Getting and Staying Employed in a Shrinking Job Market
Posted on July 21, 2009 by Atul
By Marc Dorio
To call today’s economy tough is like calling Moby
Dick a big fish. Let’s face it, with the threat of double digit
unemployment looming ahead it is down right scary for the vast majority
of people I hear from each day.
However, if you can stay focused, determined, upbeat
and flexible these times offer opportunities for not only continuing
but also advancing your career. Here is the straight scoop as I see it.
While the number of jobs may be on the decline there is still work to
be done. Doing more with less is a mantra I hear resonating with
employers I speak to around the country.
So here are a few tips to help you get and stay employed:
- Be a “force multiplier”. Both in interviews or with your existing
employer show that you will make a difference by giving 110% and being
willing to wear more than one hat. Become that “go to” person in your
department.
- Upgrade you skills immediately. Look for new opportunities in your
existing role. Develop a “new and improved” skill set. Take some
courses, volunteer for a new project. - Sell your skills first and then your experience. Remember, your
experience is your past; your skills are what you bring to the
workplace now and in the future. Demonstrate your flexibility to tackle
whatever needs to be done. - Interview with your ears. Eighty-five percent of all job seekers
talk too much in the interview. Listen closely to what the employer
needs then respond as someone who can satisfy those needs. An
open-ended question such as “Could you please tell me more about that?”
will elicit additional information from an interviewer as well as
clearly demonstrate your interest in learning more about the position. - What your boss tells you directly about your performance is
important. However, what he or she doesn’t say may be even more
important. Watch for the more informal signals such as what meetings
you are invited to, what emails you are copied on, or even off handed
comments that come your way at a meeting. Stay focused on this informal
feedback and the signals it sends to you about where you stand in our
boss’s eyes. - In an interview, ask questions that set you up to make the sale. A
question such as “What results do you ant me to produce immediately?”
sends a strong message that you will hit the ground running if they
hire you. - Brand and promote yourself. Your personal brand is the image you
want others to have of you. Put this in writing. For example, if you
want to be seen as the “consummate team player” be sure to write down
the specific behaviors you will do everyday to create that brand image. - For older job seekers, you don’t have to fake youth to get a good
job, but you usually do need to present yourself as in touch with
relevant current trends, in synch with current technology, generally
energetic and vigorous. Look for opportunities to present age as an
asset by translating “age” into “experience”, “maturity”, and “sound
judgment”.
Marc Dorio is a results oriented Organizational Effectiveness and Training professional and the author of books such as The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Perfect Interview .
Blog courtesy of My Global Career.
Filed Under: Jobs
