All post by

Paul Dzurec

Three Ways to Help a Friend Back to Work

Do you know someone who’s stuck as one of the four million long-term unemployed Americans? A family member, a recent graduate, a neighbor, a friend? With long-term unemployment at 42.1% and Labor Force Participation at only 61.6%, most of us know someone. But what can we do?

At NextJob we’ve coached many people struggling to get back in the job market and we’ve learned some important lessons as the Great Recession produced record numbers of long-term unemployed.

What We’ve Learned

First, it appears that getting stuck can happen to just about anyone, regardless of work experience or education.  Job loss is ranked as one of life’s top stressors, alongside divorce and death of a loved one.  It can be hard to recover quickly and can lead to a downward spiral.

Second, reemployment rates drop the longer someone is out of work.  Employers begin to have more questions about employment gaps and job seekers tend to lose their confidence, sapping motivation and the proactive approach that an effective job search demands.

Last, most people can get back to work, but they often need someone in their corner, someone they can trust and talk with weekly about how it’s going.  This accountability factor is critical:  It’s why the job search industry has long agreed that job clubs - regular meetings of job seekers to discuss progress - are one of the most fruitful activities.

Schools, Government & Employers

More than anything, though, we’ve learned that the best strategy is preventing long spells of unemployment through preparation.  Job seekers rate their job search skills at a D+ - not failing, but definitely depressing.  And a sampling of newly-graduated college students rated themselves at an F+ (though the plus seems moot once you’re in the F range).  As a society, we need to be more focused on teaching job search skills in high school and college.  Government benefit programs can also promote proactivity with smarter work search requirements.  And as employers, we can leverage next generation outplacement that can now more than pay for itself in saved unemployment taxes alone.

Three Ways Friends Can Help

Friends and family can also make a big difference using three strategies:

1. Encouragement - Set a time to meet weekly and be a good listener and encourager. Help your friend think through their natural talents, the positive parts of their background and the paid or unpaid accomplishments they’ve had in the past and make sure they have those highlighted in their resume and can speak effectively about them. If they’re depressed, consider discussing professional help.

2. Accountability - Ask your friend what their weekly goals are, and, once they’ve set them, help them stick to the plan each week. Help celebrate every win they have – a new target employer, an updated resume, a network connection, an interview, etc.

3. Connections - Half of all hires are made through a hiring manager’s network. You or someone you know may be the network connection or the encouragement they need: a) to target companies—regardless of whether they have currently posted positions—and b) to start using Facebook, LinkedIn or old fashioned networking to find others who can help get them connected. Proactivity in a job search can increase the likelihood of landing a job by over 60%. If we all work together – schools, government, employers and friends – imagine how many of our unemployed neighbors we can help land on their feet again and reap the benefits and the dignity of a new job.

Free NextJob Services

To support your efforts, for a limited time, we are offering your family and friends access to our online job search training system for free.  They can simply go to www.nextjobtraining.com and use the access code “NextJobCovid19” to access resources that will help them set goals, create a resume that gets noticed, target employers, prepare to interview well and much more. As part of our close network this gift is free from NextJob for your family and friends.

For more insights, visit us at  www.nextjob.com.

Haventree/NextJob partnership contributes to ⭐5-Star Mortgage Products for 2021⭐

Haventree Bank, a Canadian mortgage originator is working to change out mortgages work. "Our goal is to become Canada's alternative mortgage lender of choice." (Source: Haventree Bank). And how are they doing it? "We truly believe our current and future success is based on one factor – our people."

The Canadian Mortgage Professional recognized Haventree Bank as best in class for Canadian Mortgage products.

Haventree Bank: Thank you to our Mortgage Broker Community for recognizing our #NextJob Program in the ⭐5-Star Mortgage Products for 2021⭐
Visit 💻 https://lnkd.in/et6Kp2Nu to learn more about our program.

At NextJob, we invented a new idea: that banks can help delinquent borrowers land jobs for a win-win. When homeowners are delinquent on their mortgage payments, it's often due to unemployment or underemployment. And that unemployment may have become long-term unemployment. Many unemployed individuals have found that the longer they are unemployed, the harder it is to find a new job.  

"While there is never a good time to be out of work, you have a definite advantage because you have a mortgage with Haventree Bank. That means you have something no other mortgage lender offers; financial professionals who genuinely care about you, your family and your home. . . .The NextJob program helps eligible homeowners who may be struggling with their mortgage payments due to unexpected job loss." (Source: Haventree Bank)

For more information on Haventree bank, please visit https://www.haventreebank.com

For more information on NextJob, please visit https://www.nextjob.com

Using Your Smart Phone in Your Job Search

To stay up-to-date on the newest job postings and follow up on job applications, you don't have to sit at your computer all day. Using a smart phone in your job search allows you to keep your job search current and active while you’re on the go.

Here are three ways to use your phone in your job search:

Learn new job search techniques on NextJobtraining.com –  Log into your account right from your phone and learn how to approach employers while you're waiting in line at the grocery, brainstorm your resume keywords while you're on the treadmill or write your 60-second elevator pitch while you're in the elevator. Your phone isn't just for collecting friends any more.  If you don't have access, send us a note for a free access code.

Expand connections on LinkedIn Jobs – Install the LinkedIn Jobs app on your phone to search for open positions, apply for jobs, learn more about the company and see if you have any connections in your network that can introduce you to the employer. Be sure to update your profile and preferences in LinkedIn, because the mobile site will also recommend jobs based on your profile and past search criteria.

Apply for jobs on Indeed Job Search – The Indeed Job Search app on your phone will let you quickly search for jobs based on your industry, job title and location so you are the first to know about new job postings. You can also attach your resume to your account so you can apply for jobs through the app and set up email alerts to let you know when matching new job has been posted.

To find more simple tools and time-saving tricks to stay active in your job search, log in to your NextJob account.

P.S. Job search sites report that 50-70% of job search traffic now comes from mobile devices. Don't get left behind. Stay ahead of your competition by frequently checking for new job postings and be prepared to respond on the go. Log in to your NextJob account to learn more.