The most important step in winning is to show up.
If you are looking for a job, it always seems there is a blizzard going on. You are stuck at home and nothing is happening because of the snow and cold. You send out a hundred resumes and get no calls back. Recruiters won’t help you. No one is advertising jobs with your skills. There’s nothing you can do. You feel cold, helpless, and can’t see any hope of success because of the blowing snow.
No matter where you live, the blizzard is over. Spring is here. The job market is hot.
How many US metropolitan areas were importing workers in September of 2006? At a 4.5% real unemployment rate, metro areas start importing workers. Take a guess, how many were below that?
195. Yes, 195 places in the US were importing workers. And the situation has gotten even better in the last 2 months. In the DC area the unemployment rate in some counties is well under 1%. As a matter of fact, the national unemployment rate is below 4.5%. There is a real scarcity of workers. That means there is opportunity.
Does that mean you have to move? No! That means you have to continue to job hunt. If you keep trying intelligently, you’ll get a better job. Workers are getting imported from low paying areas into higher paying cities all over the US. They’re leaving jobs behind that have to be filled.
Having trouble getting a job? Here are some areas to re-evaluate:
- My job skills. Can I make them more attractive? Can I get certified?
- That pesky resume. Its job is to get you an interview. Is it working?
- Am I showing up? Are you contacting people about jobs? Sending resumes?
- Are you relying on the right sources of job leads?
Now may be the time to refresh your approach. Take a look at where your industry is going. Sharpen your job tools. Then keep applying. The blizzard and cold is ending soon. Jobs are opening up all over, like daffodils in the spring.
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Something To Do Today
Use the 4 questions above to re-evaluate your job search. I’ll go through them this week