Tips

Lee Terry & Associates
Executive Recruiters for the Building Industry
Phone 650-570-7913
Email: leeterry@lterryrecruiter.com

Coping With Layoff

Fired, terminated, laid off . . . no matter what term is used, the sudden loss of a job engenders a wide range of feelings. Disbelief, anger, hurt, dismay and fear are emotions familiar to those who have been affected by the "downsizing" of their companies.

These are natural reactions which must be worked through so concentration can be focused on the important steps of organizing and rebalancing one's lifestyle to cope with a period of possible unemployment, and working on finding a new position.

The recession of 2007 has lasted longer than previous cycles and unfortunately, looks as if it will continue for some time to come. Today it is necessary to be realistic in terms of career goals, choices and responsibilities and dollars. Choices made now might not be long term ideals, but short term solutions.

Looking for a job takes full time effort and should be approached with careful planning. Assess your financial situation to determine the time period between "comfort zone" and "critical need."

How rapidly your situation becomes critical may dictate a different course of action, such as seeking temporary work while pursuing a permanent job or moonlighting in a non related area or doing consulting on an interim basis.

Evaluate your financial condition and contact creditors to arrange for reduced payments before allowing accounts to become delinquent.

Be sure that company insurance benefits are transferred to individual status under COBRA provisions to minimize worries about health matters. Once details are taken care of, you can begin your job search with energy and clear focus.

Take a little time to clear your head and then focus on your strengths and what you can bring to a company.

The first step in a job search is to take an honest look at your capabilities and make an assessment of their value in today's market. For some it may be necessary to determine how skills and experience can be transferred to other segments of the industry less affected by the recession, if jobs prove scarce. For example, administrative and accounting skills can be utilized in property management or other companies. Construction experience can be applied to other fields, including remodeling, commercial construction or tenant improvement work.

First, prepare a resume that is clear, concise, mistake free, easily readable and explains your experience, capabilities and qualifications. Omit any personal data as it is irrelevant to your ability to do a job. Salary history and requirements should never be included in a resume, but discussed after an initial interview or in a cover letter, if specifically requested. Reference sheets should be typed with names, telephone numbers and other relevant information. For construction related positions, a separate project sheet detailing position, project type, dollar value and size is a useful addition to the resume package.

Several avenues exist for your job search. Online job boards and newspaper advertisements deal with specific job opportunities, but can be highly competitive. They are, however, worth pursuing even in the face of limited response.

Recruiters and employment consultants can play an important role in your search. Recruiters are retained by employer clients to find the best available people for specific positions and their fees are paid by those employer clients. They often knowledgeable about current and future positions within their areas of expertise. Recruiters are not marketing representatives for individuals, although some recruiters will bring a candidate to a company's attention if they know their client well and believe there is a match.

When dealing with agencies or search firms, make sure they work in your particular field, since most firms specialize. Ask the recruiter about his or her experience in placing candidates with backgrounds similar to yours.

Sending out unsolicited resumes in a blanket campaign limits the ability of recruiters to work on your behalf and has very low return for effort.

When answering advertisements, be sure your cover letter gives a brief synopsis of how your background relates to the advertised position. If a company name is included, do some research on that company before replying to include those remarks in your cover letter include your phone number and set up a follow up date, if possible.

Networking is an excellent source of potential leads, particularly in a close-knit industry. Referrals, business contacts, "the little black book," are all good starting places, as are the excellent lists provided by local business journals. The National Association of Homebuilders has a WEB site Builderjobs.com which is purely industry related.

Be specific in your purpose when calling contacts, either information gathering, for specific leads, or "who do you know?" so you don't waste their valuable time.

Make a list of companies that interest you or are in the news because of expansion, then call or write them, but be specific in your objective.

When you obtain an interview, remember you are in a selling mode and YOU are the product. Your job is to convince the interviewer why and how your background and experience can benefit the company.

There are many excellent books and web sites which carry information about interviewing and negotiating job offers. Many interviewers don't really know how to interview, so be sure to ask leading questions which give you a chance to find out what they want so you can zero in on the applicable part of your background and explain why you could do a good job for them.

Be enthusiastic during an interview and remember to keep the conversation job-related unless the interviewer brings up other subjects. "Tell me about yourself " means describing parts of your work history which relate to your job capabilities.

If you are open to geographic relocation, obtain source lists from BIA/HBA offices in those areas. Many business journals publish an annual "Book of Lists" that contain information about local developers, contractors, property management firms and other real estate related companies.

The key to success in today's market is concentrated effort, coupled with a positive attitude and realistic expectations. Recessionary cycles pass, and companies will rehire or restructure to face the new challenges.

leeterry@lterryrecruiter.com