Are you ready to jump start your career?
People get help from each other every day. You wouldn’t think twice about accepting a scholarship or grant. You probably look forward to that big check from Aunt Mildred on your birthday. But when it comes to accepting help from the government, the suggestion is often taboo.
There’s a stigma attached to government funding that tends to make people feel as though they’ve hit rock bottom. Embarrassed and proud, they will go to great lengths to avoid taking “a handout.” But sometimes accepting help from government programs and food stamps is all it takes to ease the financial burden and help you get back on your feet.
If you find yourself on the brink of seeking out government assistance, you certainly aren’t alone. In fact, in 2011 one in every six people in the U.S. received food stamps. And contrary to what some people believe, the recipients were not all irresponsible drug addicts and alcoholics. Many are highly educated people. They may have lost a job due to a downturn in the economy or need help to get them through a divorce or to help pay for an unexpected accident, illness or death.
Statistics show that as many as one quarter of the Americans who are eligible for food stamps don’t participate in the program. If you’re one of them, would it make you feel better to know that while growing up, the families of Oprah Winfrey, Toby McGuire, and Prince Fielder used food stamps? So, did the mother of Olympian Gabby Douglas. And then there’s Whoopi Goldberg, who periodically lived on government assistance before she became a celebrity.
That said, it’s time to bury the embarrassment and make this assistance work for you. Keep in mind that we’re not suggesting that anyone cheat the system or abuse the funds they’re given. But if your funds are running low and you need help, take it. Especially if you have a family to support, food stamps and the like will help you stay afloat while you search for a job or start your own business.
Job hunting or starting a business can be costly. You need the right clothes, a computer to send and check emails and a cell phone to get calls. If you’re striking out on your own, you’ll still need that phone and computer. You may also need to rent space, but even a home office will need a desk, printer, and other office supplies. Add in business cards, etc. and you’ll see how it’s easy to spend more money than you bring in at the beginning.
But you need to spend money to make money, the saying goes. And if that’s the case, it helps to have a backup. Sometimes not spending money on your business or job search will actually sabotage the effort. If no one knows about you, they can’t hire you or buy your product or service. You need to spend both time and money to give your career the focus and attention it deserves. And that may mean taking help for awhile to make ends meet.
In addition to food stamps – or in place of them if it makes you feel better – there are government and local programs you might want to explore. Assistance in the form of grants and training is often available for small businesses or companies run by women or minorities, among others. Sometimes there’s funding available for businesses in certain fields, such as the tech industry.
And if starting a business is too much to handle (or not of interest to you), there is usually free help and training available through the employment office or career support groups in your area.
You might be uncomfortable accepting assistance, but remember it might be all it takes to help get you on your feet again sooner. And once you no longer need it, you can always pay it forward by helping someone else in their career.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
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The leaves are changing, the kids are back in school, and that familiar chill is in the air. You think it's the perfect time to look for a job, and it is! But are your job search fears preventing you from making that leap?
It's not uncommon to feel lost when embarking on your job search journey. After all, school teaches us everything except how to get a job. What should you put on your resume? What questions should you ask in an interview? How can you stand out in the hiring process when there's so much competition?
Are you feeling spooked yet?
Believe it or not, there's no need to be afraid of the job search process! You can land your dream job with the right tools and strategy. You can find a job that won't give you nightmares. Here are three spooky secrets every job seeker should know as they look for a job this fall.
1. An Effective Job Search Starts With An Interview Bucket List
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Despite your fears, you've decided to take the plunge and look for a new job. You might be asking yourself, "Where do I start?" The answer is simple: start by creating an interview bucket list.
An interview bucket list is a list of 10-20 companies you'd love to work for. Are you passionate about a company's products or services? Do you feel connected to its mission? Can you relate to its values and beliefs as an organization? If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, that company probably belongs on your interview bucket list.
Once you create an interview bucket list, you'll be able to conduct a targeted job search, one with direction and a foundation upon which everything else will be built. An interview bucket list helps you focus your job search and networking strategies on the right opportunities, making it easier to get your foot in the door at one of your dream companies.
2. Your Job Application Needs To Disrupt Hiring Managers
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In order to stand out in the hiring process, you need to disrupt recruiters and hiring managers. You accomplish this by doing two things: optimizing your resume and writing a disruptive cover letter.
A well-optimized resume includes keywords from the job description. This ensures your resume gets past the ATS and into the hands of the hiring manager. Once it's in front of the hiring manager, it needs to grab and keep their attention. Quantifying your work experience—adding numbers to your bullet points—will make you stand out from other applicants. Hiring managers will want to know more about you and your accomplishments, and that's how you land a phone interview.
Before that, though, a hiring manager will read your cover letter. To disrupt them, you need to write a disruptive cover letter (obviously!). A disruptive cover letter gives you the opportunity to tell a story about why you feel connected to the company you're applying for. It's that storytelling aspect that will stand out to hiring managers and compel them to pick up the phone and give you a call.
3. Employers Hire You Based On 3 Things
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You can't get hired unless you know what employers are assessing you on in the interview process. While your skills and expertise matter, companies actually hire for three things: personality, aptitude, and experience (in that order).
Most job seekers don't realize how important it is to demonstrate their personality, aptitude, and experience in an interview. You could have the right experience for a job, but if the hiring manager doesn't think your personality is a good fit for the company culture, you probably won't get a job offer.
Make sure you demonstrate your soft skills and learn how to answer behavioral interview questions to prove you're the best candidate for the job you're applying for, not just the most qualified.
Want To Learn More Job Search Secrets?
As you look for a job this fall, it might be helpful to know some more spooky secrets so you can get over your job search fears and finally take control of your career.
We know the job search process can be scary. However, it's important to get clear on what you want to do next and focus on conducting a strategic job search, or what we refer to at Work It DAILY as job shopping. This is the only way to effectively market yourself to employers. If they can't see exactly where and how you add value, then that's going to decrease your chances of landing the job.
The competition is fierce, and there are a lot of factors that are out of your control. But the one factor you can control is your job search strategy, the tools and tactics you use to land a job.
If you want to learn the secrets to conducting a strategic job search, sign up for our Job Search Bootcamp, a two-hour, on-demand video workshop that comes with a free workbook.
In this video workshop, you'll learn:
- How to use backchanneling to get directly to hiring managers.
- The secret to using a connection story to stand out against the competition.
- How social media can be your secret weapon to get job interviews.
- The resume format that is getting job seekers more job interviews.
- And, a lot more hacks for job search success!
Let us show you the secrets to getting a new, better-paying job you actually love. Sign up for our Job Search Bootcamp today.
Are you ready to land the job of your dreams (and leave the job of your nightmares)?
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