Perhaps you've worked for only one organization in your career. Whether it was a small business, a corporation, the government or the military, your job loyalty and security effectively insulated you from the throes, complexities and excitement of looking for work until now.
If this is your first time into the job-search waters, you are probably disheartened by the nuances of today's work arena. Already stressed and anxious because you are unemployed, the thought of learning how to find a job - and which one is best for you - can be intimidating and overwhelming. And I sympathize with you.
Almost all those I've met in similar situations have said they would like nothing better than to turn over their career search to someone else. The problem is, that "someone else" doesn't exist, and I'll tell you why.
The first people you may have thought of to handle your job search are head-hunters, also known as executive recruiters. They work on commission; they are compensated by the employer for supplying the right candidate for an executive position. Normally, head-hunters will actively recruit working executives to fill these positions. Perhaps you got a call or two from an executive recruiter when you were employed. Maybe you even went on an interview. When you are unemployed or reentering the workplace, however, executive recruiters are not very helpful. They're looking for an easy placement and will be able to command more in salary for executives who are employed than for those who aren't. If you go to a recruiter hoping to be represented, do so with your eyes open. This is not to say if an opening comes across his or her desk that matches your experience exactly you won't get a call. You probably will. It's just that recruiters won't go out of their way for "marginal" clients. You, by the way, are considered marginal simply because you're unemployed.
The exceptions to this rule are executives earning $100,000-plus. Because the potential commission is significant, recruiters will work to place employed and unemployed individuals in this salary bracket. Unfortunately, this leaves out many of us!
The second job-search professionals that come to mind are placement agencies that deal with all levels of personnel. For a fee these agencies will place you with an employer. The fee is paid either by the employer or by you. In either case it represents a hefty percentage of your first-year earnings. Be wary of committing yourself to one of these outfits. Most placement agencies do little more than send you out for interviews that, with a little legwork, you could have unearthed yourself-and saved yourself up to three months' salary!
And finally, there are career counselors or vocational consultants who will discuss careers with you for a fee. Some charge by the hour ($35 to $75). Others, the high-profile companies with the big display ads in the classified section, will guide you through a job hunt for an upfront fee running into thousands of dollars. And they don't even send you on interviews or have specific jobs to fill. Instead, they give you assessment tests, teach you how to network, and show you the value of informational interviewing-techniques you're get-ting in this book! Sorry, but career counselors and job-hunt specialists "don't do" placement.
Twelve years ago, when I was struggling with career options, I went to a placement agency. The counselor scanned my resume, noted my M.A. in English and my teaching experience, then told me she had a secretarial position for me - what was my typing speed? I stormed out. Unfortunately, I've heard similar horror stories since then, so I don't think the situation has changed much.
What it boils down to, I'm afraid, is you are in charge of your own job search.
At first you may feel like you're stranded in a foreign country where the road signs, laws and mores are vastly different from those you left behind. But, as anyone who has traveled extensively knows, within a week or two you'll feel at home because you'll know your way around. In fact, you'll probably be insufferable, giving pointers to anyone who will listen!
