The process of finding a new job may be a distance memory for many who have not had to look for a job since college. The job search tools have changed over the years, but the process has remained relatively the same.
Finding a job can take a lot of energy, both emotionally and physically. So, expect to feel a little tired and realize that being tired is a normal part of the job search process.
The Job Search Process
- - Create a resume (look at examples on the Internet)
- - Find a local job recruiter (yellow pages, local newspaper, ask about job recruiters at college job placement offices)
- - Search for jobs online (Careerbuilder.com, Monster.com, go to the library and ask about the local job line)
- - Use your personal network to spread the word that you are looking for a job
- - Consider going back to school to get retrained in an industry that has job growth. Or consider getting a job as an intern to learn a new skill through on the job training
- - Create a budget to cut back on expenses so that you can survive until you find a job
- - Try to resist getting depressed, because it will only delay your process in getting another job and turning around your financial outlook. Remember that job hunting takes a lot of energy.
In The Meantime
In the meantime, while you’re waiting for the companies HR departments to get back to you, you can stay busy with these ideas.
You can spend a lot of time researching what markets are growing and will be hiring in the near future. The Internet has become a tremendous place to find tons of information about current events and industry trends. You can also go to the library and read a few books about new market trends, reading up on new technologies in things like energy, water, food and medicine.
You can also consider starting your own business. Starting a business from scratch may not provide you with the income you need right away, but even a small income could help out while looking for another job. If your business targets the right industry at the right time, it could become your full-time job. A small business can also act as an insurance policy, to help provide some income during a job loss. Setting up a business can be very time consuming, but what better way to invest your time while you are waiting for your next job. If you use this time to go through the process of creating a business and setting up your suppliers, accounting, marketing and customer relationships, you will be that much better prepared for any other income disruptions. For example, what if your new job doesn’t work out after a few months?
If you lose your job because of a major shift in the economy (like the one we are facing now), than there is likely to be many new opportunities within the market. Major economic shifts usually cause large organizations to lose their leverage, because they cannot react fast enough to the market changes. Quick changes in the economy create opportunities for new businesses to quickly create new products and solutions for new problems that large organizations have yet to create products for. Quick changes in the economy create a window of opportunity for starting a new business. Now could be the best time for you to start a business.
Put Yourself To Work
Another way to survive a job lose is to put yourself to work for your own needs. You can virtually fire many people that your indirectly hire to meet your needs. For example, you can start a garden to supply some of your own food rather than going out to eat or you can wash your own vehicle instead of using the drive through car wash.
Here is a list of small tasks that can save you money.
http://www.pennyjobs.com/pp/public/PennyJobs.aspx