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JUMP-START YOUR SEARCH, REVIVE IN ’05

We have re-elected our President and the stock market is delighted. The Apple Computer Company couldn’t ship enough i-Pods; they were almost sold out nationally the week before Christmas. We all were spending with lots of plastic and paper. Retailers are up beat.

So, as we begin this new year, there is positive employment buzz. The stock market has steadied over the 10,000 mark. The job market reacts much like the stock market in the sense that if people believe the future will be positive, they act accordingly and reality becomes that belief (a self-fulfilling prophecy). Companies are reviewing hiring freezes. Jobs that have been frozen, due to economic concerns, will defrost quickly during this first quarter.

Here are three steps to jump-start your job search this January. The time to act is now because of this optimistic horizon. Companies with December vacancies want to find the right people and hire them as soon as possible.

1. REVIEW AND UPDATE YOUR RESUME
Update job titles or duties that may have changed and become effective in January. Send your new resume with a note stating that you would like to be reconsidered. Make a point that you have received a promotion since you last interviewed and are still very interested in employment with their company.

2. RECONTACT ALL COMPANIES AND HIRING MANAGERS
Review all your follow-up information on your interviews since Thanksgiving. The period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s normally slows down in hiring and many openings that were not filled by the first week of December will be reopened with a sense of urgency to fill in January. Resubmit your resume with a note to reconsider you for the original job opening and any new openings. This will put your resume back on top of the stack. If there is any positive breaking news about this company, mention it in your note. This will impress the manager that you are continuing to research and follow their company.

3. MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL
Most all New Year’s resolutions include losing weight, getting out of debt, making more money, etc…Your professional image should be the most important part of your resolutions. I’m not talking about being handsome or pretty. My experience is when all things are equal
(i.e. experience and education) the employer will hire the person with the best attitude and image. Re-evaluate your business image. Take a hard look at yourself and if you’ve gained weight and your clothing is too tight, buy new clothes until you get back in shape.


CAREER DOUBLE OR NOTHING

Which technical career path offers growth that will double by 2012?
Which technical career path will reflect zero growth?
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, both of these occupations are engineers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ recent projection states 100 percent growth for computer software engineers versus zero percent growth for nuclear engineers. One might conclude from this projection that the landscape of the future would not be bombed, but rather littered with spam and computer viruses.



THE FASTEST GROWING INDUSTRY

Healthcare services will continue to boom through 2010. This industry will constitute an estimated 25 percent of the job growth for the coming years. Currently, there’s an estimated two million job openings nationally that are seeking qualified candidates. Additionally, if you are a diversity candidate, you will value the resources available to you at www.imdiversity.com. This web site will guide you to current job openings and on-line education and training in healthcare and its related industries.


Dear Headhunter,
I was let go from my last position due to sales performance. How can I over come this in future interviews when asked? The job started as inbound customer service but turned into a highly stressful sales environment. Can you help?

Thanks, Veronica

Dear Veronica,
Being up-front and honest is always the avenue to take when interviewing. It's easy to remember the truth. Obviously, you do not want to interview for a sales job. There is a tremendous difference between customer service and telephone sales. Your personality fits service so be sure to sell those skills in your next interview. It is equally important to state what a great job you did in customer service and if the job hadn’t changed, you’d still be working there. When you indicate why you were terminated, the interviewer will be impressed with your candor and self-confidence.

Good luck on your search, George

PLEASE NOTE: emails received become the property of "Dear Headhunter" and may be published unless otherwise requested. Questions may be edited for content and length. All questions will be reviewed, some without a reply.

George Gurney has been a leader in the employment industry since 1976. He founded an executive search firm that conducts domestic and international assignments.  He has won numerous awards for recruiting excellence.  He has been a guest speaker at national conventions and seminars.