Be Innovative

In today’s tough job market, you can bet that every job you’ve applied to has been applied to ten times over. Maybe more!

Well, then, what’s going to set you apart? How are you going to be a shining star? How are you going to shine at all?

In this day and age, you have to use your creative juices to establish yourself as someone who is both compelling and hardworking. There are many ways to do this, but it’s going to take some… dun dun dun… HARD WORK!

1) Start A Blog

Almost everybody has a blog these days. Having a blog that has at least one entry a day shows that you are willing to commit yourself to a cause. Employers want to know that they’re hiring someone who is going to commit to their cause.

2) Network

Go out and socialize! However, while you’re socializing, talk about yourself. Talk about what you do, and pump yourself up. Let others know that you are a good worker. They might just be the person to offer you a job!

3) Resume Building

Make sure your resume is tip top and outstanding. Make sure you put everything that would identify you as a good and solid employee on there. When your future employer reads it, he won’t be able to put it down!

4) Apply Now!

Being the first person to apply for a job is never a bad thing. The employer’s eyes are fresh and he’s ready to hire. Be there when he does!

Tags: application, blogging, job market, Jobs, resume, stand out

Boom Chicka Wow Wow: My Craigslist Interview

My interview suit was getting dusty. Thinking about interviewing made me nearly catatonic. I HAD to get out there and actually meet people instead of just sending out resumes.

I’d been unemployed for 5 months, checking all the sites daily for something new to come up, when I found a job for an office manager on Craigslist.  Most of the job listings on Craigslist are written by people who clearly need my services as a writer.  The number of misspellings and grammatical errors is just frightening, really.  Sure, put some character into it, but don’t make yourself look like a dumb ass.  The job for office manager was well written and seemed to be slightly more professional in nature than “Personal assistant needed.  Please send photo.”  So, I sent my resume like hundreds of times before.  This one was different, though.  The ad was for an office manager position at an adult production company.  Since my last position was at an Orthodox synagogue, I had to say something about it in my cover letter, which I admit was snarkier than usual.  Cover letters, as you know, are your potential employers only window into your personality, so if you have one… you should show it.  After all that time looking for a job and getting zero responses, I admit that my cover letters started to deteriorate.  Even this one was not my best, but at least it stood out.  In two sentences I showed them that I’m smart and creative.  My 7th grade English teacher Miss Gilbert drummed into me:  Show don’t tell.  It really is true.

They called me! Actually, they emailed me, but who cares? I actually got a response to a resume! Then I got worried because they told me to come to a house up in the Hollywood Hills and not, say, a studio as I was expecting. I called around and found a friend who agreed to come with me and wait in the car. You know, in case it got weird. I figured in all likelihood the guys at the porn company just found it easier to shoot their movies in a real house rather than a studio made to look like a house. I give kudos to them for being successful enough to own a house up there.

I showed up EXACTLY on time and still had to wait. I did wonder as I was sitting in the living room if there had been any scenes shot in there but I didn’t wait very long so my daydream didn’t get too far. I was shown into an office just after a guy with tattoo sleeves and multiple face piercings left.

I was extremely overdressed for the occasion. My two interviewers were wearing clothes that did not scream out “This is a legitimate business!” But, I managed to sit in a dignified way on the edge of a chair in my suit and heels. They asked me if I knew what they did at their company 3 times during my 15-minute interview. Maybe wearing the pearls was too much? Had they seen me drive up in my beat up minivan? I laughed at their jokes and explained how I could keep them organized. I asked questions about how they did business and tried my best to look unfazed when they told me the job also included production assisting and a bit of wardrobe assisting. I think it went pretty well.

It’s two weeks later and they haven’t called me back. I’m glad I went to the interview, though. Every bit of experience putting yourself out there adds another piece of glitter to you for when you shine in front of the employer who eventually hires you.

Tags: adult production company, business, cover letter, Craigslist, interview, resume

It’s only temporary!

When we talk about today’s economy, trendy metaphors are everywhere. Here’s a sample:  Weather: stormy, cloudy, dark; Movement: reeling, roiling, turbulent; Health: ailing, sick, aching.

If you think about it, each of these metaphors implies a temporary condition. Weather clears, movement slows down, people heal. During this temporarily tough time, sometimes the best way for unemployed job seekers to handle this is by getting a temp job.

You guys are smart (obviously, since you’re being proactive in your job search), so you probably already know what temp jobs are. But we’ll go ahead and tell you anyways. When employees are out for a bit (with health problems or on leave) and work still needs to get done, companies often hire temporary employees to fill in the gaps. Other companies make it their policy to hire temp workers that eventually become permanent positions.

There may be lots of reasons why you temp. If you’re out of a job, temping helps you pay the bills until you find a more permanent position. Temping also allows you set your own schedule (if you want to take a couple of weeks go see the lovely Vermont foliage with Uncle Morty, go right ahead), add skills to your resume if it needs a boost, and try out different positions if you’re not sure about which industry you might be best suited for.

EmploymentCrossing has over 90 sites listing jobs–temporary, part time, and permanent– in tons of different industries. Project management positions, compliance jobs, even nursing jobs.

So as you weather the storm, brace yourself for the turbelence, and drink some chicken soup for the economy, remember that tempin’ may not be easy. . .but it can help get you where you need to go.

Tags: economy, industry, resume, temp jobs