Job Seeker’s Survival Kit

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Brian Ray shares with Crown Financial CEO, Chuck Bentley, how to get ahead and stand out in today’s tight employment market. Below you’ll find a summary of the MoneyLife career podcast that aired on September 23, 2009.

Job Seeker’s Survival Kit MoneyLife Radio Career Podcast

Our guest today is career expert Brian Ray. Brian is the Founding Director of Crossroads Career Network, which helps people through decisive moments in their careers.

People sometimes say unusual things during job interviews:

• “I’m not wanted in this state.”
• “I have a problem with authority.”
• “Can we wrap this up fairly quickly, because I have someplace to go.”

This is a serious time and I hope no one would go into a job interview unprepared. It’s the worst job market in 25 years with 14 million people unemployed.

Today’s Job Market
There is a jobless recovery is underway. Some industries are being completely wiped out. People are going to have to reinvent themselves. Brian is going to help with that today.

The unemployment rate is near 10%, so there’s a lot of competition for available jobs. I know many of you are hurting and some of you have lost you jobs. We want to encourage you and help you.

Brian says the first thing they need to do to find a new job is to consciously move past the anger, fear and other emotions of being unemployed.

The average number of weeks for someone unemployed right now is 25 weeks, almost 6 months. If you’re unemployed, you need personal strength training to get yourself in shape emotionally, spiritually, intellectually and even physically.

How You Can Get Ahead
The Job Seekers Survival Kit is a six-part survival guide for those looking for work. It works like this: Attitude plus Aptitude leads to Altitude or focusing on the marketplace followed by Searching, Sorting, and Selecting.

Imagine as you go through each part that you’re putting something in a backpack to take with you wherever you go.

For the attitude step, you need to put a Bible and calendar in your backpack. Attitude is about accepting the loss and the opportunity. God’s Word is what will renew your mind everyday. Reading Scripture is the most effective thing you can do to have the right attitude.

It also helps to have friends that encourage you. A weekly calendar helps you tell yourself what to do everyday. This includes personal strength training, homework to get ready for an interview, putting together a resume and other job seeking activities.

Aptitude is discovering the unique qualities God has given you, your skills, interests, personality, values and experiences. Put Career Direct® and the Crossroads Career Workbook in your backpack. Career Direct® is a tool to help you determine how God has designed you. The Crossroads Career Workbook will help you put your Career Direct® results into context.

Crossroads Career Network is a network of churches with career ministries. It also helps to have a friend helping you figure it out, an objective third-party.
Analyzing aptitude is key to knowing what God is calling you to do. Brian says he can’t imagine going through unemployment without church support.

Job Seekers Survival Kit
Step 1 Attitude – Accepting Loss & Opportunity

• Bible – truth and encouragement
• Friends – support and accountability
• Calendar – weekly goals and action plan

Step 2 Aptitude – Discovering Your Unique Qualities

• Crown’s Career Direct® Assessment
• Crossroads Career Workbook, a 6-Step, 80-page “how to” guide        

Step 3 Altitude – Focusing on the Marketplace

• Your Resume – connects what you do best with what employers need most
• On paper, in computer, in scripts

Step 4 Searching – Finding Opportunities

• Computer, online
• Network of people referrals on the ground
• Prayer on your knees

Step 5 Sorting – Interviewing & Evaluating

• File folder with resumes, info on employer
• Notepad and pen with questions for answers
• Outline of stories and statistics on accomplishments
• Best dress and grooming

Step 6 Selecting – Walking in Work Prepared for You

• List of needs and wants
• Homework on salaries for jobs
• Summary of how you can help employer

Attitude provides the motivation and the movement.

Aptitude tells what you are good at and like the most, and gives you direction.

Altitude focuses on the marketplace, finding the right employer and job for you.

Your resume goes in the backpack, not just the formal document, but also something you can put on a business card and give to people or use as a 30-second elevator pitch to sell yourself.

When a resume is done well it connects what you do and like best with what the selected employer needs most. Some people call it branding yourself.

What Makes a Resume Stand Out
Two keys to a great resume:

• Keep it simple, shorter resumes are read more
• Feature accomplishments or results that directly relate to the job you’re seeking

Most jobs are never published, but instead are filled through personal referrals.

Let people in your circle know what kind of service or work you’d like to do. Social networking does help people find jobs. Search online, network on the ground with personal referrals, pray throughout the process.

God knows everyone and can open doors for you. It’s valid to use online job search engines and social networking but what makes it happen is personal networking.

No matter what step you are on, fear and anger can be difficult to manage. Spend time in prayer pouring out your heart to the Lord. He can deal with your emotions, bring peace to your heart, give you a vision of His plans for you, and the strength to move forward.