The current economic downturn has resulted in an extremely bleak environment for employment. In order to survive in this economy and land the employment that you desire there are several tips and tricks you must utilize. This article is loaded with proven and effective employment advice, so read it very carefully.
Speak with family and friends when searching for a job. They might be able to introduce you to potential employers. This is the best place to start, as employers are more likely to take a second look at someone who has been recommended.
Getting a job in today’s economy isn’t easy. However, if you learn good interviewing skills, you should be able to land a job in no time. Be sure to look your interviewer in the eyes, and give good, sincere responses. You will then not be surprised when you get a call that you got the job.
Use social media to build and define your online presence. More employers are starting to factor in candidates’ public profiles on the most popular sites, which include Facebook and Twitter. Update your privacy settings to ensure that any questionable images, updates and links are not visible to people outside of your network. Do not forget to change visibility settings for photos that have been posted by your friends.
Continue to do your best work at your current job, even when looking to leave it for a new one. You could damage your professional reputation by slacking off. Your potential employers could hear about it as well. In order to succeed at anything in life, it’s vital that you are always doing your best, no matter how much you hate something.
During your first couple of months in your new job, you may run into a lot of problems where you should ask questions. No one expects you to know everything right off the bat, so you should familiarize yourself with the types of things you need to know. This will help you to become a better all around employee.
If you are an employer looking to save a little when tax time comes, and you have a job that is pretty simple consider hiring a disabled worker. The federal government offers all sorts of tax benefits and advantages to doing so. This will save you a ton of money, and at the same time; the work is still getting done!
When looking for work, make sure you have a LinkedIn account created and fill out your profile in full. Even if you are not “into” social media this is important. Many companies use LinkedIn as a vetting system prior to calling someone in for an interview. If you don’t have a profile, you may never get that first step through the door.
Try doing some role play before you go to a job interview. Have someone rehearse with you. Use general questions related to the industry and get yourself prepared. Keep your answers focused and to the point. This role play will help you make a better presentation of yourself and land the job of your dreams.
Don’t lie on your resume about your skill sets. You may feel like you need to stretch the truth to open doors, but more often than not your lack of the skills, in reality, will be found out pretty easily by a savvy interviewer. Instead, teach yourself the skills you need to know to make you more attractive to hiring companies.
Your resume will often be the first thing that a prospective employer will see, and without a good resume, you can rest assured that you won’t be called in for an interview! Show your resume to your friends and family members whose opinions you value to get their feedback and advice.
As trivial as it may seem, be sure you are getting enough rest the night before an interview. Most people simply do not function properly when they have not slept enough. This could affect your ability to answer questions the interviewer may ask you at your interview. You also do not want to appear haggard.
If you are asked about your weaknesses during a job interview, try to be as positive as possible in your answer. For example, don’t say, “I’m very disorganized.” Say something about how you are more focused on being flexible than on organization but that you use tools to keep yourself organized anyway.
Eye contact is one of the more important things to focus on as the interview in progress. When you make eye contact with your interviewer, it shows that you are not only paying attention to them but are confident as well. These attributes are important to companies for hiring purposes.
As was mentioned in the beginning of this article, the current employment environment is very bleak. In order to beat the odds and survive through these difficult times you must be willing to educate yourself. Take advantage of all the great tips and advice you’ve read about and apply it. Good luck!
