Day After Labor Day Pep Talk for the Jobless

It already feels a bit like fall. Children have all returned to school. Vacation time is over. Put away your summer attitude and get down to brass tacks. It’s time to refocus on where you need to be—gainfully employed.

The jobless rate was reported at 9.7% on Friday, a slight gain over the previous month, and it is likely to climb again. You could let that get you down. It would be easy to get down in light of unhappy statistics.

However, there is an undercurrent in which jobs are beginning to appear. Capitol Communicator reported last week “that things are starting to heat up on the business front” for DC area communications agencies. As I see it, new business leads to job opportunities. Also, the federal government, according to the Washington Post last week, will need to replace more than 270,000 retiring workers for “mission-critical” positions in the upcoming 3 years. More temporary jobs are starting to emerge as organizations find they need extra help for annual events or to replace people out on special leave, such as maternity.

Yes, most employers are back from vacations and refocused on business, and jobs may be slowly opening up, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t continue trying just as hard as you did right after losing your last job, whether because of a layoff or other reason. Or, that you don’t stand a chance in a highly competitive job market. You need to do whatever it takes to stand out, show off your strengths and offer employers what they need, and do it better than anyone else competing for the same jobs.

It’s a new season. Let’s get going.

Thoughtful Persistence Can Lead to Temp or Contract Work

There is a point at which repeatedly contacting someone about contract or temporary work is too much and will only hurt your chances. Certainly a phone call every day would be ridiculous, and every week could be overkill too. But staying in touch on a periodic basis—say, every couple of weeks or once a month—with your contacts at agencies where you are registered will give you an edge over others who are not so proactive.

It’s your job to help agents remember you in a favorable way when temporary positions begin to materialize. And, the word is that they are starting to appear. You want to be first on their call list for the best jobs. So, pick up the phone and call to say “Hi.” Indicate that you are still available and provide a quick update on what you have been doing to stay marketable.

This kind of thoughtful persistence can only work in your favor.

[You may also want to read this related post: To Temp or Not to Temp—That Is Sometimes the Question]

To Temp or Not to Temp—That Is Sometimes the Question

One of the first things I did after being laid off was contact major temporary contract placement firms in my field (marketing and communications) in the Washington, D.C. area market. One of them was a firm that helped me get my foot in the door of a previous employer through a temp-to-perm contract and that I later used to find temp help for a conference. Three other agencies have also signed me on as a “talent in waiting.”

That was four months ago. The temporary job market has been slow, even downright dry since then. I’ve stayed in touch with the agencies, however, periodically checking in to say “Hi” so that I am still on their radar screen. I even heard from one a few weeks ago about a job that disappeared as fast as it arose, but it raised my hopes. Employers are starting to fill the gaps in projects and programs—gaps made by layoffs or other changes such as maternity leave. It’s a good sign.

Margaret Zollars, who specializes in marketing placements for Aquent, said yesterday that she’s beginning to see an uptick in contract opportunities at the senior level as well as for mid-level professionals. She’s seen three new positions in D.C. just this week, and as summer wraps up, she pointed out, there will likely be more. For contract work, she said, “it’s a matter of having flexibility” regarding hours (PT vs. FT) and location, but you gain “a. exposure to an industry or interesting project” and the chance to “b. keep up your skills.”

Temporary or contract work can help fill the financial gaps after a layoff, since the pay rate is generally good. Some agencies offer benefits such as health insurance after you have been working with them for a while. If you land a part-time assignment, it will leave you some time for your job hunt, networking and interviews. Keep in mind that an assignment could last weeks or months when signing a contract.

You may also want to read this follow-up post: Thoughtful Persistence Can Lead to Temp or Contract Work