The New Normal

Looking for a job is not easy. Matter of fact it can be down right miserable. Each rejection seems to bring out all of life’s fears, failures and insecurities.

As Director of Career Services, I advised students on structuring their resume, writing cover letters, uncovering hidden job opportunities and interviewing skills. The students mistakenly thought when that part was complete, the hardest work was done. In reality it had just begun. Getting an interview was a huge obstacle because there are so many candidates vying for so few open positions.

We discussed how to stand out from the other candidates to get the first interview. I challenged them to uncover skills they learned in summer jobs or volunteer activities and highlight it on their resume.

One important point that I shared was that many times the initial interview was because of who they knew. It may have been a relationship with a faculty member, their father’s friend or even the spouse of a distant relative.

The professional social networking websites like LinkedIn were a key resource to connect with someone. It was like mining for gold to find that one person who could help and give students a way to stand out above the crowd.

Today’s gift was to offer job-hunting assistance to a young man who is losing his job this month because of budget cuts after working at an organization for over five years. I will share my knowledge and experience to help him connect with people who can get him a job. The “new normal” of employment is to be continually on the lookout for the next opportunity and meeting people who may be valuable contacts in the job market.

In Giving,

Robin