The EPG Connection

How to Job Search in a Tight Market
presented by Dynamic Résumés

As you can imagine, I speak to a lot of people these days who are out of work. The challenges of job searching have multiplied in this economy - the high rate of unemployment is causing steeper competition for fewer jobs; many over 40 workers are being told they are “overqualified” (translation: the employer does not want to pay too much); and it’s easy to spend time feeling depressed or commiserating with others. The reality is that the employment scene is likely to be tough for a while. So, is there any hope? Yes, there are things that you can do to increase your odds of getting to the top of the pile. They require being realistic, knowing your budget, keeping an open mind, and having a positive attitude…even if that is a challenge. Wishing you all the best of success!

Enlist support – if you are depressed, angry, or distraught, be sure to get the help and support that you need from your family, friends, or a professional. Let them know how you are feeling and what would be helpful for you to go forward. Sometimes taking a little break from your search can help you to reenergize and provide the confidence you need. Do something fun to reward yourself with each step in your search.

Be flexible – the work is just not there in all fields, particularly financial positions. You may need to consider a change in the type of work that you do or in the level of the position. Or, perhaps you may want to do the same type of work but for a different type of company.

Be creative – keep an eye out for opportunities and how you can be helpful. Read the local business journal to learn of new businesses, new services, or something different in an existing company that may relate to your area of expertise.

Target your resume – today’s times call for a resume that is very focused at your target. For example, if you are a senior teacher applying for a Director position in a small day camp, be sure your resume does not just reflect your teaching abilities. It must also show how you have coordinated programs, hired staff, worked at a camp, and managed a budget. And of course, it must all be true.

Network – reach out to recruiters, to friends and family, and to professional associations. Establish relationships and get involved to demonstrate your skills and talent.

Positive Attitude – employers want employees who exhibit an open, friendly attitude with troubles left at home. Use breaks, rewards, friends, exercise, and healthy eating to help keep up a good attitude. Be sure you are conveying that when you network with others and when you interview.

Are you accused of being overqualified? Practice saying the following: “I am FULLY qualified; I want to contribute to your company. I am looking to be productive in your organization and willing to be flexible with my compensation package.” Focus on the value that you can add to the company in a short amount of time.

Persistence – it may take more effort to get an interview or an offer when there are less jobs out there. Remember to follow up after an interview with a thank you note. Emphasize how you can contribute to the firm. See if you can get any feedback as to how you did. Network and see how you can help others so that they remember you. Volunteer to add to your experience and your connections.

Read – keep up with professional journals in your field. Here are some free sites to check out: www.HighBeam.com and www.thefreelibrary.com/Professional+journals-s17657

Free Services – there are many free career services available thorough the Department of Labor. To locate the nearest Career One-Stop, visit http://www.servicelocator.org/

It seems as though I’m developing the reputation as being a bit of a rambler, so for this month’s CEO corner I’m going to do my best to get my point across as succinctly as possible. We’ll see how it goes…….

You certainly don’t need me to tell you that 2008 was a tough year on many levels. Being very familiar with employment trends, I can safely say that this past year was one of the most recessive, employment-wise, in many years. Unemployment is currently running at about 6.8% which is very high for the United States, and we read about mass lay-offs every day. However, here at Emerson Personnel Group we are keenly aware that an emerging trend among our client companies is the utilization of temporary and/or contract employees. Historically, this trend indicates the bottoming out, and subsequent rebounding, of the economy. Let’s hope this is the case in 2009!

There are four main reasons companies retain temporary/contract employees to bolster their workforce:
1. The idea of a very flexible workforce is appealing to companies who are trying to remain lean and efficient as their workload increases. Many times, as the economic landscape improves, the demand for a company’s product or service can be sporadic. Until those workload requests become more consistent, having a workforce that includes temporary employees can be an excellent way to handle the peaks and valleys nature of the rebound.
2. Bringing on contract employees with very specific skill sets for narrowly defined, finite projects is another huge benefit inherent in the utilization of such candidates. For example, an Emerson client recently brought on two contract accountants for a three month project geared toward Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. Our client had a very definite need for immediate attention to the project but could not justify bringing on two new permanent employees. The contract option met their needs perfectly.
3. Cost effectiveness! That’s right, you heard me. The cost incurred via working with a recruiting firm for temporary and/or contract employees is largely set off by not having to pay for employee benefits, payroll taxes, workers compensation insurance, time spent on recruiting, and advertising. Beyond those, there is a huge cost savings in not having to pull in-house employees from their duties in order to cover the increased workload.
4. Finally, bringing on temporary/contract employees is one of the best ways to locate top talent. What better way of assessing a potential employee’s skills and abilities that seeing them on the job with your own eyes?

So, as we slowly emerge from this brutal economy, and as your workloads begin to increase, consider calling your friendly neighborhood staffing/recruiting firm (I strongly suggest Emerson Personnel Group). Bolster your workforce with some flexible, cost effective, highly skilled and truly excellent temporary and/or contract employees. Let’s have a great 2009!

Congratulations to our October 2008 Employee of the Month-Dot Rosica!Dot was referred to Emerson Personnel Group by a previous employee in December of 2007. She was looking for part time work in the human resource field. We were able to have Dot start a long term part time human resource assignment January 7th of 2008, which ran until June 13th 2008. Dot then took the summer off to be home with her family. Our client missed Dot so much that they called in September to see if she would want to return. She returned on September 12, 2008 and is still there! Dot has a wonderful, warm personality and always does a great job. We are proud to have Dot represent Emerson Personnel Group. Congratulations, Dot!