SPECIAL REPORT: finding a job during a recession

Interview with Richard Butler Author of Finding Work and Landing The Perfect Job - A guide to Great Resumes and Interviews. Finding a job in the recession – is it possible? RB: Of course it is. There is a common myth out there that there are in fact no jobs. There are still jobs but they are harder to get as the competition is a lot more fierce. That does not mean that you don’t stand a chance. It means you have to rise above the rest. So there are jobs but a lot more competition, where does that leave the average job seeker? RB: The unfortunate the average job seeker is going to find it more difficult to find a job because they are not taking the time to stand out from the crowd. They are using the same techniques as others. Actually for a lot of people they are having problems even getting an interview. Why? Because their most important document, their Resume, is out of date, does not show them in the best of light, or just does not cut it anymore. So what should they be doing? RB: Everyone should be taking a long hard look at their Resume and deciding how it can be improved. I have a number of tips for this in my latest book. I have worked with those seeking jobs and it’s unbelievable how bad some people’s resumes are. When they talk about their work history you find out some amazing things, which are not included on their resumes. However the problem is this. If it’s not on your resume, or presented well you will not get an interview. Thus your resume is a crucial document to get right. I have seen people who should be more careful making silly spelling mistakes on their resume. So where should people be looking for jobs? RB: There are lots of places. Obviously online is the first choice for many people however there are still jobs advertised in the papers and many people tend to dismiss them, however recruitment agencies can also be very useful – if you know how to use them! There’s a trick to this which I do reveal but not here!

What about interviews? RB: Well assuming you have polished up your resume the next thing is to make sure that you are prepared for your interview. This can strike fear into peoples hearts. It seems they just don’t like the thought of selling themselves. Just some of the tips I reveal include making sure you know where you are going. Yes there are people who think they know where they are going only to find out that the address where they thought the company where based at is not where they thought it was! How you present yourself is also very important. There really is no such thing as a “casual” interview. All interviews are formal processes. You have to prepare for an interview, and this can be easier said then done if you know what the interviewer is looking for. And sometimes without asking they actually tell you what it is! Of course you also need to know the format of the interview as there are a number of formats that you can prepare for. Anything else we should know? RB: Actually there’s a lot more tricks that I reveal however you really need to be fully prepared as if not you are reducing your chances of having a successful outcome in your job hunting. I do hope that people will find that investment in my book will help them find a better job. I know if they follow what I outline they will be ahead of the crowd. About Richard Butler Richard Butler is an international life and business coach who has helped hundreds of people find the ideal business or job in which they can grow and be happy. He recently launched his new book on Amazon Kindle format entitled Finding Work and Landing The Perfect Job - A guide to Great Resumes and Interviews. This book looks at everything from the starting point of looking for a job, resume (re)writing, right through to interview techniques and how to resign. Richard has priced his book at a price that anyone can afford (99cents) so now there’s no excuse to getting ahead of the crowd when it comes to job hunting.