Getting By With a Little Help From Our Friends

My compliments to The Daily Herald for announcing their offer to provide free classified ads to job hunters as space allows to advertise their skills and qualifications at no charge.

The Tennessee Career Center offers so many excellent tools for job hunters. Our staff is among the best and brightest in the field of workforce development. Yet, in times like we are currently experiencing, where so many are out of work and need advice on where to turn for a job, there is action we can all take to help each other out. So, let me offer a few suggestions to those of us who know someone currently looking for a position.

1. Think creatively with a friend. Help him think beyond the typical employers he has typically worked with. For example, a customer service representative has skills that transfer across industries and shouldn’t limit him to the one industry he has worked in. If a job hunter has a passion for sports, then apply for a customer service position at a stadium, university, or professional sports organization. And, people with a passion stand out among the many applicants when interviewing for positions.

2. Make sure a friend has an excellent elevator speech. A jobseeker must be able to articulate concisely what makes her specially qualified and the best person for the job. The job hunter may not even be aware of her best qualities, and you can help identify those strengths.

3. Offer to review a friend’s resume. You may notice something he has missed. We all can use constructive criticism and a fresh pair of eyes when trying to capture our best assets and strengths on paper.

4. Practice interviewing with a friend. As with any skill, practice improves our skill level. And, practicing all types of questions can better prepare a job hunter for any question she may be asked. Better to have at least thought through potential answers prior to the interview!

5. Offer to share your network with the friend if appropriate. Most jobs are never advertised but simply filled through word of mouth. If you have contacts that can assist someone in a particular field, share them, and encourage the job hunter to use you as a reference if appropriate. Networking is likely the most effective method to land a position in such a labor market as we have today.

6. Encourage a friend to volunteer or work in an unpaid internship. Why sit at home unemployed when valuable experience can be gained even if in an unpaid position? Suggest to a friend organizations or companies where he can work as an intern or volunteer, especially to gain experience in a field in which they aspire to work, or can gain new skills and contacts. Many unpaid interns become paid employees!

I challenge each of us to step up like The Daily Herald and put your ability to help into action. Each of us possesses the ability to assist someone, and what better friend can you be than to help someone take better care of their family! Think about how you can help, and then do it! I’d love to hear from you on a way you assist someone with a new job, and will post a few of the best ones in a future blog. Now, go out and be a friend. Our community, and your friend, needs you.