VibrantNation.com member VintageIsVogue is a Vibrant Woman who knows what it's like to lose a job in today's tough economy. She shares 9 things every savvy woman can do now to improve her chances of bouncing back from this setback as quickly as possible.
Worried about losing your job in today's economy? As a Vibrant Woman who recently experienced exactly that, I can assure you that now is the time to prepare for this eventuality. A few tips:
1. Create your resume now.
It's best to do this while you are not freaked out about losing your job and finding a new one. The old adage "the best time to look for a job is when you are employed" is true. If you can't do it yourself, than do some research and pay someone to do it. It's an investment you must make in your career. Remember, you only have a few precious moments to generate interest on a stack of resumes or the "In" box of the decision maker for the position you want. Also, be sure your resume has the right keywords in it which will be recognized by search engines. Otherwise, it will be overlooked by recruiters searching for your specific talents, expertise, and skill sets.
2. Familiarize yourself with all of the various career portals available online. Examples are Monster, CareerBuilder, Yahoo HotJobs and DICE. Personally, I dislike all of these sites--but they do contain good resources, advice and insight. Be aware of scam jobs posted on these sites, too. The old cliche of "If it sounds too good to be true, than it probably is" applies to jobs, too.
3. Create a resume in various
formats.
Examples of formats include Word, PDF, RTF, and my favorite new
service, visualcv.com. It's literally a
visual resume that can showcase your brand--YOU--while sharing live
links of websites, portfolios, references, campaigns, etc. This
service is in beta form right now and free! Plus,
they have their own job boards.
4. Research, research, research.
Also, find trade sites that specifically work with recruiters or
employers within your areas of expertise and interest.
5. Utilize social media.
Have a current profile on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. Business is business, so
don't post personal or non-professional links, posts, or
comments on these sites that a potential employer could see and
find negative. Remember, many companies now use these sites to
research a client prior to interviewing or making a final decision.
Proofread every word, sentence, and formatting to insure you have
presented yourself as a top professional. Competition is tough and
you are competing against candidates who are younger and less
experienced, but the will also work for a lot less. Is it fair? No,
but then life isn't fair either.
by VintageisVogue on VibrantNation.com
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