Anonymous writes: I recently lost my job at PricewaterhouseCoopers. I was an HR Generalist and I have an MBA in HR. I am finding it very difficult to seek employment and am concerned that my unemployment insurance is going to run out, and I still do not have a job.
I go into company Web sites daily and respond to job postings and don’t get one phone call. I want to be able to speak to a human being instead of all this resume posting. It is getting me nowhere, and I can’t believe that an MBA in HR is not wanted anywhere.
The Career Doctor responds: Now come on. You’re an experienced HR person and you are looking for jobs just by looking at job postings? You have to know better. Job-hunting on the Web should only be about 15-20 percent of your total job-search effort.
What else are you doing in trying to find a new position? What about networking? Have you contacted all your family, friends, colleagues, former co-workers and bosses, associates, and just about anyone else you know and told them you are looking for a new job? Have you contacted your alma mater (for both your undergrad and MBA) and networked with the alumni offices, your old professors, and the career services offices? What about the local chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management? If you’re not a member, join and start networking!
What about cold calling and finding hidden job opportunities? Read more in my article, Cold Calling: A Time-Tested Method of Job-Hunting. Have you looked into temping — either as a way to get back on your feet or as a way to get your foot in the door? Read this great article: Temping Offers a Way to Build Your Resume — and Much More.
Finally, are you spending enough time with your job search and are you following up ALL your job leads? Take the time to chase down every job lead.
And if you are still unsure about what the problem is with your job search, I strongly suggest you read Katharine Hansen’s article: Ten Questions to Ask Yourself if You Still Haven’t Found a Job.
