The job market is changing, and your ideas on how to find work have to change along with it. Whether you're a soon-to-graduate senior or an employment veteran, an understanding of today's hiring process is essential for your future.
First: Competition in both the domestic and global markets have forced companies to trim costs-and personnel is a company's biggest expense. This means that you'll probably not see a lot of hiring activity in many of these companies for the foreseeable future. It also means that you'll have to find other avenues of employment. The trick is in finding alternative job sources.
So: A good place to start looking is small-to-medium-sized companies. Traditionally the driving force behind the creation of new jobs in the United States, their importance has increased significantly over the past few years with the hiring decline among the Fortune 500 firms. But unlike large corporations, smaller firms can't project their manpower needs much beyond a few months. They usually hire people on an as-needed basis, with very quick turnaround times. This process is described as "just-in-time" hiring.
Also: It's important to know that small companies are looking for specific types (or profiles) of candidates - self-starters with a lot of versatility, initiative and team-building skills. You need to present yourself as a three-dimensional candidate, with a wide range of qualifications plus the drive and the energy to do what it takes to get the job done.
That's a brief summary of the current job market - what do you need to succeed? First and most importantly - START NOW. You can start by working on making yourself marketable to employers. No matter what type of career you pursue, employers place a high premium on experience. Underscore whatever experience you've had - previous positions, co-op programs, internships, part-time and summer employment - to gain a big advantage in the job hunt.
You also want to think globally. Today's job market is too competitive to restrict yourself to local companies. The broader that you're willing to make your search, the better your chances of landing that ideal job. At the very least, take a close look at jobs outside of your hometown before ruling them out.
Finally, be creative. Use a lot of different resources when you're job-hunting. For example, utilize job fairs, networking, want ads, job postings, mailing campaigns, and a host of others. This multi-sourcing approach to tracking down job leads provides the bet chance of finding employment.
--Kay LaRocca is Vice President Corporate Services for CareerSoar.com. Her email address is kay@careersoar.com.
