Lost Your Job? 8 Fast Ways to Fire Up a Job Hunt

I just spoke to another "seasoned" high level job candidate who decided to take a month off and relax after they lost their job.  This candidate told me, "It happened right before the holiday and I figured there weren't many jobs probably open anyway, so I decided to just enjoy the holiday's and look afterwards."  Unfortunately that holiday was Thanksgiving of last year!  Look at the date of this Blog!  She is very aware that each holiday since Thanksgiving is becoming yet another anniversary marker of unemployment. 

She told me in desperation, "I am hitting it hard Linda!  I am working at it every day."

I felt terrible for her, so I asked her, "OK, tell me what you have been doing the past 6 months after your 2 months of unemployment vacation?"  She did muster up a laugh and began to explain.  

She walked me through a job search process that was a 2005 job hunt approach (that is the stone age in terms of today's job hunt tools).  On top of it her resume was horrible, a terrible self-made resume.  If you don't know how to write your own resume, then hire it done by the RIGHT Professional Resume Writer from YOUR industry. 

Regardless of your age or station in life, if you become unemployed you need to MOVE and get going immediately and start searching for a job in a strategically smart way!

Hitting it hard going in the wrong direction means you are just pounding yourself into the ground deeper.  So let's look at a sure fire way, 8 ways to be exact, that are strategically smart. 

8 Ways to Fire up a Job Hunt

1. Get your resume prepared IMMEDIATELY by someone who is qualified in YOUR industry. Resume's are IMPORTANT, you can't do much without one and a poorly written one will kill your job search!  Then shoot that resume out via the Medical Device Resume Blaster service we like and are affiliated with.
2. You MUST, yes MUST set up an account on LinkedIn and train yourself on how to effectively use it or find someone to do it for you. Learn how to maneuver strategically to find a job and solid high value contacts.
3. Get busy on LinkedIn and find every lost business friend, former manager or previous contact and connect with them and let them know you are looking.
4. Get set up on the Aggregate Job Boards; 99% of all posted jobs from everywhere are on those boards.  If you understand how they work (hint, read the active links in this article) AND combine that with LinkedIn you have a POWERFUL combination to get right to the person who has the opening.
5. There always seems to be one niche job board in any given industry that is the "It Job Board" for that type of work.  Find it and pay to see the job postings.  For Medical Sales it is www.medreps.com.  I do like my own job board www.medrepcareers.com because it is free and uses the power of Indeed (an Aggregate job board) to also populate it.  Find the one for your industry that is the leader.
6. Go to your industry Trade Shows with your Resume and Business Card (yes, you better have a self branded business card) and press some flesh with the Vendors during that portion of the Trade Show (it is worth a quick trip and cheap flight to get there if you need to and it may be a write off for you too; check with your accountant).  Remember, Hiring Managers go to the big trade shows and sometimes their HR Department person too!
7. Look at all jobs in and outside your industry (yes you are more likely to get a job within your own industry, but let's cast the net wide; you need a job!).  Remember to network through local clubs and friends.
8. Lastly, be humble!  This is not a time for a high level executive to only interview for high level jobs!  Your job hunt should include a range of jobs that you could be a fit for, even it means a click lower in level than your previous one.  You may have to take a job that pays 30% less, but getting a check right away vs. long term unemployment will make up for the money gap quickly.

One other thing I would like to add.  There a number of those over 45 years of age who have been let go recently and yes, it could take you longer to get plugged in, especially if you were a highly paid executive.  Here is an idea for you experienced and tenured people and it is simple; open up a simple Sole Proprietorship and create a temporary company where you can do some consulting while you are looking for the next job (see self branding).  It bridges the gap in your resume and you may just meet your next employer via the contracting work you pick up.  In addition, it gives you something extra to talk about in the job interview besides saying, "I have only been looking for a job the past 6 months!" I did this back in 2005 when I lost my job and it ended up being a better job than working for someone else!  Do I have a job gap?  Nope, I opened the company up 4 weeks before my last day of employ.  I am not saying this will work for you, but it is amazing how things start jumping when you start moving and lighting some fires!  

©Linda Hertz, All Rights Reserved

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