Sunday, September 20, 2009

Have spare time?

During an interview many potential employers are likely to ask, "What have you been doing since you graduated?" or "What have you been doing during your unemployment?". If you are unemployed, do something productive with your spare time. Potential employers do not want to hear your sob story or give you a pity party. Here are my suggestions:

+Volunteer at your favorite community organization---even if you can only volunteer once a week. This may provide the opportunity to make connections and gain experience.

+Attend community festivals in addition to job fairs. Visit tables or booths of sponsoring organizations to learn how you may become involved.

+Want to work for a company or organization that is not hiring? See if they need volunteers or if they would be willing to negotiable an internship.

3 comments:

  1. Meeting people is one of the most important aspects of making a significant first impression. Attending these events really helps to build a network for you.

    There are jobs out there. Ask to meet your prospective employer in your cover letter. Mine said, "I would like to set up a meeting with you so I may demonstrate my developed people skills and leadership potential." I got a call from 4 of 5 employers and one commented to me that I was the only one who actually wrote something of that nature in my cover letter. Don't afraid to be bold, especially in a time where so many are vying for the same position.

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  3. Thanks for your comment Phillip! Even unpaid or very low paying internship opportunities are really difficult to obtain right now because there are SO many people who want these positions. I agree, bold can be a good thing.

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