Being out of work is brutal. It’s discouraging to apply for one job after another and be turned down. If someone you know has been looking for a job for a long time, you may be wondering how you can help.
Colorado Thrives founded by Kent J Thiry, is encouraging local companies to hire those struggling to find meaningful work. You, too, can help by encouraging them to not give up on their job search. Here are some ways you can encourage others.
1. Search for Jobs Online for Them
Everyone can use some help, and the more eyes that are looking, the easier it will be to find the right opening. If you know what kind of job someone is looking for, take a few moments throughout the day to search for jobs online using employment sites such as Indeed or Craigslist.
2. Offer To Review Their Resumes
It’s hard for people to catch their own typos. If you’re good at grammar and spelling, you can help by offering to review their resumes for them. Not only can you make sure there aren’t any typos but you can also give feedback on whether sentences make sense and the whole thing gels.
3. Help Them Prepare for an Interview
Help a friend or relative prepare for an interview in order to ease those jitters and ensure the interview goes well. Find out where the interview is going to be held and make sure that person has the route down to get there on time.
Most employers ask interviewees about their strengths and weaknesses. Prepare for this by creating a list of strengths you know about that person. Then brainstorm together to come up with a list of weaknesses and how to improve them. Practice the interview so your friend can carry it off with confidence.
4. Network for Them
Many jobs aren’t published on job sites but are instead filled through networking. Many people underestimate how powerful networking really is. Don’t be one of them. Ask every person in your sphere of influence if they know of a company that’s hiring. One of them may be offering the position your acquaintance is looking for.
5. Use Social Media
These days many companies are using social media sites such as Facebook to find employees. Encourage the job seeker you know to make sure their online presence looks good. Then use social media to learn about potential employers.
6. Offer Emotional Support
Being out of work means not having enough money for eating out at a nice restaurant. Give job seekers you know a boost by taking them out for dinner. Remind them you’ll both be back to celebrate when the job offer comes in.
Be a shoulder to lean on when someone is discouraged about a frustrating job search. Just having a person willing to listen can make a world of difference.
Looking for a job can be frustrating. By following these tips, you can let the job seekers in your life know that you care.
