7 Tips for Job Hunting in a Recession

It’s tough looking for a job in a recession. Companies are freeze-hiring, others have completely closed down. Job openings are scarce, and for every position you can expect to compete with hundreds of other candidates.
Tough times call for smart measures. Here are some strategies to help you find a job even in a weak job market. It will help give you the edge over other people, and help you prepare for whatever opportunity that comes your way. You will also be able to avoid common mistakes that cause a good job offer to slip through your fingers.

1. Set a goal.

You may need to find interim jobs to pay the bills, but always remember: it’s only temporary. Continue your job search, following a concrete career goal. What kind of position are you looking for? What kind of employers do you prefer? What skills or network would you like to develop?

If you know what you want, you’ll recognize opportunities when they come your way. In fact, you’ll look for them–asking friends for leads, visiting job search sites, farming out resumes. What’s the chance that you’ll get that position? Whatever it is, it’s much bigger than if you’ve stopped looking for it.

2. Pull out all the stops.

There are many different ways to find a job. You can network, look at company job postings, attend job fairs, call up a company and inquire, apply as a trainee (you won’t get much of a salary, but at least you get experience and contacts).

Use all these techniques, and diligently prepare for them. Research on how to make good resumes and cover letters, practice for the interview, talk to people who are in similar jobs for tips on how to ‘break into the industry.’

3. Don’t take rejection personally.

Many people get discouraged when they aren’t hired. ‘Wasn’t I good enough? Maybe I don’t have what it takes.’ You do. Maybe the company was just looking for a particular set of skills and experience. That doesn’t mean you aren’t competent, it just wasn’t a good ‘fit.’

The trick is to know your strengths and weaknesses, and take these interviews and applications as ‘preparation’ to delivering the perfect job interview when you finally find the company that needs someone just like yourself.

4. Do something for your job search everyday.

Maybe you can look for, or follow up on, a job lead. You can call up an old contact and reconnect, or go out and make a new contact. You can tweak your resume, or sign up for a course that will help improve your skills. You can read up on your industry, so you can answer intelligently in your next job interview.

5. Tailor your resume.

Each resume should start with a ‘Qualifications’ summary that showcases your strengths and accomplishments. Now, here’s a great tool to getting your potential employer’s attention. When you apply for a job, review the job description and qualifications. Then, see if you can slant your ‘Qualifications’ summary to show a perfect fit.
No, that doesn’t mean you lie. In fact, you should never, ever lie on your resume. But, you can highlight any areas in your career that would be of particular interest to that company. This is especially important if you’ve held numerous jobs or have experience in different areas. Let’s say you’re a writer who’s worked for a newspaper, did a few teaching stints, worked on a website, and ran a business on the side (where you handled sales and marketing). If you were applying for a job in PR, you’d want to highlight that you’ve handled both print and web media. Don’t force the interviewer to wade through your resume to realize that.

6. Read up on the company and the job.

Before your job interview, try to find out as much you can about the company and the job are interested in. Then, you can ask intelligent questions, or anticipate and prepare for the questions they will ask.

7. Know that your job interview starts the minute you enter the office.

First impressions last. That includes how you looked like while you sat in the waiting room (posture, expression, the way you talked to the receptionist), your grooming and attire, etc.