Careers-Employment
Finding a Job Under Tough Circumstances
Anyone can find a job. That?s right, I said ?anyone?. And I meant it. But the caveat is: I didn?t say what kind of job. You can go out and start flipping burgers, and whine about the tough breaks life handed you when your company down-sized, or you can reach higher, and go for that job you really want, and know you have the experience and enthusiasm for.
Reaching higher means being on your toes, in every sense of the words. You?ll have to stretch yourself too- make that extra effort to overcome the obstacles in your way. Nobody said getting the right job would be easy. But it?s there, waiting, if you?re willing to reach.
To show you what we mean, I?m going to give you an example of one executive?s ego-crushing layoff. Down but not out, this man took personal circumstances that could have held him back, and built on them so that he stood on a solid foundation and put that perfect job within his reach.
Sean Davidson* was a senior level marketing manager. His company was downsizing, and in a performance review, it was felt that Sean was the staff member in that type of position that they could most do without. What followed was eight months of frustration, and confidence testing, as he attended job fairs, network events, and searched Internet employment sites. Then he landed an interview for a job that not only matched his skill set, but which he wanted badly. How did he overcome the negativity of his layoff?
When asked about the gap in his employment, Sean took the initiative and spoke about strategic mistakes he had made in his last position, and how the slow growth in their industry, had led to a decision to lay off staff. He then went on to talk about new growth areas and the how a company can make the most of the opportunities offered, and increase their market share. His explanation and proposals, not only showed his awareness of current market conditions, but also displayed his business competency.
He had turned the focus of the question from why he was laid off, to showing what he had learned from the business conditions that caused it, and how he could help the interviewing company to improve their position. And he got the job!
*Names changed to protect confidentiality
Copyright 2005 Joel Vance
Joel Vance is an Human Resources expert who has been in HR for 17 years and interviewed 3,159 people. He has also taught at 4 major universities around the country and currently has a best selling book on interviewing entitled The Perfect Interview at http://www.theperfectinterview.com
Joel Vance
← Previous Next →
Similar articles
'Virtual Heroes': The Growth of the Virtual Assistant
Building and expanding a business is a difficult task, when the management of the business in its existing form takes up much of the time. The administrative, office-based and creative tasks behind running a business, although time-consuming and often repetitive, are vital to the continued operations of the business. Read more →10 Steps To A Confident Career Change
In this report, we will review some established techniques and concepts you can use to make certain that your decision to change careers is the right decision for you, and to help make your career transition as smoothe as possible. Read more →10 Tips to Resign from Your Job With Pride and Professionalism
While some employees fear lay-offs, often my clients find themselves in the happy position of accepting a new job and saying good-by to a current employer. Read more →12 Tips On the Elements of a Successful Interview
Throughout the many years of my recruiting experience, I have collected feedback from employers and candidates alike. Fact: You will get hired because of the solid job you do during the interview. Read more →Aphorism
How do you decide which active funds to select?
William Sharpe