Are you ready to jump start your career?
People get help from each other every day. You wouldn’t think twice about accepting a scholarship or grant. You probably look forward to that big check from Aunt Mildred on your birthday. But when it comes to accepting help from the government, the suggestion is often taboo.
There’s a stigma attached to government funding that tends to make people feel as though they’ve hit rock bottom. Embarrassed and proud, they will go to great lengths to avoid taking “a handout.” But sometimes accepting help from government programs and food stamps is all it takes to ease the financial burden and help you get back on your feet.
If you find yourself on the brink of seeking out government assistance, you certainly aren’t alone. In fact, in 2011 one in every six people in the U.S. received food stamps. And contrary to what some people believe, the recipients were not all irresponsible drug addicts and alcoholics. Many are highly educated people. They may have lost a job due to a downturn in the economy or need help to get them through a divorce or to help pay for an unexpected accident, illness or death.
Statistics show that as many as one quarter of the Americans who are eligible for food stamps don’t participate in the program. If you’re one of them, would it make you feel better to know that while growing up, the families of Oprah Winfrey, Toby McGuire, and Prince Fielder used food stamps? So, did the mother of Olympian Gabby Douglas. And then there’s Whoopi Goldberg, who periodically lived on government assistance before she became a celebrity.
That said, it’s time to bury the embarrassment and make this assistance work for you. Keep in mind that we’re not suggesting that anyone cheat the system or abuse the funds they’re given. But if your funds are running low and you need help, take it. Especially if you have a family to support, food stamps and the like will help you stay afloat while you search for a job or start your own business.
Job hunting or starting a business can be costly. You need the right clothes, a computer to send and check emails and a cell phone to get calls. If you’re striking out on your own, you’ll still need that phone and computer. You may also need to rent space, but even a home office will need a desk, printer, and other office supplies. Add in business cards, etc. and you’ll see how it’s easy to spend more money than you bring in at the beginning.
But you need to spend money to make money, the saying goes. And if that’s the case, it helps to have a backup. Sometimes not spending money on your business or job search will actually sabotage the effort. If no one knows about you, they can’t hire you or buy your product or service. You need to spend both time and money to give your career the focus and attention it deserves. And that may mean taking help for awhile to make ends meet.
In addition to food stamps – or in place of them if it makes you feel better – there are government and local programs you might want to explore. Assistance in the form of grants and training is often available for small businesses or companies run by women or minorities, among others. Sometimes there’s funding available for businesses in certain fields, such as the tech industry.
And if starting a business is too much to handle (or not of interest to you), there is usually free help and training available through the employment office or career support groups in your area.
You might be uncomfortable accepting assistance, but remember it might be all it takes to help get you on your feet again sooner. And once you no longer need it, you can always pay it forward by helping someone else in their career.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
Bigstock
Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
Bigstock
Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
Bigstock
Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
Need more help with your job search?
Become a member to learn how to land a job and UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!
This article was originally published at an earlier date.
Are you ready to jump start your career?
People get help from each other every day. You wouldn’t think twice about accepting a scholarship or grant. You probably look forward to that big check from Aunt Mildred on your birthday. But when it comes to accepting help from the government, the suggestion is often taboo.
There’s a stigma attached to government funding that tends to make people feel as though they’ve hit rock bottom. Embarrassed and proud, they will go to great lengths to avoid taking “a handout.” But sometimes accepting help from government programs and food stamps is all it takes to ease the financial burden and help you get back on your feet.
If you find yourself on the brink of seeking out government assistance, you certainly aren’t alone. In fact, in 2011 one in every six people in the U.S. received food stamps. And contrary to what some people believe, the recipients were not all irresponsible drug addicts and alcoholics. Many are highly educated people. They may have lost a job due to a downturn in the economy or need help to get them through a divorce or to help pay for an unexpected accident, illness or death.
Statistics show that as many as one quarter of the Americans who are eligible for food stamps don’t participate in the program. If you’re one of them, would it make you feel better to know that while growing up, the families of Oprah Winfrey, Toby McGuire, and Prince Fielder used food stamps? So, did the mother of Olympian Gabby Douglas. And then there’s Whoopi Goldberg, who periodically lived on government assistance before she became a celebrity.
That said, it’s time to bury the embarrassment and make this assistance work for you. Keep in mind that we’re not suggesting that anyone cheat the system or abuse the funds they’re given. But if your funds are running low and you need help, take it. Especially if you have a family to support, food stamps and the like will help you stay afloat while you search for a job or start your own business.
Job hunting or starting a business can be costly. You need the right clothes, a computer to send and check emails and a cell phone to get calls. If you’re striking out on your own, you’ll still need that phone and computer. You may also need to rent space, but even a home office will need a desk, printer, and other office supplies. Add in business cards, etc. and you’ll see how it’s easy to spend more money than you bring in at the beginning.
But you need to spend money to make money, the saying goes. And if that’s the case, it helps to have a backup. Sometimes not spending money on your business or job search will actually sabotage the effort. If no one knows about you, they can’t hire you or buy your product or service. You need to spend both time and money to give your career the focus and attention it deserves. And that may mean taking help for awhile to make ends meet.
In addition to food stamps – or in place of them if it makes you feel better – there are government and local programs you might want to explore. Assistance in the form of grants and training is often available for small businesses or companies run by women or minorities, among others. Sometimes there’s funding available for businesses in certain fields, such as the tech industry.
And if starting a business is too much to handle (or not of interest to you), there is usually free help and training available through the employment office or career support groups in your area.
You might be uncomfortable accepting assistance, but remember it might be all it takes to help get you on your feet again sooner. And once you no longer need it, you can always pay it forward by helping someone else in their career.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Bigstock
Bigstock
Bigstock
