Tips For The Unemployed Job Seeker

By Matt Krumrie

Last update: November 19, 2007 - 7:52 AM

Paul DeBettignies, managing partner, Nerd Search, LLC (www.mnheadhunter.com) and an IT search firm recruiter for eight years, says finding a job is a contact sport. The more people you are in contact with the better the odds of a short job search. Making contacts is part of a plan that unemployed workers need to develop. Another part of the plan involves following a daily routine.

"When you had a job, you had a routine," says DeBettignies. "You woke at a certain time, left for work at a certain time. Keep a routine that has you doing your job search and getting out of the house."

Details are important. Track every résumé submittal, phone call, contact made. Know who you have sent a resume to and when so you can follow up. Keep this information by the phone. If a call comes in, you want to know what résumé was sent to this company and for what position.

Look outside your contacts and try new methods as well, such as:

• Joining social/professional networking sites like LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com).

• Using the newspaper: The Internet is not the only place to search for jobs.

• Joining a job club, contacting nonprofit agencies and attending business or networking events.

Don't forget the people in your world such as accountants, real estate agents, health club members or hairdressers, says Melanie Keveles, a certified career coach (www.startfreshcoaching.com).

"These are people who interface with many people on a daily basis," says Keveles. "They are likely to have a wide network of their own - be sure to tap them as you reach out."

And remember, finding a job is a job.

"Many people treat it like a hobby and spend a few minutes a day on it and expect results," says DeBettignies. "Results come from hard work."