JOB FAIRS

I have been asked for advice on the usefulness of Job Fairs. You should look for Job Fairs in your area. If there are several, you should select the ones that you believe are most appropriate for you. For example, some of the fairs target specific industries or age groups such as graduating college students. Find those that fit your situation.

The most important advice is that you set yourself apart from the typical job fair attendee. As this CNN article shows, competition can be fierce. Job Fairs are a great place to gather names and contact information for businesspeople for follow up using the Job Finding Formula. Of course, you should leave as many resumes as possible and make every effort to place yourself in the running for jobs that you discover. However, recognize that just like employment ads, available jobs at job fairs attract many applicants, especially in the economy we now live in.

Be prepared for some form of interview at the fair. This may be a short "pre-interview" that can lead to a formal interview later. Job Finding Formula explains how to prepare for interviews and how to present yourself in the most positive way. If you are successful in scheduling one or more follow up interviews, be sure to find out as much as possible about that. Ask who you will be meeting, where and when. Try to learn as much as possible about the position that you will be discussing, especially any specific requirements for that position. After the fair, write a letter to the person who will interview you, thank them for the opportunity, state your understanding of the job, their requirements and that you will be prepared to discuss your qualification to meet those.

Keep in mind that businesspeople at Job Fairs are also overwhelmed with applicants. They see so many resumes in a short time that they often take very little time to even read them. If yours gets a quick scan, you are lucky. That is where the contact information you gather can become a powerful tool. After the fair, make a list of contacts and prioritize them with the most promising ones at the top. Write a letter to each one and enclose your resume. Begin the letter by mentioning that you met at the Job Fair. Then, recognize the person's status as a respected business leader. Next, state that you understand that they do not know of a suitable position for you at this time. Tell them that you would greatly appreciate their advice about how to improve your resume. State that you plan to call them after they have had the opportunity to review your resume to discuss any advice they may have. Be specific on the day you will call. Make sure you follow through with the call and try to set up a meeting.

Job Finding Formula teaches how to format your resume and has sample letters you can use to do this. It also presents techniques for making the phone call and setting up the meeting. If you follow the formula, you will be surprised at how many people will want to help you move your job search forward.

Michael Britner
Job Finding Master

Nurses Needed

Accoridng the this Reuters article, there are over 100,000 unfilled positions for nurses nationwide. The article attributes the shortage to a lack of teaching nurses. With the new administration's emphasis on healthcare, this is an area to watch especially if you are already qualified. You should also keep a watch out for openings in nurse education.

Michael Britner
Job Finding Master

Unemployment Predictions

The outlook for unemployment over the next couple of years continues to be bleak. See this msnbc article for an example of what some experts are saying.

As you read this and other bad news about jobs, keep in mind that even if unemployment reaches the dreaded 10% level that means that 90% of the workforce has jobs! It is more important than ever that you learn how to be part of the 90%. Let me tell you a secret. Those 9 out of 10 workers who have jobs are not just the lucky ones who did not get laid off. Jobs are actually being created every day. Another secret is that many of those jobs are never advertised.

So, how do you find out about those jobs? Job seekers who use the Job Finding Formula can create jobs. They learn how to set up meetings with business decision makers who have the ability to create a job. They also learn how to present their talents, abilities, skills, and knowledge in a way that will lead them to a business decision maker who will recognize that the job seeker can solve a problem the business is having.

Job Finding Formula teaches how to expand and multipy your network of contacts until that meeting happens. Competition for advertised jobs is fierce as indicated in the article that appeared on CantonRep.com. Don't wait for jobs to be advertised. Take action to place yourself ahead of the line that forms after the job is advertised.

Michael Britner
Job Finding Master

Responding To Ads

Recently, many people have asked about my recommendations in Job Finding Formula that job seekers concentrate on non-traditional, "outside-the-box" methods to find a job and whether that means they should stop responding to advertisements. While I have addressed this in other posts, I want to emphasize once again that you should not give up on any job search efforts.

You should pursue every lead possible and keep in mind that a job search is a full time job. Spend that time wisely. My own experience in finding jobs and helping others find jobs along with the government and university studies quoted in my book, show that most jobs are not found through ads or other traditional means. Therefore, you should portion your time so that you spend more time and effort using methods that have a higher percentage chance of producing positive results. During this time of high unemployment, there is more competition than during good economic times for advertised jobs. Properly using the Job Finding Formula will help you find jobs before they are advertised, often using the formula will actually cause a job to be created!

When you do respond to advertisements, you should make sure that your cover letter shows that you understand the requirements of the job and that it presents your qualifications to meet those requirements. The best way to do this is to make a short one-sentence introduction, then set up two columns. Title the left column "Your Stated Requirements" and the right column "My Qualifications". Then list word for word the requirements in the ad in the left column and your qualifications to meet each requirement in the right column. Then close the letter.

Of course, if you cannot come up with qualifications to meet the stated requirements, then you should not respond to that ad. However, remember that many skills are transferable.

Michael Britner
Job Finding Master