The Job Hunt of 2010.

Unemployment data was released today. The nation gained 431,000 jobs in May. However, 411,000 of those are temporary census worker jobs. The unemployment rate dropped to a whopping 9.7% from 9.9%. I have been out of work since October 31, 2008, when I was laid off from my contract position at Volvo Cars North America in Irvine, CA.

Unemployment has become quite the cottage industry in America these days. There are networking sites, seminars, job posting sites, recruiters, etc. all vying for your attention and money.

I have tried many of these, so let’s take a look at some of them.

I started off with a job seminar back in CA. It was $150. I learned about teamwork, resume polishing, elevator speeches, how to exaggerate the significance of your contribution to the greater good. Some of these I already knew. Resume padding is not a new concept. I have seen it for years. I choose not to engage in such practices because first, it is dishonest. Also, there are really good chances of someone catching your lies on a resume. Today, there are no secrets. I learned how to write a proposal and pitch it to a perspective employer. I learned to network and work in groups. It was like those projects in school where a couple of people do all the work and the rest just hang on and attach their name. Our group was pretty good overall. I made a couple of friends from it. I enjoyed the course and did my best to keep up with all the homework and assignments.

What were the results? I was out $150. I have a new resume. I have a couple of new friends. I have a report on inventory control at a dealership. I still have no job. I don’t think anyone else in my group has gained employment, either. I sent my special report to every dealership in the Richmond area. I did not get a single response. Everyone I have asked about my new resume tells me it needs work. In the end, I still do not have a job.

Now, let’s talk about these job search websites. The first thing they tell you is that your resume is crap. It does not matter when or how you did it, it is crap. It does not matter if you have paragraphs, bullet points, SWOT analysis, core competencies, etc. But, if you will pay them between $300 and $700, they will write you the perfect resume. Also, for $15 to $50 a month, they will let you in on their secret jobs that no one else knows about. Even though when you apply for these, they send you to the corporate website to apply, again. I could save the money and just go to the corporate website and apply myself. Also, you fill out your resume on the site. Then, when you go to apply, you have to fill another one out for them. So, what exactly, are they doing for you for your monthly fee? The free sites like monster and hotjobs are not any different. You fill out a resume on their site. Then you search for jobs. Then, you go to the corporate website and fill out their forms. I am seeing a pattern developing, here.

Then, there is the old fashioned cold call. That is where you mail in a resume and cover letter and hope someone calls you back. That tends to be a waste as well. Even though, it is just as effective as the other methods. So far, the end result has been the same.

The biggest craze right now is social networking. This is where you and a group of strangers get together and swap war stories about how you became unemployed and how bad it is out there for jobs. There are places liked LinkedIn.com and Facebook.com for this activity as well. Everyone is now saying that networking is the key. That may be for some. The social butterflies of our society may love this method. But, those of us who prefer not to be out in public are not that crazy about it. The old saying about it’s not what you know, but who you know has taken root here. It may be true. But, again, I do not see a lot of results from this, either. Some of these groups ask for “donations” as well.

I do not have the answer. I am still looking for a job. I am still trying some of these methods that do not cost me money. Like I said, I am out of a job. How am I going to pay you to find me one with no income? I still get unemployment. Barring any more extensions, that will run out this summer. That, in itself, has become a disincentive to find a job. Now, you have to find a job that pays you more than you are making on unemployment less travel and meal expenses associated with the world of work. But, I will save that for another time.

Good Luck to my fellow job hunters. Also be wise about how you search and who you pay for it.