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Career Search

Jobs For Senior Citizens

It’s no secret that the job market is tough right now. Long-standing jobs are being eliminated, and once rock-solid companies are losing business and even going out of business! The situation is not optimal, to say the least. Men and women everywhere are wondering how to find a job – even people who still have a job are considering their options, just in case the worst happens.

The first thing that you need to do if you’ve lost your job is to not panic. Panicking isn’t going to help you, and in fact it will probably make things worse. The second thing you need to do is to create a job hunting strategy that will prove effective.

Put the following tips into play when you’re developing your job hunting plan. And remember that in a situation like this, you have to pull out all of the stops – now is not the time to be shy.

Call everyone you know and let them know that you’re on a job search. You should call former employers, assuming you left them on good terms, friends, family members, people you know from clubs and organizations – even your neighbors. Ask them if they know of openings, and if they would be willing to share your name and resume with people they know who are searching for great employees like you.
Use social networking to help you find a job. When it comes to the question of how to find a job, social networking is often one of the best answers. The number of websites that are available for making friends, sharing information, and finding out about job opportunities is huge. Take advantage of this new technology!
Make job hunting your full time job. It’s easy to get into the groove of getting out of bed a little later and spending more time relaxing when you’re unemployed. But if you want a job, you need to put a good amount of time and energy into finding one.
Make use of the newspaper employment section and Internet employment sites as well. The newspaper will give you a listing of what is available. Internet employment sites will give you listings and also allow you to post your own resume for potential employers to see.
If you attended college, contact your alumni association or the career counseling department of your alma mater. They often have access to job search resources that alumni can use. Your local community college or university may offer similar services to the general public.
Go to job fairs, trade shows and seminars that are related to your field. You can make important contacts with potential employers this way.
Update your resume and make sure that it has all the necessary information, is formatted attractively and that the spelling and grammar is perfect.
Think outside the box. Are the skills you have translatable to another type of work? Would a bit of extra training give you a leg up in the job market? Are you ready for a new career (meaning that maybe it’s time to get some more education and make a major change)?

If you’re working on solving the problem of how to find a job, remember that there are still jobs available – just not as many as you’d like. Don’t be discouraged. Just keep in mind that finding a job in today’s economy requires you to really put forth a strong and concerted effort. You’re going to have to make finding a job your present job!

6 Easy Ways to Prepare for a Job Interview

Preparing for a job interview can be stressful. You need to make a good impression, and you want the job! Don’t despair. Instead, spend some time and energy preparing yourself as fully as possible.

Here are six easy, yet very important ways to prepare for a job interview:

1. Learn about the company you’re interviewing with. Do as much research as possible. You can find information from the Internet, the company’s website, periodicals that have published articles about the company and people you know that work for or in association with the company.
2. Understand the company’s market, their products and services and their mission.
3. Practice interviewing. If you’re asked to interview for a job, even if you have no intention of taking the job, go to the interview and get practice!

Develop a list of questions that you can ask during your interview. Questions could be regarding company philosophy and goals, enrichment and education programs for employees, outlook and future projects, or anything else that you can think of that is pertinent and intelligent.
Dress the part. If you can, go to the location of your interview and see what employees are wearing. Then dress in a similar fashion, but one step up. If you don’t have a way to do some pre-interview reconnaissance, opt for a simple suit with clean lines, highlighted by subtle accessories.
Prepare the night before by making sure your clothes are ready. Get any information you’ll be taking with you, such as a copy of your resume, ready. Practice your smile, eye contact and handshake (first impressions are important).

To prepare for a job interview, the key is to be knowledgeable, neat and not nervous. When you use the six steps outlined here, you’ll have gone a long way to ensure that you’ll do well in your interview.

Before your interview, if you have a case of the nerves, take three deep, belly breaths to calm yourself down. Stop in the restroom before you announce yourself and check your look in the mirror.

Make sure your hair is neat, your cloths are neat (your collar isn’t standing up is it?), and your makeup is in place and not on your teeth. Stand up straight and smile. Walk in confidently to announce yourself.

During your interview, ask questions about the company (without interrupting), and use positive body language – sit up straight, use good eye contact and lean slightly forward to show interest. If you don’t have a ready answer for a question, don’t panic. Take a moment to think, and then give your best answer.

After your interview, be sure to thank each person you met, including the receptionist, and wish them a nice day. Job interviews can be nerve-racking, but with some preparation, you can ace the interview and feel confident about the results. If you don’t get the job, keep looking and move on to prepare for a job interview with another company.

Apply for a Job By Putting Out Many Feelers

One of the most important aspects of running a successful job search, knowing how to apply for a job and finally landing a great new career is to get your name out there, to put out feelers, and network, network, network!

Before you send out resumes, apply for a job or have interviews, you’ll want to let others know you need a job. Networking for a new job is very effective and anyone who is looking for a new place to work or a career change should do it.

How do you put out feelers? There are several ways to do this, and you should use all of them. One way to get the word out is to start making phone calls and sending out emails to everyone you know.

This includes friends, family, former co-workers and employers, and people you know through organizations you belong to. Let each person know that you are searching for a new job and ask them for their help.

Ask if they would be willing to keep you informed if they hear of any opportunities. Ask them to let others know that you’re looking for a job. Ask them if they’d be willing to give you a good reference.

You should also be talking to everyone else about your job search – your hair stylist, the counter person at the bakery, your Pharmacist, your child’s teacher. People have found jobs this way – simply by talking to everyone they come into contact with about their job search.

Obviously, you’re not going to ask them to be a reference for you, but you can just discuss that fact that you’re on a job search – they might know someone who is looking for a person just like you!

Another way to put out feelers is to take advantage of Internet technology. Social networking websites and sites such as LinkedIn offer many opportunities to showcase yourself and your skills as an employee. The word gets around this way, and many people have found work by using the Internet to get the word out about their job hunt.

Hit local job fairs to make contact with people who might be able to help you find a job at their company. And don’t forget to join professional organizations that focus on your line of work. Make quality connections with the people you meet because they can be instrumental in helping you apply for a job – one that is great for you.

You can use all of these networking strategies at the same time, and in fact, you should. Don’t do them one at a time. If you’re hunting for a new job, you’ve got no time to waste. Take advantage of all of these suggestions immediately so that results come in more quickly.

Once you’ve made your contacts, don’t be shy about checking in with people now and then. Thank them for helping you in your search for a new job, and ask them to remember to recommend you to professional contacts and friends.

Putting out your feelers to apply for a job can be a bit nerve-racking. After all, we don’t like to just ask someone to do us a favor like, “Could you help me get a job?” So you have to make sure that what you’re asking for is assistance with making connections. Then, be sure to express your sincere thanks for each person’s help. You never know which feeler is going to produce your next great career!

Before You Start Your Job Search Make Sure You Do These Things

Maybe you’re unemployed. Or maybe you’ve decided it’s time to move on from your current job. Either way, you’re getting ready to begin a job search. You might be in a hurry to get going, but there are certain things that you must do before you start the process.

Even if you’ve been laid off or fired from a job, and you’re in a panic, you need to take the time to make certain that you prepare yourself correctly to find your next job. Let’s take a look at the top things you can do to help yourself build a successful and effective job search.

Get your resume in tip top shape. It’s possible that your resume will be the first thing a potential new employer will see and when you’re looking for a job, first impressions are important.

Your resume should look professional, with clean formatting, and perfect grammar and spelling. Visually, it should be pleasing to the eye, with clean lines. Use bolded words or headings, and bulleted lists for impact, but don’t overdo it.

Next, write a good cover letter template that you can customize for each possible employer and job. The cover letter template should match your resume in tone, and the font size and style should also match your resume.

Cover letters are meant to give a potential employer an overview of your skills and abilities, but should be one page long, maximum. Most hiring managers read cover letters to see if they want to even bother with the resume, so make sure your grammar and spelling is perfect, and that the letter makes the employer want to read on.

Google your name, both without quotation marks and with. The reason you want to do this is to make sure that there is nothing negative floating around the Internet about you. While you might think this is impossible, it doesn’t hurt to check.

If you find nothing negative, great! If you find something negative, start taking steps to clean up your Internet presence and make it more positive. Join LinkedIn, or if you’re already a member, spruce up your profile. Potential employers sometimes use LinkedIn to find new employees or contract employees.

Consider creating an online resume, also known as a visual CV. You can include video, images and links to highlight your skills and professional accomplishments. This is becoming a more and more popular means of getting your resume noticed.

Set goals for yourself. Before you actively start searching for your job, decide to send out a certain number of resumes a week and make a certain number of contacts. Write down all of the things you can do to help yourself in your job search and then set goals for getting those things done and keeping them current.

Your job search might take awhile, but don’t get discouraged. Searching for a new job is a job in itself. The good news is that you have control! It’s you who decides how to do it and ultimately, it’s you who will be responsible for getting results.

Which Types of Companies Typically Have Job Openings?

Conducting a job search is complicated enough, but in a tough economy, searching for a job is further complicated by the fact that there are certain types of companies and industries that just aren’t hiring, or if they are, it’s not a lot. So we need to focus on the types of companies that commonly have job openings – no matter how lousy or great the economy is.

Finding a job with one of these types of companies means more assurance that you’ll have job stability and even chances to advance your career. But what are these companies? Where should you look?

Looking for jobs in the health care sector is always a good bet. Health care services are needed regardless of economical circumstances where you live, and careers in medical fields can be good choices.

Hospitals, doctors offices, urgent care centers and skilled in-home care businesses are good places to look for job openings, whether for nursing professionals, skilled technicians, medical assistants or other types of medical jobs. Health care facilities also hire maintenance workers, administrators, food service workers, clerical workers, and systems and IT focused employees.

The insurance industry can be a good place to find job openings as well. People always need insurance – auto, home, life, recreational vehicle, health and business insurance. With the right training, you can find employment as an agent or underwriter, a claims adjuster or in administration or systems/IT.

Service companies typically have job openings for both skilled and unskilled workers. Lawn services, cleaning services, pest control services and security services are in demand and thriving. Most of these types of businesses also hire clerical support and management level employees.

For people with software development skills, or a background and education in IT, you will find job openings that suit your aptitudes and abilities in a number of companies. With the use of technology growing and companies around the world becoming more and more dependent on computer and digital technology, not to mention the need for customized software, computer professionals should find themselves with good job prospects.

Although the retail industry may seem like it is slumping, there are some retail chains that are growing and hiring new employees from upper level management to first-time cashiers. Typically, if you start out with a strong retail company, enjoy the work and do well, the prospects for promotion and raises are good.

Another good area to get into that many large companies have job openings for is marketing and advertising. In this competitive economy, effective advertising and marketing campaigns can make or break a company, so those with skills in these areas have good chances of finding job openings with many different companies. The bottom line is this: even in tough economical times, if you persist and have some marketable skills, you’ll be able to find job openings that are suitable for you.