I Can’t Catch a Break…Said Nearly Everyone in their Job Search

In your job search it’s critical to realize upfront that you aren’t the only one looking for a new job or wanting to work for a particular employer.  In today’s market the unemployment rate is still considered ‘high’ and the competition is tough.
We now have FIVE generations in the workplace that are all competing for the same jobs that you want and many have more experience, broader expertise and a known work ethic that you need to exceed.  Sounds dire, but it doesn’t have to be with the right approach.
Generations that are still working full time and /or are in the early stages of building their career:

• Traditionalists (born 1945 and before) YES many have put off retirement for many reasons and are still actively working and are considered excellent workers for many reasons;
• Baby Boomers (born between 1946-1964);
• Generation X (born 1965-1976)
• Millennials/Generation Y (born 1977-1995)
• iGen/ Generation Z (born 1996 and after)

First things first, acknowledge to yourself that you aren’t the only one applying to each job, you may be competing against 10 or several hundred, perhaps even several thousand other candidates who all feel, be honest with yourself again, just like you do, that they are the perfect fit!
It is up to YOU to market yourself as the best candidate. This requires effort and dedication to finding jobs that actually fit your background and those where you truly have experience to offer directly relating to the role itself. 

• Create a resume that sells your accomplishments, not one that looks like a job description or a template from the internet (and please, please stop listing your hobbies, using a photo, adding logos and odd frames around each and every section);
• Know your market and research the employer, don’t just aimlessly apply to every job that looks interesting or pays a salary that you want. Without research you aren’t truly able to make a connection between your experience and what the employer needs;
• Write a compelling cover letter that speaks directly to each unique job and what you offer the role, don’t waste time (theirs and yours) writing the same generic letter using template language for every job~ trust me it’s obvious and appears insincere;
• Get out and meet people, yes that’s another way to say network, but time to face facts in todays competitive world, the traditional way of applying for jobs online and then sitting at home waiting for the call to come rarely does.  It’s critical that you reach out and meet people in your industry, in your market, so that your resume becomes a living breathing human being.  That outreach will open doors and expand your job search and will generate job leads….I guarantee it and I never use that phrase, but people who network and build relationships learn about and get jobs faster than those who don’t.

Networking, or simply put meeting people, needs to be seen as genuine, a true desire to get to know people NOT as a sole means to find out what they can do for you.  So what this means is that it takes time to build trust, but it’s something that will provide great benefits long term, not just for a job right now but for all future job opportunities.
This is your career, one that will expand decades which calls for building long term relationships not an overnight fix.


Remember no one owes you an interview or a job, those who fit roles are the ones that are hired, make an effort and show the employer it’s you!