Orange Earth

How to Find a Job When There Arent AnyGet a job! Sha na na na, sha na na na na

Copyright 2013, Distinctive Career Services, LLC1Youve heard the song. One of the most popular doo wop songs of all time, the1957 song by the Silhouettescontains lyrics describing a scenario familiar to most of uslooking for employment:

After breakfast, everyday,she throws the want ads right my wayAnd never fails to say,Get a job Sha na na na, sha na na na na.

However, the want ads (or, today,online job boards, for example) arent necessarily overflowing with job opportunities, especially in a stagnant economy with stubbornly high unemployment.Companies uncertain about the foreseeable economic future are hesitant to hire. If youre trying toget a job, this reality of the employment landscape is discouraging. Or worse.So, what to do? How is it possible to get a job when there are no jobs? Finding the answer to the question isnt the problem. Its the question itself that poses your biggest obstacle. Wait, what?, you ask. Well explain.

5Employers arent hiring because theyre convinced theres no need to do so. Mission critical tasks are being adequately handled by existing staffing levels and usually at a reduced cost of doing business. In order to get a job, an employer has to know that an opening requires filling. And an opening that requires filling means theres a need not being met. Which is where you come in. With research and investigation, you may able to identify a need. And who better to identify a need you can fill than you?

Dont underestimate the effort required, however. If a company thinks that its taking care of business just fine, thank you very much, youll be hard pressed to demonstrate that you know something the organization doesnt. Furthermore, even if you can make such a presentation, the manner in which you make it is very important to that effort to get a job.If youre up to the task, we suggest you incorporate the following into your strategy and tactics:* What do you want?Before you can strategize about how to get a job, you should be veryclear about the type of job you want. Theres no point in going through this process if, at the end of the day, the job that you identify really isnt one youre qualified to perform or, even more basically, one that even interests you.

* Do your research.This is absolutely essential. Once youve determined the field in which you want to work, thoroughly conduct online research on the industry. Yes, youll want to research individual companies, but in order to better determine company needs, youll need to understand the problems and challenges the industry faces overall.This global approach provides you practical information with wider application than what youll gain by limiting your research to specific organizations. You may be able to ascertain industry trends, recent technological and/or procedural advancements, statutory, regulatory, and legal issues, and even the latest marketing strategies. No matter what your discover, the information will be valuable in helping you craft a need to which you are the solution.

* The art, rather than the science, of getting a job.

Once youve done your research, analyze the data so that you can identify what needs fixing. Or developing. In order toget a jobwhere none currently exists, you need to be at your most creative, putting yourself in the place of management to see what the organization hasnt yet observed. Once youve done that, craft a proposal that not only clearly demonstrates need but also illustrates how your skill set is commensurate with meeting it. Make your presentation explicit, exhaustive, and exciting. In order to create energy about your proposal, it has to be energetic in both its content .and tone.

* MessagingOne of the simple truths in marketing is that price, quality and/or utility of a product or service are irrelevant if you dont reach your target demographic. This basic tenet is equally applicable to your efforts to get a job. No matter how effectively you can demonstrate that you have the potential to fill a need where one wasnt perceived to exist before, it wont matter if you arent able to present it to the appropriate audience.

Here are a few suggestions regarding how to do that: Use your network(both personal and professional) to get a personal introduction

Send a formal letter asking for a meeting, outlining, in general, why such a meeting would be beneficial to the reader (have I got a job for me for you!)

Develop a brief presentation (e.g., a marketing brochure that markets your proposal) to deliver in person.

Communicate viasocial mediaand integrate your proposal into that communication. Maybe draft a newsletter or blog piece directed to your reader or produce a short video presentation which also allows you to introduce yourself before youre even introduced.

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The Internets Rsum & Career Marketing SpecialistsSince 1996www.distinctiveweb.com resumes@distinctiveweb.com (800) 644-9694Copyright 2013, Distinctive Career Services, LLC

Michelle Dumas runs of one of the longest-standing and most respectedprofessional rsum writingfirms on the internet, Distinctive Career Services, LLC (dba Distinctive Documents). Since 1996, Michelle has empowered thousands of professionals with rsums that get results and win jobs fast. Get insider rsum writing tips that you won't find anywhere else at her website. Go now towww.distinctiveweb.com16