So you’re looking for a job.  Maybe you’ve been laid off, downsized, fired, or just finished school. The hunt is now on to find gainful and hopefully meaningful employment. There’s no way around it. Being unemployed is no fun. Trust me, I’ve been there – more than once! 

My first job casualty came after the combined bubble burst of 2000 and 9/11. This bout of unemployment was the longest and the most devastating.  I had never been out of work, a day in my life. I was crushed and didn’t know what to do with myself.  In the beginning I would spend all day every day looking for a job.  I wrote and rewrote my resume, agonizing over every word. Don’t even get me started on versions of my cover letter. Somehow I thought that if I had everything just perfect, I would at least get an interview. I would spend hours combing the different job boards, looking at different company websites, emailing people I knew, and yes (at the time) still checking the Sunday paper. Not only did these efforts leave me exhausted and frustrated, I didn’t get any interviews. 

I quickly learned that in order to be successful I had to structure my day more efficiently, take better care of myself, and have some fun. So after you’ve written your resume and had it reviewed (preferably by a colleague or a recruiter in your industry) here are a couple things you can do to keep your sanity and hopefully find a job.  Continue reading “Surviving the Job Hunt”