subject: Job Hunting In An Economic Slowdown [print this page] This is an extract from an article published in Rediff (please see the bottom of the article for the link to the full article)
Treat the job search process as a job
If you are unemployed, your focus or the interim job now is to get a new job. That means that you must dedicate part or full time hours to a structured job pursuit. Set a schedule everyday for networking with peers, finding leads and openings, preparing customised resumes and cover letters and finally sending them across to prospective employers.
An astute sense of focus will give you better results and enable you to find a job faster. A job search will involve picking up the phone and making cold calls, appearing for several interviews, facing rejection etc. A structured approach will make it easier for you to handle these new variables in your life.
Open up your mind to new sectors / jobs
Based on your professional and personal needs, form goals directed toward your next employment move. Sometimes setbacks can hold the gem of an exciting new opportunity. For example, lets say you enjoy designing websites for friends and you have your own blog. Youve dreamed about taking this hobby to a professional level. Does the ending of your current job give you the chance to go for your dream? You may opt to work either full time or part time while you get trained for and launch a new business. There are many ways to make it happen. Look for the opportunity in the setback.
Industries to target
While all sectors are affected, to some extent, by the current problems of the global economy, some are doing relatively better and professionals may target such sectors. First, the FMCG sector is a strong defensive industry. The demand for the daily consumption goods is less elastic both on income and on price levels. It is therefore, not surprising that their share prices have fallen much less, about 30 per cent, from their recent peaks, compared to 90 per cent in the Realty sector.
Other such sectors, still growing, are Telecom, Pharma, Power, Power Equipment and Financial Services. Take an inventory of your skill sets and see if you need to educate yourself further. It is a fact that the more education you have, the more money you can make in your lifetime. A downturn is a good time to head back to school and learn. There are several management and other short-term programmes that are offered these days by several leading institutions. Education opens the door and shows that you are a learner, able to stay the course, and have a measurable knowledge in your field.
Being in a job makes it easier to trade up later. Use multiple channels job sites; placement firms; responses to ads; direct applications; leveraging suitable contacts, etc. Before each interview, do good home work on that company. Take some training in job hunting. Dont appear desperate. Stay optimistic. The upturn will come.
