It seems that the only way to survive this difficult economy is to tighten our belts. Someone on the news a few days ago said we are coming out of the recession, yet the unemployment numbers don’t reflect this. If you have been out there looking for a job you know how tough it is. Not so very long ago it used to be you could look at the help wanted ads and there were pages of ads. Now it’s relegated to less than one page in the newspaper. Not only that but for every job there are tons of others vying for the same job.
It is not enough to simply walk in with a standard resume anymore. One of the first things a job seeker needs to do is take a hard look at their resume and make sure to show all of their strong points and qualifications. When going to an interview your appearance is going to be the first thing the potential employer sees so make sure to look well groomed and that your dress is appropriate. Try to be as relaxed as possible, nervousness will show.
If you are out of work there are things you can do to tighten your belt that may help you ride the storm. If you have a car you might consider trading it on on one that gets better gas mileage, or try public transportation. If you smoke try cutting down to ½ your normal intake for the day and then eventually quitting. Use your freezer to freeze leftovers. These come in real handy when the money is extremely tight. Don’t throw anything away, you’d be amazed at the things that can be used for other things, empty butter containers become leftover containers etc. Walmart has begun selling generic items which will really help cut the dollars out of your grocery bill each month.
Try to think of places in your day to day living where you can cut corners until you get that next job and keep your fingers crossed, knock on wood and throw salt over your left shoulder! We are all hoping that this piss poor economy will turn around and give back instead of taking and taking and taking. This Christmas I know there are going to be more families suffering than celebrating so in the light of karma and paying it forward, if you’re fortunate enough to have a little extra this holiday season consider doing something real nice for a family in need. Karma will be your friend.
