YOUR RANT: I was just laid off and can't find anything.
911 REPAIR: I have a three-part mantra for anyone who has been laid off: "It's not fair, it's not your fault, and you're not alone." But according to a recent study by CareerBuilder.com, there is now a fourth: Odds are you will find a job. Forty-one percent of those laid-off in the past year found a new full-time job, and 8 percent found part-time work. Which reminds me of the Fosbury Flip. Invented by Dick Fosbury, this gold medal-winning high-jump technique involved jumping backward over the bar.
Backward? The CareerBuilder.com survey found that 49 percent of those hired had to take less pay, while only 15 percent landed a bigger paycheck. You can get hired, but the odds are you'll have to eat some humble pie. I've built today's three Dos and one Don't around other key findings from this important survey.
-- DO look in your 'hood. A lot of people say the best way to get a job is to move to where the jobs are. I disagree. The survey found that only 13 percent of workers got jobs by relocating. Why? The best way to get a job is through networking, and most of us know the most people in our own backyard. After all, that's where 87 percent of the jobs were in this survey.
-- DO explore new possibilities. Thirty-eight percent of those hired found work outside of their current profession, according to the survey. We all need to take a broader look at our skills and opportunities to see what we can offer a new industry or profession. But remember that when you look for work in a new area, there will be lots of people out there with more experience. That's why you've got to focus on what skills you have that will easily transfer to a new field.
-- DO prepare to wait. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it will take between 16 weeks for a younger worker and 22 weeks for an older worker to find a job. Which explains why the CareerBuilder.com survey found that 45 percent of job seekers ended up tapping into long-term savings. Don't beat yourself up if you are hurting financially, because many others are in the same position. However, get frugal ASAP, because this won't be solved overnight.
-- DON'T assume that older workers have it the worst. This was the most intriguing result from the survey: 46 percent of workers over age 55 were able to find a new job. This trailed workers aged 35 to 44, who were hired 68 percent of the time. But it was ahead of workers 18 to 24, who were hired at only 41 percent. To all the older workers out there, don't lose hope. Your experience can be the key to landing you a new job.
Sometimes you have to go backward a bit to eventually get ahead. It won a gold for Dick Fosbury, and it can do the same for you.