Posts Tagged ‘layoff’
A layoff can make it hard to find a decent job, and multiple layoffs greatly amplify this problem and can make a job search feel like an impossible task. The sad fact is that multiple layoffs are becoming more and more common.
Of course, the economy is very often to blame for this difficult situation. However, an employer is much more likely to see a problem with your application when layoffs are mentioned, regardless of whether a poor economy caused the job loss. So how can you make light of your second layoff when applying for jobs? Here are a few tips to consider …
Think About Taking On New Prospects
Whether you consider taking on new training to enhance your skills or even moving to a new area, there’s something to be said about considering new prospects when the old ones have fizzled out. If you’ve lost two or more jobs in the same town, you need to consider the possibility that your town’s job market might be drying up. Think about looking to other areas of your state or even other states to see if there’s a better job market that you could enter.
However, if moving is not on your agenda, you might consider enrolling in some training courses for your field while you’re in between jobs. Try to find a course to take at a local career center, community college, or even on the Internet–you might even find some free courses. The point is that you want to find new ways to enhance your life while you’re looking for work. Thinking about these and other prospects might help take some of the weight off of the fact that you were laid off twice.
Make Sure Your Resume is Spic and Span
When applying for jobs after having been laid off twice in a short period of time, you simply cannot afford to have any blemishes on your documentation, including your resume. Employers may understand that you’ve been laid off twice due to those companies’ economic struggles, but they may by default also look for personal flaws that prompted the company to choose you for termination, especially if it is still in business.
So as you write your resume, make sure to check for grammar, spelling and even font consistency. Have friends, family members, or even former co-workers read your resume to try to find mistakes. Hiring managers will be carefully pouring over each word if they’re considering you for a job. Your resume must be practically spot-free in order for you to compete, given the circumstances.
Consider Innovative Marketing Techniques
Being laid off more than once sometimes requires that you work ahead of the curve when applying for jobs. You might start a blog based on careers or other elements of your industry–send the link around and make sure recruitment agents are aware of it. Or you can even create your own newsletter and send to it employers. The trick is to take the focus off of what skills you might not have and move it to your abilities.
Being laid off more than once can have a definite effect on your self-esteem. Remember that your state of mind is important, and try to stay positive–eventually, you’ll find a fine new job that will suit you well.