Career Advice Podcasts & Job Seeker Network
Korn/Ferry recruiter Top 10 Strategies for Job Seekers in Down Market
Korn/Ferry International (NYSE: KFY), a premier global provider of talent management solutions, today issued 10 strategies for job seekers in today's turbulent economic climate. The top 10 list was culled and rank-ordered from recommendations provided by Korn/Ferry's global network of executive recruiters:
10) Start the search immediately: Don't take extended time off. The search process can take 6-12 months for senior executives.
9) Treat the search process like a job: Establish your schedule and hold yourself accountable for making progress daily.
8) Be open to interim positions, freelancing or consulting: Companies are cutting fixed costs in today's economy, but may have consulting opportunities for projects or niche specialties to compensate for reduced head-count. These opportunities enable you to draw an income, maintain your skills and move you to the front of the line when hiring begins.
7) Be willing to commute or relocate: As industries evolve, career opportunities migrate. Know where the positions are going in your field and be willing to move for the right opportunity.
6) Don't panic, be patient, but don't be picky: Appearing overanxious to a prospective employer will only diminish your value. And certainly you don't want to jump from one precarious position to the next. But dream jobs are scarce in today's market. Remember that most positions are not strictly bound by their job description but rather they are what you make of them.
5) Be flexible: Don't get hung up on compensation structure and title. Coming in at a pay grade or title below your ideal may work to your advantage. As you exceed expectations, title and salary will adjust accordingly in time.
4) Keep sharp: Stay current on the latest news, trends and technologies that are important in your industry.
3) Stay fit: Don't neglect your health and diet, which too often lapse with the stress of job searching.
2) Use your resources: There are a number of online tools and free resources that assist job seekers. Start with your university, professional organizations, veterans group or other affiliations you may have for assistance. Online resources recommended by Korn/Ferry executive recruiters include:
* U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration: http://www.doleta.gov/
* National Career Development Association: http://ncda.org/
* Wall Street Journal Careers page: http://online.wsj.com/public/page/news-career-jobs.html
* About.com / Career Planning: http://careerplanning.about.com/
1) Network, network, network: There's no substitute for personal relationships when looking for career opportunities. Professional associations, alumni associations, and informational interviews are tried and true ways to conduct a job hunt. Today, networking is easier than ever with social and professional networking sites like LinkedIn, Classmates.com or Facebook. (Wikipedia has an extensive list at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_social_networking_websites)
"Just like successful organizations, leaders find creative ways to quickly steer themselves in the right direction during uncertain times," said Bob Damon, President, North America, Korn/Ferry International. "We're finding that executives who are more aggressive, proactive and resourceful with their job search during this economic turmoil are rebounding much more quickly than those who are passive and waiting for an opportunity to come their way."
10) Start the search immediately: Don't take extended time off. The search process can take 6-12 months for senior executives.
9) Treat the search process like a job: Establish your schedule and hold yourself accountable for making progress daily.
8) Be open to interim positions, freelancing or consulting: Companies are cutting fixed costs in today's economy, but may have consulting opportunities for projects or niche specialties to compensate for reduced head-count. These opportunities enable you to draw an income, maintain your skills and move you to the front of the line when hiring begins.
7) Be willing to commute or relocate: As industries evolve, career opportunities migrate. Know where the positions are going in your field and be willing to move for the right opportunity.
6) Don't panic, be patient, but don't be picky: Appearing overanxious to a prospective employer will only diminish your value. And certainly you don't want to jump from one precarious position to the next. But dream jobs are scarce in today's market. Remember that most positions are not strictly bound by their job description but rather they are what you make of them.
5) Be flexible: Don't get hung up on compensation structure and title. Coming in at a pay grade or title below your ideal may work to your advantage. As you exceed expectations, title and salary will adjust accordingly in time.
4) Keep sharp: Stay current on the latest news, trends and technologies that are important in your industry.
3) Stay fit: Don't neglect your health and diet, which too often lapse with the stress of job searching.
2) Use your resources: There are a number of online tools and free resources that assist job seekers. Start with your university, professional organizations, veterans group or other affiliations you may have for assistance. Online resources recommended by Korn/Ferry executive recruiters include:
* U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration: http://www.doleta.gov/
* National Career Development Association: http://ncda.org/
* Wall Street Journal Careers page: http://online.wsj.com/public/page/news-career-jobs.html
* About.com / Career Planning: http://careerplanning.about.com/
1) Network, network, network: There's no substitute for personal relationships when looking for career opportunities. Professional associations, alumni associations, and informational interviews are tried and true ways to conduct a job hunt. Today, networking is easier than ever with social and professional networking sites like LinkedIn, Classmates.com or Facebook. (Wikipedia has an extensive list at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_social_networking_websites)
"Just like successful organizations, leaders find creative ways to quickly steer themselves in the right direction during uncertain times," said Bob Damon, President, North America, Korn/Ferry International. "We're finding that executives who are more aggressive, proactive and resourceful with their job search during this economic turmoil are rebounding much more quickly than those who are passive and waiting for an opportunity to come their way."
-
Comment by Alexia Vernon on December 11, 2008 at 1:22pm
-
I'm preparing a presentation for female millennial job speakers for the fantastic Pink Polka Dot Organization as a part of their inaugural Career Day, and I have spent the last 10 minutes outlining the Top Ten Reasons why networking is vital not only if you are looking for a job, but also if you might ever have the need for or aspire to a new one. I'm glad that you identified the importance of asking for informational interviews. While I think young job seekers can really benefit from engaging in weekly face-to-face networking (it's a muscle that needs to be flexed just like any other), and most HR professionals, small business owners, and nonprofit directors still prefer it over social networking, it's hard for an employer to remember someone from a live event. Following up an introduction with a call or email within 24 hours to schedule an informational interview can really help one cast a lasting impression.
-
Comment by Braedon R. on March 17, 2009 at 6:56am -
This is great post for the employer!!! Well there are really lots of worker that has potentials, differences in different aspects. But what is more important is the attitude and have good performance. This will determine if he or she deserves to continue working. In some cases there are really workers that cannot continue working because of reasons like they cannot stay to a job for quite some long time because they think that they are not capable of the job or there are others that looking for a better job because of the salary demand. These are common things that always occur between employer and workers. Another thing with the time we have right now nobody would look a better job because of the economical crisis it would be so hard to seek for something more convenient. All you have to do is walk into a FedEx store with your resume on paper or CD, and they will print you up 25 copies on professional stock free of charge, which is nice – hopefully all those copies won’t go to waste. Free professional printing will sure look better than regular old copy machine or home printer resumes, which makes this free resume printing all the more special.
Comment
© 2012 Created by Chris Russell.
Powered by 
.
You need to be a member of Secrets of the Job Hunt to add comments!
Join Secrets of the Job Hunt