Myths About Job-Hunting In A Recession

Yes, we are in a recession, and yes, a lot of companies are laying off a lot of their workers.  That does not mean, however, that you cannot find a new job in this market.  There are still plenty of jobs to be found if you look in the right places and use the right strategies.  Regardless of what “common knowledge” may dictate, you can not only find a job, you can find a better one that offers a higher salary. 

Here are a few myth-busting tips to follow:  

Use Your Contacts

Looking at job listings on the Internet provides you a wide survey of the types of positions that are available.  These listings, however, are also available to thousands of other people also looking for jobs.  In order to maximize your chances for employment, use your personal contacts, whether it be an old colleague, a professor from your college days, a friend or relative, or anybody else you can think of.  A personal recommendation will elevate your resume above the pile of generic emails and letters hirers regularly receive.

Networking with your peers

Use websites like Linkedin.com to network with your peers. Linked-in is a great tool for making new contacts and creating your own little network. Start out by creating your job profile, then adding contacts to your network and spreading the word that you are available for hire. This is a great way to find a job. You will find that it is very easy to grow a network of valuable peers very quickly. Again, a getting a  personal recommendation from a contact at linked-in will elevate your resume above the pile of generic emails and letters employers regularly receive.

 
Try Contracting or Consulting

A lot of companies are laying off their regular workers then consolidating that workload and hiring contractors or consultants to take care of it in the short term.  There are a few financial and legal rules you have to play by (namely in the filing of taxes), but being a contractor or consultant can get you a job at a company that everyone else is avoiding because of lay offs.  That means that the competition for work is lower, giving you a better chance, and the company has just freed up a lot of costs and will be able to pay you a good wage. 

 
Show Your Worth

When companies get into financial troubles, especially when there is a recession, they look even harder for great workers.  If you can show that you are a valuable asset to a company and that your skills will help them turn things for them, then they will be more than happy to pay you a great salary in return.  When it comes to great workers, companies don’t look at their salaries as a cost, but rather as an investment that will continually pay off.  Prove that hiring you will pay off, and you can write your own ticket, regardless of how the economy is going.