You, I, and many others may be in this surreal world of the unemployed and may be wondering, “now what?”

First of all, don’t panic! Next, you have to realize that you need to find another job and that your new job may not be same as your last. You may have to break some rules and use new techniques to get started. Here, I outline some ideas that I hope will be beneficial to you.

Start right away. Your severance pay (if any) won’t last long and unemployment only helps with the basics. Job hunting has now become your “real job” and the goal is simple: getting your resume out there to get as much exposure as possible. Forget about knocking doors and calling companies to find out if they have any openings. There are plenty of web sites that you can search for jobs in any city, state, and virtually any country. Start with some local job search engines and those well known, but be prepared for your inbox to be hit with all kind of unsolicited email.

Make a list of at least three former colleagues and/or bosses and ask them if they will vouch for your professional work. Call or email them to give them the heads‐up before a prospective employer checks your references.

Use your cell phone as your main contact since you can carry it with you and take that call as soon as it comes; don’t say that you have to call them back because you have to take your cat to the vet.

Be online and be flexible. The job market is dynamic and jobs that are posted today may not be there tomorrow. You need to be internet savvy to apply online and follow up with emails.

Not all resumes are created equal. Your resume should match the key words in the job description to gain the attention of the recruiter or hiring manager. A well structured resume will get you noticed.

Be prepared for face‐to‐face as well as phone interviews and be prepared for online timed tests that many employers are using to pre‐select possible candidates.

Keep good notes and a calendar. Start a journal to record phone numbers, conversations, company names, and more. You may need this information later. My husband was approached by two different recruiters a week apart, and they both wanted to submit his name for the same job. Luckily he kept notes that helped him to remember that his name had been submitted by the first recruiter a week earlier. Keep notes from past interview questions and rehearse answering them again, and again. It will help you to prepare for future interviews. There are websites that contain many possible interview questions. Keep looking and practice.

Sharpen your saw. Make a list of your skills and see if you have those for the jobs that you are applying for. If not, this is the time to do some self‐study, get a certification, sign up for webinars or webcasts to learn more about a particular field that you may need to update your repertoire or just to polish your knowledge of the industry lingo. Consider joining a study group or even go back to school and take the course that you need. Keep your brain engaged.

Don’t sit on your laurels or on the couch! If you were used to getting up early to go to work, do the same thing as before except that your “office” will be a few feet away from your bed. Work for the first part of the day as if it were your office with email, phone calls and a cup of coffee. At lunch time take your dog for a walk and get some healthy food. Keeping the same schedule and same habits will keep you on track and away from day‐time TV.

Don’t underestimate the power of networking. It is invigorating and refreshing. Attend local professional organizations breakfasts or evening functions. You will meet interesting people and they may have job leads. Consider volunteering. After a while you will be part of the group and your lunch buddies will be just a good memory.

© 2009 Martha Fowler
Martha Fowler is a Workplace Learning Consultant.
She can be reached at: martha.fowler@datatraksoftare.com