Try Low, Sell High

A true story! A good friend of mine just received a nice offer to a great job. How he got this offer was somewhat unusual. I thought I share it in case it can inspire you to look at opportunities in a new light.

Given the economy, he decided to be more open minded and look for jobs that were below his level (which is Director). He saw a manager job opening on craiglist and applied. When the recruiter talked to him and asked him if it was ok if this job pays around $___ (about 25-30% lower than his last job’s base pay), he decided to say yes. His rationale was if the job is going to be easier and possibly can be done in 35 hours a week, he can always try to get another contract gig for 10-20 hours to make up the difference. He also thought it was another chance to practice his interviewing skills. ...  read more

Survival is the Name of the Game

Everyone seems to know someone who is unemployed or just got laid off these days. While I don’t want you to give up on the dream of your dream job, a health dose of realism needs to set in right now. It’s all about survival in this market. It’s a buyer’s market. Employer can have their pickings today of talent out there as some of the most talented people (like you) are out of work today. ...  read more

Key Differentiators in Job Search

Last week, I saw on the news. “Unemployment is now at 8.5% and FedEx just laid off a 1000+ employees.” It’s easy to feel depressed or demotivated with news like that especially for anyone looking for a job.

Dwelling on those statistics will only make you doubt your ability to get that next job. For you, I say stop wasting time with things you cannot change. This can begin by stop watching depressing news, stop telling other people depressing stories about the job market, and stop letting other people tell you these stories. These news and stories will just unconsciously weigh negatively on your psyche. It is important especially in this tough market to hang in there, maintain a positive attitude, and keep your mind clear to focus on job search. This is what can separate you from the masses. ...  read more