Job Search Tip: CNN’s Advice for How to Overcome the Stigma of Unemployment

If you’ve been another victim of our terrible economy in the last few years, you’re not alone.  Thousands of people have been laid off across all industries in a big shakeup of our workforce. Recession-related woes affect medical and health care sales less than other industries, but there has still been a leading effect–especially within clinical laboratory sales.

If you’ve been out of work for a while, it can take a toll on your finances, certainly, but also on your morale and your career opportunity hunt itself.  There’s a stigma that can become attached to candidates who’ve been out of work for a while.  Employers think, basically, “If that person is so worthy, why hasn’t he/she found a job yet?”  Obviously an unfair blanket assumption, but there it is.

If you’re finding yourself in this situation, there’s a terrific article on CNN.com you should see called In the job hunt, the stigma of being unemployed is hard to erase (and I am thrilled to have been quoted in it!).  It talks about the effect that  being laid off can have on your career opportunity search, but more importantly, it shows you what you can do to overcome it.  Very worth the read.

If you’re unemployed, you’re in a defensive position in the job search.  That affects what you might normally do or say in the career opportunity search, but not by much.  Here are some of my strategies you can use to get past this negative situation and land the job:

• Have an explanation ready. Prepare a short but simple explanation about what happened.  You don’t want to spend your time defending yourself–you want the focus to be on what you offer the employer.
• Quantify your achievements. Just as in any position search, you wanna have the evidence that you’ve done a good job–with performance stats, sales numbers, or specific instances where you saved/made your company money.  Improving efficiency or pulling in customers works, too.  Just be sure to quantify it with percentages, dollar signs, or other relevant numbers-based stats.
• Gather excellent references. If you have evidence that someone else thought you were excellent, then it’s more likely you’ll get a favorable reception.  People like recommendations.  Personal phone calls are best, but an email or letter you can show in the beginning could work very well here.
• Use creative job interview tools. This is absolutely the time you need a brag book (to show how excellent you were in past career opportunities) and a 30/60/90-day plan (to show you have a strategic plan for success at the new one).
• Be strong in the interview. It’s more important than ever that you close for the career opportunity.  Ask for it.  Uncover objections while you’re right there.  It could easily turn the tide in your favor.  If not, you’ll know what to fix for next time.

No matter what, stay active.  Keep reading articles about job searching strategies.  Learn to use social media like LinkedIn, and network like crazy.  Invest in yourself and hire a career coach who can help you spin your situation and give you strategies for success.

Job hunts can be a numbers game, and you’ve to keep playing.  Eventually, you’ll win.  Wonderful luck.

Meanwhile, check out this no cost training on “How to Get a Better Job Faster”
2: Click here to register for this free webinar.

Article courtesy of  Peggy McKee - Owner / Senior Recruiter at the nationally
recognized pharma and pharma sales recruiting team of PHC Consulting.
© Copyright 2008 PHC Consulting | All rights reserved

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Job Search Tip: CNN’s Advice for How to Overcome the Stigma of Unemployment