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98
ILLUSTRATED BY ISTVAN BANYAI
WHATITIS,WHEREITIS,ANDHOWTOGETIT.PLUS:HOWTOMAKEALAYOFFPAYOFF,RECHARGEYOURRESUME,ANDUSETHEHARDEST-WORKINGWEBSITES.
OUR
JOB
Banks tank, stocks plunge,
companieslimp, jobs disappear—whether you’re theCEO at Circuit City or the salad spinner atApplebee’s. And experts predict that thewaves of unwelcome economic news willkeep cresting and crashing all year. Nearly2.6 million jobs disappeared in 2008, theworst annual drop since World War II.Hourly employees are working (and mak-ing) less. The new unemployment rate: awhopping 7.2 percent. Right now, if youcount part-time workers and people whohave simply given up on finding a job,the number balloons to 13.5 percent of the U.S. population. People who don’thave jobs, of course, tend not to havemoney. People without money buy fewerthings. Less spending means more busi-nesses lay off more people … and, well, you can see where this is heading.With so many people looking for sofew jobs and trying to navigate rules andresources that are constantly changing, you need help. We’ve gathered the latest
>
 
NEX
B Y C AT H I E G A N D E L A N D H I L A R Y S T E R N E
 
readersdigest.com
3/09
100
RE:LOSINGAJOB
advice from the professionals (human resourcesexperts, career coaches, and headhunters) and visitedan endless procession of websites (the topflight aswell as the bottom-feeders). We interviewed jobseekers across the country and hooked them up withfree personalized help from the pros. (And if that’snot enough, there’s still more help for everyone, jobor no job, at readersdigest.com/job.)The
Losing a Job
section covers warning signsand ways to rethink your career. The next section,
Finding a Job
, offers practical tips for every aspectof a job search. Next month, we’ll tell you how tocare for your career. Whether you’re in a cubicleor a corner office—or, at this point, would settlefor either—this handbook is definitely help wanted.
THE E XPE RT S 
Reader’s Digest
asked thispanel of job pros to sharetheir best advice in the tipboxes that follow.
Mark Anderson
, ExecuNet, a businessand career network
Anita Attridge
, the Five O’Clock Club,an outplacement and career counselingnetwork
Jo Bennett
, executive search firmBattalia Winston International
Gary Burnison
, search firm Korn/ Ferry International
John Challenger
, Challenger, Gray& Christmas, an outplacement firm
Debra Feldman
, the JobWhiz, anexecutive talent agency
Dennis Garritan
, human resourcesmaster’s programs, New York University
Katharine Hansen
, QuintessentialCareers, a job search resource
Randall Hansen
, QuintessentialCareers
Paul Mathews
, Hire Aspirations, acareer coaching and outplacement firm
Caroline Nahas
, Korn/Ferry
Stephen Rosen
, Celia Paul Associates,a career management firm
Nancy Salzman
, business, manage-ment, and legal programs, University of California, Irvine Extension
Bettina Seidman
, Seidbet Associates,a career coaching firm
Laurence Shatkin
, coauthor,
150Best Recession-Proof Jobs
Cheryl Lynch Simpson
, CoachingSolutionsForWomen.com
Bob Skladany
, RetirementJobs.com,a job site for people over 50
Trudy Steinfeld
, NYU’s WassermanCenter for Career Development
Laurence Stybel
, Stybel PeabodyLincolnshire, an executive careerconsulting firm
Elaine Varelas
, Keystone Partners, acareer management firm
Peter Weddle
, Weddle’s, a research,publishing, consulting, and training firm
Emily Westerman
, Office of CareerManagement at NYU’s School of Contin-uing and Professional Studies
Michael Worthington
, ResumeDoctor.com
{THEWARNINGSIGNS}
When you hear these phrases around thewatercooler, it may be too late. But this is whatcompanies are saying these days instead of “firing” or “layoff”:
>restructuring plan>restructuringprogram>company-widerestructuring planthat includes staffingreductions in alldivisions>planned reduction>head-count reduction>reduction in force>reducing our currentemployee total>global workforcereduction andalignment>repositioning>aligning operationsand resourcesworldwide>consolidatingoperations>downsizing>rightsizing>smartsizing
Also, from the blogof Stanford managementprofessor Robert I.Sutton:
>offboarded>rebalancing the levelof human capital>We’ve decided to go in anotherdirection
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JodiVee

great article, thanks for posting

reply12 / 29 / 2010
suppa kanga

I WONT ILARGER MY INTELEGENCE YOU NOW OR

reply11 / 09 / 2009
brian70s

I have just read the 16 pages of "your next job" plus suffered through 4 years of HIRING (age discrimination). I am a physically and mentally active SENIOR in my 70's who can attest to the tricks(?) of employers that, to date, have not been addressed: SALES MANAGEMENT is not listed in the "9 hot job fields" My 52 years sales experience indicates that, irrespective of age and education, if you CAN'T CLOSE, YOU CANNOT BE SUCCESSFUL at sales.Some suggestions: 1.Follow up an interview by calling and asking "why wouldnt you hire me?" 2.At my age, a EEOC consultant, at the age of my granddaughter, did not understand the trials and tribulations of a man my age. Could be a time waster? 3.When filling out a job application, a drivers licence(showing your age) should remain in your wallet. 4.Watch out for tricky questions such as Year you graduated from either High School or any College. 5. Should you possess a resume either HAND CARRY it to ALL interviews or enlist the aid of an inexpensive HEAD HUNTER..mailing resumes end up by being kicked out by a computer. 6. Stay away from STAFFING AGENCIES that seem to represent a GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM when you walk through the door! 7. Be aware that the A.A.R.P National Employer List includes companies that need the P.R. power of A.A.R.P.....I am still waiting for a reply from STAPLES when I applied in store Oct 2007. Express Personell Services and Kelly Services should also be avoided. How about the need for a COLLEGE EDUCATION requirement just to be a rental car agent at AVIS! BOTTOM LINE--When all the BABY BOOMERS hit the job market in 2011 will they only qualify for SOCIAL SECURITY providing that is still around? Is it also possible that us OLDER guys/gals, irrespective of education will constantly subsidise the college gradutes when job seeking?? My apologies to all for this negative overview of my past few years experience as a SENIOR JOB HIRING APPLICANT. I SUPPOSE THAT IT IS "BETTER TO BE OVER THE HILL THAN UNDER IT!" GOOD LUCK! Brian

reply02 / 22 / 2009
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