Are the Long-Term Unemployed Facing a Brick Wall in Their Employment Search?

Remember the days when applying for work consisted of looking at job ads in the Sunday paper, driving around town collecting employment applications, and hand delivering your resume? Times have certainly changed!  Over the last 20 years our lives, culture, and way we communicate has reinvented itself from face to face interpersonal relationships to a new age digital format.  

 So what impact does this change in communication style have on the long-term unemployed’s ability to find work?

 Years spent working for a single employer can play havoc on one’s ability to navigate the employment search processes.  According to US News and World Report there are 4.6 million long-term unemployed Americans, with two-thirds of them having been out of work for more than a year.  Many of the long-term unemployed are those who worked 5 or more years with their previous employer.  Some have even invested 20 plus years.   Extended time spent out of the job market can create a disconnect in the way dislocated workers are seeking out new job opportunities.  Many unemployed, especially those who are long-term unemployed simply are not in tune with how the job application process works today, and are therefore facing a brick wall in their employment search that can be detrimental.  

 So how can the long-term unemployed get out from the unemployment hold and into a new rewarding position?

 Most of us are already aware that the longer we are out of work the less attractive we will be to potential employers.   In my career as a Program Director for MicroTrain Technologies, I have helped hundreds of unemployed individuals understand what it takes to be competitive in today’s job market and learn the ins and outs of securing employment. Finding employment takes time and effort but with a little tweaking even the long-term unemployed can go from jobless to hired!   

 Here are some great tips that will help you maximize your job search efforts!

 Get Connected!

The use of social media in today’s job market is a hot ticket item.  Employers are using sites such as Linkedin to search for qualified talent, check references, and verify your employment history. Linkedin is a great way to display your accomplishments, get recommendations from people who know your work ethic, and to grow professionally within your industry.

• Seek out others who work in your industry and who work for companies you are interested 
• Establish yourself in your industry by joining groups that tie into your background
• Build your connections by asking everyone you know or come in contact with to connect with you
• Share articles and content that is interesting to those who you are linked to 
• Give recommendations to others and in turn you can get recommendations from others

 Get Current!

If your skill set is as dusty and out of date as that old shoe box full of cassette tapes in your closet, then get up to date.   It is vital to the long-term unemployed that they be current in their skill set.  Think about taking steps to learn current, in-demand skills.

• Staying current during an extended time out of work shows commitment and dedication to your career 
• Eliminates the gap in employment history
• Will help your resume stand out to employers 

 Get Involved!

One of the most fun and fabulous things job seekers can do while looking for work is to get involved with various organizations.  

• Do your research on companies who may be willing to use your expertise on a volunteer basis
• Join job clubs that will help you network with others who are seeking out employment or who have similar backgrounds as you  
• Attend seminars and conventions that can help you grow professionally 
• Attend job fairs - it is a great way to get in front of companies who are hiring and is great practice for interviewing.  Visit every both that is there and use those companies you are not generally interested in to practice your job pitch

 So what are you waiting for?  Get moving. Brick by brick start tearing down that wall.  Remove the barriers that lie between you and that new job!