Searching For a Job During 'Recession'

Although I myself am not an employee, almost all my friends and relatives are. The job insecurity has hit even those in high respectable positions. A considerable number have actually lost their jobs and are facing the bitter effects of the recession setting in world over. Even if they are actually not jobless, people are now more aggressively looking for alternatives and back ups.

When you are searching for a job, especially during this economic downturn due to recession, you need to be more alert and smart. Here are a few points to keep in mind.

Recession Proof Jobs - While searching for jobs, lay more emphasis on ones that are not going to get affected (or at least not as badly as others) by recession. There are fields like health care, education, food services, security, energy sector and environmental sector whose growth actually won't be dampened. Try sticking to these recession proof jobs for higher job security.

Research the Company - Research well about the company you plan to apply for. Go through their financials, read up about them, ask experts... Basically keep a close watch. Study the company well for its soundness and steadiness. Its no guarantee that you will be 100% safe, but take measures to minimize the risks as much as possible.

Be aggressive - Be it searching for jobs, preparing for interviews or follow ups, be aggressive. Remember that there are many others jobless too. Be alert, subscribe to online job sites, check them regularly, be ready with cover notes, respond immediately and follow up frequently.

Polish your brand - In these hard times of recession, it becomes more important to sell yourself as a brand. Polish your brand, show off all your strengths and achievements, get all your recommendation letters together. It is important that you sell yourself smartly. Rather than just talking about your strengths, talk about how you can be an asset to them. Shift the focus to how does 'you' profit them?

Tread the alternatives - It is not necessary to follow the same path you have been on for years. Figure out alternatives, maybe you have a hobby which you can pursue and which can also add to you wallet. Also, you may take up small time or part time jobs until you find a suitable full time career. It might give you and opportunity to explore yourself better. Plus, it would add weight to your resume as well as your bank balance. Be innovative and don't be afraid to try out new ideas.

Go high on social networking - network, network, network, be it online or offline. Attend seminars, social get-togethers, connect with like minded people, offline and online, join communities online etc. The more powerful your network, the more it will help you.

And lastly, do not let the talks on recession dampen your spirits. Don't let all the hype on downturn economy freak you out. Be calm, take the challenge sportingly, just work a little smarter and you would realize its not that difficult a scene. Have a positive outlook and things will work out just fine.