PPB June 2021

F inding a new job is a challenge, especially in our current world where COVID-19- related job losses and hiring freezes are the norm. To most, it’s a particularly unpleasant challenge any year, but this year, the challenge may seem extra daunting. The reason for this widespread dread is because the job search creates a necessary, but uncomfortable intersection between the business world and who you are as a person. It’s the only time you’re forced to quantify your skills, goals, values and ambitions into the cold format of an Excel spreadsheet. The Current Situation It’s been a very rough year for hiring in the promotional products industry. Thousands of professionals have been furloughed or let go. For the past year, companies have been running very lean in order to compensate for a significant dip in revenue. As revenue returns, those jobs will come back. That’s the positive news. The bad news is that when those jobs come back, there will be a lot of unemployed or underemployed candidates competing for the same opportunity. The competition will be fierce, and you have to be at the top of your game to stand out. The task of getting a new job is two-fold. First, you need to catch the eye of the hiring manager. Second, you must impress him or her with your resume, interview and references. Getting Attention When it comes to getting an interview for a job, there are four activities that will garner 95 percent of your results. Those are networking with industry contacts, applying on career websites, direct outreach to hiring managers and LinkedIn activity. Networking Networking is the catch-all term for making new connections, selling yourself to existing contacts and asking for favors. When searching for a job, networking with industry contacts should be an almost constant activity. Check in with new and old contacts, let them know you’re in the market for a new opportunity and ask a few specific questions: • “Do you know of any upcoming opportunities in our industry?” • “Do you have any contacts that would make sense for me to reach out to?” Getting Hired 101 Smart tips to effectively put your career on the right track. by Patrick McHargue Fizkes / spiral media / Shutterstock.com. 14 | JUNE 2021 | INNOVATE