Trying new ways of jobhunting in a bad economic slump looking for work outside of the traditional places

It’s a fact that today’s labour market is the most difficult in living memory, and it is unlikely to get any better until after a few years. Recently it was mentioned that sixty candidates are chasing every graduate level position, and the outlook isn’t a lot rosier for other types of jobs, either. A lot unemployed people may estimate that they have a greater likelihood of a lottery win than finding a job via the traditional job ads. Therefore people have to try out alternative methods of looking for work. Such methods can extend from normal self-employment, routes to employee posts via other ways than advertised jobs, or looking at the new options to Work From Home offered by Internet Business.

It is estimated by pundits that only about 20% of all posts are actually advertised, whether in the papers, through job agencies or the Online Jobs sites. And if you consider it this, it is logical. Employment is the one single example where the buyer places an advert. If I want to purchase a car, I don’t place a newspaper advert saying “car required, hatchback, blue or silver, approximately £10-12k”. I look at cars on offer in the motor pages of the local newspapers. Why is the jobs market so different?

That’s why a high proportion of organisations employ the services of headhunters. They look for suitable candidates for the job, who might not even be seeking work. However, if job hunters have their resume uploaded to the Internet, they might in fact be considered as a candidate by the headhunters. Job hunters should also employ their networks, asking anyone of their acquaintance to listen out for any potential vacancies.

A large number take up the chances to Work From Home or work using their own transport in various ways. Some of such jobs are not too well-paid. One woman I know receives just £20 for packing one thousand Christmas and other cards inside envelopes. I once got given the chance to use my own car to be a delivery man. For delivering 30 parcels per day, the pay was less than twenty quid – from which I would have to stump up for petrol and tax. You won’t be surprised to learn that I passed over this offer.

However, there exist many Online Jobs that can represent a gainful and well paid opening. Examples include web design vacancies and work on optimizing a website’s search engine position. Internet Business is a boom area, and you can work in it without travelling from your place of residence.

To get a job in this sector, it is important to have the correct skillset. Jobseekers will have to undertake the commitment to put in time and finances, paying some money for a course in the technical aspects of the web. The time is now long in the past when somebody could design a web site with the guidance of an introductory manual on HTML. There are several other technologies now involved. Online Jobs are highly specialised, professional roles. By the same token workers with these skills can attain high remuneration.

One unfortunate fact is that the longer a jobseeker remains on the dole, the tougher they will find it to get back into work. They may lose their skills and become dispirited. I have known the frustration of sending applications to numerous positions on the Online Jobs sites, without even receiving an acknowledgement, to say nothing of an interview. That’s why it’s so important to leave the crowd chasing that 20% of jobs that get advertised, and seek out opportunities ’outside the box’. The chance to Work From Home running my own Internet Business has certainly given me a novel purpose despite the fact that I saw few prospects before.