Hope & Practicality from Elisabeth – Elisabeth (Harney) Sanders-Park is co-author of No One Is Unemployable, The WorkNet Model and the WorkNet curriculum, and President of WorkNet Solutions

My guess is that you are encountering more unemployed people now that you did a year ago, and that more of them could be considered “difficult”. That happens when so many people are out of work, overwhelmed, and desperate for income. People have been asking me lately what I think are the most important job search activities, and the best ways to get a job now. So, I’ve been thinking about it. Many of us employment/career professionals are removed from the struggles our unemployed clients are facing. It’s been a while since we job searched. We work for large organizations or we are self-employed, and we are teaching clients to do what we have not done in too long. Recently, I took a few days to job search, just to remind myself what it feels like and how it works right now. Here’s what I learned and confirmed.

Step away from the computer – Even though I was searching locally, the internet was a great way to find and research companies, and locate contact information very quickly. I also used my PC to draft a resume and other marketing materials. Beyond that, I found my computer to be a great distraction. I recently joined LinkedIn and Facebook, and have invitations to twitter, plaxo, and otherwise commune which I can’t get to. True, I’ve had a ball re-connecting with high school, college, and professional buddies across the globe. I now know the details of their lives, and a lot of the minutiae too. I have learned the literary and historical figures we are most like, and discovered that, if he were a color, my nephew Travis would be green. In 20-or-so-minute increments 3-or-so times a day, I have frittered away hours of my life I will never have again. It’s the perfect escape. Social networking has its uses, but too many people are burying themselves in front of the screen and need to step back.

Market yourself so employers see the value – I made a list of all the top qualifications for the job I was targeting by stepping into the shoes of hiring employers, using my experience and a bit of research. Then, I set out to prove I’ve got those qualifications. I developed a brief phone script that allowed me to get the name of the person I wanted to talk to and presented, in less than 20 seconds, my name, length of experience (I used “more than … years” to avoid dating myself), two selling points that highlighted things they needed, and inquired whether they are looking for a … like me.” My second selling point shared my commitment to making my employer a lot of money. It felt a little strange to say, but when I considered the employer’s needs for the job (really, for almost any job) it was at the top. I made less than a dozen calls and got four positive responses. Ramon said he was very interested and that, although they had no openings right now, he is always looking for people who can build his business. He invited me to submit an application which he would put in a pile away from all the others it wouldn’t get mixed-in. I scheduled an interview with another employer, and agreed to stop by, introduce myself, and leave a resume with two more. Not bad in this economy. In a bittersweet admission, one man said his business is picking up because some of his competitors have folded. Two days later, dressed and ready, I stopped in with Ramon and one other on the way to my interview, which included a spontaneous second interview.

Be a person – In a world where we DVR our favorite TV shows and watch them sans commercials at our leisure, and we screen and respond only to emails when we want to, fewer and fewer people pick-up the phone or take a meeting with someone they don’t know. That said, if your client is pursuing a job with a customer-facing company, the phone it is still one of the best ways to go. At the very least, the client gets to work out the bugs in their script, and doesn’t waste time. If they are going for a job that requires in-person presentation, then dressing for success and getting there in the flesh can be just the thing to prove they are what the employer wants, get an impromptu interview, and become a person. This all takes more time than sending electronic correspondence, but clients get to no and yes quicker, and I find that employers do take calls and introductions when they have a need they believe the client can address.

Call everyone you know – As competition for jobs mounts, clients need to connect with anyone and everyone they know, from the workforce center, to church, and their kid’s school. This is where we tend to find jobs. I once heard the story of a man who paid a firm several thousand dollars to help him get a better job. One the first day he arrived for services, he was given a pad of paper, a pen, a list of categories, and desk to work at. His task was to write down everyone he knew. Several hours later, when he thought he was done, they asked a few questions to prime the pump and sent him back to list some more. At the end of the day-long “session”, they declared that his job was right there on the list, and they would help him find it. My coaching experience bears this out. Even when working with people who have a limited network or who focus on the open market, when an offer comes, it is generally associated with their network. I used this approach in my “search” as well, calling and pitching myself to a few people I know who work for or run businesses I respect. It was fun, and felt less under-handed than my cold-calling exercise. I met with one colleague to see if he could use me. In the end, I admitted I wasn’t really looking for work, but keeping my job search skills sharp and doing a bit of research. He’s a good guy, and I bought his coffee, so he wasn’t too mad. We had a great discussion about being a business owner, finding the right people, and the current economy. Believe it or not, I started working for him two days later on an interesting project… Hey, the economy is affecting all of us. It’s interesting work I can do in a few off-hours each week, and I can use the extra income.

“It works if you work it, and it won’t if you don’t, so do it!” is what they say in the 12-step programs. Getting a job now is not about what you know, or even who you know. It’s about what you do. The electronic age has made us a bit lazy about doing the footwork it takes to market all of who we are and what we bring to employers who have lots to choose from… which is a real opportunity for the person willing to get out an do it.

This article appeared originally in the Career Planning & Adult Development Network Newsletter www.careernetwork.org

Photo by Colin