Why Are So Many People Still Out of Work

Why Are So Many People Still Out of Work My hypothesis as to why so many people are still out of work is that they do not know how to talk about their talents in a way that the future employer understands.   It is as if the job seeker is speaking a different language and the employer doesnt understand. The reason this is happening?   The majority of job seekers dont take the time to customize their written tools (cover letters, resumes, marketing plans, bios, profiles). Is it ignorance or laziness? In either case, it is fixable with the right perspective and research! As I was thinking about writing this post I thought I would share how to customize a resume based on the requirements of a job posting.   Lo and behold, Louise Fletcher at Blue Sky Resume, has done exactly this!   Thanks Louise.   You did it better than I could have ever done.   Please, visit her blog now and read this posting if you have any doubts on how to customize your resume for a job posting! I have vented too on the frustration in receiving documents claiming to be resumes for specific job postings. Is Your Resume Meeting the Needs of the Employer. If you think you are customizing your resume, think again.   Ask someone from a different industry to read it and see what they think.   I have seen job seekers use company jargon and terminology that frequently doesnt match with the job they are applying for.   They think theyve changed enough to make it a match. Remember, the job posting is the RFP (request for proposal).   Your resume is your proposal.   It need not include every thing you CAN do.   It needs to focus on what the posting is asking for.   If you dont know the needs of the employer or their industry, you will have to do some research.   This is another reason why you need to get out and network.   I wrote a post about getting your head out of the sand to help understand what networking really is.   Rita Carey so nicely stated the other night that networking is about research not job search! The other really important thing to remember is that job search is more than applying for on-line jobs.   That is not a strategy, it is an tactic and one that doesnt net a high return on your investment.   Certainly do it, but, everything in moderation.