During an economic downturn, most people who are employed will choose to remain in their current jobs, even when the job situation is less than ideal. The early stages of an economic recovery and an improving job market can be the ideal time look for a new job.
The Right Time to Start a Job Search
Several economic signs may indicate when the job market is about to begin improving. Keep attuned to these important trends in the economy so that you can enter the job market ahead of others.
A good time to start a job search is when the trends called leading indicators are showing signs of sustained improvement. Some important leading indicators to watch are orders for durable goods, inventory levels, and housing starts. You’ll want to be certain, though that these improvements are not just isolated pockets of good news. Continued improvements in these trends over several weeks will indicate the right time to begin your job search.
Preparing for a Job Search
If you have not been in the job market for a while, preparing your resume is one of several tasks you’ll need to undertake. Carefully assess your resume to be sure that it accurately describes your most significant job accomplishments. Ensure that your resume is written to stand out among the many that are received by job recruiters.
In addition to your resume, you’ll want to use social media to promote your skills and talents. LinkedIn is a valuable social media networking site and its Jobs section can help you tap into a wide range of positions.
Employers may assess candidates even before an interview takes place. If you use social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter, ask a trusted friend to take a look at your profile to be sure that it does not contain any information that might be detrimental to your job search. Even if you maintain very high privacy settings on social media sites, prospective employers may be able to access your information through your friends or other connections.
Conducting a Successful Job Search
The days of looking for a job by combing newspaper ads are long past. Successful job searches result from a combination of networking and thoughtful internet searches.
Reach out to your most trusted friends and business colleagues and share the fact that you may soon be seeking a new challenge. Ask for confidentiality, but be aware that this information could still find its way back to your employer.
Learn to use keywords when searching popular job networking sites such as Career Builder or job posting aggregators such as SimplyHired. All of these sites allow you to search for a new job through job title and location. Adding words or phrases specific to the kind of job or company that you seek can help narrow the list of matches.
Start Now to Look for a New Job
Take time to carefully assess economic trends and you will know when the time is right to look for a new job. Prepare your resume and your public profile before you start your job search and you will be on the road to successfully finding a great new job.
References:
Rugaber, Christopher S. "Economy Brightens as Consumers Spend and Layoffs Slow." The Philadelphia Inquirer, December 24, 2010.
Hagerty, James R. and Light, Joe. "Job Postings Surge as Economy Warms Up." The Wall Street Journal, December 24, 2010.
Picoult, Jon. "Here Comes a Turnover Storm." The New York Times, October 16, 2010.
Lillian LeBlanc - Ms. LeBlanc is an HR exeutive, commercial pilot, skilled public speaker and published author. She holds an MBA.
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