If you are throwing spaghetti at the wall, you are unlikely to get a job, says Dorie Clark, author of “Entrepreneurial You: Monetize Your Expertise, Create Multiple Income Streams, and Thrive,” and a professor at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. Ms. Clark says she sometimes receives emails from people who say they have applied for hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs and haven’t heard back. “You can’t just put your résumé out everywhere and assume by the law of numbers someone is going to hire you,” she says. “You want to craft something that really takes time, effort and knowledge, and shows you’ve taken the time to familiarize yourself with the potential company.”
If you are contemplating what to do after college, try moving beyond the job board.
If you are a young professional, you are likely relying primarily on job boards. These can be helpful to get an idea of who is hiring, but you should also be making time to network, says Christy Noel, a career coach and author of “Your Career Survival Guide: How to Get and Keep a Job in Times of Crisis.” She says: “If a young professional is focusing solely on job boards, they need to take that down and network, ask for help, and uncover opportunities for themselves.”
In brief
- Be strategic about the positions you apply for and edit your résumé and cover letter for each application.
- If you need a job right away, consider applying for a temporary job to make sure your basic needs are met.
- Don’t focus entirely on job boards. Use this time to network and try to gather information from others, who may be able to offer you help finding a job.
For help finding a job, seek out people as well as postings.
Not every job opening is posted, says Ashley Watkins, a career coach and résumé writer with Write Step Résumés LLC. Ms. Watkins, who previously worked as a recruiter, says many companies use headhunters to source candidates, including for internal job postings that haven’t been made public. They also use recruiters for roles with high turnover, such as sales jobs, because it can be useful for them to have a pool of potential candidates for openings that may come up in the near future. “Just because a position isn’t posted doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist,” Ms. Watkins says.
While it might seem obvious to try to connect with people who work in HR or recruiting, Ms. Watkins says that you should expand your networking efforts. For example, receptionists and office managers know all about what needs have arisen at a company and could be useful contacts, she says.
“You can’t just put your résumé out everywhere and assume by the law of numbers someone is going to hire you.”
— Dorie Clark, author and professor
If you can’t find a job in your immediate area, expand your search.
If you have been focusing on jobs based in your city or town, you could consider opportunities with employers that may be based elsewhere, but will consider remote candidates. If you worked in an industry that has been hit hard by the coronavirus, you could look for a position that is either adjacent to your field or could help you build valuable skills. For example, if you are an entry-level worker who wants to go into event management, but there are no job openings in the sector because large events aren’t happening for the foreseeable future, consider a job in customer service, which could equip you with strong problem-solving skills, says Sarina Virk Torrendell, founder of career coaching company withSarina. “Even if it isn’t the most glamorous job, it is all about acquiring skills that can be transitioned into something else later,” she says.
Don’t talk yourself out of roles before you apply.
If you have a few years of experience, you may have been told by recruiters that you are either overqualified or underqualified for the jobs you are applying for. If you are struggling to find a job and you are concerned you will be turned down for being overqualified for a job you want, make a business case for yourself in your cover letter, says Jenny Logullo, a career coach and founder of Workplace Worth Academy. “Sometimes there’s room for you to challenge what they believe they need in a candidate, or they may even refer you to a more appropriate role within their growing organization,” she says. “Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the grease and boldness is a memorable trait in the job market.”
In roles that you might be perceived as underqualified for, it is important to draw connections between where you are now and where you want to be, Ms. Logullo says. Communicate how you would be successful in the role, she says. In your application, you should express interest, enthusiasm and self-awareness about your abilities. Demonstrate how you will fill specific requirements for the employer. If you move on to the interview stage, Ms. Logullo says you could attempt to address a hiring manager’s potential concerns head on by asking questions such as, “Do you have any hesitations about my qualifications?” or “What would you say is the No. 1 skill or ability that’s a must for this position?”
“At the end of the day, you’ll find recruiters and other decision-makers are looking for coachable, dedicated and self-aware candidates,” Ms. Logullo says.
Review best practices for your résumé and cover letter.
Whether you are a more experienced worker who was in the same field for many years, or a recent graduate just entering the workforce, you should freshen up your résumé and cover letter. Tailor each to the roles you are applying for. Here are some tips on writing a résumé and how to write a cover letter.
Gather information from others.
Informational interviews with people who work in an industry you are job hunting in can be helpful when you are exploring a new career path or searching for work. The goal isn’t to pitch yourself, but rather to learn as much as you can about the person and his or her work history. Networking is important whether or not you are employed and there is more tolerance for these types of conversations if the initial outreach is done well, because more people are working remotely nowadays, says Ms. Virk Torrendell. At the end of a conversation with a new contact, take action, she says. “Maybe you ask them to pass along your résumé, or say, ‘Hey it was so wonderful to chat with you, I learned a lot from your experience, is there someone else in your own network who you think could help me?’” Ms. Virk Torrendell says.
Try applying for a company you like, even if it isn’t your dream role.
Sometimes a job is just that. “It is really important to stay flexible and get your foot in the door somewhere,” says Ms. Virk Torrendell. Zero in on who is hiring. You could apply to a company that is growing and thriving, where you can make a good impression and then pivot once you have worked there for a while, she says.
Work on developing your skills.
Expand your knowledge about a field that interests you by taking classes on platforms such as Coursera, which offers a number of free classes, or LinkedIn, which offers some free classes for job seekers.
If you have the bandwidth, taking on a side hustle that allows you to explore your passion could help you hone your craft and build your brand in the industry you are targeting, says Ms. Clark. For example, if you want to work in the restaurant industry, but are struggling to find work, you could start a web series interviewing chefs in your town, which will both allow you to pursue your passion and create connections, Ms. Clark says. “Let’s not forget, Justin Bieber was discovered because of a YouTube video and the women from Broad City started out with a web series they created that then got picked up on television,” she says. “You can be creating your own projects and endeavors.”
“[Temp] work might expose you to a new ability, a new gift, a new career that may be sustaining if you are coming out of an industry that may not be coming back.”
— Tyrone Ross Jr., Onramp Invest
If you need a job right away, consider taking on a temp job.
Short-term jobs can help you to meet your basic needs. Tyrone Ross Jr., a financial adviser and chief executive of digital investment platform Onramp Invest, says he grew up in a home where money was scarce. Because of this, his default advice to jobseekers is, if you are able, make sure your needs are met and there is a roof over your head.
One way to do this would be to contact a temp agency, try gig work or take on short-term employment to keep up with your bills and expenses. If you have the privilege of being selective about what type of temp job you take, you could try to find a position that will likely lead to longer-term employment, Mr. Ross Jr. says. “That work might expose you to a new ability, a new gift, a new career that may be sustaining if you are coming out of an industry that may not be coming back,” he says.
Try volunteering.
A 2015 study published in the Journal of Career Assessment, which looked at unemployed people between the ages of 21 and 29, found that those who volunteered for even an hour a week had a higher likelihood of becoming re-employed. Not only can volunteering help give you a sense of purpose and accomplishment, it might also help you network with people in your community who can help connect you with job opportunities. “It can give you this sense of confidence and helpfulness that you’re engaging in activities that are important to you and to other people,” says Robert Chope, professor emeritus at San Francisco State University, where he founded the Career Counseling program.
Consider your personal financial health.
If you are struggling to find work after you have been laid off, you should look into applying for unemployment insurance. You should also think about cutting your expenses, says Luis Rosa, a certified financial planner and founder of Build A Better Financial Future LLC. He suggests calling each of your creditors to let them know about your financial situation and ask what options are available. You can also cancel some subscriptions and take a look at your spending to see where you can make adjustments. Mr. Ross Jr. suggests looking at three months of spending and identifying what you can cut back.
You may also look up your eligibility for government assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which helps low-income families and individuals pay for groceries. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families is another program to consider. It might help you and your family pay for expenses if you are unemployed or underemployed and meet certain criteria.
Take care of your mental health.
The longer Americans are unemployed, the more likely they are to report poor mental health, according to a Gallup poll conducted in 2013. If you are struggling with feelings of depression or anxiety, you could consider seeing a low-cost therapist, trying meditation or joining a support group for people who have lost their jobs.
Remember that you aren’t alone.
Tens of millions of people lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic. A survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, published in September, found that half of adults who say they lost a job due to the coronavirus outbreak are still unemployed. It can be easy to feel overwhelmed and isolated when you are struggling to find work, but it is important to remember that you aren’t alone, says Ms. Virk Torrendell. “Try to be grounded in what you have accomplished thus far, and remember that you’re not the only person going through this,” she says.
Resources
- WSJ Jobs Summit on March 4, 2021: Register for this free online event that provides recent graduates and workers looking for new opportunities with practical strategies and insights to navigate the competitive job market.
- Unemployment insurance relief: This is a state-by-state list of unemployment insurance information from the Department of Labor.
- CareerOneStop: This service can provide more information about unemployment benefits in your state.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness: For help with finding mental health resources, contact the NAMI at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or at info@nami.org.
- LinkedIn classes: A series of free classes aimed at helping job seekers.
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