The Job-Hunter's Survival Guide

1. Jobs Always Exist, Even in Tough Times

The larger the number of people who have jobs, the more certain it is that there are and will be job vacancies out there, waiting to be filled.

Human factors create vacancies. With 140 million people employed in the U.S., jobs constantly open up due to natural human factors like promotion, moving, sickness, retirement, or death. Even in a brutal downturn, this churn creates millions of vacancies each month. New jobs are also constantly created by innovation and technology.

Competition increases. While vacancies exist, brutal economic times mean significantly more people are looking for work than there are openings. This fierce competition requires job-hunters to develop stronger skills than might have been sufficient in easier times. Don't assume "there are no jobs out there"; assume the competition is just much tougher.

Skills are essential. Success in a competitive market depends on enhanced job-hunting skills. This includes treating job hunting as your full-time job, working hard and persistently, conducting a thorough self-inventory to focus your search, and updating your knowledge on effective 21st-century job search methods.

2. Hope Survives When You Have Alternatives

The secret of keeping Hope alive is to always have alternatives.

Avoid despair through options. When one job-hunting method isn't working, having alternative strategies prevents you from giving up. Studies show that job-hunters using only one method are far more likely to abandon their search compared to those using multiple approaches.

Multiple methods increase hope. Research indicates that using more than one job-hunting method significantly increases your chances of staying motivated and continuing your search. Aim for at least three alternative strategies to combat feelings of hopelessness when facing setbacks.

Eighteen ways to look. The book outlines eighteen distinct methods for finding work, ranging from traditional approaches like resumes and ads to more effective strategies like networking, direct employer contact, and self-inventory. Explore these options to build your personal portfolio of alternatives.

3. Prepare for a Longer Job Search Than You Expect

The average (mean) length of unemployment now comes to 20.1 weeks, and climbing.

Expect a long haul. Current economic conditions mean unemployment can last much longer than in previous downturns, potentially twenty-one weeks or more for many. Financial and emotional preparation for this extended period is crucial.

Anxiety is widespread. A significant majority of people are concerned about job loss in their household, leading to widespread belt-tightening. This anxiety is well-founded given the current average duration of unemployment.

Be safe, not sorry. Given the potential length of unemployment, it's wise to prepare for the worst-case scenario financially and mentally. This means living frugally, exploring all available support systems, and maintaining patience and hope.

4. Protect Your Finances: Be Frugal and Avoid Scams

The wallet you save will be your own.

Beware of predatory offers. When desperate, job-hunters are targets for scams promising quick cash, free help, or debt relief, often requiring personal information or upfront fees. Be highly suspicious of offers requiring credit card numbers for "free" services.

Prioritize frugality and debt reduction. Living simply, cutting expenses (even necessities), and aggressively paying down debt (especially high-interest credit cards) are essential financial strategies during unemployment. Use online resources and coupons to stretch your budget.

Seek legitimate help. Explore legitimate sources of financial assistance like unemployment insurance, food stamps, and health insurance options. Consider temporary stop-gap jobs, financial counseling, or even temporarily moving back home if relationships allow, as lifelines.

5. Most Common Job Search Methods Are Least Effective

This results in finding a job for 7 out of every 100 people who use this method.

Resumes are a gamble. Mailing or posting resumes online is the most common method, but has a dismal success rate, estimated as low as 1 job for every 1,470-1,700 resumes. While necessary sometimes, relying solely on resumes is a "big fat gamble."

Ads and agencies have low odds. Answering ads in journals or newspapers, and using private employment agencies also have relatively low success rates (5-28%), particularly for higher-paying jobs. Employers often fill positions through other means.

Focus time wisely. Given the low success rates of these traditional methods, allocate your job-hunting time proportionally. Spending 100% of your time on methods with a 7% success rate is inefficient and can lead to burnout and despair.

6. The Internet is a Useful, But Limited, Tool (The 10% Solution)

Still, if it works for you, you will thank your lucky stars for the Internet. So, I call this “the 10% Solution.”

Internet search limitations. While the Internet offers vast resources (job boards, company sites, social networks), its effectiveness for finding a job is limited, historically resulting in a job for only about 10% of users. This is partly because employers don't post all vacancies online.

Job-matching challenges. Internet job searches often rely on job titles, which can be problematic. Titles vary between companies, and many niche or evolving roles don't fit standard categories, causing searches to miss relevant opportunities.

Use it strategically. Dedicate about 10% of your job-hunting time to online searches using omnibus engines, major job boards, community sites, niche boards, and social networks. Don't let the low success rate discourage you; it's a numbers game, and it works for some.

7. Your Online Presence is Your New Resume

All these things, together, comprise your New Resume, a richer body of data about You than your old Resume ever hoped to be.

Employers Google you. In the 21st century, employers don't just rely on the paper resume you provide; they search online for your "New Resume," which includes everything about you on social media, blogs, videos, and websites. This gives them a potentially unfiltered view.

Control your narrative. You can influence your New Resume by editing unflattering content, adding your traditional resume online, filling out profiles completely on professional sites like LinkedIn, and expanding your online presence through forums, blogs, and videos showcasing your expertise.

Build a digital portfolio. Use your online activity to assemble a portfolio of your talents and achievements. This allows you to direct potential employers to a richer, more detailed picture of your capabilities, helping you stand out from other candidates.

8. Finding Your Next Job Requires Digging Deeper Than Old Titles

That’s what job-titles do. "Personnel director" has become "human resources professional," "librarian" has become "information-management specialist," "salesman" has become "sales manager," and so it goes—on and on and on.

Jobs shapeshift. Just like people change over time, jobs and their titles are constantly evolving. The job you used to have might now exist under a different title or have shifted in its core responsibilities. Relying solely on your old title limits your search.

Explore related opportunities. To find work similar to what you did before, think beyond the title. Consider companies that supplied your previous workplace, places using similar technology, training providers, former customers, community organizations involved in your projects, or even starting your own business based on community needs.

Analyze job components. Break down your previous job (or any job) into its core components: skills used, field/knowledge area, people involved, goals achieved, working conditions, salary, and geography. This analysis reveals the underlying essence of the work, which is more stable than the title.

9. Analyze Jobs by Their Component Parts (The Flower)

A job—any job—has seven parts to it. If it were a flower it would have seven petals.

Jobs have structure. Understanding the seven components of any job allows you to look beyond fluctuating titles and identify the fundamental elements of the work itself. This provides a clearer picture of what a job truly entails.

Seven petals of a job:

• Transferable Skills (what you do)
• Field/Special Knowledges (what you do it with/in)
• People Environments (who you work with/serve)
• Goals (why you do it)
• Working Conditions (how/where you do it)
• Salary/Compensation (what you get paid)
• Geography (where it is)

Practice analysis. Analyze your past jobs using this "Flower" framework. This practice helps you become adept at identifying the core elements of work, preparing you to define what you want in a future role, regardless of its title.

10. Your Dream Job is Tailored to Who You Are

Your dream job is work that flows from, and has an essential connection to, who you are.

Dream job is personal. A dream job isn't a universal "cushy" role; it's work uniquely suited to your individual gifts, passions, and identity. It's a "marriage of doing and being," where your work aligns with your authentic self.

Avoid the "marketable" trap. Focusing only on what's currently "marketable" can lead to feeling like a "square peg in a round hole." A fulfilling job search starts with understanding yourself, not just the external market demands.

Build from within. Finding your dream job involves building up a vision of your ideal work from your internal components – your preferred skills, fields, people, goals, and conditions – rather than trying to fit yourself into pre-defined job boxes.

11. Deep Self-Inventory is the Most Effective Job Search Method

This method has an 86 percent success rate.

Know yourself first. The most effective job search begins with a thorough, up-to-date inventory of who you are: your preferred skills, interests, values, and ideal working conditions. This self-knowledge is the foundation for a focused and successful search.

Vision is everything. Just as focusing your eyes on a target improves accuracy in throwing or driving, having a detailed vision of your ideal job significantly increases your chances of finding it. The more specific your picture, the more likely you are to reach it.

The Flower exercise works. Using the "Flower" diagram to analyze and build your ideal job based on your preferred skills, fields, people, goals, and conditions is the most powerful method. It has an 86% success rate, vastly outperforming resume-based searches (12 times better), because it focuses your search on what truly fits you.

Last updated: May 11, 2025