“THE JOB-HUNTER'S SURVIVAL GUIDE”

This is the title of a brand new book by Richard N. Bolles, of “What Color is Your Parachute?” fame. He has sold over ten million copies of Parachute and has been in the career search business for over forty years. He wrote this book, as he says, “I felt there was a need for a much shorter, less expensive book to help job-hunters who were hanging on the ropes during this brutal Recession.” … ““If I were job-hunting tomorrow,” I asked myself, “what would be the most important things for me to know?” I wrote the book accordingly.” It is just that, a small book (100 pages) of pure job-hunting gold. He writes as he speaks, so it reads easily and quickly. There are internet links on almost every page for you to get more information or detail on what you need. Here are some highlights from the first half of the book that I would like to pass on to you. THERE ARE ALWAYS JOBS OUT THERE That is also the title of chapter one. Across America, there are approximately 1,250,000 jobs available per month. In April 2009 (when he wrote the book), there were 13,200,000 unemployed and officially looking for work. Now before you give up, realize that there are always about 8 million people who fail to find work in the US even in the best of times. So, there is always competition for jobs. It is just a lot more fierce right now. What you need, are greater job-hunting skills. Mr. Bolles says there are four pillars to greater job-hunting skills.

1. Assume finding work is your job.
2. Be willing to work hard on your job-hunt. This means time and persistence. Lots and lots of time. Days, weeks, months.
3. Do a thorough and detailed inventory on yourself. (more on this later)
4. Learn everything you can about job-hunting in the 21st century. Things are constantly changing, stay current. Do you know the eighteen ways to look for work? Remember, the familiar ways may not work. The ways that worked the last time you were out of a job, may not work this time. “Be ready to observe, to learn, to change your way of doing things. Be ready to reinvent yourself, with a new identity. No longer, ‘I am an auto worker (or whatever), but ‘I am a person who can do …” (you can also read about branding yourself on my blog – click here)

ON KEEPING HOPE ALIVE The secret to keeping hope alive is to have alternatives. Have at least three. If you have only two alternatives, it can cause paralysis, as you don’t know which ONE to choose. Have three and you can easily alternate among them. Research has shown many people give up after one or two months. If you keep alternating between your chosen alternatives, you are more easily able to keep hope alive. This principle of having alternatives works in every situation you may be facing in this economic downturn. Stop and ask yourself, “What are alternative ways for dealing with this challenge?” Then come up with two other ways and use them all. Here are Mr. Bolles eighteen alternative ways of looking for work:

1. Self-Inventory. Before you do anything else, do a thorough self-inventory of the transferrable skills and interests the you enjoy most and do best, so you can define in stunning detail exactly the job(s) you would most like to have, to your family, friends, contacts, network, and employers. And then use this knowledge to focus your search for work.
2. The Internet. Use the Internet to post your résumé, look for job postings or vacancies.
3. Networking. Ask friends, family or people in your community for job leads.
4. School. Ask a former professor or teacher for leads.
5. The Feds. Go to state/federal unemployment services or to One Stop Career Centers (http://www.careeronestop.org/).
6. In Your State. Go to private employment agencies.
7. Civil Service. Take a civil service exam to compete for a government job.
8. Newspapers. Answer local “want ads” (online or in the paper). Sunday editions are usually the most useful.
9. Journals. Professional journals in your profession or field. Answer any ads that intrigue you.
10. Temp Agencies. Go to temp agencies for short-term assignments (work) for companies that need your skills temporarily. This is a good way to get your foot in the door and you build experience for your résumé.
11. Pickups. Go to places where employers pick up workers. These are usually well-known street corners in your town (ask around) or union halls, etc. These are usually manual labor jobs. No job is too humble when you need money.
12. Job Clubs. Join or form a job club where you will receive job leads and weekly emotional support. Excellent directory at Job-Hunt.org (http://tinyurl.com/7a9xbb )
13. Résumés. Mail them out.
14. Choose Places That Interest You. Knock on the door of any employer, factory, store, organization or office that interests you, whether or not they are known to have a vacancy or not.
15. The Phone Book. Use the index in your phone book’s Yellow Pages to identify five to ten subjects, fields or interests that intrigue you in your town or where you want to relocate. Then call and visit the organizations listed under these headings.
16. Volunteering. If you’re okay financially for a spell, volunteer to work (for free) for a short term at a place that interests you, whether or not they have a known vacancy, with the hope that down the line they may want to hire you.
17. Work for Yourself. Start your own small business, trade or service after observing what your community needs, but lacks.
18. Retraining. Go back to school and get retrained for some other type of occupation.

Research has shown the importance of having at least four alternatives is particularly true when looking for work. It’s probably going to be a long haul this time around. Keeping hope and having alternatives will help you conquer any challenge, with time. You can and will do this. Your unemployment may last twenty-one weeks or more. Make frugality your friend. (http://www.alwaysfrugal.com/) And Buyer Beware. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Checkout http://www.ripoffreport.com/, to look up any company that has a get-hired-quick scheme. Especially if they want you to send them money. Be sure and sign up for unemployment insurance. DO NOT hire someone to do this for you. It is a simple online form or a phone call. Just know your salary per hour and have your last paystub handy. Mr. Bolles' other resources include food stamps, health insurance, financial counseling and maybe moving back in with the parents. Let’s not forget getting a stop-gap job. This is also known as a bread-and-butter job. Something you may detest (that’s actually a good thing, you won’t linger in it too long) but, it will pay the bills short term. Next week I’ll reveal the Five Best ways and Five Worst Ways to search for a job. Or, go out and buy the book for yourself. It is worth every penny! “The Job-Hunter’s Survival Guide: How to Find a Rewarding Job Even When "There Are No Jobs"”

by Richard N. Bolles $9.99 ISBN: 978-1-58008-026-2 For Borders books or For Amazon.com If you want help to sort through your skills, experiences and your dreams to get your dream job. Don’t wait, contact me now. A dream with a plan is a goal. A goal without a plan is just a dream. Warmly, Elisabeth Elisabeth Adler-Lund Executive And Life Coaching Telephone: 916 • 803•1494 E-mail: eal@EALCoaching.com