Knee Deep in the Job Market Swamp

You've been told there's an economic recession occurring and that jobs are tough to find. If you're currently a full-time student, this probably doesn't bother you too much. That's because it's a good time to be a student. If you've even remotely considered your future job, you are probably thinking this recession will be over by then. Well, don't count on it.

When I was in college I expected to find a job when I got out. And I did--in Japan. When my job ended I returned state-side with the high expectation of finding another job ASAP. I didn't bother too much with job searching while I was overseas because I figured no one would be interested if my address said Japan. But then, I didn't realize how BAD the job market is.

I was blessed to be given the part-time Administrative Assistant job at my local church. And further grateful to my parents for allowing me free room and board. Now I'm on edge as I try to map out the next step in my life. I'm hoping for graduate school, but if that falls through, then what?

On Saturday, I went to the library to return one book and left having checked out six more! One of them was enticingly entitled Get the Job You Want Even When No One's Hiring by Ford R. Myers. Myers gives a lot of good tips that can apply to various stages of one's career life. His book is divided into 5 main categories:

1. The Psychology of Job Hunting in a Down Market
2. From Desperation to Career Strategies for Tough Times
3. Leveraging Your Core Job Seeker Materials
4. Job Search Tactics to Use When No One's Hiring
5. Bulletproof Your Career, Once and for All

If you're like me, you just read those titles and thought, "Is this for real?" Let me share with you the most encouraging tip I read in this book: "Every company is hiring all the time--as long as you have what they need" (page 120). Myers provides some worksheets as a part of a book bonus free newsletter.