A great learning opportunity....

So I have been overwhelmingly consumed with looking for a job lately. It is maddening at times. Not to mention exhausting and a blow to your self esteem. Funny how something can take over your whole day and life. This is a pretty important thing though. I just feel so bad sometimes because you have to apply online for 95% of the jobs out their. It leaves you questioning if the posting is really real. You don't get any response from 90% of the jobs you apply for and every online application is different. You have to customize your application to each type of job you apply for and then wait and wait and wait, just to hear nothing.  I have rewritten my resume more than a dozen times. I have applied for close to 85 to 90 jobs in the past two months. I have pushed through even when I have felt so discouraged and unemployable and So much more... Needless to say it has been a great learning opportunity.

I have learned to...

• Create a generic resume to build from and save the job specific resumes in their own files. That way you have easy access to them when you need to post them to your application.
• Find web sites that have sample interview questions so I can practice for telephone interviews, answer online interview questions and personality interview questions.  I have typed up a general list of these questions and answers, saved them to a file so I have another quick reference to pull from.
• You must always answer your telephone with a friendly tone just in case it is a potential employer. First impression over the phone is very important. 
• Job web sites have a lot of listings on them that are temp agencies so you have to learn who they are and decide if you want to go that route. Their are usually contracts involved and the temp agency handles your pay check. 
• Job web sites are not always the best way to apply for the job. I try to find the companies web site first to see if you can apply directly to the company. That way you know your chances of the application getting to them is better.
• Research the company history before you apply for the job. It will help you answer some of the interview questions during the process. Click on the "About us" section of the companies web site.
• Never apply for the jobs that do not list the companies name. I just made that rule for myself from the start. With so many crooks out their you never know who you are dealing with.
• The best time to get noticed is to apply for a job within the first day or two of the job posting. So many people are applying these days. The employer is overwhelmed as well. They can only look at so many applications. 
• No matter how silly the interview question may seem, their is a reason they are asking you. The employer needs to know who they are hiring. Always make your answer a positive even if it is on a negative subject.

It is a lot of work, finding work. Stay focused, educate your self, endure, and pray, pray, pray. Don't forget to say thank you too.

This post is kind of boring and could go on for a while so I am gonna stop their. I have learned so much. I am thankful to have had this opportunity. I love learning. Even this stuff.