Looking for some job search strategies?

As one who has lost his job in each economic downturn that has occurred throughout my career and changed jobs once on my own accord, I’ve been through the painful process we call job search more often than I care to admit.  I’ve been through the frustration cycle of searching the job boards, customizing my resume to the job postings, submitting it into the black hole of the internet to hear nothing in return.

I’ve read articles and blogs by the “experts” that provide all the tips on searching for jobs and then tell me to differentiate myself.  Well if we all follow the same advice that all of the experts suggest, how do we differentiate ourselves?

Job search strategies

So I combined into my experience as a job seeker, a job hirer and a book promoter and came up with some job search strategies that may help one differentiate themselves in a large market of job seekers.

1.    Publish articles in magazines that focus on your expertise. Everyone has some expertise in some area that others don’t know about but would like to.  Because you work with people who know about your business or industry as much as you do, you may lose sight of the fact that you’re deep in knowledge that people outside of your industry may be looking for.  Getting published is easier than it has ever been.  Do a simple internet search for ezines or industry trade publications and you are certain to find one that specializes in your area.  Write a well-written article that showcases your experience and expertise and submit it.  Once it’s published, cite it in your resume with a link.  This not only differentiates you as an ‘expert’ in your field, it shows the employer that you are willing to share your knowledge and that you’re serious about what you do. Alternatively, start a blog and update it regularly.  If you display your knowledge, skills and experience in an intelligent and succinct manner, prospective employers will take note and remember you.

2.    Do volunteer work in your expertise.  This may not be a new suggestion, but it does differentiate you for a few reasons.  First, it keeps your skills sharp.  Like exercise, if you stop doing your job for any extended length of time, your mind tends to get dull.  You forget things that were second nature and it will be hard to ramp back up when you eventually get hired.  Secondly, it fills gaps in your resume with practical experience.  In this ‘great recession’, a resume gap is not the stigma it used to be, but the larger the gap, the more it becomes an issue. Volunteer work can help to reduce the gaps and avoid raising concerns unnecessarily.  Finally, non-profit organizations are feeling pain these days too.  Helping them out with your skills makes it a win-win situation.  Who knows, you may network with another volunteer that can help you find a job.

3. Focus your skills towards the healthcare industry. Over the next several years we will be experiencing a perfect storm in the healthcare industry.  As part of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA), healthcare providers will be paid incentives for implementing Electronic Medical Records systems over the next four years.  Beginning in 2015, providers will be charged penalties for non-compliance.  This will create a shortage of specialists in Information Technology, Healthcare, Project Management and many other specialties. Additionally, HIPAA 5010 is a new set of standards regulating the electronic transmission of healthcare transactions.  By federal law, healthcare providers need to convert from the current standard 4010 to HIPAA 5010 by January 1, 2012. Finally, the International Statistical Classifications of Diseases (ICD) is a set of codes that designate diagnosis, description of symptoms and causes of death for healthcare providers. The industry is converting from their ICD-9 standard to ICD-10, which increases the number of code designations 8-fold. ICD-10 codes must be used on all HIPAA transactions by October 1, 2013 to avoid delays in reimbursement payments.  Targeting your skill set – regardless of your industry background – toward the healthcare industry can improve your chances of getting hired.

4. Take a class in Marketing. While doing your job search, many advisers (expert or otherwise) suggest going back to school to either learn a new skill or brush up on those that you may have gotten behind on.  If you’re able to afford that while unemployed, I would recommend a marketing class.  Looking for a job is the process of marketing yourself to potential employers.  A marketing class will provide you with valuable knowledge on targeting your market – employers – and positioning yourself for your skills to get ‘purchased’ by a ‘consumer’. I’ve often heard the advice that you should show quantitative value on your resume.  Don’t just tell them that you managed a project or implemented a process; state the value in quantitative terms.  But as a job seeker who has updated his own resume, and an employer who has read hundreds of them, I know that it’s tougher to do than it sounds. It requires identifying and defining your market and understanding what your consumer wants.  Once you do that, you will be better suited to position yourself for that market and state the value of your past experiences in terms that mean something to them.  You may not be a marketer or sales person by trade, but you are now in sales mode and your resume is your ad copy.  A marketing class can help you learn some tricks of the trade to better sell yourself.

5.    Consider Consulting. As any unemployed individual knows, many businesses are hesitant to hire full-time employees.  After the painful, morale destroying process of laying off masses of their employees over the past few years, they are reluctant to begin ramping up staff until they are sure the economy begins improving at a faster clip.  It’s as if everyone is waiting for everyone else to start the recovery.  On top of that, healthcare reform has many businesses waiting to see how much more it will cost to insure new employees. Businesses have become accustomed to working lean and doing more with less.  If a project comes up that needs to be done, they are more likely to hire a consulting firm to come in, complete the project and get out.  When another project comes up, they can bring in a whole new set of consultants with different expertise and do the same thing.  Businesses like the flexibility of using consultants without the long-term commitment of hiring more employees.  There are consulting firms that are now hiring.  Healthcare reform is driving a large portion of that, but the fact that consulting is an alternative to hiring is also a big push.  There are also options to go independent if you have industry contacts and experience. Should you decide to consider that route, working in the consulting industry, whether as an independent or with a firm, requires some additional skills.  My book, Consulting 101: 101 Tips For Success in Consulting, provides in depth insight on how to manage client expectations, improve your communication skills and manage your career in a consulting environment.

See my related post: Make Yourself Indispensable

I’d be interested in what other tactics you’ve used to differentiate yourself in this market.  Please feel free to send your ideas and share them with other readers.

If you would like to learn more about working in consulting, get Lew’s book Consulting 101: 101 Tips for Success in Consulting at Amazon.com

As always, I welcome your comments and criticisms.