By: Bob Rhoden 10/1/12
Job Tip of the Week: Bob Rhoden, Workforce Solutions Texoma
Adapted From careerbuilder.com “Should you ramp up your job search now or wait until 2013?” By: Susan Ricker, CareerBuilder Writer
As the season turns to Fall, a lot of people start thinking about the holidays, about spending time with family and friends, and about slowing down on some of the things they’re working on. So, what if what you’re working on is finding a job? Should you slow down, or keep looking? There are some important things to consider.
First, and possibly foremost, if you are receiving Unemployment Insurance benefits, remember; the continuation of those benefits is dependent on you being able and available for full-time work. In Texas, you are also required to complete a minimum number of work search activities each week, and document them in the event the Texas Workforce Commission needs to verify them.
The bottom line on this is; if you are receiving Unemployment Insurance benefits from the State of Texas, unless the Texas Workforce Commission has notified you that you are exempt from the work search activity, you should be looking for work.
But what if you’re not receiving Unemployment Insurance benefits? Let’s say you don’t have a job, or you would like a better job, should you really start looking now, or wait until after the holidays, and after the first of the year?
Susan Ricker, a writer for careerbuilder.com addresses this in her article titled, “Should you ramp up your job search now or wait until 2013?” Ms Ricker offers two different game plans, one if you still want to find a job in 2012, and another if you want to “take the rest of the year off”.
Ricker’s game plan for getting a job in 2012 really centers around identifying the career areas in which companies are likely to hire for the remainder of the year, and focusing on job searches in those areas. According to the article, CareerBuilder did a mid-year hiring survey of more than 2,000 companies, and found those likely to hire in the remainder of 2012, will focus on several career areas including:
- Customer service
- Information technology
- Business development
The survey also indicated there are some emerging occupations, likely to produce jobs that might be worth your attention. Those include:
- Social media
- Storing and managing data
- Financial regulation
- Promoting diversity inside and outside the organization
- “Green” energy and the environment
- Global relations
In regard to these opportunities, I would add a couple of things.
1) In regard to “Green” energy, there was a huge buzz around this idea that started a few years ago. We really haven’t seen that large an increase in the Texoma Region. Most of the jobs in that cluster are generally construction, or construction related, so there may not be a lot of noticeable opportunities.
2) Remember, most employers are looking for a proven track record, and not just “transferrable skills”. The one exception to this may be in some of the emerging occupations. For example, social media is still relatively new for a lot of companies, and they may be willing to interview you for a position even if you haven’t managed social media for a company. They’re still going to be looking for some proof of success in this area, so be prepared to show what you’ve done in your personal social media world.
Her game plan for waiting until 2013 centers around activities that add value to you as a worker, and include:
- Seasonal work
- Revamp your résumé
This is a solid plan, and goes right along with the advice Workforce Solutions Texoma typically gives job-seekers. Seasonal work can lead to full-time employment later, as can volunteering. Networking is something all job-seekers should be doing – incidentally, the holidays are a great time to touch base with family, friends, and colleagues to let them know you’re in the market for a job. Workshops and other training opportunities can help you add or brush up skills. Spending some time on your resume can make sure it’s focused and ready for opportunities the New Year might bring.
As you can see, even if you’re planning to wait until 2013 to really look for a new job, there are some things you need to be doing now to make sure you have the best chance at being successful.