Staying competitive in a growing job market

[Michaela]

As many of your may have heard, on February 18, 2009 Governor Gregoire
signed a legislative bill enacting a statewide hiring freeze that will
last until at least July 1, 2009. The bill was signed in response to
a projected $ 8.3 billion biennial deficit. When the freeze is
lifted, there will be many vital positions that need to be filled.
However, the number of qualified people applying for jobs will also be
high. Staying competitive in the job market is one of the best things
you can do when seeking employment and if you’re currently not
working, here are some things you can do to make yourself more
competitive when the time arises:

1) Research what’s to come – Even though agencies aren’t hiring right
now doesn’t mean you can’t get ready for what’s to come. Contact
recruiters at agencies and ask them for old job announcements so you
can see the basic skills of what that position requires. That way,
when a position does open up, you will already have the bulk of your
application materials ready to go.
2) Get trained up – Many jobs, both private and public sector require
licenses, certifications or specific training. If there are jobs that
you are interested in, get in touch with a recruiter to find out what
the requirements are so you take advantage of this free time to study
up and get certified. The Employment Security Department
(www.esd.wa.gov) is a great resource not only to file for unemployment
benefits but also for career training. They can connect you with
people from Worksource who are dedicated to helping people acquire the
skills they need to succeed.
3) Brush up on your computer skills – Technology is advancing faster
than we ever expected and becoming more and more a necessary skill for
most jobs. Microsoft Office Suite and email are the most common
computer skills desired for state employment. If you don’t have a
computer at home, your local library (www.secstate.wa.gov/library/
search_library.aspx) is a great resource for computer access.
4) Revamp your resume – A resume is not set in stone. Rather it
should be a living document that changes as your experience grows.
For those that have not recently applied for a job, your resume may
need to be touched up. Use this time to create a stellar resume so
that when job opportunities do arise, your paperwork will stand out
from the rest. For a step-by-step guide, please view the discussion
“Start the New Year off with a new resume”.
5) Self reflect on your desired career path – Being unemployed is a
chance for you to re-evaluate where your career is going. If you’ve
contemplated trying something new, use this time to reflect on what
you want to do and go forward from there. Although unemployment is
never fun, this may be the extra push you needed to start over in a
rewarding career.
6) Contemplate non-permanent positions – Being realistic of you and
your family’s needs is also realizing that you may need to take on a
job before a career opportunity arises. The United States Census is
currently hiring office and field positions for the collection of the
2010 US Census. These jobs offer competitive pay, flexible hours and
paid training so it might be the perfect opportunity. To view their
job opportunities, visit www.census.gov/rosea/www/emply.html.

Michaela Favre