If you haven't lost your job, but suspect it might
soon happen, plan for it now.
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Ascher says, "We should be thinking
about these things every single day, not just when we're on the
edge of a cliff."
Bankrate talked to six job hunters, from an IT guy
in Florida to a top-level executive living in Dubai, to see how
they're handling being out of work and looking for employment. They
shared their concerns and approaches to finding work.
Tampa, Fla., resident Greg Hoffman has spent the past decade in public relations and marketing. He lost his job at the end
of January. "I wasn't prepared for it at all," Hoffman says.
Search strategy:
Hoffman loves what he does and doesn't want to do anything else. "Everyone's told me to find a different line of work,
but I'm going to hold out for (a while) before I sign up to become a postman," Hoffman says.
Hoffman is directing his job search efforts mostly online. He's posted his resume
online. He's networking and has been known to deliver his resume
in person with a box of doughnuts or a pizza attached to it. He knows that the secretary or receptionist often holds the
key to getting in the door.
Coping status:
Anxious. Hoffman says he can keep it together financially
for a little while, but money's tight. His home is in preforeclosure and
he's behind on his child support. Hoffman has applied for retail jobs,
but no one will hire him. "They tell me I am overqualified and think I'll
jump ship within a month or two," he says.
What's right:
Hoffman's using online social networking sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn to make new connections.
How to pump it up:
"It's a mistake to think you can always find a job in the same industry or the same occupation, because the job market
works like most other markets -- supply and demand. Expand what you are offering," Neece says. Hoffman should look at
his experience as a newspaper reporter as a marketable skill. He might also consider temporary employment.
