Actively Unemployed

With the unemployment rate reaching 8.5% this week, hundreds of thousands of workers are actively looking for jobs. They are scouring the Internet, calling headhunters, notifying family members, etc. How does one differentiate themselves during these hard times? There are so many talented and skillful professionals out there competing for that next job.

In one word: Preparedness. The worst thing one can do is not prepare for an interview. While researching the company through its website and googling news articles are a start, committing time to follow industry trends, economic conditions and job fundamentals are critical components. A powerful mindset might include thinking about how one would lead the group if hired.

Go beyond thinking about the role of the position you are aiming towards and think about how your potential future boss would run things. What types of concens would he/she have? Think about the last job you had, and all of those lingering projects that others never bothered to perform or slipped by the wayside. Are these types of projects also needed in the new role/company you are targeting? If you can come up with enough of these projects and perform some of the heavy lifting now, you will be that much more valuable not only in the interview, but also the first few months upon hire when you are on the spotlight.

This type of work not only adds value, but keeps you fresh during your unemployed time, and will demonstrate a proactive nature, strong will and confidence when meeting with potential employers.