Five Cool Job Search Strategies When You Are Strapped for Cash
Let's face it: searching for a job is difficult. In addition to the stress of not working the trauma of making critical decisions about the limited dollars in your pocket is the real thing that keeps you up at night, hampering the effectiveness of your job search.
The business of helping people find a job is a 30 million dollar enterprise. Job coaches like me and make an honest and rewarding living out of developing strategies to help people find what's next in their lives. Despite what your cousin Vinnie - who was in HR for a hot minute - may say, you can't do an effective job search alone. I endorse the work of my colleagues and highly recommend that if you have the money you should find a good career coach to guide you through the process of finding a job.
However, I get it. The vast majority of job searchers don't have the money to hire a coach. But the need to deploy effective strategies that can help you find a job is still there. So here are five cool and effective strategies to search for a job when you are strapped for cash.
5. Join your public library
Public libraries are hubs of job search information. In addition to a cache of books and other materials about business and job search tactics, many libraries have computers and high-speed internet connections. Go online to find the local library in your area.
4. Develop Your Job Search Strategy
 While at the library check out books and review materials that will help you develop your job search strategy. Having a strategy will save time and money while giving direction and purpose to your job search activities.
3. Find a Job Search Group
Finding a job can be a lonely enterprise. Job search clubs sponsored by nonprofit  groups can be a way to network with fellow job seekers. These groups are also an effective way to flesh out leads, and get advice at little or no cost. Google the words " job search" to find resources in your area.
2. Network
Studies by the US Department of Labor, CareerBuilder.com and others show that 90% of all jobs are obtained by networking. Now, networking does not always occur at so called networking events, actually the best networking takes place in the everyday places of our lives; the supermarket, on the bus, at the high school football game. I urge you to always be open to strike up a discussion, be willing to help and to tell your story. The Great Recession has removed the stigma of being unemployed. So pack your business cards and always be ready to share your expertise with people you meet. I have written a lot about networking here are some posts that may help develop your networking skills and strategy.
Fortune Favors the Prepared Networker
How To Network With LinkedIn
How to use LinkedIn to Build A Great Network
1. Become a Thought Leader
Employers hire people because of their expertise. Your resume shows only a part of  your expertise. Use online tools like blogging, Facebook and LinkedIn to demonstrate to the world and more importantly to potential employers how much you know. Michael Brenner writing for Forbs.com has written an interesting post on Thought Leadership. While the post is bent toward business-to-business communication, the smart job searcher can find key principals to create a job search thought leadership campaign.
The Bottom Line: Be More Resourceful
Without question money is always helpful to fuel a job search however, the secret element in finding a job in this most difficult market is your resourcefulness. Bring your creativity, innovation and ideas to the job search. These things - unlike money - are always in endless supply.
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