ShareThisDear Mr. Walberg:
Everywhere you turn -- in the papers and on TV -- the news is all about how bad our economy is. It seems that I am a victim of the system. I was laid off from my 7-year old job as part of a 15 percent workforce meltdown in my company. Although I got a reasonable severance, I am now faced with the holidays and the weakest economy in my lifetime. Should I just wait out the holidays and collect unemployment? At least the benefits were recently extended. The future really frightens me. -- E-mail from E.M. in the heartland
Dear E.M.:
For starters, stop reading and watching the news, and understand that bad news sells and the economy is in trouble. It's a fact and it's news, but contributing to the negative energy out there isn't going to help you.
Much of what I will tell you I told readers back in the early '90s. The economy may be weaker now, but the results and the solutions are the same. Consider the following points:
-- Companies downsize to reduce expenses and increase net income -- or, reduce losses.
-- Those same employers will bring on new hires if they can contribute to profitability right now.
-- You got downsized along with many others. That doesn't mean that you aren't capable of being productive, just that 15 percent had to go and you were in the wrong area at the right time.
-- Forget the government's published unemployment rate. If you are unemployed, the unemployment rate is 100 percent. If you are working, it's 0 percent!
-- Holidays or no holidays, the longer you wait to get into an active job search, the more difficult your search will be. Start now.
Get your act together. Get your resume updated with strong emphasis on accomplishments that prove your productivity. Match your skills and experience to employers who need you to increase their profits. Get names of managers and owners, and make contact. Don't just respond to advertised openings. Be proactive and select your next employer.
Only you can make a difference for yourself. You can get hired if you can help increase a company's profitability. No one will come knocking on your door, so get busy! You will only be a "victim" if you do nothing.
(Marvin Walberg is a job search coach. Contact him at mwalberg(at)bellsouth.net, marvinwalberg.blogspot.com, or PO Box 43056, Birmingham, AL 35243.)
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