Job Search Advice for Desperate Job Seekers

Another morning of job hunting lies ahead of you. You pour a cup of coffee and open the paper to the employment section. With a mixture of anticipation and desperation you pick up a stub of pencil and prepare to target and identify some possible job opportunities.

There are less ads to circle this morning and despite the promising words and vague descriptions you have begun to believe that none of these potential employers will seriously consider you. Perhaps they have family or friends or maybe you'll hear once again "I'm afraid you're overqualified for this position".

After making a few phone calls you try to get into a positive frame of mind. You head out the door, a folder of resumes in one hand and a list of addresses at the next. You will drop off a few resumes and have plans for an interview this afternoon.

Maybe today will be different...

Are you or a friend looking for work? Have you heard of acquaintances laid off from long-term employment only to find four or five months later that they are still unable to find a job?

If you think the only way to find a job is to have connections, you may be partly right. With such a demand for employment many jobs never make it to the paper. How can you compete?

NETWORKING

"Leave no stone unturned". Tell friends, family and acquaintances of your job search. These people can give you an 'IN' to their businesses when positions come available.

They may also hear of someone who is hiring and keep you updated on opportunities you may not otherwise have heard about. Their personal referral can also make an impression on the employer in your behalf.

NON-POSTED JOBS

You don't have to wait for a job to be listed in the paper, or even posted on the company board, to apply for work at a company.

Go through the phone book and make a list of companies you'd like to work for. Call and ask if there are any positions available. Ask for the name of the human resources manager or the individual in charge of hiring for the area you are applying to.

Send a resume and direct it to the person in charge of hiring. Write a cover letter that expresses your interest in the company and why you'd like to work for them. Follow up several days later and ask for the individual. Tell them you're checking to see that they received your resume and ask if there are any positions that may become available.

If they are not hiring suggest you'll check back at another time. Often positions are made available unexpectedly and by keeping in contact (without pestering) you may be the first person that comes to mind.

This is not a secret. If you're not taking advantage, someone else will. You can't afford to miss out on making yourself known to employers BEFORE the job posting is made public.

Accessing this hidden job market may open up opportunities you never thought possible. By staying one step ahead of other job searchers you can be sure that your new job is just around the corner!

Roger Clark is senior editor at Top Career Resumes who provide free information to job seekers on all aspects of finding a new job and Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.

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Google News Updated : Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:49:09 GMT NATO agrees on Afghan drug role for military - The Associated Press Boston Globe NATO agrees on Afghan drug role for military The Associated Press - 1 hour ago BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) - NATO defense ministers Friday authorized their troops in Afghanistan to attack drug barons blamed for pumping up to US$100 million (euro74 million) a year into the coffers of resurgent Taliban fighters. NATO Joins Drug War in Afghanistan Voice of America NATO to Hit Drug Trade in Afghanistan New York Times AFP - Bloomberg - International Herald Tribune - Times Online all 1,309 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:11:48 GMT UPDATE 1-Bush says US moving quickly to solve market crisis - Forbes Canada.com UPDATE 1-Bush says US moving quickly to solve market crisis Forbes - 1 hour ago WASHINGTON, Oct 10 (Reuters) - President George W. Bush said on Friday the US government was moving aggressively to address the financial markets crisis, but he acknowledged that anxiety was feeding on itself as stocks continued to plunge. Bush appeals for confidence CNNMoney.com Bush Says Markets Must Remain Calm Despite Challenges Washington Post Reuters - The Associated Press - TheStreet.com - CNN all 1,456 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:33:45 GMT Eagles' Westbrook out for Sunday's game - Sports Network Sports-Odds.com Eagles' Westbrook out for Sunday's game Sports Network - 28 minutes ago Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook will not play on Sunday at San Francisco. Westbrook, who has been hampered by a sprained ankle he suffered in the Week 3 victory over Pittsburgh, fractured his ribs in ... Brian Westbrook: Ruled Out Rotowire Les Bowen: Eagles vs. 49ers: The pick Philadelphia Daily News WILM News Radio - NFL News - Kansas City Star - The Associated Press all 642 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:20:18 GMT A Cautious Approach to Gardasil Shot - U.S. News & World Report Canada.com A Cautious Approach to Gardasil Shot U.S. News & World Report - 34 minutes ago News today cheering the fact that 1 in 4 teen girls has received the Gardasil vaccine sounds to me like some serious spin from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the government agency pushing girls as young as 9 to get the shot. Cancer Vaccine Used by 25% of Girls 13 to 17 New York Times Quarter of adolescent US girls received HPV vaccine Reuters WebMD - dBTechno - Wall Street Journal - eFluxMedia all 463 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:14:13 GMT Help Support Breast Cancer Awareness With Lifespring Health - MarketWatch ChattahBox Help Support Breast Cancer Awareness With Lifespring Health MarketWatch - 1 hour ago Lifespring Health will be Donating $5 to the Susan G. Komen Foundation Each Time you Shop Online This Month SUNNYVALE, Calif., Oct 10, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- October is breast cancer awareness month! Go "Passionately Pink for the Cure" on Oct. 17 Atlantic News Telegraph Panera Bread to sell pink bagels Times Herald-Record SkinInc.com - BurlingtonFreePress.com - Chambersburg Public Opinion - Penn State Worthington Scranton all 68 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:05:31 GMT Coleman calls off negative ads - Minneapolis Star Tribune MinnPost.com Coleman calls off negative ads Minneapolis Star Tribune - 24 minutes ago By Patricia Lopez, Star Tribune ...and it has nothing at all to do with several outlets (including one of Franken's ads) letting us know that a Coleman ad that wants us to … read more see Franken looking out of control/angry, is actually video of ... Coleman: I'll remove negative ads and urge others to do same Pioneer Press Coleman says he'll pull negative ads to focus on economy Minnesota Public Radio KAALtv.com - The Hill - The Associated Press - OpEdNews all 460 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:25:04 GMT States probe possible voter registration fraud - Chicago Tribune ABC News States probe possible voter registration fraud Chicago Tribune - 1 hour ago Questions about possible cases of fraudulent voter registrations were being raised this week as officials in several states investigated hundreds of questionable or duplicate registration forms submitted by an advocacy group. Carnahan statement on ACORN registration mess Kansas City Star Republicans try to tie Obama to vote fraud cases Boston Globe ABC News - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Inter Press Service - MyFox Tampa Bay all 1,193 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:48:10 GMT Rss Feed Reader More Web Site Traffic

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