What to do when You Can’t Find a Job? Posted by Mind Power Master

Can’t find a job? How to conduct a successful job search

There’s no denying that unemployment is rising dramatically. If you’ve been laid off, you may be eligible to collect unemployment benefits, but everyone knows that unemployment benefits amount to just a fraction of what your income was while working. If you can’t find a job, perhaps you need a new strategy.

While you may be applying for every job opportunity, you may be wasting much of your time applying for jobs for which you are either overqualified or unqualified. If you can’t find a job within a month of diligent searching, it’s easy to become desperate. The stress and pressure of trying to meet financial obligations leads many people to discard a targeted job search strategy and apply for every job listed in the paper.

For example, if your usual employment is in accounting, but you can’t find a job in your field, now is not the time to apply at gas stations or fast food places. The prospective employer will look at your resume and conclude that you won’t stay with them long. As soon as you do find a job that matches your skill set, you’ll be gone. Here we offer some suggestions on how to conduct a successful, targeted job search that gets you back in the work force in the least amount of time.

1.Get your resume in perfect condition. Using the accounting example, let’s say you’re proficient in most areas of accounting. While your resume should always be truthful in reflecting your knowledge and experience, you may want to create several resumes, each stressing a different facet of your skills. If an employer advertises for someone with heavy experience in accounts receivable, position your accounts receivable experience in the first line of each job description, placing a bit more emphasis on that phase of your previous jobs. This assumes you do know A/R inside and out. If you’re sending your resume to an employer looking for a payroll position, modify your resume to detail that experience prominently.

2.Don’t confine yourself to the local classifieds. If you can’t find a job locally, post your resume on the online job boards. Depending on your line of work, DICE and craigslist may turn up some good leads. Search through job offers on craigslist and submit a posting in its ’services offered’ category as well. If you’re an accountant, post a listing for all of the services you’re qualified to provide.

3.Network! Both social and business contacts can help spread the word. This can prove to be a fruitful strategy. People who know you personally are more likely to make a concerted effort to help you find a job.

4.Target successful online businesses which might make use of your job skills. While you may not get full time work, acquiring several online clients may result in a full time income. Tailor your query to each business on an individual basis. Just as in a face-to-face interview, your prospective client will appreciate the fact that you took the time to research their business and understand their objectives. If you can’t find a job through any other avenue, this step can help you build a business that sustains you over the long term.

5.Use the services offered at your local Department of Employment. Some offer free or low cost training services to increase your chances of landing a job. The personnel can also offer valuable advice on how to leverage your skills and polish your resume.

6.Sign up with some of the temp agencies. Many employers use temp agencies to find permanent employees.

Finding a job can be a full time occupation in itself. If you can’t find a job, it may be due to your strategy. Once you’ve got your resume in order, follow up on each of the remaining steps, aggressively and concurrently. Keep a positive attitude! Good luck!

The Top Things To Do When You Can't Get A Job

If you’ve been out of work for several months and aren’t getting any interviews, or you’re going on interviews but not getting any offers, maybe it’s time to adjust your approach to job hunting.

There’s no particular length of time after which the alarm bells should sound, but the general rule is, if you’ve sent out dozens of résumés and aren’t getting any bites, or you’ve gone on a dozen interviews but haven’t received any job offers – do something.


If you’re not getting any interviews, it’s time to reconsider your résumé. First, examine it to make sure it contains no spelling or grammar errors. Then have a friend or colleague check it. “You cannot succeed in this competitive market if your résumé isn’t 100% accurate,” says Connie Thanasoulis-Cerrachio, an expert at the career Web site Vault.com and former chief operating officer for Merrill Lynch Campus Recruiting.

Thanasoulis-Cerrachio recommends including a personal interest section at the bottom. Most hiring managers aren’t comfortable interviewing prospective job candidates, and they’re not good at it. Adding a section on your personal interests gives them a conversation starter.

“Most interviewers are just as uncomfortable as the job candidate, so they gravitate toward something they’re comfortable with, like personal interests,” Thanasoulis-Cerrachio says.

Include a section up top detailing your skills. It should include hard skills like knowing certain computer programs and soft skills like being a strong communicator or team player. Try to match the language used in the job ad.

Most important, though, emphasize the results you achieved in each position you held, instead of just listing job responsibilities. You become a much more compelling candidate if instead of saying you managed a team of three you say, “Managed a team of three employees who interacted with clients and had a 100% client retention rate over two years.” Prospective employers also want to hear about money you saved, or new clients you brought in.

As for your cover letters, they should never be a regurgitation of your résumé. Instead, make a compelling case for why you should be hired. The introductory paragraph should state the position you’re applying for. The middle few paragraphs should highlight the critical three elements of the job description, explaining why you will fit the job well. Use the hirer’s language. If the job ad says the candidate needs 10 years of experience using communication skills, describe how your communication skills saved the day at a previous job.

Don’t blast your résumé around like spam. Instead, conduct a focused job search, applying only for positions that you’re truly qualified for. Make a list of all the companies you’d most like to work for, and use your personal network and sites like LinkedIn to find connections you have at each one. If you’ve got a Twitter account that you use professionally, great. If not, start one. Many human-resources professionals are on Twitter. If you can find one at a company you’re interested in, start following him or her.

Retweet (Twitter lingo for forwarding) what that person has written, and comment on any interesting posts. “After a few weeks of following them, direct-message them, saying, ‘I’d love to talk about your company. It’s a place I’ve always wanted to work, and I’d love to hear about your experience there,’” says Dan Schawbel, author Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success.

If you’ve been going on a lot of interviews but not receiving job offers, it’s time to re-examine your interviewing technique. Among the most basic elements to consider: Are you dressing appropriately for the interviews? Men should always wear a suit, and woman should wear either slacks or a skirt with a nice top. Also, leave yourself plenty of time to get to the interview.

Try not to let too much empty time pass after the last item on your résumé. Volunteer, take a class to learn a new skill or find freelance work somehow, through your network or on Craigslist. “The worst thing to do is go into an interview, and when they ask what you’ve been doing, you stare at them with a blank face,” Schawbel says.

Practice before going on each interview. Research the company, and go in with a solid knowledge of its most significant concerns, clients and competitors. Some questions always come up in any interview, so be ready for them. Most people ask candidates what their strengths and weaknesses are. The key to answering the weakness part–and you should always have an answer–is to spin it in a positive manner. For instance, you might say, “I’m not the strongest analytically, but I’ve been working on that, and when I put together a report, I always have someone check it.”

“The interviewer wants to know that you’re self-aware and mature enough to talk about your weaknesses,” says Thanasoulis-Cerrachio. “You have to know how to describe the weakness the right way.”

Also, interviewers always ask whether you have any questions. Always come prepared with several. They show that you’re interested and you’ve done research.

Throughout the interview remain confident. Preparing in advance will help with that. Always look your interviewer in the eye, and offer a firm handshake. It sounds small, but the appearance of confidence goes a long way–especially for roles in which the job requires you to interact with outsiders. Don’t boast, but boldly state your accomplishments. Also, never be negative in the interview, particularly about any former boss, co-workers or company.

Always send a thank-you note, by e-mail or postal mail. Not only is it good etiquette, it’s an opportunity to smooth over any fumbles made during the interview or follow up with additional information about yourself.

Finally, when you don’t land a position, don’t be afraid to contact the interviewer and ask what you could have done better or why you didn’t get the job. You might get back some much-needed insight.