How to Get a Job When You’re Desperate
I used this method when finding a job. This is not a magic bullet, and it might not work for you. But if you want to find a job, you need to take aggressive steps. Finding a job can be a job itself. So if you’re stuck, try out these steps.
1. Create your resume. I might do a longer entry on how to create resumes, but just follow these guidelines:
- Spam your resume with keywords.
- Make your resume look professional
- Get everyone—especially people with jobs—to look at your resume and critique it.
2. Upload your resume to craig’s list, hotjobs, careerbuilder, monster.com, and other resume database sites. Once you do that, make your resume public so everyone can see them. Then update your resume once a week. What I mean by “update” is to change wordings, fix grammar mistakes, rearrange something, etc. Just keep it fresh in their database.
3. Start applying for every job position you see. Even if you’re not qualified, just submit your resume.
4. Get on LinkedIn, get connections, and ask for recommendations. LinkedIn is a great place to find jobs. I know a few people that have found jobs through LinkedIn. Make sure you have at least one recommendation in your profile because most jobs require one.
5. Use requiters and staffing agencies. I know a lot of people hate recruiters. But if you need a job, you have to work with them. It’s not so bad, they’ll do all the work to pimp you out. They also might have better access to companies.
6. Beg everyone you know for jobs. People like helping people they like. So ask everyone you know. Also go to networking events and ask for jobs there. Besides, networking events are great for meeting people in general and practicing your social skills.
7. Do the interviews. Hopefully by now, you should start getting phone (or real) interviews. My advice is don’t prepare too much for them. Don’t practice good answers to interview questions because you can’t prepare for every single question. And what would happen if the interviewer asks you a question you haven’t prepared for? You’ll freeze up. So get used to thinking on your feet.
You have to learn how to think on your feet. It’ll feel stupid, but ask your buddies to help you practice for interviews. Ask a lot of different people to help you. Tell them to ask hard questions, weird questions, anything so you’ll be used to thinking on your feet.
When you speak on the phone, talk loud, clear, and slow. I used to lay down on my bed so I can stay relaxed during phone interviews.
Besides being able to answer questions, you have to get rapport with your interviewers. Talk to strangers. If you can get rapport with random strangers, then you can get rapport with your interviewers. Just remember to stay relaxed, positive, honest, friendly, good eye contact, and feel confident.
8. Take any real job you see. If you’re not getting many offers, take any job that comes to you. Make sure it’s legit. If they can pay you a reasonable amount, then it’s good.
Once you take the crappy job, stay for at least a year or two to gain the necessary skill sets you need to move to a better job.
9. Start your own company. If worse comes to worst, just start your own company. Find a friend and start some sort of business. Don’t half ass it either, really start a business.
Don’t worry if you’ll fail or not. You’ll learn a lot from starting a business. If you do fail, it’s okay. It’s an excellent resume filler. If you do succeed, just send me some money thanking me for your success.
There you go. There are probably other job search strategies that I haven’t discovered yet, but these steps should help. But make sure to put a lot of effort into it. Most people don’t put in the necessary effort to find a job.
Stumble it!
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Comments
Stumbled across your site, figured I’d drop a line. I worked with these guys and they helped when I was searching.
http://www.iMediaRecruiters.Com
Steve G
This is what you could call “brute-force” job searching. I usually wouldn’t recommend it, not for the faint of heart, but if you’re desperate there are some good ideas.
that’s really witty yet desperate. and the fact that you used LinkedIn to bait for a job is ingenuine
Since we’ve all heard the hub bub regarding employers trolling facebook and having it cause professional reputation damage, how about the reverse? Advertise yourself on facebook!
http://www.onedayonejob.com/blog/use-facebook-ads-to-make-employers-hunt-you-down/
Great Post. I like the last point because it is what I am doing. If you can’t find a job, create a job for your self by starting a business.
VERY HELPFUL POST, BUT I FEEL VERY BAD LYING TO PEOPLE AND MAKING UP A FALSE RESUME. WHY CAN’T PEOPLE JUST CALL YOU BACK ON THE PHONE AND INTERVIEW YOU, SO THAT YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO EXPLAIN ABOUT YOUR RESUME AND TELL THEM WHAT KIND OF A JOB YOU ARE REALLY LOOKING FOR.
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Good tactics on finding a job. Most people think they can just leave their resume up and think companies will magically come to them. When things get tough, you have to use all sorts of tricks that you can.