| As the holidays descend upon our familys and loved | | | | the time of year.Holidays are often seasoned with high |
| one, those of us without employment, or those who | | | | stress family interactions, celebratory expectations, |
| are underemployed yet motivated into a job change, | | | | demanding personal schedules that conflict with job |
| feel the pang of the failed job search more keenly | | | | search duties, and increasing financial pressures. But |
| than at other months of the year. Sometimes, if our | | | | behind all the fan-fare and decorations and the distress |
| job search has been more intense or focused or | | | | they sometimes foster, there is a place of quiet |
| spread over a long enough time-frame, we can begin | | | | determination and solid knowledge that there is a good |
| to question our personal value, especially if we've had | | | | employment match out there for each of us -- really -- |
| a few job interviews that went well but then went | | | | maybe still just out of reach, but nonetheless just |
| away, or we had little or no significant response to our | | | | ahead and slowly coming into focus. Sometimes we |
| resume or mail or telephone outreach to prospective | | | | have to put out an extra effort to find our next |
| employers. Disappontment can mount.The blues can | | | | comfortable career home. Strive to be patient and |
| set in, and if we're not careful, we can descend into an | | | | remind yourself of your value to that new employer, |
| actual depression, whereby all efforts to obtain | | | | and the confidence that employer will bestow upon |
| meanful employment seem empty, fruitless and a | | | | you when you finally meet together will make the |
| waste of time. Of course, it's not true, your organized | | | | effort worthwhile. It will happen, if you stay focused |
| job search efforts are of value, just as your skills and | | | | and organized. Count on it. So when your emotions |
| talent are of value too. It's an illusion of failure that we | | | | begin to tell you that your job search is getting tough, |
| sometimes foster by concentrating on negative results; | | | | that's your reminder that you are closing in on your |
| when, in reality, our concentration should be on the | | | | goal.BEST OF LUCK IN YOUR JOB SEARCHMark |
| promise of our value to the right employer, not our | | | | Baber has 20 years experience as an Executive |
| results to-date.There are some activities that job | | | | Search recruiter, with placement background in many |
| seekers can perform to help side-step the negative, | | | | industries, including: Retail, Manufacturing, Sales, |
| descending cycle that leads to job search blues. For | | | | Accounting/Finance, MIS/IT, Petro/Chemical, and others; |
| example, review the outline organization of your job | | | | enjoying client relationships with firms like WalMart, |
| search. Double check your resume. Does it convey | | | | OfficeDepot, Texaco, CircleK and other national and |
| what you want to present about yourself? Renew | | | | international firms. Mark has written many articles and |
| your understanding of the type of employers you | | | | books on recruitment and other topics, like Marketing |
| seek. Check your list of employer prospects. Did you | | | | strategies, Sales psychology, Training and other |
| miss any? Can you improve on that list? Can you | | | | business related subjects. He studied at the University |
| access additional library or internet resources that can | | | | of Texas, focusing on Communications, Marketing, and |
| improve your industry list? Are there other related or | | | | Journalism. Later became Managing Editor for |
| allied industries that you can consider that may open | | | | "Treatment Today Magazine," a publication focused on |
| your job search to new employer avenues? What | | | | psychology, psychiatry, counseling, and drug treatment. |
| ways can you improve your outreach to prospective | | | | Mark Baber is Recruit Consultant to where |
| employers? Can you increase employer contacts by | | | | Jobseekers can search 2 Million job transactions |
| three or four or even ten new contacts weekly? By | | | | monthly, and can submit their Resumes Free and have |
| focusing yourself on the details of your job search | | | | them distributed freely to Employers they choose by |
| outline and activity organization, you likely won't have | | | | industry, vocation, City or Region. |
| time to think about what isn't going right, regardless of | | | | |