Job Search Myths in This Recession

There are a lot of people in the market for a job right now. With the job search today seems to come lots of fear, frustration and anger. People are uncertain about what it will take to get that next opportunity. With all that is going on there are some myths about the job search in this recession. Here three for you to reconsider:

1. If I am over 50 no one will hire me – This is an absolute lie. Most of you out there over 50, need to stop thinking about your age and start thinking about what value you can and will bring to an organization. It is important for you to know what value added you will bring to an organization, write it down and rehearse your value. If you think that you can’t find a job because of your age, you are right. You will make age the issue rather than your value added. If your over 50 and in the market, embrace your experiences and your age, and work on presenting yourself to a hiring manager and recruiters. Enthusiasm, accomplishments, and research will help you land the next opportunity.

2. Social Networking is not important to my job search – This is not true! Social Networking is a KEY to unlocking your job search. It is by no means a silver bullet, however, if you start talking to people and sharing who you are and what you are looking for, you will see doors begin to open. It may not happen over night, but the more you connect with people, the more opportunities you will see come your way. Another critical piece to social networking is your ability to help others. What can you bring to a networking relationship? Figure that out. Who can you help, find those people and start by giving. The principle of sowing and reaping is real. What you sow into other people, will come back to you. Maybe not from the person you are sowing into, but it will come back to you.

3. There are no jobs available – There are jobs available. Yes, there are jobs available. Let me say it one more time, jobs are available in this market. So, if you are looking, go find one that fits your skills and abilities. Rather than feeling frustrated or angry about the economy or the last job that laid you off, go find a job. There are jobs in the market. Work on differentiation. Why should a hiring manager hire you over every other candidate? If you don’t have an answer to that question, you are not ready to get a job. When you do get an answer to that question, you will be able to articulate it to a hiring manager and the opportunity will be yours for the taking.

There are many other myths that job seekers are believing. But these three seem to be the ones that are holding job seekers from getting over the unemployment speed bump. Yep, that’s what I called it. If you are in the market, looking for a job, look at it as a speed bump that you must navigate. Slow down and consider how you ended up in the job market. Evaluate what you may need to do differently, get an answer to my question about why a hiring manager should hire you and then get busy developing your strategy and go get the job.