Who would have thought this would ever happen to you? You, your family, friends and colleagues still can't believe it. But that doesn't change the reality of it: you're unemployed. The career and lifestyle you've grown accustomed to have taken a serious hit from out of nowhere.
You knew things were bad out there but you thought you were safe. You've got to do something; but what and how? You haven't updated your resume in years or even thought of leaving the career track you were on with this firm, at least not until this morning.
This scenario is playing out daily all around the globe in this terrible economic climate we are experiencing. Maybe it has already happened to you or there is danger that it may.
There are only two things you can do about it really:
* React: it has already happened and you must respond to it
* Act: there is a good chance that it may happen (nowadays, that virtually includes everyone) and you need to prepare for that eventuality
How to React
The first thing to do is ensure you keep your wits about you and move decisively; regardless of which category you fall under. Panic only leads to bad decisions, which in turn nets a worse outcome.
Push thoughts of "why is this happening to me?" out of your mind. Replace them with the important operative words, "this is happening." It is happening and that's all that's important at the moment. Accept it and move forward.
The first step in finding a job and getting an interview for the professional who is changing jobs is resume marketing. Pull it out, dust it off and get ready to market your resume. It may be in your best interest to hire it done by a professional writing service or at least a career counseling center.
If you have been out of the job market any length of time you may be alarmed at how the task of finding a job has changed in recent years. There are new rules in play to market your resume in a Web 2.0 world.
New media exposure, such as article marketing, Twitter and blogs, are often expected by employers when evaluating candidates. They want to know what you know.
Never let yourself be fooled into thinking that your resume is all your interviewer has read about you. You can put it in the bank that you will be "Googled" well before you sit across the desk from an interviewer. What will a potential employer discover about you online? Do you even have a presence on the Web?
If you already have yourself established online, that's great. Now is the time to ensure it is updated and favorable. It may even be referenced in your resume marketing activities.
Make some cyber noise out there. Do some heavy social networking and comment on blogs and forum within your area of expertise. Write and distribute some articles. Make it easy to find you within your field by growing your online presence. It's easy, cost efficient and very effective.
If you don't have a presence online, it's time to get busy and make one. You will have one developed and growing before you know it with a little work. Make it part of your routine: write a few articles every week on a topic in your field, network with others who may help you find leads, build a blog and let your expert status build in one central location.
Take Action Before It All Goes South
If you have not lost a job but think you may, now is the time to get your cyber effects in order. Not only will it assist you should the axe fall on your job, it may well offer up opportunities for a better job down the line. You never know who is reading your profiles online; it may be your next employer out looking for you.
Let your online presence do some perpetual resume marketing for you. You never know when you might be looking at changing jobs.
Author Resource:-
Carol Palmatier is Vice President of Marketing for Article Marketer and a "Word of Mouth" marketing expert. Catch her free audio on how to build your expert status online in a Web 2.0 world.
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