What to Do When No One Will Hire You

I remember being laid off during one of our countries worst recessions. I was 23-years old, living on my own, and working in my dream job. I thought I'd never recover.

After getting over the initial shock, I knew I had to pull myself out of bed and get serious about looking for work. Back in those days, there was no Internet. (I know, can you believe that?) Every Sunday morning, I drove to the corner store to pick up a copy of The Houston Chronicle.

I frantically searched through the help wanted ads and found a few positions that were perfect for me. Too bad those employers didn't see things the way I saw them, as it was a rare moment that I would receive a call asking me to come in for an interview.

Many of you have gone from fully employed to unemployed overnight, and never saw this coming. My heart goes out to you.

You're probably doing what I did. You're responding to job postings--even those you know you're not qualified for these positions. You're doing this to convince yourself that you're working really hard to find a job.

The "spray and pray" method of job searching didn't work when I was in your situation, nor does it work today.

Here's some job search advice that I share with my job search clients:

Network, Network, Network. Yeah, I get it. Asking people for help feels yucky. But are you really asking them for help? No. You're doing them a favor. You're helping them, or someone in their network fill a job with a quality hire.

Still hesitate to tap into your network? Maybe the following will change your mind.

A recent survey of 1,535 US adults asking them how they landed their latest job, by marketing research and polling firm CivicScience, found that traditional wisdom prevailed: it’s all about the personal connection. More people found a job through networking or “knowing someone” than through job boards, job fairs, Linked, headhunters, or any other method.

Be persistent. Okay, so you sent your resume to a friend, who said they'd forward it to the hiring manager. That was two weeks ago. No word since. You've thought about following up with an email, but haven't done so, for fear you'll be seen as a pain.

Pick up the phone. People are super busy. It's hard to believe this, but you're one of many priorities, if you're even a priority. Make three attempts to follow up (a week apart.) Try calling, following up with an email, and if you have their mobile number, a text. In your last attempt write or say the following:

I've made several attempts to follow up with you, but have been unsuccessful. I don't want to hound you. I'm still interested in the job opportunity we discussed and am here when you need me.

Then, move on.

Narrow your search. It may seem counter-intuitive to narrow your search when there are fewer jobs available in your field. But, that's exactly what you should be doing. You're wasting valuable time applying to jobs that are more than a stretch or are in no way related to your field.

This time could be better spent applying for jobs where you've got a good chance of landing an interview.

Get support. Searching for a job by yourself can be very lonely, especially today with everyone socially distancing. Find a buddy who's in the same situation--someone with a positive mindset. Agree to return calls to one another within 90-minutes, whenever possible. Share strategies that are working for each of you, as well as leads that may be better suited for your job searching friend, than you.

? Matuson Consulting, 2020.

What advice would you offer those in job search mode? Share you advice in the comment section below.

Are you interested in exploring whether or not job search coaching is right for you? Send a note to [email protected] and I'll do my best to respond within 24 hours.