UNEMPLOYED NEED GUIDANCE TO RETURN TO WORK

Job seekers who are currently unemployed need career guidance to address issues only they experience due to their unique situation.  I recently asked a client I am currently assisting to complete a brief survey about his job search concerns.  He was asked to list three answers for each question.  

Of special note, one of my clients wrote, "I feel there should be a websites for mature adults who have worked all their lives.  Give us a chance."  Very moving....There was no way I could turn my back on this request and created www.jobsearchfortherestofus.com.  On this website, you will find articles of interest to the unemployed.  Here you will find job search, resources, coping ideas, and other articles to help move you forward and put the work loss behind you. 

Here is what I asked my current clients – How would you answer?

 

What do you miss about working?

What are some of your biggest job search obstacles?

What are your biggest job search fears?

Most of the answers were along the lines of what I expected to hear - I have been counseling the unemployed for a long time... I want to assure you that you are not alone and what you are feeling is entirely normal!

Here are some of the answers I got to my brief survey:

What do you miss about working?

 Being out in public and seeing people

 Filling up my day with different activities

 Earning money, having freedom, and independence

 Having something to look forward to

 Doing something I'm good at

What are some of your biggest job search obstacles? 

 Use of my injured body part

 Memory and concentration

 Lack of skills

 Finding a job in a new field or industry

 Age

What are your biggest job search fears?

 Not being able to do the job

 Interviewing

 Not being able to make enough money

 Not being hired

 Learning new skills

I'd love to hear from you! Comment below....

Mary Sherwood, MS, CDMS, CCM

lifeworks@mail.com

Professional, Rehab, & Occupational Services, LLC

http://www.life-works.info

http://www.injuredworkerhelpdesk.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marysevinsky

Landline 302.644.1827 | Mobile: 410.444.1989 | Skype Mary E. Sherwood

Read another great article: difficult doesn't mean impossible!

Let me know how you are doing or how I can help! 

Comment below or reach out. 

WHAT TO DO AFTER AN INTERVIEW

TUESDAY TIP

If your interview went well, you may be tempted to sit back and wait for the phone to ring with a job offer.  Many of my clients quit job searching - sure in the knowledge such a call is forthcoming!  As well as you think the interview went, the next one might have gone better.  ALWAYS continue your job search. 

After an interview, some job seekers write THANK YOU LETTERS...some don't.  Don't miss the opportunity to set yourself apart from the other job seekers. At the very least, a thank you note will remind them of your interview, confirm your interest, and associate warm fuzzy's with your name.  You may even tuck a nugget into the letter that you may not have mentioned or want to highlight again...ALWAYS send a thank you letter!

http://www.morguefile.com/creative/kakisky

It is also important to evaluate yourself after an interview.  This can be difficult both in terms of the actual exercise and in terms of what you assess about yourself.  Nearly every interviewee can find something they could have done differently, so don't "sweat the small stuffs" as the saying goes. DO think about anything you could have done differently and make note of this for your next interview prep session! 

If you get nervous and tend to overcompensate by presenting as overconfident or arrogant, you might try the following to see if it helps.

After an interview: 

1) Think about the interviews in which you feel you came across as arrogant.

2) Make a list of the behaviors, phrases, or body language that may be interpreted as arrogant. 

3) Think about any reactions on the part of your interviewer that lead you to believe you were viewed as arrogant and make a list of those.

4) Ask yourself - do you come across as "arrogant" in other settings?  If so, practice recognizing the clues that you may be coming across as arrogant and CHANGE that behavior, phrase or body language.

5) If you feel you are only seen as arrogant in an interview setting practice interviewing.  

Apply this same approach after an interview with any other aspects of interviewing you find you need to address: Nervousness, fidgeting, head-bobbing, etc.

Everyone hates to hear it because they say they feel stupid or silly, but you must PRACTICE. First in the mirror then with a friend then with a respected instructor or other "superior." The more you interview, practice or otherwise, the more comfortable and confident you will be when it really counts. Practice, practice, practice! 

Other articles that may be of interest:

Job Search for the Rest of Us!: INTERVIEW SERIES PART III

Jan 21, 2013

So many candidates forget to pay attention to their hallway behavior, or the behavior pre- and post-interview from the parking lot in and back out onto the street. You should be aware of not only your presentation and behavior, ...

http://www.jobsearchfortherestofus.com/

Job Search for the Rest of Us!: INTERVIEW ETTIQUETTE

Jan 23, 2013

You can never start too early or prepare too much for an interview. This infographic has some good tips with practical and quick reminders about how to conduct yourself before, during and after an Interview. Source: ...

http://www.jobsearchfortherestofus.com/

Job Search for the Rest of Us!: PREPARE FOR INTERVIEW THE ...

Jan 17, 2013

Behavior based interview questions are designed to determine how you have or will react under pressure, your thought process, and how quickly you can come to a solution. It is difficult to prepare for this type of interview.

http://www.jobsearchfortherestofus.com/

Job Search for the Rest of Us!: Interview Series Part II

Jan 14, 2013

Behavior based interview questions are designed to determine how you have or will react under pressure, your thought process, and how quickly you can come to a solution. It is difficult to prepare for this type of interview.

http://www.jobsearchfortherestofus.com/

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Job search tip of the day: Cold call employers

I know.  I just heard the mass grown from the thousands reading this!:-)

In all seriousness this is the hardest thing to convince job seekers to do, but can be one of the most important!  There are several reasons to cold call an employer:

1. To obtain information about:

• Unadvertised openings
• Contact names and/or preferences
• Hiring practices in general
• Unadvertised internship or community group opportunities
• Hiring trends - types of positions, how often they hire, when they might hire next
• Industry trends

2. To cultivate a relationship, start with the receptionist!  In fact, you can sometimes gain a lot of information from the automated message and/or phone tree announcement.  You might go so far as to seek out a mentor with a company near you that is in an industry for which you would like to work.

3. To hone your communication skills and increase your self confidence in interacting with others in a professional way.  We all get a little lax when we are at home speaking only with friends and loved ones who already know us and our situation.  Speaking with employers will keep you sharp and comfortable talking with "strangers."

It is well worth the time and effort to take this step in your job search, but how do you get started?

• Make a list of employers you would like to contact
• Generate a script or at least a goal of your conversation
• Obtain contact information for each
• Research each for as much information as you can gather - cold calls sometimes result in impromptu interviews!
• Plan a block of time to make the calls
• Just do it! 

Job search tip of the day: Create a job search sch...

1 hour ago

Wednesday: Cold calls and practice interviewing, other job seeking skills training. Thursday: follow up calls with any outstanding employers, work force technology job search. Friday: Networking – Call friends and identify ...

http://www.jobsearchfortherestofus.com/

Job Search for the Rest of Us!: Job search tip of the day: Send a ...

Aug 16, 2012

Gives you something else to think about for a change; Allows you to get out of the house and at least to the post office; Encourages communication - you will likely get a email or call to thank you; Solidifies networking - it never ...

http://www.jobsearchfortherestofus.com/

Job Search for the Rest of Us!: Scrambled Eggs: Don't stop job ...

Aug 06, 2012

You were assured they would call you in the next few days, weeks, hours, etc… You really ... The employer may very well call you and offer you the job as you (and he or she) expects after such a good interview. The issue is ...

http://www.jobsearchfortherestofus.com/

Job Search for the Rest of Us!: Job Search Tip of the Day Follow up

Aug 03, 2012

If everything else is equal, the employer will be more likely to call an applicant with whom he or she has interacted in some way than with one he or she has not. 3. Impression. Employers, regardless of industry, are looking for ...

http://www.jobsearchfortherestofus.com/

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Guest Post

29 Seriously Inspiring Interviews for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

by Staff Writers

Business ventures build on top of one another like Lego towers — they don’t spring Athena-like from the foreheads of entrepreneurs, no matter what some may claim. Anyone with a strong idea, a lot of luck, and even more hard work can succeed in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. But they need to intently study the victories and mistakes of their predecessors before embarking on any sort of entrepreneurial journey. No matter their background or industry, the following folks have plenty of advice and inspiration to offer while future innovators compile their research.

1. Muhammad Yunus with the Nobel Foundation, Oct. 13, 2006: This distinguished Nobel Peace Prize recipient pioneered the use of microcredits through the Grameen Bank, which he established in his native Bangladesh in 1983; many for-profit and nonprofit ventures these days utilize the same concept when investing in underprivileged regions. Muhammad Yunus stands as a sterling example of the social entrepreneurship phenomenon...Read More