Are you Prepared for This Seasons Competitive Job Search - Walrath Recruiting, Inc.

Are you Prepared for This Seasons Competitive Job Search - Walrath Recruiting, Inc. Its mid-September, the weather will get cooler, the leaves will begin to change color and many companies will look to hire new employees. This may be due to management regrouping after the summer months, departmental budget allowances being spent, seasonally affected industries (ie. holidays = retail), or that final push to get new employees in before the holidays. Whatever the reason for companies hiring; as a job seeker (or a potential one) you need to be ready. Also, you need to understand that the job market, although “on the mend,” this improving job market is still a very competitive one. For some industries, the Fall Job Market is one of the busiest hiring periods of the year, so you need to ask yourself if you are prepared for the upcoming season’s job search. Hopefully you took the “slower” summer months to research the companies you are looking to apply at and have worked on building your network so that you may better reach out to those companies. That preparation you did in those areas could be your ticket to a new job. If not, do not apply to whatever you see, instead take some time to think about what you want out of your career and what you are looking to achieve. The next step is to assess whether you have the skills necessary to achieve those goals. Keeping those in mind as you search may help you to perform your search more effectively, as you will be able to seek out jobs that align properly with your career goals but are also within your reach. I’m not saying “don’t go for it” if you lack some of the skills necessary, but, it can quell some of the frustration you will get from applying for jobs then not receiving any response as a result of being under qualified. Believe me, there are plenty of other candidates looking at the same positions as you, so you need to shine as the candidate who is perfect for the positions you apply for. Consider a recent survey taken by eremedia.com where of the readers surveyed, 65% were actively looking for a new job. Not to mention the currently under employed, part time workers, or unemployed that are also competing for those jobs. There is hope for the job seeker though, even as the most recent jobs report from the U.S. Labor Department showed a low in “new job creation” (this is before any adjusted metrics are given) there was an increase in the number of unemployed workers who found jobs. Either way you look at it, the competition is pretty steep. Additionally, it is worth it to note supply and demand, as demand for (top talent) employees increases, their supply will begin to dwindle, something that many employers say is already pretty low. Networking, updating your resume, and customizing cover letters/resumes to specific jobs is one way to display yourself as that “top talent” and not be overlooked. If you are just getting into or back into a job search for the fall, here are a few things to remember: Get yourself into the game! Fall is short, the holidays sneak up on you quickly and you do not want to get caught off guard, or else you will have to start over again in the New Year. Schedule accordingly, try to have your research completed and applications sent out before Thanksgiving (the beginning of the holiday season). During the holiday season companies will still make hiring decisions, but more often than not these will be decisions based on those candidates already in the running. So, do your best to get yourself in the door before the holidays arrive. Prepare your marketing materials early on (like right now)! Network â€" build relationships, meet ups, social media, friends/family. It will always be in your advantage to continue networking, so keep it up! Start your search and application process as soon as possible. The early bird may not always get the worm but, it puts them in a better position to.