Job Search Strategies

Five Steps to success

Be realistic, flexible, and open about what job opportunities you will consider. The more flexible you are, the better your chances for success.
Yet stay focused on the roles and organizations that fit best with your experience and skills. Look for opportunities that leverage your existing expertise. This will be a difficult time to develop new skills or join a new industry.
Know why you're unique—and be able to say it in just a few words. Why should an employer hire you over anybody else? What makes you a valuable addition to a team? What is there about you that can’t be gleaned from your résumé? Be ready to summarize your unique talents, simply.
Focus on staying upbeat, engaged, energized, and active during this tough time. Take on a pro bono project for a nonprofit that will utilize your existing skills or build new skills for a future position. Think about part-time work, even in a totally different field. You will keep your skills fresh, stay energized, and have a positive outlet for stress.
Put yourself in unexpected places. If you are wondering if you should go to that community event…go! If you’re going to find new opportunities, you need to get out of your normal routine, meet new people, and tell your story—because you just never know where that connection is going to come from.