Looking for work in tough times

I received an email today from a job seeker who read my article for MilwaukeeJobs. She was hoping that I could give her some advice in her job search. I got the sense from reading her email that many of my readers might be suffering from the same problem. I'd like to share a story that you might be finding all too familiar.

This job seeker has been out of work for a little over 6 months and is getting discouraged. From the sounds of her letter, she is doing everything right, but getting no positive results. After sending out hundreds of resumes, she came away with a dozen or so interviews and no job. She widened her job search and her salary requirements, but nothing seems to be helping.

I could tell from her email that she is an intelligent person who has good written communication skills. I'd bet that in a normal economy, she would have no trouble finding a position, but sadly, these are not normal times.

My best advice to her? Network as much as possible, both in person and online. These days, the phrase "it's who you know" rings truer than ever. Since there are roughly 6 people for every open position and hundreds of applications, many jobs are being filled through referrals.

Make sure your business network as well as family and friends know that you are on the job hunt and what kinds of positions that you are qualified and looking for. The more people who can share your story, the better chances you have of finding the missing link between you and your next position.

Good luck and never give up! Your next job is out there, you just have to find it!