by Marilyn De Angelis Pennell

Created on: July 14, 2008

WINNING THE JOB SEARCH

You have just lost your job. Maybe you were laid off, even fired. Either way, it hurts. Your self esteem is shattered and the bills are piling up.
You're stressed and maybe a bit shell shocked. You don't know where to turn or what to do. You may think you will never work again. Take heart. You will. Here are some tips to help you dust yourself off and get a great new opportunity.

THE REALITIES OF TODAY'S JOB MARKET

As anyone who has ever searched for a job knows, looking for a job is a job unto itself. In these tough economic times, with a rising unemployment rate, higher and higher gas prices and a huge crisis in home mortgages, looking for a job is probably as tough as it will ever be.

To make matters even more difficult, whereas in years past, one could land a job with just about 80% of the required qualifications, today many employers want closer to 95%. So,how can you find a new job when the competition is fierce, so many are being laid off and companies are downsizing?

This brief guide will go beyond the basics of traditional job hunting to give you some new strategies. Most importantly, the overarching idea is to think positively and be proactive. Yes, it's easier said than done but it CAN be done.

TIP #1: NETWORK

As I type these words. my partner of 26 years is getting ready for a job interview. He is an experienced professional In the field of Biotechnology and was laid off three months ago along with 70 of his coworkers in a Reduction in Force or RIF. His severance package includes six months of support from an Outplacement Company. So, we have learned a few tips from people whose jobs it is to help other people find a job.

These experts say that the most important way to find a job is to network. Sound like another buzzword? Its not. My partner has been advised to make 30 new contacts a week in his effort to find work. Before you go and hide under the covers, let me tell you that a contact can be anyone from your cat sitter, your former boss or your brother in law. These people have all been contact for my partner. Their help has yielded even more contacts, some of which have led to job interviews, including the second round of interviews my partner will be going on today.

Networking does not come easy to most of us. It may be as desireable to you as a root canal to call a friend or acquaintance to tell them that:

* You've lost your job
* You need their help to find a new one

But, you will be surprised to find that friends, acquaintances-even

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