Finding a Job in a Recession – It is Possible!

By Bill Carson

In this economy everyone has had to make adjustments. Higher gas prices mean people are altering their travel. Students also have to adapt to the changing job market. Students may need to be more flexible about their job search and broaden what they will accept.

The most important thing that you as the job seeker can do to prepare for the job search is research. Looking for a job is a full-time job, and the more time and effort that you put into the process, the more successful you will be. Many professionals in the field of career development and job search say that it will take the average college graduate about nine months to find a career job. Because so many graduates will not begin to look until late in their senior year, the competition will be even keener after graduation. So, the ideal strategy is to start early, by developing a strategic job search campaign that begins with determining what skills you have that employers will be willing to hire you for.

The job market is changing, and some industries are being affected more than others, but all students will have to assess their job-related skills and develop new strategies to market them. This is where employer research comes in. By acknowledging that the job search process is a marketing process which is driven by demand, the student who takes the time to study their potential employers will have more success in landing their ideal job.

In a recent article in Futurist magazine (Journal of the World Future Society), it was reported that among the most recession-proof industries offering new job opportunities… are energy, security, health care, and education. New jobs are likely to be created by wind turbine and solar manufacturing projects.

Preliminary indications from employers who do college recruiting appear to be on the side of caution, but they are not making drastic changes in their campus recruiting practices for Fall, 2008. This is a contrast to what happened after the 911 tragedy when most on-campus recruiting nearly came to a halt. Campus recruiting, including career days and job fairs and information sessions, appear to be still high on employers’ sources for new college hires.

With this in mind, as a new college grad you will want to ramp up your job search process, and begin early to identify and actively pursue employers who might hire you to do the work that you want to do.

Conduct a critical assessment of your transferrable skills. These are skills you have that can be used in a variety of occupational areas. The short list could include customer service, writing, presentation, research, analyzing and interpreting data, selling, etc. In The Job Outlook 2008,  produced by The National Association of Colleges and Employers, it is reported that employers also want candidates who are detail oriented, self-confident, flexible and adaptable, and have team work and leadership skills. By the time you are ready to interview, you should be able to discuss your skills, give examples of how you’ve used them in the past, and perhaps even be able to articulate how you might use these skills in the jobs you are applying for.

Think outside the box and consider applying for jobs that were NOT originally on your preferred list. Like most students who are entering their senior year, you should be able to make a short list of employers that you want to work for. You should also be able to tell where you’d like to work. However, if your view is very narrow identify more employers in the same or similar industries, and increasing your willingness to relocate to areas more than 100 miles away from home, and you will increase your chances of finding opportunities that are right for you.

Extend the value of your degree by increasing your self-knowledge, rather than relying solely on the course content of your academic major. Learn how technology is changing the landscape of your chosen profession. Read everything that you can find that relates to your career or occupational choice.

Focus on small to medium-sized businesses rather than just the large ones. These organizations, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, still account for a majority of new jobs in the United States.

Widen your geographic preference. Even though it may be ideal to remain in the city where you went to school or return to your home state, cast a nationwide search net. Many organizations are outsourcing some of their technical jobs to overseas workers, so for the candidate who is parochial-minded and who is not interested in venturing away from home, this could be a crucial mistake.

Reevaluate your salary requirements. Your willingness to accept a position that has a lesser starting salary but has growth potential and a reasonable career path could be a great idea. Taking a job that pays a lower starting salary is better than being without a job at all.

Peruse daily and weekly business journals for tips on new business developments in your target areas. These could provide leads to new jobs. Cities that are building or about to open new hotels or convention centers, business or industrial parks, along with businesses that are renovating their properties usually budget for new hires and increased opportunities.

The publishers of city or regional business journals, (i.e., the Baltimore Business Journal) also produces a Book of Lists which is an annual directory of the top organizations in more than 40 different industries, and other superlatives like the best places to work, business networking organizations, minority- and woman-owned businesses, non-profit organizations and foundations. Such a directory is an invaluable resource to a job seeker that is not familiar with a new city or region. It contains contact directory information, including names, mail and email addresses and organization websites, along with data that qualified them to be placed on the list.

Here are other strategies for finding employment in a recession-like economy:

• Utilize the resources available to you on your own campus. Your college or university career center staff is uniquely qualified to assist you with your job search. They can help you develop your job search campaign; show you how to research employers and jobs; teach you to prepare and present effective resumes, cover letters and portfolios; and how to prepare for and defend yourself in interviews.

• Consider employers who hire college graduates to work abroad. Also, foreign companies that do business in the US should be considered. Foreign language proficiency is useful but not always required, however a working knowledge of the culture is highly recommended.

• Increase your pool of networking contacts. Include family members and their contacts who may know of opportunities. Be prepared to provide them with a copy of your generic but comprehensive resume, with the understanding that you can readily produce one that is more focused if they find a job that you should apply for.

• Identify and join professional associations. Many of them may have student memberships. By doing so, you will gain access to individuals who are working in fields related to your career choices, and who might be willing to have an Informational Interview with you. These are also individuals who would know of job openings.

In addition, many professional associations, like the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) have online job postings that are exclusively for their members.

• Sharpen your interview skills. Become familiar with various styles of interviews used by employers, including the behavioral interview, team interviews, and group interviews. In industries where employees have high customer contact, the telephone is increasingly becoming an effective screening device to eliminate candidates who do not have sharp oral communication skills.

• Explore opportunities within state and federal agencies. Although budgets are being pared down, federal agencies still have to do the nation’s business and thus far, the funding seems to be still in tact. Non-profit organizations, including those that cater to youth and families, are always hiring.

• Follow up on all leads, and keep good records. Every contact should be recorded with names, phone numbers and email addresses; details of the conversation, follow up that is expected of you or the contact, and a time line for future actions. These should be placed in a calendar or spreadsheet for easy access. Thank you notes should always be sent after a contact is made.

• Take the utmost care when preparing resumes and other job search documents. The targeted resume appears to be the most effective. A targeted resume is custom-designed to show the employer that you meet the criteria that have been set for selecting candidates. It has headings such as “Related Experience or Relevant Experience” where relevant or related refers to the career or job objective that should always be included on the resume. Writing, including, style, grammar and punctuation are essential. Poorly written correspondence is a surefire way to sabotage an otherwise good job search strategy.

Bill Carson is the director of the Center for Career Development at Morgan State University. He has over 35 years of experience in career development and college student personnel, career consulting, program evaluation, staff development and training.