I LOST MY JOB!

"Allen I am out of work for the first time in my career how do you suggest I do a job search and resume?"

This question unfortunately came to me often after 2008 and felt it important to talk about with close to 20+ million going through it again. I hope this information may be able to help anyone going through this stressful time in life.

Majority of the people first reaction is to blame the company or organization for making this decision. My council is that solves nothing and it is looking backwards not forward. I put the blame back on the individual for several reasons.

1.) I have found majority of these people had the same view of their career. They were content for many years and never updated their resume annually with information that they achieved and now in year 10 struggle to remember.

2.) Being content or happy over the years they never listened or entertained what their value was or established connections outside their organization.

3.) In addition to being let go these professionals are also shocked in how under market they have allowed their compensation and now want the new company to fix that wrong and will turn down opportunities that may grow their career faster or provided new learning and challenges.

I always suggest after our call that the focus is only to look forward not back from this point on. Regardless of the anger of being let go focus on how that experience can now positively help you find the new opportunity.

The first thing anyone should do in a career search is network!

*Get references from coworkers at your previous jobs.

*Find a recruiter that specializes in your field.

*Make a list of competitors of your current organization and using that list look at who you may know and ask for a referral or name of the department.

*Get away from sending blind resumes to a job board.

*By creating this list you can then make adjustments to add or expand it into other companies or industries.

*Do your homework on the company and think what value can I bring to them through my previous experience.

*Stay positive and understand it is a process that will benefit you short term and long term!

*Stay confident and focus on your strengths and desire to make an impact.

*Never forget that if you are not listening when happy there will be a time when this could happen to you..