Finding Great Job Opportunities in Recession – Take Two

It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed. ~Theodore Roosevelt

How many of us who can identify with what Roosevelt said? It pays to remember that he was the sitting President during the great depression, so that you can put that on the right perspective.

Inaction and Excuses: Barriers to Job Search Success

Unfavorable circumstances can easily derail us from our goals; we never try for fear of failure. It is easier for us somehow to blame the global financial pandemonium or other life’s tragedy, or make an excuse out of them to justify our inactivity.

I have seen many stifled by these kinds of fears and excuses. “No one will hire me, I am too old.” “I don’t have the right skills, the right education, the right experience or the right connections…” I can fill this entire post with a 10,000-word enumeration of these excuses for what? Nothing! Or perhaps just sow cynicism to those who read. I do not want that.

Excuses and fear of failures work like gangrene that eat out your motivation slowly until you realize later that you have none left.

Reality Check : Smaller Job Market

Finding job during a recession may be difficult because of the scarcity of jobs, and the increasing number of unemployed. In fact, the stats released by the Labor Bureau two weeks ago have caused the stock market to dip. While I agree with most economists that the economy is showing signs of bottoming-out, nevertheless the growing number of unemployed will continue to rise, as companies are not likely to hire in the coming months.

I know.

When the Asian economic flu hits us towards the end of the 90’s, many organizations, including mine, started streamlining. Employees who were retained were asked to multi-task. In fact, there was a time that I had to oversee 3 departments. When the economy rebounded, most companies who survived (or even did well during the downturn) were satisfied with their lean and mean workforce, thus they never bothered to hire additional people or rehire former (displaced) employees. As Weddle observed:

When things start to get better, there will be fewer jobs—not more or even the same number—as there were in the recession. Jobs aren’t being left open until things get better. They’re being destroyed. - A Job Market Filled With “Irrational Expectations”

Alright, 'nuf said.

I have laid down some facts or scenarios from an HR perspective. And yeah, you can include them in your list of excuses. Nevertheless, the fact remains, you are still jobless. Unless you get out of your comfort zone and inactivity, and free yourself from the grips of unending excuses, you will never get a job.

Focus and Determination: Essential to Job Search Success

The key is focus, and a dash of determination on your job search. Do not take a rejection from a potential employer as something personal, especially when you know you are most qualified for the job. It simply means that there is another organization out there who is more than willing to take you in. This is what I call 'finding the right fit.' It works both ways. Take heart. For more often, finding job is a numbers game. “The quicker you let go of old cheese, the sooner you find new cheese.” Spencer Johnson, wittingly puts it in his bestselling book, “Who moved my cheese?”

Note: I have posted a similar entry, although more on an action-oriented different perspective: Finding Great Job Opportunities in Recession; while here I want to encourage you - I hope I did! Good hunting!