Despite the difficult economic circumstances, I've continued to recruit this year for positions on my team. I'm not recruiting like I did in 2007 though - when there were quite a few more positions to fill.
The positions I hire for and manage appeal to Generation Y - often men and women who have recently graduated from college. It may be the first career oriented job search they've conducted. Unfortunately, the economic downtown may leave most of the class of 2009 without the job they were looking for right away. So how should they conduct an effective job search and what should they do if it takes longer than they wished?
A piece in Businessweek online offers some excellent advice:
Gen-Y: How to get a job now
I can always count on Seth Godin for some outside the box thinking. Take a look at what he has to say on the topic:
Graduate school for unemployed college students
Finally, I found that networking is one of the most powerful tools in a job search. Start by listing everyone you know who you respect for some reason whether it be professionall or even personally. Add to that list people you identify at companies in your chosen field even if they may not be hiring. Now, make as many appointments as you can to talk with these people - in person whenever possible. When you get a chance to network with these people, ask good questions. The last question should be a request for 3 people from their rolodex they think you should talk to. If you then pursue those people with the strategy above, your network expands exponetially and eventually you will run into opportunities.
