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Finding work in a recession is a major challenge. Weeks, months, even years can go by without nary a job interview or even so much as a phone call from an interested employer. So how can job seekers get a leg up on the competition and become gainfully employed?

Post a Resume on an Online Job Search Engine

Numerous online job search engines including Monster, CareerBuilder, Thingamajob, Yahoo! Hotjobs, JobServe.us, and Dice allow users to post a resume and cover letter. Posting a resume on several of these job websites increases exposure and raises the chances an interested employer will contact the job seeker for an interview.

Use Online Social Media

All job seekers today should make full use of social media in their quest for gainful employment. For example, many are flocking to Twitter, creating profiles with career-related bios, and tweeting about their job search. Others are using MySpace and Facebook to network and to broaden their chances for new job opportunities. Still others are opting to post an online interactive multimedia resume using sites such as VisualCV.

Networking and More Networking

The old addage, "It's not what you know, it's who you know" really rings true. Through community, career, and even faith-based job networking groups, someone may know of someone else who knows of a job opening in a local company. The person can hand the resume directly to the hiring manager with a verbal recommendation for the job.

However, networking isn't just found in the real world. Linkedin is a popular professional networking website where companies, recruiters, and job seekers can connect. Linkedin members can post a resume, work history, objective, make and receive recommendations, and search for jobs. Another unexpected result of using Linkedin is searching for and connecting with former coworkers from previous employers in your work history.

Searching for Recession-Proof Careers

While technically no job is 100 percent recession proof, some careers fare better than others through a sharp economic downturn. These include government, security and intelligence, education, healthcare, and green jobs.

* Government jobs include federal, state, and local positions in a variety of fields including landscaping, lifeguarding, information technology, security, parks and recreation, public relations, and economists.

* Security and intelligence jobs include police officers; security personnel in hotels, government offices, schools, and retail establishments; investigators; loss prevention specialists; and electronic security specialists. Intelligence jobs are in demand particularly in the military and Federal Government agencies (e.g., CIA, NSA, FBI).

* Per education jobs, teachers are needed not only for elementary and high schools but they are also needed to provide career training to adults in career transition.

* Healthcare jobs include dental assistants, nurses, doctors, technicians, office assistants, health insurance specialists, physician assistants, nursing home workers, receptionists, and home health care workers.

* As part of his plan to fix the U.S. economy, President Barack Obama has promised to add five million new "green collar" jobs. These jobs include positions in green technology, renewable energy production, green building, conservation, and research and development.

Finding work during a period of economic recession is challenging, but not impossible. When job seekers post a resume to several online job search engines, use online social media, network both online and off, and seek a recession-proof career path, the chances of becoming employed increase all the more.

Learn more about this author, Daniel J. Gansle.
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