Creative Ways To Find A Job

1. Creative Ways to Find a Job www.americandebtcounseling.org August 2009 Presenter: Barbara Stark

2. First, the gloomy news… There are more people than ever since 1976 out looking for jobs. Almost 1 out of every 10 people in our area is out of work. Across Florida, more than 350,000 residents have lost their jobs this year.

4. First things first… get ready! It’s important, even if you’re in panic mode, to take some time to get organized before you start a job search.

5. 5 Things to Do Before You Start Job Hunting 1. Create a resume with impact - make it professional and polished.

6. 5 Things to Do Before You Start Job Hunting 2. Create or update your profile on LinkedIn . That’s what you use to connect with people. And, your profile is how you get found on LinkedIn by potential employers.

7. 5 Things to Do Before You Start Job Hunting 3. Showcase your credentials on VisualCV . It’s quick and easy to create this online resume that includes add- ons like video, images, and links to your accomplishments.

8. 5 Things to Do Before You Start Job Hunting 4. Write an awesome cover letter you can use as the base for customizing when applying for jobs.

9. 5 Things to Do Before You Start Job Hunting 5. Create a personal business card. Include your contact infor- mation and your career area. Ex: Computer Programmer” “ Administrative Assistant”, “ Marketing Professional”.

10. When You Need a Job and Nothing is Working…. Don’t Get Discouraged! When you’re having a tough time finding a job, or even finding jobs to apply for, it’s important to… expand your job search .

11. Make a Target List of Companies Create a “wish list” of companies for which you want to work and target these in your job search. Find information on the web and on the companies’ websites.

12. Reach Out to the Companies Once you have the list, reach out to contacts at the company. Use LinkedIn’s companies section as a tool to find company information.

13. Work Your Company List Actively work those contacts to help you get a foot in the door. Have a plan for each day.

14. Create a Contact Action Plan Send an email or LinkedIn message to the individual you would potentially be reporting to. Mention how your background/experience can help them.

15. Follow Up on your Action Plan Follow up by phone with 3 companies that you have already emailed. Call the person you emailed the previous week and restate how your background can add value.

16. Meet with “Connectors” Meet with one person each week who can connect you to others. Call or email the person you met with the previous week and thank/remind them.

17. Meet with Others. Meet with people who are also out of work and exchange ideas on what is working and not working in your job search.

20. Job Searching Use Social Media Social media websites have made the Internet more fun to use for networking than ever before.

22. Job Searching Networking Networking is one of the best ways to find a job and very few people do it. You can discover career opportunities before they are advertised – in fact, you could be the only applicant!

25. Job Searching Job Fairs Take some time to attend local job fairs. You can meet with employers that you might not be able to access any other way. Plus, job fairs and career expos often offer networking programs, resume reviews, and workshops for job seekers.

26. Job Searching and now… 25 Truly Creative Ideas for Finding a Job

27. Unusual times sometimes call for extraordinary measures. Try using the following creative ideas along with the traditional arsenal of job search tactics to land a job in these challenging times.

28. Creative Idea #1 Do volunteer work for a non-profit organization. This may lead to a permanent paid job. Also, you will establish valuable contacts through the skills and resources of the professional staff and board of directors.

29. Creative Idea #2 Temp. Don’t pass up temporary work – this can lead to a permanent position and the possibility of advancement.

30. Creative Idea #3 Propose a job. Send an idea of how you might help a company. Jam-pack it with enthusiasm and ideas.

31. Creative Idea #4 Pay to be heard. If you have something special or unique to offer, offer to pay a company representative $50 for 10 minutes of their time. What usually happens? They don’t take the money and you get more than 10 minutes to sell yourself to them.

32. Creative Idea #5 Apply. Apply. Apply. If you are set on a particular job or company, re-apply frequently. You are increasing your odds of getting noticed. But, don’t be a pest…

33. Creative Idea #6 Give ideas away. If you have a business idea for a company, give them a call or write a letter and give it to them. No strings attached. Use it as a way to start a dialogue.

34. Creative Idea #7 Hand write a letter. Handwritten notes are powerful because so few people do them any more. Write a personal, business-oriented note to the key contact at a company and tell them why you would be a good addition to their staff.

35. Creative Idea #8 Advertise. Buy cheap ads in classified sections of newspapers, Church newsletters, community papers, etc. and sell your skills, abilities, and talents.

36. Creative Idea #9 Expose yourself. Go to every public event possible and talk to as many people as you can. Get business cards, names, and contact info. And follow up.

37. Creative Idea #10 Show up. Show up at the site you are interested in working at and find out who you can introduce yourself to. While there, pick up some company brochures, and ask to speak to the hiring manager. Offer to share an idea, propose a suggestion for productivity.

38. Creative Idea #11 Reverse interview. Call a company and ask to interview the hr manager. Ask questions about the company’s mission and vision. Suggest ways that you would be a positive addition to the staff.

39. Creative Idea #12 Try sales. Sales are a tried and true path to success. Get over your fear of rejection and get a product and start selling it.

40. Creative Idea #13 Get on Twitter. Use Twitter to demonstrate your expertise and draw the attention of people in your industry who will want to hire you.

41. Creative Idea #14 Use key words. Analyze job postings and ads for key words that employers are using to qualify applicants and incorporate these words into your resume. Adding these words to your resume increases the chances of your resume being seen by a hiring manager.

42. Creative Idea #15 Expand your resources. Contact your alumni office, placement office at your school or college, industry associations, and professional organizations. Stay current and read trade journals for career opportunities.

43. Creative Idea #16 Give to Get. The karma of the job search says, “What goes around, comes around.” If you want to receive something, first you must give something. Freely give your time and talent to others. Give without expectation of getting anything back.

44. Creative Idea #17 Freelance. Maybe freelancing, with its unusual hours, instability and lack of benefits doesn't sound that appealing to you. But, when you’re faced with a saturated market, it can give you an “in” into an industry that might not otherwise be available.

45. Creative Idea #18 Work part-time. Taking a part-time position, or maybe 2 or 3 part-time positions, can help you keep the paychecks rolling in and give you the opportunity to expand your skill set. Take part-time gigs that will help you learn new skills or that would potentially turn into a full-time position.

46. Creative Idea #19 Blog. Think in terms of your area of expertise and what line of work you want to enter and then blog about that. Tell advice, and link to every other blogger’s site that’s related to would potentially turn into a full-time position.

47. Creative Idea #20 Wear your resume. If you are truly serious about wanting to get a job, get your message across by emblazoning your resume on your shirt, as well as on your car window. Circulate and spread the word.

49. Creative Idea #21 Offer a finder’s fee. Offer a free travel package or cash as a finder’s fee for anyone who can hook you up with a job. Promote your finder’s fee on a personal web site, Facebook, and other scial networking sites.

50. Creative Idea #22 E-mail a chain letter. Create a list of 20 companies you want to work for and send an email to everyone you know to see if they know anyone who works at these companies. Ask them to contact you if they do, so that you can ask for a referral. Finally, ask them to forward your email to 10 More people, and so on.

51. Creative Idea #23 Make a video. Seeing is believing…so put together a short video of yourself simply talking about what you do and send it off to your target list of companies and contacts.

52. Creative Idea #24 Send a greeting card. For the next holiday, design a greeting card that folds out into your resume. Print a supply and send them to every friend, colleague, and business you know.

53. Creative Idea #25 Send half. Find a company you want to work for. Write a great cover letter on why you are a good fit, referring to the enclosed resume. Don’t seal the envelope and don’t enclose a resume. They’ll think the resume fell out in the mail. They’ll call and engage you in a conversation. Sell yourself!

56. For more information contact: American Debt Counseling, Inc. A 501(c )(3)non-profit Credit Counseling Organization 14051 NW 14 th Street Sunrise, FL 33428 www.americandebtcounseling.org 1.888 DEBT USA

57. Good luck! Thank you!