Saturday, June 28, 2008

By CHRISTINA SALERNO
csalerno@modbee.com

last updated: March 09, 2008 05:29:55 AM

Job hunting during tough economic times can be an overwhelming task, with scores of people competing for a small number of jobs.

It's an especially difficult job market in the Northern San Joaquin Valley, job seekers say, where the housing fallout has resulted in layoffs in the mortgage and construction industry and the unemployment rate is at a three-year high.

"It gets really frustrating," said Lori Hunter, 32, who has been trying to find a job at a fast food restaurant since May. With several years of experience working in food sanitation, she thought it would be easy to find work after leaving her previous job at Taco Bell. But she hasn't had any luck, despite sending out copies of her résumé and calling employers.

"This year has been rough," Hunter said as she looked for job openings at the state Employment Development Department office in Modesto.

No matter how dismal it might seem, there are ways to make yourself stand out from a sea of applicants during a challenging economic climate, employment experts say.

Often, people who have been laid off are embarrassed about their situation and don't want to talk about it with their friends or family, said Paula O'Leary, a business services representative with the Stanislaus Economic Development and Workforce Alliance.

"To get rid of that stigma, you need to let everyone you know that you are looking for a job -- friends, former co-workers and even your dentist," O'Leary said.

Job tips may come from unexpected sources, such as neighbors, church members, parents of your children's classmates or a workout buddy at the gym. Give them your résumé and ask them to keep their ears open about job opportunities, she said.

"You will have 30 people looking for you, rather than just you," O'Leary said.

Cold-calling employers and networking are the most effective ways to find work, according to a recent study of more than 100 job seekers in Stanislaus County done by the Alliance Worknet. More than 50 percent of the participants found jobs through those methods.

When cold-calling an employer, find out first who the hiring manager is and then call to introduce yourself. Give a brief summary of your qualifications and ask to discuss possible job openings. If the employer says no, inquire about other companies that might be hiring or ask to come into the office to discuss future openings.

Make personal contact

People tend to send out résumés only on Internet job sites because it isn't very intimidating and can be done at 3 a.m. from home, said Alliance Worknet work force consultant Jeanne Boulet.

Although that's still a useful tool, she said, it isn't nearly as effective as hitting the pavement during the day and talking to people face-to-face or over the phone.

Another common pitfall is making a résumé too specific.

O'Leary said some former mortgage workers or loan officers are being turned down for jobs because employers believe that as soon as the housing market rebounds, those prospective employees will be out the door.

To avoid being cast as someone who wants to perform only one type of job, rework your résumé to highlight a summary of skills, rather than focusing on the past five mortgage firms you've worked for, she said.

Those skills could include knowledge of computer programs, customer service experience, data entry, organization skills, longevity with a firm or other highly desired attributes.

People who already have jobs, or are looking to make an upward move in their field, can approach job hunting a little differently.

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