I have a job. I have a decent job. So why on earth am I trying to do a job search in this lousy job market? Regardless of the economy, there is a point where you have grown as much as you can in your current job and it is time to start looking into other options. Of course you tend to have better luck when the economy is doing well, but just because your timing is off doesn’t mean you should put off your search.
Some job searchers are unemployed or disgruntled, and their job searches are often an uphill battle. They are in search of something/anything that might work. This usually results in applying for many less than ideal positions. If you have a job that is currently meeting your needs, and isn’t making you crazy, you can be more selective. You can take the time to look into jobs before you send off your resume and before you choose to interview. Yes you are exploring your options, but the pressure isn’t there to find something and find something quickly.
If you have not revamped your resume lately, make sure to do this before you start submitting it. Add in any new responsibilities or certifications you may have. Typos and misspellings are a sure fire way to hit the recycle bin quickly, so make sure your resume is edited. In this market there are more people applying to few jobs, so you want to make sure your resume sticks out in a good way.
Don’t just apply for something just to apply for it. Only apply for jobs that you meet the criteria for and you are actually interesting in pursuing. Otherwise you end up fielding too many undesirable options. Also, if you apply to every single open position a company has at a given time (regardless of what the position is), you may come across as just desperate. Now if I found a school that had three student services positions open, I was qualified for all three, and I was interested in all three of them, that is one thing. I genuinely like working in student services. Now applying for all 18 openings would be overkill.
Also, be honest with your supervisor whenever possible. I know in corporate America, this is not always an option. Telling your boss you are looking elsewhere for employment is many times shooting yourself in the foot. It can be taken as a threat, a sign of hostility, or lack of loyalty to the company or worse. Doing your job search in a veil of secrecy and having to come up with reasons to leave work for interviews can be daunting. I’ve been lucky to have the option of telling my boss that no, I am not unhappy with my job, and no I do not want to leave the college. If there is an internal opening I am interested in, I will apply for it.
That being said, I’m to a point where I need to start planning for my future and I can’t just wait for an opening to post and then hope I get it. I am looking into other options, and I may interview from time to time. This way when I need the time off, there are not lame excuses or dropping of bombshells.Similar Posts:
- Finding a Job in 2008: The Hunt
- You Try Working from Home
- Fix it Nix: I’m Stuck in the Wrong Career
- The Only Newspaper Job Worth Having
- Bring Your Dog to Work
© 2009, Jenni Hammitt. All rights reserved.
