intertwined, but
virtually every aspect of your next career move -- decisions about relocation, accepting a
job that involves significant travel, or having to adjust your lifestyle to accommodate a
lower income – all directly impact your spouse and your family. And during the job
search process, your spouse will also be dealing with his/her own hopes and fears about
the future. Your wedding vows may not have included, “while employed or
unemployed,” but they do mention, “ for better or for worse” (or some version thereof)
that is worth remembering during this transition.
If you could get inside of your spouses head right now, these are some thoughts you
might hear:
Talk to me…please!
If you want me to be supportive, let me know what’s going on. It’s not necessary (or
advisable) to discuss every last phone conversation or memo, but do let me know about
interviews, major stumbling blocks and job offers as they happen. Keep me posted on
your schedule. I won’t disturb you if I know you’re on “work time” but I might ask you
to help out around the home if I assume you’re just hanging out.
Don’t be surprised if I get angry with you for taking on a big household project, like
painting the exterior of our home. On the other hand, I might also get annoyed if you
have the audacity to suggest we hire somebody to paint the house, when you have the
time to do so. The truth is sometimes I’m not sure where you should be spending your
time and either way there are pitfalls. Let’s work together to discuss and define priorities
and avoid getting into a tug of war over these misunderstandings.
Let me help
Allow me the satisfaction of feeling needed in this situation. If you’re not comfortable
having me critique your resume, I understand. But, let me do something. I can search
the classifieds and clip positions of interest. I can tap into my network and help find
useful contacts for informational interviews. I can do some Internet research. Let me
help you in ways that work for both of us. By the same token, don’t expect me to be your
gopher, stuffing 500 envelopes on demand. If you really need help with mundane tasks,
ask me and I’ll try to be of help if I can. But please understand that I also have priorities
31
that need my attention. Respect my time and intelligence and I’ll be more than willing to
meet you halfway.
Being supportive and offering constructive criticism is not mutually exclusive
I love you and know that your ego is a bit bruised right now, so I’ll try to be extra kind.
However, please understand if I can’t always give you unconditional encouragement and
praise. There may be times when I see you do or say something that needs correcting.
Try to understand that I am only trying to be helpful. If I hurt your feelings, I’m sorry.
Don’t expect me to pick up your dirty socks!
Just because you’re out of work doesn’t grant you the right to take a vacation from your
duties at home. On the contrary, now that you’re home, it’s only reasonable to expect
you to pick up a bit more of the home - based chores. Old patterns of “who handles
what” may need to be reapportioned, at least temporarily, to better address our current
situation.
Remember I’m scared too.
I’ll try to be as supportive as possible, but sometimes my own fears are going to get in the
way. Like you, I’m not quite sure what the future holds, and my worries may make me
irritable or irrational. Bear with me and I’ll promise to do the same for you. Working
together we will get through this.
For more assistance with managing the stress of unemployment, consult these
books:
Are You a Corporate Refugee? by Ruth Luban
Losing Your Job: Reclaiming Your Soul by Mary Lynn Pulley and Terrence Deal
Transitions: Making Sense of Life's Changes by William Bridges
The Way of Transitions: Embracing Life's Most Difficult Challenges by William
Bridges
Online Sites:
About.com Guide to Depression: http://depression.about.com/mlibrary.htm
DepressioNet.com: Information, help and support for people suffering from
depression.
http://www.depressionet.com.au/sod.html
32
Evaluating New Directions: The Old Way
May Not Be the Best Way
“Challenges make you discover things about yourself that you never really knew.
They’re what make the instrument stretch – what makes you go beyond the norm.” –
Cicely Tyson
Many people think that one of the first things they should do after losing their job is to
pull together a resume. While it’s true that you’ll need a resume sooner rather than later,
it’s also true that you shouldn’t put the resume together until you’ve given some thought
to what you want to do next. How much time you can devote to this important soul searching task will vary from situation to situation and from person to person. Clearly, if
you’ve unexpectedly lost your job, received no severance and have a family to support,
your immediate focus must be to quickly find another job, or at least a way to get some
income, by doing temp or freelance work. If, on the other hand, you’ve been provided a
reasonable severance package and have some financial flexibility, the weeks after losing
your job can be the perfect time to assess priorities and career directions. In either
situation, you should at least give some thought to figuring out the type of jobs you’d be
happiest pursuing next.
Here are some key questions to ask yourself:
Did I enjoy my job? If so, what aspects of it did I enjoy most?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
If I did not enjoy my job, why not?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Was it the work itself that I found boring/ unfulfilling/ tedious or were other factors
causing my discontent?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What was right and what was wrong about my last work environment?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Was I in the right work environment (i.e. small vs. large company) but in the wrong
industry?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
The Layoff Survival Guide: Evaluating New Directions
33
Were there miscellaneous factors (long commute, family-owned company, excessive
travel, etc.) that I should avoid in my next job?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Was I in the right job/environment/industry but my frustration was driven by not being
adequately compensated?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Would I be happier working for myself? Do I see myself as having the potential for
entrepreneurial success?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
As you evaluate these questions, you may discover that you were actually pretty happy in
your last job. But, before automatically trying to replicate your old situation, you need to
be realistic about your employment options. People are normally laid-off through no
fault of their own. Rather, it’s economic conditions that drive the need for employee
reductions. Workers are laid off because they are either in a job that is no longer needed
in our ever-changing economy (i.e. typists skilled on electric typewriters) or they are in
an industry where the demand for workers is shrinking (i.e. content producers for
websites) or the industry is in a funk and the need for workers is temporarily depressed
(i.e. the travel industry following September 11, 2001). Before charging ahead with your
job search, you’ll want to understand the underlying economic factors involved in your
particular situation. Ask yourself:
Were the financial difficulties faced by my old employer caused by their own doing, or is
my industry as a whole financially depressed?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
If my industry is depressed or consolidated, are there at least certain sectors within my
industry that show signs of growth? What are those sectors?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Do I expect the industry decline to continue long-term? If not, how will it rebound once
the economy improves?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Is my job still valued within my industry? If not, what skills do I need to get in order to
make myself more marketable?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
34
Brainstorm new ways to use your skills
Now that you’ve asked yourself some tough questions regarding your old job, you may
have discovered that you either want or need to redirect your job focus. From a practical
standpoint, keep in mind that it will be easier to sell yourself to potential employers if
your new job target requires a large percentage of the marketable skills and knowledge
you acquired through your old jobs. Even if your new job target is in a different industry
(i.e. you shift from being an accountant for a travel agency to looking for accounting jobs
within the health care segment) or you stay within the same industry but decide to focus
on a different job (i.e. you used to work in public relations for a hospital and now you’d
like to get into community outreach), as long as you build upon your existing skill base,
your job search may face fewer obstacles.
What other industries should I focus on?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Is there a different job within my industry that appeals to me?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Another relatively easy type of job switch to make is to change your specialization. For
example, if you were in corporate recruiting but get laid-off because the company had a
hiring freeze in place, would it would be a reasonable leap to move into a different area
of human resources, such as training or benefits administration? Or, if you were a Cobol
programmer, but the need for that language has diminished, would you want to become a
Java specialist? Think about which areas within your specialty are in demand, and
consider whether they fit your skills and interests:
Is there a specific niche or specialty that I should now focus on?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Of course, it’s possible that you are totally and completely bored (or dissatisfied) with
what you did before and you’ve decided to make a 180- degree turn in your career focus.
As a career counselor, I am all in favor of encouraging people to pursue their true calling
in life. Just be aware that when you decide to simultaneously switch both job function
and industry focus (i.e. go from being a magazine editor to an administrator for a nonprofit agency) that the job search can become a more difficult challenge. Not impossible
mind you, particularly if you are willing to get needed training, but challenging
nonetheless.
Deciding on a new focus that will provide you with long-term opportunity and fulfillment
is a serious and important task. Indeed, to do this task true justice requires a significant
investment of time and energy. Here are some resources to help you get started with the
journey:
35
Online Assessment Tools
As part of the assessment process, you might find it helpful to take some career tests
(technically known as online assessment instruments). Keep in mind that these
instruments, while useful, are limited in their application and scope (for an excellent
discussion of the relative merits of online assessment tools, go to:
http://www.quintcareers.com/online_assessment_review.html). Please understand that
these tests will not give you definitive answers to your career dilemmas. What they can
do, is help you gain a better understanding of your motivating skills, interests, etc., and
open your eyes to career options that you may not have previously considered. Here are
some of the better online instruments for your review:
Campbell Interest and Skill Survey (CISS)
http://www.pearsonassessments.com/assessments/tests/ciss.htm
Geared for those interested in a career requiring some post-secondary school
education, this test is widely used by career counselors. After you've completed
the assessment, your CISS report compares your results to the results of people
who are successfully employed in the same fields you're interested in. Nearly 60
occupations are covered in your personalized report. Your report also includes a
comprehensive career planner to help you interpret your results and plan for your
new career. Charges a fee.
Kiersey Temperament Sorter
www.advisorteam.com
This is like taking a mini-version of the MBTI, a personality indicator that gives
you wonderful insights into the types of work environments and situations you
find most satisfying. This site has a wealth of interesting information about
temperament and role it plays in career satisfaction. Free – but they charge for an
extensive results report.
MAPP - Motivational Appraisal of Personal Potential
www.assessment.com
Available in six languages, MAPP helps individuals identify personal motivations
that lead to career success and satisfaction. Online version takes less than a halfhour to complete. Fee varies depending upon package ordered.
Self-Directed Search (SDS)
www.self-directed-search.com/index.html
Developed by John Holland, the SDS is one of the oldest and most popular career
assessment instruments available. While the information you’ll get from this
instrument is not nearly as extensive as an instrument like Career Vectors, it is a
good starting point for your exploration process. It takes less than a half-hour to
complete the online version, and as of the time of this writing, the cost for the
instrument was less than ten dollars.
36
Not a test taking type of person?
Some people just don’t like taking assessment tests. If you fall into the category, check
out some of these other online resources:
University of Waterloo Career Development E-Manual
http://www.cdm.uwaterloo.ca/step1.asp
This e-manual is a workbook that walks you through many of the same exercises
a career counselor might use. It’s filled with excellent information but it will take
some discipline and time to complete. But if you’re self-directed, expect to learn
a tremendous amount of useful information for free!
25 Ways to Reinvent Yourself (article)
http://www.aarp.org/mmaturity/jan_feb00/25ways.html
You don’t need to be approaching retirement age to appreciate the suggestions
outlined in this article. From journaling to motor cycle rides, this piece has
numerous ways to tap into your inner calling.
Career Counseling Services:
Taking online assessments is a good start, but it is only a start. For a more in-depth
investigation of your options, you may find it useful to work with a trained career
counselor or career coach. Here are some organizations where you can search for a
qualified professional:
Career Masters Institute www.cminstitute.com
International Association of Career Management Professionals www.iacmp.org
To learn about consumer guidelines for selecting a career counselor, check out the
National Career Development Association at http://www.ncda.org/about/polscc.html
Career Coaching Services:
In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people working as
“coaches.” While there are many fine coaches, the industry is still young, and as a result
there are few established licensing requirements. Consequently, you have to be
particularly careful about screening coaches to make certain that they have the necessary
training needed. That said, here are several sources to assist your search for a coach:
Career Coach Institute
www.careercoachinstitute.com
37
Site maintains a listing of coaches who have participated in their training
programs.
Coach University
www.coachu.com
Site maintains a registry of coaches who’ve have completed the Coach U training.
International Coach Federation
www.coachfederation.org
The largest non-profit association of coaches worldwide.
Assessment Books
Do What You Are: Discover the Perfect Career For You Through the Secrets of
Personality Type by Paul Tieger and Barbara Barron Tieger
Finding Your Perfect Work: The New Career Guide to Making a Living, Creating
a Life by Paul and Sarah Edwards
Live the Life You Love: In Ten Easy Step-by-Step Lessons by Barbara Sher
The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career For a Lifetime of
Satisfaction and Success by Nicholas Lore
What Color is Your Parachute? By Richard Bolles
Wishcraft: How to Get What You Really Want by Barbara Sher
38
Career Research for Career Changers
If you decide to focus on a new career, or on a new twist to your old career, you’re wise
to spend time doing research to learn about educational requirements, job responsibilities,
opportunities for advancement, and salary ranges for your new fields of interest.
Fortunately, the Internet has made doing career research far easier than it ever has been in
the past. The US Government provides some of the most extensive sources of career
information. Here are three of their sites:
America’s CareerInfoNet
www.acinet.org
Super-site—Research wages and employment trends, occupational requirements,
state by state labor market conditions, millions of employer contacts nationwide,
and the most extensive career resource library online.
Occupational Outlook Handbook
www.bls.gov/oco/
Updated every two years by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Handbook details
job responsibilities, educational requirements, and outlook information for a wide
range of occupations.
Occupational Outlook Quarterly
www.bls.gov/opub
Besides providing occupational outlook predictions, the Quarterly has several
very useful article archives, including a section called, You’re a What?, that
details unusual occupations like Acupuncturist or Farrier.
Books For Career Changers:
Impact Publications
www.impactpublications.com (Go to Career Store Section)
Find books on topics ranging from Jobs For People Who Love to Travel to Find
a Federal Job to Jobs for Lawyers. Very diverse selection.
FabJobs
www.fabjob.com
E-books on how to go from “drab job to fab job.”
VGM Career Books
www.bmiedserv.com/vgmcareerbooks.asp?c=P3905
VGM publishes a large series of guidebooks targeted at students, but they are
equally useful for adults. Sample titles include: Careers For Animal Lovers and
Other Zoological Types, Careers For Car Buffs and Others, etc.
Career Bookstore
www.careerbookstore.com
Hundreds of books about career exploration, career management and job search.
39
Educational Resources
As part of your career transition strategy, you may choose to get additional training and
education. Whether you’re interested in a full-blown degree program or just want to take
a few courses, you’ll find the following resources quite helpful:
College information:
Petersons
www.petersons.com
The online site of the popular print reference guide.
US News and World Report
www.usnews.com
A wealth of information about undergraduate, graduate, and distance-learning
programs.
Distance Learning:
Globewide Network Academy
www.gnacademy.org/mason/catalog/browse.html
Mind Edge
www.mindedge.com
Financial Aid:
FinAid
www.finaid.org
The Student Guide to Financial Aid from the US Department of Education
www.ed.gov/prog_info/SFA/StudentGuide/
Seminars, Workshops, Conferences:
Learning Annex
www.learningannex.com
Offers workshops on a variety of topics (getting published, becoming a wedding
planner, etc.). Locations in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego
and Canadian cities.
Seminar Information Service
www.seminarinformation.com
Mega site with listings of over 360,000 workshops, conferences, trade shows, etc.
40
Resources for Budding Entrepreneurs
Undoubtedly, there are more than a few of you out there who are actively questioning
whether you should even try to get another job in the traditional workplace. It’s an
understandable reaction, particularly in light of the “here today, gone tomorrow” attitude
many employers display towards their workers. It’s no wonder that millions of
Americans have opted for the risks and rewards associated with becoming a free agent,
small business owner or home-based worker.
Clearly, striking out on your own is a major undertaking, particularly when the economy
is depressed. It could be months, or even years, until you can develop a sustainable
income stream. As an entrepreneur, you’ll become a jack-of-all-trades with
responsibility for marketing, hiring, bookkeeping and a thousand other tasks. You’ll lose
(at least for a while) the perks of scheduled vacations, company-paid benefits and
consistent paychecks. Nonetheless, if you have a great idea, favorable market conditions,
and can run a tight ship, you may never again have to face unemployment.
Thankfully, there are numerous resources available to help you through the process of
selecting, running and marketing a business. Here are some of my favorites:
Websites:
BizMove.com www.bizmove.com A comprehensive compilation of free small
business information – packed with dozens of guides and tools.
Bizstarters.com www.bizstarters.com This site has some outstanding tools for
the new entrepreneur to help guide him/her through the logistics of starting a new
business.
SCORE (Service Corp. of Retired Executives) http://www.score.org/ Volunteers
for SCORE offer personal online business consulting in more than 500 categories,
all for free.
US Small Business Administration http://www.sbaonline.sba.gov/ A mega site
filled with resources for both the novice and seasoned entrepreneur
Working Solo http://www.workingsolo.com/ Author Terri Lonier’s site with lots
of great resources and links.
Books:
Without a doubt, my favorite home-based business authors are Paul and Sarah
Edwards. Their books will give you hundreds of great ideas and better still,
provide you with associations, sites and books you can turn to for additional
information. To access the Edward’s books as well as my other recommendations
of good work from home resources, here is a link to the work-from-home page on
my website jobsandmoms.com:
http://www.jobsandmoms.com/work%20from%20home.htm
41
PART THREE: MOVING FORWARD
Setting up Job Search Central
For the duration of your job search, your home will be your office. Setting up your office
can be a cathartic experience, providing you with a sense of purpose and structure as you
begin the job search process. Ideally, you’ll be able to easily convert your existing home
office into your temporary headquarters. But, if that is unrealistic, you can set up shop in
a bedroom, basement or any other relatively quiet area of your home. Not all offices are
created equal however, so keep these tips in mind when deciding where to set up “job
search central”:
•
Opt for a room that can be sealed off when necessary. Having the ability to shut a
door when you need to concentrate or handle important telephone conversations is
critical.
•
Find a space with good light and a pleasant décor - you’ll be spending a lot of
hours at your desk so make it as task-friendly as possible.
•
Avoid high-traffic areas such as the kitchen or family room, where the level of
activity and noise might prove to be a distraction.
•
Let your family know that your office is off-limits. If you’ll be sharing a
computer, set up ground-rules governing who gets to use the computer when.
•
Consider posting your office hours on your door. This will serve as a gentle
reminder to both you and your family that you have established working hours
during which time you should not be disturbed.
•
Invest in a good quality desk chair – your back will thank you!
•
Keep all your job search materials in one room, organized with a file for each
opportunity, so that you can easily find things when you need them.
•
Decorate your office to give it the same feel as a “real” office - with framed
family photos or personal mementos.
TIP: At the end of the day, rewind the tape on your answering machine, so you won’t
miss any important phone calls!
The Layoff Survival Guide: Setting up Job Search Central
42
Key Equipment
In order to conduct your job search effectively, you’ll need to have access to some basic
office equipment:
•
Computer/ Printer
•
Telephone and answering machine
•
Fax
•
Internet access/e-mail account (make sure screen names are appropriate for
business!)
With the exception of the telephone and answering machine (and please be sure your
answering message is professional - no giggling children or cutesy songs), it’s
unnecessary to purchase new equipment if you don’t already own it. If you don’t have a
computer, you can rent computer time at office centers like Kinkos. Many local libraries
and community centers also offer access to computers and the Internet. If you’re a poor
typist, consider hiring a friend or college student to process your correspondence.
TIP: You can send and receive faxes through local office supply stores. In addition, you
can secure a free fax number through www.efax.com/ and receive your faxes online.
TIP: Consider using a cell phone as your main contact number. You’ll avoid the
problem of having your children answering your phone (and not taking down a message
properly) and you’ll be able to speak with people while you’re away from your office. If
you go this route, ensure that your cell phone has voice mail for incoming messages.
Alternatives to a home office
Some people find that they simply can’t work from home. If that’s your situation, these
alternatives might work for you:
Rent a temporary office at a business center complex: To find an office, look under
“Office/ Desk Space Rental Services” in your Yellow Pages. In addition to office space,
these centers provide word processing services, professional telephone answering,
Internet access and fax/copy services. This option is expensive, but it may be
worthwhile if it alleviates feelings of isolation and helps keep your job search on track.
Barter with a friend: Do you have a friend with a good office setup (either at home or
at their place of business)? If you have a cell phone (so you can place and receive calls
using your own line), you might want to work from their office and in exchange you
could offer to help them walk their dog or pick up their dry cleaning for them.
Take advantage of the libraries: Libraries have cubicles where you can work in
blissful quiet. You’ll have easy access to a world of resume and job search books, as
well as newspapers, telephone directories, reference books and helpful librarians.
43
Office supply checklist
Once you’ve got your office set up, it’s time to make a trip to the store to buy some office
supplies for the job search. Assuming you already have the standard paper clips, pens
and pencils, scotch tape etc. on hand, here is a good starter list:
DATE
PURCHASED
ITEM
200 sheets resume quality paper in cream or white with 100 matching
envelopes
1 package letter size envelopes
1 package business card stock (250 cards to a package). Not necessary
if you plan on having business cards done by a professional printer
1 roll of 100 stamps
Extra black ink cartridge for the printer
2 Spiral notebooks - 1 for keeping track of phone messages, 1 for
general notes
Business card organizer – You can either use a rolodex or a notebook
with plastic sheet inserts
Daily planner or electronic personal organizer (if you do not already
have one)
Ground rules for success
Think of setting up your office as the first responsibility as CEO of your job search
campaign. Like any new venture, your job search will require hard work and lots of it –
plan on devoting an average of 40 hours a week to insure success:
•
Make and stick to a schedule: Successful job seekers have mastered the art of
managing their schedules. While it’s tempting to use this time to play golf or
catch up on errands, don’t lose site of your main goal – finding a job. It’s okay to
take some time off – just do it consciously.
•
Establish measurable goals: Be realistic, but challenge yourself. It can take
hundreds of contacts to lead to an interview, and dozens of interviews to receive
an offer, so build towards making new contacts every day.
44
Tools of the Job Search
1. Define your Job Search Target
The first step in putting together the tools of your job search is to develop a clear and
concise response to the question, “What type of job are you looking for?”
Obvious, right?
But, you’d be amazed at the number of people I’ve met at job fairs, who seem to think
that the statement, “I’m happy to do any type of work – I just need a job” is a superior
response to, “I’d like to work as an accountant for a mid-sized consumer products
company in New York City.” For some reason, people have the mistaken notion that
being clear and precise about the type of job they’d like limits their possibilities. Nothing
could be further from the truth. If you don’t know what you want, nobody else is going
to take the time to figure it out for you. You need to make it easy for people to
understand what you are looking for.
A job target can be as specific as, “I am interested in a job as an entry-level graphic
designer with a small leading - edge technology company in the San Francisco Bay Area”
or as general as, “I’d like a mid-level job in human resources with a company in the
metro New York area. It’s entirely reasonable to have more than one job target, but in
the interest of keeping your search manageable, it’s best if your primary, secondary and
tertiary targets are closely related. Think about these elements when defining your target:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Job Title/Level of responsibility
Industry
Company size
Company location
Work environment
Special considerations (i.e. I’d like to work part-time or I need a telecommuting
arrangement)
Using these criteria as a guideline, write down your target job summary.
My primary target is:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
My secondary target is:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
The Layoff Survival Guide: Tools of the Job Search
45
2. Develop your Job Search Arsenal
Once you know what your job target is, then it’s time to prepare your job search arsenal;
the tools and strategies that help distinguish you from the competition. As somebody
who was employed, you probably have most of these tools in place, but they’ll need some
updating and fortification to make them battle-ready.
Let’s start by discussing everybody’s favorite job search tool, the resume.
The Resume
If you go to any library or bookstore, you’ll find dozens of books written about resumes
(not to mention the hundreds of articles on this subject available through the Internet).
So, rather than reinventing the wheel here, I’ve decided the most useful advice I can offer
is to answer some popular questions about resumes and then direct you to the resources
I’ve found to be most helpful for my clients.
How do I get started with putting together a resume?
You have two basic choices – either do it yourself or hire somebody else to do it for you.
If you opt to do it yourself, and you don’t have an old resume to work from, go to the
library and pull out a resume guide that helps you through the process of deciding which
type of resume you need (chronological vs. functional) and provides you with step by
step instructions for organizing and presenting your information. Two books that do an
excellent job of this are:
Resume Magic by Susan Britton Whitcomb
The Damn Good Resume Guide: A Crash Course in Resume Writing by Yana
Parker
Here are some good articles to bring you up to speed on the changing world of resumes:
JobStar Central
http://jobstar.org/tools/resume/index.cfm
Excellent overview of resumes and cover letters.
Resume Center on Monster.com
http://resume.monster.com/
Monster has built an impressive collection of articles and advice on a wide-variety
of employment related topics, including resumes and cover letters.
Susan Ireland’s Resume Site
www.susanireland.com
Susan is a seasoned resume professional and author. Her site is loaded with great
advice, samples and resources.
46
Even if you feel confident about the “how-tos” of composing a resume, use the resume
books to help polish your finished product. The samples in resume books are a great
source of ideas on formatting, action words, powerful ways to emphasize
accomplishments and talents, etc. Be aware that there are numerous specialty resume
books (i.e. resumes for educators, military to civilian resumes, resumes for students, etc.)
that can provide you with inspiration tailored towards your particular situation. To find
these books, just do a keyword search (i.e. resumes for executives) at one of the major
online bookstores.
One last thought if you attempt to do the resume on your own… please have several other
people proof it for content and typos. I can’t tell you the number of resumes I’ve seen
that are marred by sloppiness.
If you decide to employ the services of a resume writer, you’ll find no shortage of people
willing to help. Your cheapest alternative is to find a typist skilled at formatting resumes
– you provide the content and they’ll format and type it for you. If you’re having
difficulty deciding which skills and experiences to highlight on your resume, consider
investing in a session or two with a professionally-trained resume writer or career
counselor who can help you refine your focus. Be sure to ask friends for
recommendations and make sure you know exactly what you are entitled to before
contracting for a resume.
Three high quality professional associations that have a searchable directory of resume
writers are:
Career Masters Institute http://www.cminstitute.com/cgi-bin/members.cgi
National Resume Writers Association www.nrwa.com
Professional Association of Resume Writers http://www.parw.com/search.html
How much should I expect to pay for a resume?
Prices vary tremendously depending upon the level of service provided and are typically
more expensive for executives than for junior-level people. You can pay as little as $50
for a quick critique, up to $700 or more, for a complete executive package provided by a
career services professional. To avoid being overcharged, be clear in communicating the
degree of help you need.
How do I develop an online resume?
An increasing number of companies are requesting that resumes be sent online,
consequently, you’ll need to learn how to develop and post an electronic resume. There
are several different ways to do this – as part of the body of an e-mail, as an e-mail
attachment, as a webpage, or simply by inputting your resume information directly into
47
the format provided by the job banks These options can be quite daunting to first–time
online job seekers, but with a little bit of experience you’ll find them relatively easy to
navigate. For help with the “ins and outs” of online resumes, consult: Rebecca Smith’s eresumes http://www.eresumes.com/. Before posting your resume, you should brush up
your knowledge of Internet security concerns. Susan Joyce’s site, www.job-hunt.org has
several excellent articles on this topic.
Should I mention that I was laid off on the resume?
No, you do not provide reasons why you left your employment on the resume.
Cover Letters
While the same resume can be sent to multiple employers, cover letters are most effective
when they are customized for each employer. Although this sounds like a lot of work,
it’s important to remember that the cover letter is your first, and maybe only, opportunity
to make a strong impression. No matter how wonderful your resume, the employer may
never take the time to read it, unless it is introduced by a persuasive cover letter.
In its simplest form, a cover letter is a three or four paragraph letter that tells:
1. Why you’re writing
2. Why you’re best qualified for the position and why you’re interested in the company
3. How you plan to follow up
It goes without saying that a cover letter must be free of grammatical and spelling errors,
just as the resume should be. Because it is a brief note, it’s important that you convey
your message using powerful and succinct language that captures the reader’s attention,
and makes him/her want to carefully read your resume. The cover letter also provides
you with an opportunity to personalize your resume to the employer’s needs, without
having to rewrite your resume. You can highlight or add relevant information in a cover
letter that might not be obvious in your resume.
One of the most effective ways to craft a killer cover letter is to incorporate a bulleted list
into the main body of your letter that compares the job specifications to your
qualifications. For example:
48
Your Specifications:
My Qualifications:
•
5 years experience with a consumer
products company
•
3 years with Pepsi Cola, 4 years
with Playtex
•
Proven track record in sales
•
Recognized as “Outstanding Sales
Contributor for my last two years
with Pepsi
•
Excel at building strong client
relationships
•
Created follow-up customer
tracking system at Playtex
Most resume writing services will also assist you with cover letters. For more
information on creating winning cover letters consult these recommended books:
Cover Letter Magic by Wendy Enelow and Louise Kusmark
Cover Letters for Dummies by Joyce Lain Kennedy
Cover Letters That Knock 'em Dead by Martin Yate
Your Business card
Just as you needed a business card when you were working, you’ll want to have a
business card to hand out when networking or interviewing. Don’t be concerned that you
need something fancy. Unless you’re in a creative industry, where style counts, it’s best
to design a card that is simple, easy to read, and professional.
Here is the information you should put on the card:
• Your name
• Job title or objective: “Information Technology Strategy Consultant”
“Organizational Development Analyst – Specializing in the Non-Profit Arena”
“Sales Manager – Beverage Industry” “Human Resources Administration”
• Home address
• Telephone number (include cell phone and/or fax if applicable)
• e-mail address
Some people put a few bullet points summarizing their professional experience on the
back of the card – it can be quite effective as long as things don’t get too cluttered.
If you have a good quality computer and printer at home, you can get away with making
your own cards, or if you’d prefer a more polished look, you can order cards at a local
49
printer or office supply store. Here are three sources for designing and ordering cards
online (500 cards can be ordered for under $100):
Design-a-card http://www.design-a-card.com
Printing for Less http://www.printingforless.com
Vista Print http://www.vistaprint.com
Two-minute pitch
Also known as your “elevator speech’, the two-minute pitch is an effective but brief
description of yourself and your job objective, delivered in one hundred and twenty
seconds or less. Once you develop your pitch, you’ll be using it for networking,
socializing, and in response to that perennial job interview question, “So, tell me about
yourself.” Think of it as your own award winning commercial – one that captivates your
audience and motivates them to learn more.
A good pitch answers three questions:
•
What type of job are you looking for?
•
What types of problems can you solve?
•
What are the highlights of your background?
Developing a powerful pitch takes practice. Write it out, rehearse it and then try it out on
your friends and support team. Ask for suggestions on ways to improve it. Remember,
the key to an effective pitch is to make it crisp but pertinent; providing enough
information that the listener gets a good general outline, but not so much detail that their
eyes begin to glaze over.
Your success team
In the business world, savvy companies depend upon guidance from their Board of
Directors. As the CEO of your job search, you too can benefit from the input of a few
trusted advisors, to steer you towards success.
Think about specific areas where you need assistance; identifying good companies,
resume critiquing, ideas for jumpstarting a stalled search – and then ask for help. While
you may feel like you’re imposing on others, most people, particularly those who’ve been
unemployed themselves, are all too willing to help. Too often, we limit the ways we
allow others to contribute to us. Don’t demand help, but be open as to how a person
might assist you. Remember to always express your thanks for their time and guidance.
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Reference List
Before you begin to interview for a new job, it’s important that you line up reliable
references-- people who will vouch for your excellence and integrity:
•
Start by making a list of all of your prospective references. It’s best to choose
people who have supervised you or worked with you in a business setting (the
more recent, the better). If needed, you can also include personal references from
people who’ve worked with you in a volunteer capacity.
•
Call the people you’ve selected and ask if they’d be willing to serve as a
reference. Give them as much information to work with as possible – be clear
about your job objective and remind them of some of your past accomplishments.
In other words, provide them with plenty of ammunition so that they can be most
effective when speaking with potential employers.
•
Be sure to gather all-important contact data about every potential reference
including: Name, Title, Company, Address, Telephone Number, Fax Number and
e-mail Address. Prepare a reference sheet to carry with you on interviews.
•
Alert your references if you expect them to be called in regard to a specific job.
It’s not only polite, but it’s also a good opportunity to mention the relevant areas
you’d like them to highlight during the call.
Your references can play an important role in your networking efforts. Be sure to ask
them for their help in letting you know of suitable openings or networking opportunities.
TIP: If you have any concerns that a reference may be only luke-warm (or worse still,
downright negative) you can pay a reference checking service to check out your
references for you ahead of time. Two services to consider are:
www.reference-check.com
www.jobreferences.com
Contact tracking system
During the job search, you’ll be talking and meeting with (potentially) hundreds of
people. If your memory is anything like mine, you don’t want to depend on your
personal recall to keep the details straight. You’ll need some sort of contact tracking
system to maintain an organized search.
51
Using either an index card system, or software such as Microsoft Outlook or Lotus
Organizer, implement a system that will help you get organized. Regardless of the type
of system you use, the purpose of the tracking system is to:
1) Provide a systematic way of storing key referral and contact information – Name
of company, contact name and job title, telephone number, and e-mail address.
2) Create an organized record of your mailings, meetings and telephone calls.
3) Organize needed follow-up actions – Write down any follow-up action required
and transfer those dates to a daily planner. For example, if you send a letter in
response to a classified ad, then you can mark down that you’ll place a follow-up
call six days later in your daily planner. Once you make the call, note that on
your contact tracker.
It is vitally important that you keep all of this information in one place –phone numbers
jotted down on crumpled napkins have a mysterious habit of disappearing into garbage
cans, just when you need them most!
That’s it – the seven components of your job search arsenal. On the next page is a
checklist you can complete as you assemble your arsenal, piece by piece.
52
JOB ARSENAL CHECKLIST SUMMARY
TASK
DATE
COMPLETED
Resume
Cover Letter
Business Card
Two Minute Pitch
Success Team
References
Contact Tracking System
53
How and Where to Find the Openings
Congratulations – you’ve done your homework, gotten your job search arsenal in tip-top
condition, now it’s time to uncover those opportunities!
Ways to maximize your effort
Looking for a job requires that you work both hard and smart. Hard, meaning that you
should plan on logging at least forty hours a week on your job search, and smart, meaning
that you concentrate your efforts on activities that have the highest likelihood of
leading to interviews and offers. Working hard but not smart, or vice versa, will only
serve to unnecessarily prolong your search. So, what are some of the best ways to be
really, really smart in your job search?
•
Keep the pipeline full: Job search is sales and you are the product. And just like
in sales, numbers count. The greater the number of contacts you make, the
greater the number of interviews, and consequently the greater the number of
offers you’ll receive. When you have multiple offers, you are in the driver’s seat.
•
Attack the battlefield on many fronts: Every job search method has relative
drawbacks and advantages. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket – diversify your
search by using a mix of networking, recruiters, direct mail and other techniques.
•
Good research pays dividends: Doing due diligence when researching people
and companies pays off on several fronts – you’ll uncover leads, be able to dazzle
the interviewer with your insights and when it comes to salary negotiation, you’ll
be prepared with solid facts and figures.
•
Follow-up is crucial: Anybody who has worked in Human Resources will tell
you that when it comes to filling openings, the squeaky wheel (albeit a pleasant
sounding squeak) does indeed get greased. Contact and re-contact your job leads
on a regular basis. Send out articles of interest and follow-up notes to those in
your network.
•
Never assume a deal is a deal, until an offer is finalized: All too many job
seekers learn this lesson the hard way. No matter how promising a situation
seems to be, you cannot afford to relax your efforts until a deal is signed, sealed
and delivered.
Now, let’s take a closer look at the different methods you can use to identify
opportunities.
The Layoff Survival Guide: Landing the Job
54
Networking
Unless you’ve been living on a different planet, you already know that networking is
your single best way to learn of job opportunities, even when a specific job opening
does not yet exist. Experts estimate that somewhere around 80% of job openings are
filled using networking contacts. Hands down, it is the single most important tool of
your job search.
That said, I know there are more than a few of you, who upon reading the word,
“networking” just felt your stomachs start to churn. You’re thinking, “But I don’t want
to turn into a slick salesman who has to pester my friends and family” … “I hate making
those phone calls”…”I’d be a whole lot more comfortable just responding to the
classifieds.”
I know how you feel. I used to hate to “ask for help.” But, I’ve learned over time that:
•
You don’t have to be Slick Willy to be an effective networker – you can adapt
networking techniques to a style that works well for you.
•
People actually appreciate it when you ask for their assistance because now “you
owe them.” Next time they need help, they know you’ll be willing to return the
favor.
•
Most important, networking helps you succeed. It’s the best way to learn of
opportunities before the competition and it’s the most effective way to get a
personal introduction to an employer.
Some Common Networking Fears
I don’t know many people
Spend some time thinking about this, develop a list and you’ll soon discover that you
know many more people than you think. Think of your network in terms of categories:
•
Business Associates: Former employers, co-workers, vendors, clients and
colleagues
•
Personal Contacts: Friends, family, neighbors, schoolmates, sorority or fraternity
members, acquaintances you’ve made at church, temple, volunteering or through
your children.
•
Service Industry Acquaintances: Your hairdresser, banker, doctor, lawyer, realestate agent, etc.
•
People you don’t know personally, but with whom you share a common interest –
Alumni associations, Industry groups, PTA, etc.
55
Spend several days brainstorming, writing down and expanding your networking list –
you’ll be amazed at how many people you really do know.
I feel really uncomfortable calling people
Most people do. But you can ease the way, by first sending an e-mail or letter explaining
your situation, what you are looking for, and how your contacts can help you. Send the
letter, with an attached resume, and a promise to follow-up with a phone call. If you are
really nervous, it’s always a good idea to start networking with people with whom you
feel most comfortable, and then slowly work towards your more challenging
assignments.
What if they don’t have any openings – aren’t I just wasting my time?
Networking is not about calling people up and asking them if they know of any openings.
The purpose of networking is to make connections and establish relationships. If you ask
people, “Do you have any openings at your company?” and the answer is “No” the
conversation can go no further. But, if you approach the conversation with a request to
learn more about their company (or position or industry), then you stand a far better
chance of getting a receptive audience.
Why would anybody want to speak with me?
Lots of people are nice and want to help. Others will agree because they’ll feel flattered
when asked for their input. But even if they’re neither nice nor flattered, chances are
they’ll say, “yes” for fear that next time they’ll be the ones asking for help. As the adage
goes, “what goes around comes around” and in today’s economy nobody is immune from
the workplace/job-search merry-go-round.
How can I build my network?
•
Join networking groups
•
Frequent job fairs
•
Attend trade shows and conventions
•
Go to local meetings of professional organizations
•
Attend speeches or continuing ed classes in your field of interest
•
Read newspapers and trade journals for announcements about new hires or
promotions, and then send a letter of congratulations to the appropriate party.
•
Get involved with an online newsgroup or e-mail link (see www.yahoo.com for
how to start your own online networking group)
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Always conclude your networking meetings by asking for the name of somebody else
you might speak with. For example: “ Catherine, you have been so helpful to me today.
I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your insights. I have one last favor to ask. Would
you be able to provide me with the name of another association member who might be
willing to meet with me to discuss growth opportunities in our industry?”
By building upon your contacts, your networks will expand exponentially, bringing you
into new spheres of influence and possibility.
For more information about networking, consult:
Networking for Everyone by Michelle Tulier
Power Networking by Donna Fisher and Sandy Vilas
Job search support groups
One of the best sources of job leads is other job seekers. They are the front-line soldiers
in the battle for jobs, and as a group know more about where the openings are than
probably any other single source. Except in the rare instance when two people are
looking for the same type of job, at the same level, in the same geographic area, most job
seekers are eager to share their knowledge, knowing that others will share in kind. In
addition to being an excellent source of leads, job search groups are normally facilitated
by a career professional who can offer suggestions for improving your job search
strategy. To find a support group:
Look locally – Churches, synagogues, YWCA’s and other community organizations
sponsor free or low cost job search support groups. The meetings usually involve a
speaker on a job search topic and time for networking. Check your local paper for
listings of events.
Start your own – Here’s an idea that has grown in popularity in recent years, thanks in
no small part to the Internet. You invite a select group of people to be part of your
network, and they in turn, invite others who could be mutually beneficial to the group.
You define the purpose and scope of the group. For example, if you were part of a
company-wide layoff, you could start an e-mail group of people in your department who
use the group to exchange job leads and industry gossip. Or, you might invite other
people in your industry whom you’ve met through professional associations and
conferences to get together for an “in-person” meeting once a month (and then use email to exchange leads in between meetings). This is an outstanding way to find
qualified job leads and form a really supportive network – truly a “win-win” situation
for all involved.
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Find a for profit support group – There are a number of excellent job search groups
that operate on a regional or nationwide basis. Some are restricted by salary level or
industry requirements. Here is a sampling of some better known groups:
•
Execunet – www.execunet.com 800-637-3126 Targeted to executives earning
$100,000+, Execunet provides members with an array of services including
listings of executive level jobs online, access to their knowledge and resource
centers, and entrance to facilitated networking meetings. A membership fee is
charged.
•
Five o’clock Club- www.fiveoclockclub.com 212-286-9332 Members include
professionals and managers, those trying to break into the professional ranks, and
senior executives (40% of members earn in excess of $100,000 a year). They
offer weekly seminars featuring individualized attention to your specific needs in
small groups supervised by career counselors. Members have the opportunity to
exchange ideas, experiences, and even role-play with other job searchers and
career changers. If there is no branch near you, you can participate in weekly
teleconferences. A membership fee is charged. Kate Wendleton, the founder of
the club, has authored several outstanding books on job search including
Targeting the Job You Want and Job Search Secrets.
•
Forty Plus Club www.fortyplus.org 510-337-0790 40 Plus is the Nation’s
oldest non-profit organization dedicated to helping managers, executives and
other professionals over 40 years of age find jobs. They currently have chapters in
fourteen states and in Ontario, Canada. Member benefits include weekly support
groups, job-search training, workshops and videotaped practice job interviews.
Membership fee is charged.
•
Hiredgun.com www.thehiredguns.com Founders of the “Pink-Slip” parties
tailored to the dot-com community.
•
Layoff Lounge www.layofflounge.com is a nationwide support group serving the
technology, telecomm, and new & traditional media industries.
There are numerous other very worthwhile groups. To find one appropriate to your
needs, do a keyword search, “employment networking groups” on one of the major
online search engines.
The Career Journal (part of the Wall Street Journal online) maintains a searchable
database of recommended free and for-profit support groups at:
http://www.careerjournal.com/calendar
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Direct mail campaigns
As effective as networking is, the reality is that if you depend solely on networking to
uncover opportunities, you will leave a large part of your target market untapped. In
order to cover the widest territory possible, consider augmenting your search with a direct
mail campaign.
Direct mail campaigns generally take one of two forms. You can handpick select
companies that you approach with a customized mailing or you can do a mass mailing to
hundreds of potential employers that loosely fall into your target market. Each method
has relative advantages and disadvantages:
Targeted campaign - Developing a selective list of targeted companies is one of the
most essential, yet often overlooked parts of a successful job campaign. The goal of a
selective targeted campaign is to identify organizations that might interest you and then
approach those companies directly-- even if they don’t have any advertised openings.
What criteria should I use in identifying potential employers?
Clearly, you want to stick with the factors you’ve identified as being most important for
fulfillment in your next position. For some people that may mean only considering
companies within their target industry (i.e. fashion, insurance, etc.). For others, lifestyle
considerations, such as having a reasonable commute or a family-friendly environment
may be paramount. As you define the types of companies you want to approach,
consider the following criteria:
•
Type of industry
•
Type of organization (association, non-profit, educational, etc.)
•
Size (revenues, #of employees, number of branch offices, etc.)
•
Growth potential
•
Organizational culture and/or work environment
•
Geographic location
How can I find these companies?
Start by asking friends and colleagues for recommendations. Then, check your local
Yellow Pages, Chambers of Commerce and community small business association
directories. Look at the classified ads to identify companies hiring in your area.
An excellent place to brush-up your research skills is at the NY Public Library.
Fortunately, you don’t need to live in NY to do this. The library has an outstanding
tutorial online that will help you find the best research guides (both online and off)
59
efficiently and effectively. The NY Public Library site is at:
http://www.nypl.org/research/sibl/company/c2index.htm.
From there, proceed on to these other online research sites:
Mega Directories
Brint
www.brint.com
The premier business and research portal – if you can’t find it here, chances are
you won’t find it anywhere.
Hoovers Online
www.hoovers.com
Hoovers has long been a leader in providing industry/company information.
Much of the online reports now require a fee, but there is still ample free
information.
Search Engine Directories
The large search engines categorize industry websites under their directory
classifications, enabling you to get information about a number of different companies
within a specific industry classification. For example, if you wanted to find out more
information about aerospace companies, you would click on “aerospace” and then be
directed to a page filled with sites relevant to this industry:
Google
http://directory.google.com/Top/Business/
Yahoo
http://dir.yahoo.com/Business_and_Economy/Directories/Companies/
Associations
There are associations for virtually every industry you can think of. Associations can
provide you with general industry information, training programs, conferences, and
names of member companies. Here are sites to locate your industry association online:
Associations on the Net
http://www.ipl.org/div/aon/
Gateway to Associations Online
http://info.asaenet.org/gateway/OnlineAssocSlist.html
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Information About Specific Companies
The best place to start your search for information about a specific company is with the
company website (normally listed as the www. plus the name of the company. com)
From there, try Vault.com (www.vault.com) and Wetfeet.com (www.wetfeet.com). Both
offer company profiles, insider reports (what it’s really like to work for a specific
employer) and news on a variety of companies and industries.
Annual Reports
You can always just call the main office of a public company to ask for a copy of their
annual report, but if time is of the essence, try some of these sites to see reports for free:
Annual Report Gallery
www.reportgallery.com
The Public Register’s Annual Report Service
www.prars.com/cgi-bin/newcos.cgi
News Alert Services
One of the best ways to distinguish companies that are doing well from those that are on
a deathwatch is to stay current on the latest breaking news and information. Here are
some sites that will enable you to do that easily and efficiently:
Biz-Journals.Com
www.bizjournals.com
A searchable archive of a half-million local business articles from 41 different
cities. Users can set up their own personalized Industry Journal, with over 45
industries to choose from.
News Alert
www.newsalert.com
Free service allows you to receive news and financial alerts on selected
companies.
Northern Light Search Service
www.northernlight.com
Offers a variety of search options of business and financial information.
General Sites:
Chambers of Commerce
www.uschamber.com
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Fortune Magazine’s Lists
www.fortune.com
Fortune magazine annually updates lists of companies such as 100 Most Admired
Companies, Small Business 100, Fastest Growing 100, etc.
Super Site Yellow Pages
www.superpages.com
Search both white and yellow page telephone listings nationwide.
Once you’ve exhausted your online options, then you’ll want to go to the reference
section of your local library for a day or two of intensive research. Call the library ahead
of time to find out when the best time of day is to secure help from the reference librarian
in using the online databases. Secure the librarians assistance in identifying the best print
directories for your specific research needs (there are literally hundreds of excellent
directories available so if your library has a meager supply, don’t hesitate to visit another
library nearby).
What is a reasonable number of companies to target at any one time?
Stick with 15-25 companies. In practical terms, it is difficult to research, contact and
follow-up with any more than that.
Should I attempt to do mass-mailings?
Mass mailings are most effective if you’re open to a large geographic area and are not
highly particular about the type of company you are willing to work for. The average
return rate when you do a mass mailing is only about 1-2%. Nonetheless, that means if
you send out 300 letters, three to six employers you would not have heard from otherwise
might contact you.
You may want to consider doing an online mass mailing using resume blaster services
such as those offered through www.yourmissinglink.com to assist your efforts.
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Recruiters
Even in tough economic times, many companies prefer to have recruiters fill their
positions. Consequently, recruiters have access to openings that are not advertised
elsewhere, particularly at the more senior management levels.
Recruiting firms fall into two categories, retained and contingency. Before trying to
work with a recruiter it’s helpful to have an understanding of what distinguishes a
retained search from a contingency search.
Retained Firms:
•
•
•
•
Primarily deal with senior level jobs with salary levels over $100K.
Recruiters with these firms often specialize in specific industries.
Retained firms have an exclusive relationship with the employer when they get
hired to conduct a search. In other words, they are the only firm working on the
search, and consequently, do not need to worry about another recruiting firm
“stealing” their assignment.
Retained recruiters will generally not want to speak with you unless your skills,
experience, and education level are extremely well aligned with the specifications
of the job order.
Contingency Firms:
•
•
•
Contingency firms typically handle more entry level and mid level jobs.
Recruiters at contingency firms only get paid by client companies if they fill a job
order. As a result, these recruiters have a reputation for sometimes being overly
aggressive, knowing that they are competing with other firms “against the clock”
to fill an order.
If a contingency recruiter works for an employment agency, as opposed to a
recruiting firm, you can simply call them for an appointment (look in the Yellow
Pages for listings). Most employment agencies will meet with you regardless of
whether they have an immediate opening that matches your needs.
TIP: Insist that contingency recruiters notify you before they send your resume to a
potential employer. You don’t want to find yourself in a situation where your resume is
sent to an employer by several firms, which can result in a dispute over which firm is due
a fee for the referral (which could effectively eliminate you for consideration for the job).
Regardless of whether you work with a retained or contingency firm, here are three very
important points to bear in mind when dealing with recruiters:
•
You are not the client – the employer is: The recruiter is paid by the employer,
not you, so try not to take it personally (I know, I know, easier said than done) if
you are treated like a second class citizen and your phone calls go unanswered,
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your wonderful resume is never acknowledged, or the receptionist does not give
you the time of day. The reality is that recruiters are besieged by hundreds of
requests each week, and unless you fill an immediate need, they simply may not
have the time to get back to you. Likewise, you should keep this pecking order in
mind when evaluating presented opportunities and offers. In the vast majority of
cases, recruiters will try to present the jobs in an honest and balanced way, but it’s
naïve to think that there won’t be times when the facts may be blurred in favor of
the employer
•
Recruiters are not in the business of finding you a job, they are in the
business of filling specific job openings: As a result, recruiters are most eager to
work with people whose job experience is a “clean fit” for their openings. They
are generally not interested in career changers or people who have potential but
lack experience directly related to the job opening.
•
When you find a good recruiter, nurture the relationship: A recruiter’s
livelihood depends on both who and what they know. If you’re not interested or
appropriate for a position they present, give them some leads to suitable
candidates. Hopefully, they’ll return the favor in kind at a future date.
Books to Consult:
The Directory of Executive Recruiters, 2002 by Kennedy Publications is the bestknown source for locating recruiters in a wide variety of industries and
specializations. It is updated annually and is available in the reference section of
most libraries.
Kennedy also publishes The Directory of Temporary Placement Firms For
Executives, Managers and Professionals and The Kennedy's Pocket Guide to
Executive Recruiters
Two excellent books for the “inside scoop” on how to work with recruiters are:
Rites of Passage at $100,000 to $1 Million+: Your Insider’s Lifetime Guide to
Executive Job-Changing and Faster Career Progress in the 21st Century by John
Lucht
Headhunters Revealed! Career Secrets for Choosing and Using Professional
Recruiters by Darrell Gurney
Sites for locating recruiters online:
Association of Executive Search Consultants
www.aesc.org
The worldwide professional association for retained search consulting firms.
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Find a Recruiter
www.findarecruiter.com
Allows you to find recruiters, staffing agencies and employment agencies by
specialty and location.
FutureStep
www.futurestep.com
Although technically not a site where you can find recruiters, this site is run by
executive search firm, Korn-Ferry International
Kennedy’s Guides
www.kennedyinfo.com/js/catalog.html
Kennedy’s is the leading publisher of directories for the search industry. You can
find their guides in the research section of the library, but they may not be as upto-date as you would like. While it will cost you some money, consider using the
online database search capabilities offered at this site – it will save you
considerable time and aggravation in locating appropriate recruiters for your
location and industry.
Recruiter’s Online Network
www.recruitersonline.com
Locate professional search firms in over 150 locations and specialties. Site
features open positions posted by recruiters.
Advice on Working with Recruiters:
Career Journal (from the Wall Street Journal)
www.careerjournal.com/recruiters
A continually updated collection of articles on this topic – extremely useful and
timely.
Articles: Resumes for Recruiters
www.careersecrets.com/tips.html
Excerpted from Darrell Gurney’s book: Headhunter’s Secrets Revealed this is a
useful discussion of the nuts and bolts involved with submitting a resume to
recruiters.
Article: Recruiters, Search Consultants and Headhunters
www.jobjunction.com/recruiters.htm
Excellent explanation of the recruiting industry and the differences between the
various categories of recruiters.
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Online job search and networking resources
Back in the late 90’s, when the Internet began to really take hold, many people expected
the Internet would completely revolutionize the job search process. It was anticipated
that employers would list their openings in a virtual global marketplace and job seekers
would find those listings online; eliminating the need for recruiters, networking, or
classified ads. It would be a wonderfully efficient system for matching jobs and
candidates.
Now, several years later we’ve learned the reality has only partially lived up to the hype.
Quick quiz: How many people do you think actually find their jobs through the Internet?
a) 50%
b) 25%
c) Less than 10%
Quick answer: C- Less than 10%.
That’s correct, out of a thousand openings, less than one hundred of them will be filled
using the Internet.
Personally, I think a warning should flash when you log in to the Internet that says:
CAUTION: This machine can be highly addictive. Overuse can lead to a false sense
of accomplishment and dismal results. Exercise restraint to avoid being afflicted by
Internet paralysis.
Don’t get me wrong – I don’t mean to imply for a second that you shouldn’t use the
Internet. On the contrary, I recommend you use the Internet on a daily basis – but only if
you spend a small percentage of time responding to specific job postings and instead,
devote the bulk of your online time harnessing the tremendous power of the Internet for
research and networking purposes.
Here are ten suggestions for using the Internet wisely in your search:
1. Take time to get familiar with the options: If you’ve never used the Internet to
job search, you’re going to feel like a kid who has just arrived in Disneyland.
Give in to the wonder and spend a day or two at the beginning of your search to
get familiar with the job banks and other employment related sites on the Internet.
Then, once you’ve satisfied your initial curiosity, restrict yourself to an hour or so
each day for research purposes. Reserve your surfing time for the evening, when
you’re tired and can’t spend your time making phone calls.
2. Monitor your online time: We’ve all experienced the phenomena of “online
creep” where you log on to get one piece of information and three hours later,
you’re still surfing the computer. Decide in advance how much time you need to
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spend online and then stick to it. If needed, set a timer to remind yourself that it’s
time to move on to other activities.
3. Use the job boards wisely: The number of job banks is growing daily, making
the task of selecting your best sites an increasingly challenging task. To help you
navigate through the sites, consider purchasing one of the job site guidebooks
available through either www.weddles.com or www.careerxroads.com.
Alternatively, if you go to the jobs or employment section of one of the major
search engines such as http://directory.google.com/Top/Business/Employment/ or
http://dir.yahoo.com/Business_and_Economy/Employment_and_Work/Careers_a
nd_Jobs/Jobs/ you will see links to hundreds of industry specific job banks.
4. Sign up for personal “job agents”: Many sites now offer “personal job agents”
that can automate your job search for you. After registering information about the
specific type of job you are looking for, the agent notifies you by e-mail when
jobs are posted on their database that meet your criteria. You can then apply for
any position directly with the employer.
5. Follow up your online correspondence: Don’t sit around passively waiting for
the phone to ring after you respond to a job posting. Take the initiative and
follow-up by phone several days later to check on the status of your application.
This one action can distinguish you from the competition and get you an
interview.
6. Use the boards to scope out companies in active hiring mode: Do you
repeatedly see ads for multiple positions within the same company? Apply
directly to those firms even if you don’t see a specific posting within your field of
expertise. Chances are they’ll need employees in a variety of positions and
departments.
7. Maximize the research capability of the Internet: The Internet is the ultimate
research tool. You can find out just about everything you need to know about
companies and industries of interest – use that information to gain a competitive
edge in your correspondence and interviews.
8. Track breaking business news on the Internet: Has a company just received a
new round of venture capital or are they headed for bankruptcy? Knowing this
information can help you separate hot prospects from sinking ships.
9. Sign up for online newsletters: Companies, industries, special interest groups
and associations all publish online newsletters that contain juicy, up-to-date
tidbits on emerging trends, challenges and recent news. Use this information to
distinguish yourself from the competition in your cover letters and interviews.
10. Read reliable print publications online: Reliability of the information on the
Internet can be a problem. A way around that is to read online versions of print
publications, such as www.fastcompany.com or www.fortune.com.
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The Super-Sized Sites
The advantages of the super-sized sites are many – they have hundreds of thousands of
listings, sophisticated resume submission software, and nice extras like job search agents
and career advice columns. They are the equivalent on an online “Super Stop and Shop”
for job seekers. However, larger is not always better. Because the job postings on the
large boards generate a high response rate from potential candidates, you will be
competing against a cast of thousands for the best jobs. From the hiring companies
perspective, such a large response can often be unmanageable, and as a result, an
increasing number of hiring managers are turning to niche boards, for a smaller but more
qualified response. My advice is to familiarize yourself with the big boards, select a few
you like, and then register with the job-search agents on the site. That way, you can take
advantage of the vast number of listings, without spending too much time wading through
postings.
To get you started, here are ten “super-sites” to take a look at:
America’s Job Bank
www.americasjobbank.com
Career Builder
www.careerbuilder.com
College Job Board
www.collegejobboard.com
Direct Employers (interesting twist – allows you to go directly to employer’s websites).
www.directemployers.com
FlipDog
www.flipdog.com
Hot Jobs
www.hotjobs.com
Jobhunt.org
www.job-hunt.org
Job Search Engine (searches the top 250 American boards in parallel and in real time).
www.job-search-engine.com
Monster.com
www.monster.com
USA Today Careers Network
www.careers.usatoday.com
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Niche Boards
There are thousands of smaller boards that serve specialized niches. While these boards
have fewer listings than their “Monster” counterparts, job seekers often prefer them,
because they tend to be more focused and easier to navigate.
The niche boards are generally segmented by either:
Location (i.e., www.houstonjobs.com)
Industry Specialization (i.e., www.hrjobs.com or www.showbiz.com)
Types of Jobs (i.e. www.summerjobs.com )
Level of Job Seeker (i.e., new graduates, executives earning six figures)
Demographics (i.e., women, minorities, MBA’s, Gays, etc.)
Some boards are further refined by combining several features (i.e.,
www.newenglandfilm.com , a site featuring jobs in video and film just in the New
England area or www.6figuremba.com , a site for MBA’s looking to earn six figures).
The number of jobs posted on these sites varies tremendously. The larger niche sites can
have thousands of listings. Unfortunately, some niche sites really struggle to get listings,
and as a result, their postings can be out-of-date. Not surprisingly, the navigation
software on these sites can also be relatively difficult to use.
Just as with the “super sites” I recommend you spend a few days perusing your choices,
and then focus on a few niche sites that seem to be the best fit for your needs.
On the following pages are sample niche sites for a variety of populations and industries.
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Sites for Executives (some of these are fee based)
Career Journal (Wall Street Journal Site)
www.careerjournal.com
CEO Job Opportunities Update
www.ceoupdate.com/
Exec Searches (Non-profit and public industries)
www.execsearches.com
Execunet (job listings and job search support groups)
www.execunet.com
Netshare (similar to Execunet)
www.netshare.com
Six Figure Jobs
www.6figurejobs.com
Six Figure Jobs for MBA’s
www.6figuremba.com
Sites for Minorities
Black Collegian Online
www.black-collegian.com/
Diversity Employment
www.diversityemployment.com
Hire Diversity
www.hirediversity.com
Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement
www.hace-usa.org
Latin Professionals
www.latpro.com
National Black MBA Association
www.nbmbaa.org/
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Sites for New Grads
Campus Career Center
www.campuscareercenter.com
College Recruiter
www.collegerecruiter.com
MBA Depot
www.mbadepot.com
Sites For Older Workers
AARP Work Answers
www.aarpworkanswers.com
Forty Plus Club
www.fortyplus.org
Maturity Works
www.maturityworks.org
Senior Job Bank
www.seniorjobbank.org
Sites For Women
Career Women
www.careerwomen.com
Journalism and Women’s Symposium Job Bank
www.jaws.org
Net Goddess
www.netgoddess.com
Society of Women Engineers
www.swe.org
Women In Technology International
www.witi4hire.com
Womens Work (flexible work)
www.womans-work.com
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Advertising/Communications/Public Relations
Ad Agency Jobs
www.adagencyjobs.net
Ad Jobs Inc
www.adjobsinc.com
Advertising Media Internet Center
www.amic.com
All About Jobs in Public Relations
http://aboutpublicrelations.net/jobsinpr.htm
Direct Marketing Careers
www.directmarketingcareers.com
Find Creative
www.findcreative.com
International Association of Business Communicators
www.iabc.com
Agriculture and Forestry
Agriculture Jobs USA
www.agjobsusa.com
US Department of the Interior Jobs
http://www.doi.gov/hrm/doijobs.html
Farm Careers
www.agricareers.com
Nation Jobs – Agriculture/BioTech/Chemical Jobs
www.nationjob.com/ag/
Northeast Agriculture Employment Services
www.rennut.com/jobsinag/
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Art/Graphic Design
Art Careers
www.artcareer.net
3-D
www.3dsite.com
Designer Index
www.designerindex.com
icreatives (temp and perm positions)
www.icreatives.com
Print Jobs
www.printjobs.com
Sculptors
www.sculptor.org
Aviation
Airline Careers
www.airlinecareer.com
Aviation Jobs – Federal Aviation Administration
http://www.faa.gov/careers/
Flight Attendant Careers
www.flightattendantcareers.com
Jobs in Aviation
www.jobsinaviation.com
Education
For people interested in teaching at your local public schools, visit your town
website and/or your state education department.
A Teacher Job Search
www.ateacherjobsearch.com
Chronicle of Higher Education Career Network
www.chronicle.com/jobs
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The Education America Network
www.educationamerica.net
National Teacher Recruitment Clearinghouse
www.recruitingteachers.org/
Want to Teach.com (great for people interested in getting into teaching
www.wanttoteach.com
Engineering
Civil Engineering Jobs
www.civilengineeringjobs.com
Engineer Jobs
www.engineerjobs.com
Engineering Jobs
www.engineeringjobs.com
Engineering Job Listings
www.engcen.com/
Graduating Engineer and Computer Science Jobs Online (useful even if you’re not a new
grad)
www.graduatingengineer.com
Faith Based Sites
Christian Career Center
www.christiancareercenter.com
Christian Jobs Online
www.christianjobs.com
Jewish Jobs
www.jewishjobs.com
Jewish Job Finder
www.jewishjobfinder.com
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Financial Services
American Finance and Accounting Jobs
www.afa.com
Bank Jobs
www.bankjobs.com
Career Bank (accounting, finance and banking jobs)
www.careerbank.com
Credit Jobs Today
www.creditjobstoday.com
Financial Services Careers Online
www.bankjobs.com
Financial Job Network
www.financialjobnet.com
Jobs in the Money
www.jobsinthemoney.com
Freelance
Ants
www.ants.com
Contract Employment Weekly (technical contractors)
http://www.ceweekly.com/
E-Lance
www.e-lance.com
Free Agent Nation (Does not list jobs but has much useful advice)
www.freeagentnation.com
Guru
www.guru.com
MBA Free Agents
www.mbafreeagents.com
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Government
Careers in Government
www.careersingovernment.com
Federal Jobs
www.fedjobs.com
Get a Government Job
www.getagovjob.com
Government Jobs (Official Website)
www.usajobs.opm.gov
State Department Jobs
www.careers.state.gov
Health Care
Jobs in Medicine
www.medhunters.com
Healthcare Jobs
www.4nursingjobs.com
Hospital Web
http://neuro-www.mgh.harvard.edu/hospitalweb.shtml
Medicenter
http://www.medicenter.com/
Medzilla
www.medzilla.com
Hospitality/Tourism
Culinary Job Finder
www.culinaryjobfinder.com
Food Industry Jobs
www.foodindustryjobs.com
Hospitality and Tourism Jobs
http://omni.cc.purdue.edu/~alltson/career.htm
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Hospitality Jobs Online
www.hotel-jobs.com
Mountain Resort Jobs
www.mountainjobs.com
Resort Jobs
www.resortjobs.com
Human Resources
American Society for Training and Development
http://jobs.astd.org/search.cfm
HR Jobnet
www.hrjobnet.com
HR World
www.hrworld.com
Jobs For Human Resource Professionals
www.jobs4hr.com
Society for Human Resource Management
www.shrm.com/jobs
Information Technology
Brass Ring
www.brassring.com
Computer Jobs
www.computerjobs.com
Computer Work
www.computerwork.com
ERP Jobs
www.erpjobs.com
Just Tech Jobs
www.justtechjobs.com
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Insurance
I Hire Insurance
www.ihireinsurance.com
Great Insurance Jobs
www.greatinsurancejobs.com
Insurance Job Zone
www.insurancejobzone.com
Insurance Jobs
www.einsurancejobs.com
Insurance Workforce
www.insuranceworkforce.com
Ultimate Insurance Jobs
www.ultimateinsurancejobs.com
Underwriting Jobs
www.underwritingjobs.com
Law
Find a Law Job
www.findlawjob.com
Law Jobs
www.lawjobs.com
Lawyers Weekly Jobs
www.lawyersweekly.com
Legal Employment Search Site
www.legalemploy.com
Professional Development Center for Lawyers
http://profdev.lp.findlaw.com/
Law Enforcement
Corrections Connection Career Center
http://database.corrections.com/career/
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For Federal Law Enforcement Jobs
www.usajobs.opm.gov/
Law and Order Magazine Job Center
http://www.lawandordermag.com/jobcenter.htm
Law Enforcement and Police Jobs
www.lawenforcementjobs.com
Security Jobs Network
www.securityjobs.net
Manufacturing and Purchasing
Jobs in Manufacturing
www.jobsinmanufacturing.com
Jobs in Manufacturing
www.jobsinmfg.com
Jobs in Purchasing
www.purchasingjobs.com
Marketing and Sales
Access Sales Jobs
www.accessalesjobs.com
Executive Search International (Recruiters for the packaged goods industry)
http://www.esihbc.com/
Jobs for Sales
www.jobs4sales.com
Trade Show Exhibitors
www.exhibitornet.com
American Marketing Association
www.marketingpower.com
Marketing Jobs
www.marketingjobs.com
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Marketing Manager (Sales Manager Jobs)
www.marketingmanager.com
Top Sales Jobs
www.topsalesjobs.com
Media (Entertainment)
Flaunt (Resource for Actors, Filmmakers, Producers and Writers
www.flaunt.com
I want Media Jobs
www.iwantmedia.com
Lost Remote (TV Jobs)
www.lostremote.com
Planet Media – TV Jobs, Newspaper Jobs, Radio Jobs
www.planetmedia.net
Screenwriters Market
www.screenwritersmarket.com
Showbiz Jobs
www.showbizjobs.com
TV Jobs
www.tvjobs.com
Nonprofit
Careers in Associations
www.asaenet.org/careers
Deep Sweep (linking executives to non-profit jobs)
www.deepsweep.com
Idealist
www.idealist.org
Jobs at Nonprofits
www.jobs-at-nonprofits.com
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Nonprofit Resource Center
http://not-for-profit.org/
Philanthropy Careers
http://philanthropy.com/jobs/
Philanthropy Journal
www.philanthropyjournal.org
Office and Administrative Support
Administrative Resource Network
www.adresnet.com
Call Center Careers
www.callcentercareers.com
Customer Service Careers
www.customerservicecareers.com
Secretarial
www.ihiresecretarial.com
Pharmaceutical
Biotech and Pharmaceutical Jobs
www.bioview.com
Pharmaceutical Jobs USA
www.pharmaceuticaljobs-usa.com/
Pharmaceutical Information on the Web
http://www.pharmweb.net/
Pharmaceutical and Biotech Jobs
www.hirehealth.com
Pharmaceutical News and Information
www.coreynahman.com
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Publishing
American Business Media
www.americanbusinesspress.com
American Society of Business Publication Editors
www.asbpe.org
Copy Editors
www.copyeditors.com
Editor and Publishing Site
www.editorandpublisher.com
Hot Magazine Jobs
www.magazine.org/jobfair
Retail
Apparel Staffing
www.apparelstaffing.com
Fashion Career Center
www.fashioncareercenter.com/
Jobs in Fashion
www.jobsinfashion.com
Retail Job Net
www.retailjobnet.com
Women’s Wear Daily (check classifieds for jobs)
www.wwd.com
Science
Bio Jobs
www.biojobs.com
Biology Jobs
www.biologyjobs.com
Science Careers
http://recruit.sciencemag.org/
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Science Jobs
www.sciencejobs.com
Science Jobs in Chemistry, Biology and Biotech
www.scijobs.org
PhD’s in Science, Math and Engineering Jobs
www.phds.org
Space Careers
www.spacelink.com
Social Work
Careers in Social Work
http://www.socialworker.com/career.htm
Jobs in Social Work
www.jobsinsocialwork.com
National Association of Social Workers
www.naswca.org
Social Workers in the Medical Field
http://www.medicalworkers.com/SocialWorkers/
Sports
Jobs in Sports
www.jobsinsports.com
Sports Careers
www.sportscareers.com
Women Sports Jobs
www.womensportsjobs.com
Work in Sports
www.workinsports.com
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Telecommunications
Broadband Careers Network
www.broadbandcareers.com
Telecom Careers
www.telecomcareers.net
Telecom Employment
www.telecomemployment.com
The Telco Rock Job Bank
www.telcorock.com
Work in Wireless
www.workinwireless.com
Writing and Journalism
Author Link
www.authorlink.com
Job Links for Journalists
http://newslink.org/joblink/
Journalism Jobs
www.journalismjobs.com
National Diversity Newspaper Job Bank
www.newsjobs.com
Well Fed Writer
www.wellfedwriter.com
The Write Jobs
www.thewritejobs.com
The Writer Gazette
www.writergazette.com
Writers Digest
www.writersdigest.com
Writers Weekly
www.writersweekly.com
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Job Fairs
A job fair is a collection of employers, sponsored by a commercial job fair company,
local employment agency, or community based agency such as the Urban League, who
get together in one location to attract large numbers of potential employees. Admission
to the fairs is nominal or free. In addition to the opportunity to meet with hiring
representatives, many job fairs offer auxiliary services such as resume critiquing or
formal presentations on some aspect of job search. Before you go to a job fair, it’s
important to understand the benefits and limitations of such events:
Benefits
•
Job fairs are an excellent way to collect information (annual reports, hiring needs,
benefits summaries, business cards, etc.) from a variety of employers at one time.
•
You’ll have an opportunity to meet face-to-face with a number of hiring
representatives. Although they have very limited time to speak with you, hiring
representatives will note down the names of candidates who they find impressive.
•
Companies who attend these fairs are active recruiters, meaning they probably
have a continual need for new employees. Even if you don’t get a chance to
speak with every company, use the job-fair directory as a resource for follow-up.
Limitations
•
During tough economic times, particularly in major cities, job fairs get very
crowded. You may have to wait on line for hours just to get in, so try to get there
first thing in the morning (when both you and the recruiters are most alert).
•
Job fairs can be depressing. The combination of waiting on line to get in,
recruiters that only spend a minute or two with you, and being surrounded by
thousands of other people who are unemployed can make you feel mighty blue.
Do what you can to alleviate the stress - go with a friend, bring a good book to
read while waiting on line, or reward yourself with a lunch date following the fair.
Tips for Job-Fair Success:
•
Wear business attire and carry an ample supply of resumes (bring at least 35
copies).
•
Engage the recruiters in a dialogue. Give your two-minute pitch and then ask
intelligent questions.
•
Collect brochures, business cards and other pertinent marketing materials.
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•
Don’t go to the fair expecting to get an offer or even an interview - your goal
should be to make a personal connection with the recruiter and learn information
about potential hiring needs. If you accomplish both of those objectives, you’ve
had a successful day.
How to Find Job Fairs in Your Area
Job fairs are advertised in your local newspaper, typically in the Sunday classifieds
section and on many of the online job board sites. Here is a sampling of additional sites
where you can find information about job fairs:
American Job Fairs http://www.americanjobfairs.com/
Best Jobs USA Career Fair Guide http://www.bestjobsusa.com/sections/CANcareerfairs/index.asp
Brass Ring (great for hi-tech and technical job fairs)
http://www.brassring.com/content/Events.asp
Equal Opportunity Publications Diversity Recruitment Fairs
http://www.eop.com/careerfair.html
Women For Hire
www.womenforhire.com
Newspaper Classified Ads
Many job seekers spend a significant portion of their job search combing through the
classifieds. Unfortunately the newspaper classifieds represent only a fraction of the
available openings at any point in time, particularly for middle and high level positions.
Nonetheless, people can and do find jobs through this method. Just be aware to keep the
proportion of time you devote to this method to 5-10% of your search time.
Here are some tips for using classifieds to your advantage:
•
Sunday’s paper usually has the most classified listings. In addition to your local
papers, don’t forget to check industry journals and newspapers.
•
Company recruiters can be overzealous in their descriptions of their ideal
candidate, so don’t hesitate to respond to any ad that comes reasonably close to
being a good match for your skills and experience.
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•
Try to do some research on the company so that you can customize your cover
letter before sending out your response to the ad. That little extra effort will go a
long way in distinguishing your response from the masses.
•
Leave salary information off the cover letter. If the ad requests salary
information, include a line in your cover letter that reads, “My compensation
package is negotiable and I would be happy to discuss this further with you during
the interview process.” If the ad requires salary information, you should comply
with a range if you wish to be given consideration as a candidate.
•
Read the ads carefully for special instructions such as deadlines or an indication
that the resumes will be scanned electronically.
•
Follow up your written inquiry with a phone call several days after responding to
the ad.
Remember that even if you do not find any great jobs advertised, the classifieds are a
helpful way to learn about which companies in your area are in growth mode. You
can also look at the classifieds online. Here are links to some of the country’s major
newspapers:
Chicago Sun Times www.suntimes.com/classified/Employment.html
New York Times www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/jobmarket
UNC at Greensboro has a site where you can connect to newspaper sites around
the world at http://library.uncg.edu/news/
Wall Street Journal www.careerjournal.com
TIP: At Careerbuilder.com you can search newspaper classified ads from a number of
cities throughout the country. Go to http://www.careerbuilder.com/mjs/megasearch.html
To review:
Diversify your job search efforts, devoting the bulk of your time to active networking
activities.
Limit the amount of time you spend on the Internet.
Remember it’s a numbers game – it takes a lot of inquiries to land a great offer!
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10 Ways to Jumpstart a Stalled Search
Hopefully your job search will be blissfully short and within a month or two you’ll land
the job of your dreams. But if things are taking longer than you’d like after sending out
hundreds of resumes, diligently pursuing your network, and otherwise being a model of
job searching perfection, here are ten strategies you might consider to help move the job
search from neutral to fast forward.
1. Contact a career professional: If you haven’t done so already, now may be the
time to schedule a few sessions with a trained career advisor. If you can’t afford a
counselor in private practice, contact your alma mater or local community college
and ask to work with a counselor in their career services department.
Alternatively, you can get assistance from your state unemployment office.
2. If needed, adapt your resume: Is your resume leading to requests for
interviews? If not, it may be time to tweak the resume. Take a hard look at your
job objective and make sure your supporting accomplishments are a powerful
reflection of the type of job you desire.
3. Evaluate your network: As you get further along in the job hunt, you’ll find a
handful of people who are invaluable to your search and others who are relatively
useless. Don’t waste your time pestering people who refuse to return phone calls.
Nurture and reward those members of your network who have proven to be real
allies. Find ways to make your relationship a “win-win” for both parties so that
they will continue to eagerly work on your behalf.
4. Track your time: Keeping a log of your activities can be an eye-opening
experience. It’s a good way to honestly evaluate if you’re spending your time in
the best way possible.
5. Read a good career book: There are dozens of job search advice books on the
market and while most of them cover a lot of common ground, they each also
offer a unique perspective and orientation. Even if you only pick up two new tips
from each book, that may be enough to help you try a new approach or strategy.
6. Increase your output: If ten calls a day isn’t getting you anywhere, it’s time to
increase to fifteen calls. No matter how diligently you’ve worked on your search,
there is almost always room for pushing yourself a bit harder.
7. Take a break: Huh? Didn’t I just tell you to step things up a notch? Yes, but
that doesn’t mean that you’re not entitled to a well-deserved break. Recognize
that serious job hunting is work and if you want to stay focused on a daily basis,
it’s useful to schedule in some short breaks. Take a walk. Schedule lunch with a
friend. Watch a funny movie. Allow yourself an opportunity to energize your
batteries.
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8. Volunteer: Helping others is a wonderful opportunity to learn new skills, meet
new people and reap the satisfaction of assisting people less fortunate than
yourself. If you’re lucky, it may also be an opportunity for you to showcase some
of your skills to a new audience – some of whom may be able to offer you fulltime employment.
9. Work a temp assignment: In addition to earning money, temping is a good
opportunity to get back out in the workplace, learn some new skills and meet
potential employers. Many temps are ultimately hired by their host companies.
10. Investigate the services provided by your State Unemployment Office: Most
people avoid unemployment offices like the plague, but the reality is that these
offices offer an array of services that go way beyond simply cutting
unemployment checks. Go take a look – you’ll be impressed by the variety of
training, counseling, workshops and support services offered.
But, what if you do all these things and still have no success? Sometimes, the reality is
that no matter how good a candidate you may be, and no matter how hard you work at the
job search, there simply may not be enough jobs available in your field of interest:
•
Your industry may be in a slump, in which case you might have to shift into a
different industry focus.
•
You might be living in an area with a serious shortage of jobs, which may
necessitate considering a move.
•
Or you might be in a job for which there is a declining demand. In that case, you
might consider getting additional training to make yourself more marketable.
Clearly, none of these are easy choices. If after a careful analysis, you determine that you
need to change your job focus, take a look at some of the resources I have listed on page
36 to assist with this re-assessment process. Or if you decide to investigate information
on growth industries and companies, consult these articles:
Business Week Online has a scorecard of growth companies at
http://bwnt.businessweek.com/hot_growth/
Hot Jobs for the 21st Century published by the Woman’s Bureau/e Dept. of Labor
http://www.dol.gov/dol/wb/public/wb_pubs/hot2000.htm
Occupational Outlook Handbook: Tomorrow’s Jobs
http://stats.bls.gov/oco/oco2003.htm
US News.com: Hot Job Tracks
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/nycu/work/wohotjob.htm
89
Landing the Job
Finding the job openings is half the battle, landing the job is the other half. Since you’ve
already been through the interviewing process at least once during your professional life,
I am going to assume you’re generally aware of basic interview protocol. Therefore, in
this next section, I’ve chosen to ignore the basics (don’t worry, I’ve listed some good
resources at the end of this chapter just in case you need a refresher course) and will
concentrate my comments on the unique challenges of interviewing and negotiating a
compensation package when you are unemployed.
Ace the Interview
Since the urgency of finding work is probably greater than when you were employed, you
may find the interviewing process more stressful than usual. Relax. The mechanics of
interviewing remain the same whether you are employed or unemployed. However, it’s
smart to be prepared to answer some questions that may come up related to your being
unemployed at the time of the interview. Here are some questions you should anticipate:
Tell me about yourself
Rest assured that you will be asked some version of this question within the first few
minutes of the interview. Keep your answer to a minute or two at most and cover three
areas: education, work history and recent career accomplishments. Do not make any
reference to your current state of unemployment.
Why did you leave your last job?
If you were part of a company wide lay-off, say so. If you were selectively terminated,
give a very brief description of the circumstances and try the “we agreed to disagree
approach.” Do not say anything negative about your last employer.
How did your employer rate your performance?
The interviewer is trying to figure out if your performance impacted the decision to
include you in a layoff. If you had positive performance reviews, elaborate on them. If
the reviews were mediocre, discuss the areas where your boss stated you excelled.
How do you feel about your last employer?
Even though you may dying to vent, keep your emotions in check and highlight the
positives. Discuss the many fine experiences and knowledge you gained on the job.
90
How successful do you feel you’ve been in your career?
Present a positive picture of yourself without overstating your case. You might try
saying, “Clearly being laid-off was a bit of a setback, but I think overall I’ve enjoyed
very steady progression in my career growth.”
Do you worry about being overqualified for this position?
Reply that you have an interest in developing a long-term relationship with the company
and hope over time you will be able to help the company grow and prosper. Emphasize
that your experience will help the employer realize a faster return on his investment.
Have you been looking for a job for a long time?
Be honest, but try not to emphasize the exact amount of time you’ve been looking. You
might say, “I’m being very careful to find the right fit for the long term. I would rather
take the extra time to insure I’ve secured a good match.”
How to Negotiate a Winning Deal
First, find a great job: When you are unemployed there is a tremendous temptation to
accept the first job offer that rolls around. Don’t do it unless it is a great fit. Six months
from now, long after the glow of finally being employed again has faded, you want to be
in a situation that is a good match in terms of both compensation and personal fit. The
right job is worth waiting for. Here are some questions you might ask potential
employers (if you haven’t already done so) to help determine if a job is right for you:
•
What do you consider to be the most important daily responsibilities of this job?
•
How do you see me fitting into the organization?
•
How are outstanding employees in this firm recognized and rewarded?
•
What do you see as my growth opportunities within the company?
•
How much overtime/travel is required?
•
Does the company provide training and professional development?
•
What do you see as the company’s major strengths and weaknesses?
Then, negotiate a winning deal: You deserve and owe it to yourself to negotiate the best
compensation package possible. The basic rule about salary negotiation is you never
want to be the first one to name a dollar figure. So, when the interviewer asks what type
of salary you’re looking for, you can try several different strategies.
1. Try to delay the discussion: Tell the interviewer you’ll be in a better position to
discuss salary once you know more about the responsibilities involved with the
91
job. If you’ve already discussed those details, attempt to throw the question back
in the employer’s court by restating the responsibilities of the job, as you
understand them and then asking, “Given the responsibilities involved, what range
has been authorized for this job?”
2. If the employer still insists that you name a figure first: Respond by stating, “I
believe my skills would warrant a salary in the range between____ and ____
(your range should start with an acceptable midpoint, never use your lowest
acceptable salary figure as a starting point).
3. If they instead ask you, “How much money were you earning before?”:
a) Give a straight dollar figure.
b) Fudge the number a bit by adding in the value of your benefits package and
then reply, “My total compensation was x.” Be aware that employers can ask
to see a W2 form or payroll stub at the time you start work, so you don’t want
to get too cutesy with your creative accounting.
c) State, “I was earning x but I was promised a significant raise which I never
received after they put a salary freeze in effect.”
If you are concerned that your old salary is considerably lower than what the new job
should be paying, be sure to point out the differences between your old responsibilities
and what you will be expected to produce in your new job.
Once a salary is offered, it will either strike you as fair or disappointing. If it strikes you
as fair, you can still try to negotiate for a few more dollars or additional benefits (most
employers expect there to be some negotiation, particularly with higher-level jobs). Even
if the employer ultimately won’t budge, you’ll be respected for your tenacity.
If, on the other hand, the offer is disappointing, you’ve got a tougher, but by no means
impassable road to travel. There are a number of different negotiating strategies you can
try – most of which require a bit of knowledge and practice. On the next page I’ve listed
recommended resources to help you become a savvier negotiator.
Remember that salary is only one part of your compensation package. Along with a
higher salary you can negotiate for:
•
A lump sum signing bonus
•
A year-end bonus
•
Stock Options
•
A shorter than normal review cycle (i.e. 90 days and then six months later)
Additional vacation time
•
Miscellaneous perks (i.e. company car, personal computer, etc.)
•
Predetermined severance arrangement
92
After the negotiations have been completed, summarize the offer to make sure you
understand the details, express your enthusiasm and ask for some time to think things
over. It is perfectly acceptable to delay your decision for a few days. Once you’ve
reached a decision, you should call the employer. If your decision is not to accept, thank
the employer for their time and follow up your conversation with a written thank you
note. Leave on a positive footing. You never know when your paths may cross again.
If you’ve decided to accept their offer, do so via telephone and ask for a formal offer
letter via e-mail or US mail. Once you’ve received the offer in writing, notify any other
companies with whom you have been having discussions that you have accepted another
offer. You should also send out an e-mail to everybody in your network letting him or
her know the good news along with your new contact information. Be sure to take the
time to compose personal notes of thanks to everyone who has been especially helpful to
you during this time period.
Last, but not least, pop the champagne, go out for dinner and bask in the glow of success!
Online Resources regarding interviews and salary negotiations
Articles:
Proper Phone Etiquette Can Propel You to the Next Step
www.quintcareers.com/phone_interview_etiquette.html
For many of you, the first interview will be on the telephone. This article will
help you pass that screening call with flying colors.
Ace the interview
www.acetheinterview.com
Useful source of information for technically oriented interviews.
Business Etiquette
http://www.hbcollege.com/management/students/bus_etiquette.htm
Very helpful collection of articles on appropriate business etiquette issues,
including international business etiquette and protocol.
Sites:
Careercity.com
http://www.careercity.com/content/interview/
Job Star salary negotiation strategies (collection of articles and resources)
http://jobstar.org/tools/salary/negostrt.htm
Abbott Langer and Associates
www.abbott-langer.com
93
Abbott Langer sells comprehensive compensation reports, but their pricing is
more geared to the corporate market than the individual job-seeker. However,
they do post a fair amount of free salary information on their site – definitely
worth a look.
Career Journal (Career Site of the Wall Street Journal)
http://www.careerjournal.com/salaries/index.html
Excellent range of information and articles. Site features a nifty calculator tool
called salaryexpert.com
Salary.com
www.salary.com
Job-interview.net
www.job-interview.net
This is one impressive site! By far, the most comprehensive and useful site I’ve
seen about interviewing on the web – including over 2800 sample interview
questions characterized by industry. Speed your fingers over to this one.
Image Dynamics
www.idimage.com
Fun collection of articles about appropriate business dress, casual work clothes
and dining etiquette.
Monster’s Interview Guide
http://content.monster.com/jobinfo/interview/
Another useful collection of articles from the Monster job board folks.
United States Office of Personnel Management
www.opm.gov
Salary information for federal government positions.
Books:
101 Great Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions by Ron Fry
Negotiating Your Salary: How to Make $1000 a Minute by Jack Chapman
Power Interviews: Job-Winning Tactics From Fortune 500 Recruiters by Neil
Yeager and Lee Hough
Win-Win Career Negotiations: All You Need to Know about Negotiating Your
Employment Agreement by Peter Goodman
94
Concluding Thoughts
“There is no education like adversity.” -- Disraeli
Congratulations – you did it!! Soon, you’ll be immersed in your new job, your attention
focused on new challenges and your memories of unemployment will begin to fade into
the distance.
That is all how it should be. But, I would be remiss at this juncture, if I were to simply
say, “Good luck and Godspeed” without also adding a quiet reminder to “Beware.” No
matter how engrossing your new responsibilities; don’t allow yourself to be lulled into
complacency. This time around, take precautions, so that if fortunes turn in the future,
you’ll be better prepared to maneuver on your own terms. As Charles Darwin once said:
“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one
most responsive to change.”
While the memories of unemployment are fresh in your mind, commit to being your own
change agent:
•
Nurture the relationships you have cultivated during your job search. Stay in
touch with two or three helpful recruiters, continue to attend networking meetings
and reach out to help those who now find themselves unemployed.
•
Fortify your savings account to insure greater economic flexibility in the future.
•
Seek out opportunities for personal and business development. Enhance your
marketability through training. Showcase your talents by accepting new
leadership roles in community or professional organizations, writing articles and
speaking engagements.
•
Maintain a file of accomplishments that provide quantifiable proof of your
successes.
Most importantly, commit to being the best you can be on the job. Nothing insures future
success better than present success.
95
About the Author
Nancy Collamer, M.S. has attracted a following as the online Career Transitions Expert
for the Oxygen Media Network. As the founder of Collamer Career Consulting, based in
Greenwich, CT, she has built a nationwide clientele assisting clients through telephone
coaching, workshops and publications.
In addition to her appearances on Oxygen TV, Nancy’s advice has appeared in
Fortune, Redbook, Ladies Home Journal, Family Money, US News and World
Report, Working Mother and the Wall Street Journal. Nancy’s workshop, “Part
Time Careers for Full Time Mothers” was the subject of a feature story in the
December, 1998 issue of Working Mother magazine.
She holds a M.S. in Career Development from the College of New Rochelle and a
B.A. in Psychology from the University of North Carolina/Chapel Hill. Prior to
establishing her private practice, she was the co-owner of an employment agency
and worked as the Director of Human Resources for Air Express International
Corporation, and as the Assistant Director of Personnel for Saks Fifth Avenue. She
is a member of Working Mother Magazine’s Reader Panel, the Career Masters
Institute, The Alliance of Work Life Professionals, the Career Coach Institute and
the Westchester Career Counselors Network.
Nancy can be contacted at [email protected]
96

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