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Look for Work in Troubled Times

It’s hard enough to job hunt in a thriving economy, but now, even the heartiest job seeker may be inclined to roll over and catch a few more z’s rather than hit the streets.

Don’t quit looking before you start. Job hunting requires you to pull out all the stops and take the basics to a new level. You truly have to work it.

Ironically, the challenge of a tighter job market may work for many job seekers by forcing them to think of new approaches. It all boils down to attitude, stresses executive recruiter Diane Barowsky, president of Barowsky Search Partners Ltd. in Olympia Fields, Illinois. “We underestimate the importance of that positive attitude, but that’s what gets you through the day,” she says.

Gain confidence by asking yourself, “What do I have to lose?”

“It’s easier to take a risk and call that intimidating contact when you feel [this way],” says Barowsky. “On the flip side, when things are going well, you don’t need to do anything to keep your job going.”

Barowsky also offers the following job search advice:

Expand Your Search

If you’re a general administrative assistant but you’ve always wanted to get into human resources, for instance, now’s the time to give it a shot. Find out what skills are needed in the area you want to shift into, and then match your experience with those requirements. Transfer the experience you have into another area.