Flexibility Often Required In Job Search

According to Judy Kaplan Baron, a career counselor based in Sorrento Mesa, people who lose their jobs should do much more than send out resumes.

She cites a national study of 10 million job seekers that found just one job offer for every 1,470 resumes sent.

Here’s advice offered by Kaplan Baron and others who work as career counselors:

* Deal with the denial.

Rather than assume you won’t be the one to experience a layoff when the company manager talks about reorganization, get the ball rolling. Don’t wait and see if you are going to keep your job. It’s better to have another job offer before you lose your present job.

* Set a goal.

What is it you are trying to accomplish? It’s much easier to look for a long-sleeved Navy blue blazer than to window shop. You’re much more likely to find what you’re looking for.

* Put together a resume.

You can do your own just like you can do your own taxes. Sometimes it’s not worth the time and aggravation. You may need outside help to discover your strengths and transferable skills.

* Network.

Talk to people you know both personally and professionally. Less than 15% of all jobs are ever advertised.

* Explore new fields.

Many people who lose their jobs discover that their former career is no longer a viable one, and they need to change to another field. One way to investigate other avenues is to call 12 or 15 employers in the field you are considering and interview them about how they got started in their career, what specific skills are needed, the pros and cons of the working situation and the overall outlook for the field.