networking April 21, 2009
Through this journey of unemployment I’ve found that networking may be the ticket to finding my next job. I had an interview last week that I would never have had without meeting new people and talking about my skill set and what I’m looking for in my next job. Although I didn’t get that job, my resume is now in the hands of a company that I would like to work for, in fact I’m on the “bench” as their HR rep put it. So when a position opens up that I would be more suitable for, hopefully they’ll remember me and reach out to me for an interview.
I still use careerbuilder, monster, indeed, jobsinminneaspolis, and simplyhired to search for jobs online. When I come across something that suits my qualifications I email my network to see if they have any contacts at that particular company to see if they can put in a good word on my behalf, after I tailor my resume for that particular posting. I feel this helps get my resume to the top of the pile, which in this economy and with the high number of applicants I’m up against is just one tool I’ve learned through this process. The reason I tailor my resume for each job posting is to help illustrate specific skills or experiences I’ve had in past jobs that match up with the job posting. I don’t want to have examples of stuff that doesn’t apply to this particular job posting, at least not in great depth. I can always share those experiences in the interview.
I continue to keep a positive attitude, even when I haven’t heard from some of my recruiters in months. I can only control what I do and focus on what I want in my next position. So that’s my advice for the time-being.
