Unemployment Survival: Creating a Sense of Security
In a time of economic downturn, international turmoil, company restructuring and corporate mergers run amok, thousands of people are either out of work or fearful of losing their jobs. Is there, then, such a thing as job security? No job, in itself, is totally secure. Governments cut back, unions have periods when they have no work available for their members, directors and CEOs are forced out, self-employment ventures fail. Even the most coveted and powerful position in the world, the Presidency of the United States, only lasts 4 or 8 years. Your only job security lies in self-security. Knowledge and appreciation of your value as a worker: your skills, your competence, your personal qualities, can build the sense of security you crave. A true understanding of the process of finding work, the resources available, and the personal networking which captures the hidden job market, leads to a sense of self-empowerment. The job you are performing may not last until retirement but the prospect of losing it can be transformed from a negative, anxiety-laden situation into a self-affirming, positive opportunity for growth, movement, and the chance to turn your life in new directions. Here are 10 Tips to help you build a sense of security: 1. Write down all of your skills, experience, knowledge, and personal qualities. 2. Re-read your list daily and before each and every interview until the information is ingrained and at your fingertips. 3. Expand your network by contacting everyone you know, not to ask for a job but to identify other people to contact who might know of a position. 4. Maintain your sense of self. Follow the familiar routines you devised while working so you continue to feel like you. 5. Identify multiple resources: newspaper ads, job lines, internet sites, agencies, networking. Knowing that multiple options are available can counteract negativity about the future and feelings of panic. 6. Treasure your support systems. The frustration you feel is often misdirected towards those closest to you. Appreciate your family and friends and banish the self-pity that often comes with stress. 7. Treasure yourself. Don't berate yourself for the mistakes you make. Concentrate on remembering things you have done well, that show your individual value. 8. Pace yourself. Allow for periods of not thinking about work. Do something active that you enjoy even if only for an hour or two at a time. 9. Maintain your objectivity. Not being offered a job does not reflect on your personal competence. It simply indicates a mismatch as if you had tried unsuccessfully to sell a shack to a couple secretly seeking a mansion. 10. Manage your job search as if it were a sales campaign. Even the world's best sales person will not make every sale but knows that each new contact increases the chance of success. Practice these tips to build a sense of security, even if initially fragile, and your mental outlook will bloom, allowing you to remain calm in the face of the panic of those around you who walk in constant fear of layoff. Virginia Bola operated a rehabilitation company for 20 years, developing innovative job search techniques for disabled workers, while serving as a respected Vocational Expert in Administrative, Civil and Workers' Compensation Courts. Author of an interactive and emotionally supportive workbook, The Wolf at the Door: An Unemployment Survival Manual, and a monthly ezine, The Worker's Edge, she can be reached at http://www.virginiabola.com | | | | RELATED ARTICLES Job Search: The End of the Line There is an end to the job search tunnel! Does Your Career Change Itch or Burn? Two weeks ago, I received a newsy email from a former client. 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Learn what they do and what you should do to get ahead in the field or at a particular company. These people are there to make friends and network as well. Don't be shy about your professional ambitions and you will get very far.6. Network inside the company. If you want to ensure your role at a company then you need to get to know several people in the company. No matter what you may be applying for, you will be competing with others to make an impression with people. The fact is that people love to work with those that they trust and like. If you can make a good impression with multiple people inside a company, you have a built-in competitive advantage when deciding to hire you or another qualified candidate. Use professional organizations to meet company employees if you can. For the more direct route, try contacting a manager in the department you want to work in to meet and ask questions. 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If you can impress an executive with a great résumé, you will find your path through the company door wide open. If an executive passes along your résumé or just mentions that they received your résumé to a hiring manager, you are going to get serious bonus points. The desire to please is prevalent at many larger companies, so any chance you can take advantage of to get your name dropped (or recognized) by top management is a great.3. Do your homework. You have heard this all of your school career, but it is even more important in the your career search. You can easily blow a great job opportunity by not knowing enough information about the company. Be sure to read industry news and trends to have a better perspective on the challenges and opportunities the company is facing. Read the company's website thoroughly. There is so much information readily available, including key personnel's names, positions, and contact info. Take advantage of this information and any other knowledge you can attain from the multitude of sources available.2. Hit the pavement. Don't be afraid to show up at the company you want to work for. Nobody can sell yourself like you can. Even if the company isn't advertising a position, they are almost always looking for great employees to hire. The information age has nearly eliminated the need for face-to-face contact, which is why it is so effective now. If you meet the people that you want to work for then you are demonstrating your commitment and confidence in yourself. The younger generation of job seekers have forgotten the importance of personal relationships in business, leaving many talented people wondering why they aren't being hired. Get out there and show that there is a person behind the résumé.1. Ask for the job you want. If you bring quality skills and/or experience to the table, let it be known. If the open position won't challenge you enough, find ways to add responsibility. Tell interviewers that you want to make a difference at their company. Confidence in one's ability is key to landing great jobs. If the decision maker can see that you have a lot to offer and are willing to work harder than current employees, there is no decision; you are hired!
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