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How Frugality Could Benefit Job Seekers

Editors Note: This article was written by guest contributor Ruth Hinds (@RuthHinds)

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that we’re living in tough economic times. With many organizations cutting back on their spending and looking at ways to slash unnecessary expenses, finding a job can be extremely difficult. You’ll be pleased to know that this doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t find work. In fact, organizational frugality could be a good thing for savvy job seekers.

Let’s take a look at why.

More freelance opportunities are available

Traditionally, most people spent their days working for someone else. But as the economic landscape changes, more and more opportunities are opening up for freelance workers who sell their services to bigger corporations. Businesses might not have the budget to pay for a full-time member of staff, but there are still jobs to be done. Working as a freelancer, you could secure several contracts with businesses who need skills just like yours, but on a more flexible basis. Whether you’re a copywriter, a web developer, a graphic designer, or an admin assistant, there are probably freelance opportunities out there that are perfect for you.

Employers could be more flexible

The fact that employers could have less desire for permanent and full-time members of staff could actually work in your favor if you have existing commitments. For job seekers to balance around childcare or studies is notoriously difficult, and employers usually prefer workers who can fit in with any schedule. When they’re working with tighter budgets though, there’s often some added leeway. It’s great news for job seekers looking for part-time employment.

If job seekers become proactive, could seek out amazing roles

When business is booming, no expense is spared when it comes to advertising vacancies. They may feature in national newspapers and trade magazines, meaning that lots of people know about them, and of course, will apply for them. If a business is cutting costs, they may just advertise via their own social media channels and websites. In other words, it can be harder to find out about vacancies, but there could be considerably less competition. If you want to take advantage of this, make sure that you’re closely following the businesses you’d love to work with online.

Lower level jobs could turn into something bigger

If you’ve got high career aspirations, frugality could lead to you getting a foot in the door and working your way up. If you’re happy to start at the bottom of the ladder, and are willing to prove your worth, you could really stand out. For this reason, don’t just rule out trainee jobs. Make it clear that you’d like some further responsibility and seek out opportunities to learn new skills and show your employer what you’re made of.

As you can see, it’s not all doom and gloom when it comes to finding work. You can make the recession work for you by thinking creatively and approaching your job search in a slightly different way.

How do you think frugality is changing the job market? Have you found ways to use a company’s frugality to your advantage?

This article was brought to you by Ruth Hinds on behalf of AllTheTopBananas.com. ATTB allows you to search for and browse through UK jobs in one place, from engineer jobs to IT jobs. You can also upload your CV to increase your chances of being headhunted.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

My name is Mark Anthony Dyson, and I am the Founder of The Voice of Job Seekers. I am a career advice writer, but more importantly, I hack and re-imagine the job search process.. I've worked with hundreds of job seekers one-on-one helping them to construct a narrative and strategy that appeals to hiring managers and recruiters. I present at colleges and organizations, and facilitated many workshops including my volunteer effort through a Job Lab. I write and create useful job search content on this blog and write career and workplace advice for blogs such as Glassdoor, Payscale, Job-Hunt.org, Prezi and more. Media Feature highlights: Forbes, Business Insider, NBC News, Glassdoor, LinkedIn's #GetHired, and NPR Freelance writer and content contributor: Glassdoor, Payscale, job-hunt.org, The Financial Diet, RippleMatch.com and more. Contact me to contribute career, job search, or workplace advice for your site at markanthonydyson@gmail.com.

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Job Seekers Can Learn Likeability From Charlie Brown

Growing up, my favorite books were the Charlie Brown volumes that my mom bought me. If I wanted to read, I read Charlie Brown. I felt that I identified with him the most. Glad my life didn’t turn into this 100 game losing streak in the way that he managed and played with his baseball team. Many people have been searching for jobs so long, he or she may feel like Charlie Brown. That may not be a bad thing, but let me explain.

Many of us identified with him because he was so human. More realistic than his cartoon contemporaries his age. Many people don’t remember the name of Charlie Brown’s baseball hero.

Joe Shilabotnik.

Who?

Joe Shilabotnik. He was not a real baseball player. He was fictional like Charlie Brown but here is what I remembered about this player.

1) He was not a starting player in the major leagues

2) He never had a batted .300, or hit home runs

3) Charlie Brown traded away Mickey Mantle and a number of all-stars to get Joe from Lucy. Lucy wouldn’t trade, but ended up tossing the card because he wasn’t as cute as she thought

4) None of the other characters talked about Joe either except Schroeder who once told C.B. that Joe was traded…down to a lower minor league team.

Think about it. Charlie Brown could have admired so many other players in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s: Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Yogi Berra, Sandy Koufax, and so many others. Instead, he chooses Joe Shilabotnik, probably a minor league standout who had played by default.

Charlie Brown’s own career wasn’t much to talk about either. Throughout the years, I only remember his team winning twice. Both wins were by forfeit because the other teams did not show up.

Not to mention that Charlie Brown got pounded as a pitcher. He was hit so hard sometimes that it made his body spin that his clothes came off.

Maybe you remember how Charlie Brown had always tried to kick the football from Lucy holding it. He kept trying, she kept pulling it away. But until later years, I admired the way he would put his whole body into it. He had the intentions of kicking it to kingdom come. Even his missed every time.

The one thing that we count on Charlie Brown to do…keep trying. Keep giving 100% effort, after we lose, or after pain.

But what is bitter sweet about the hiring process is that being liked goes a long way. Whether it sustains employment, there will be people who say yes and no, but you should be likeable. Like Charlie Brown. And Joe Shilabotnik.

What did we like about Charlie Brown?

Perseverance, endurance, steadfastness, and faith. Charlie Brown’s team lost year after year, and his team would come back year after year. He organized, coached, coordinated the team’s activities yearly with few good players and lots of lousy ones including himself. But he gave his all daily.

He had a vision he never gave up on. Would generations of kids and adults find Charlie Brown interesting if he was a champion? Perhaps. But we relate better to people who are more like us. That makes us likeable and hirable, that we come back from our losses. Like the movie “Seabiscuit,”we naturally cheer for the injured horse more than the others.

He had a faithful network of friends. You need your network to come to support, vouch, and encourage you daily. Although his friends complained about Charlie Brown, they were in position at game time. It is easy to rally people when you win. How about when you frequently lose? People must really like you rally around you if you are really a loser.

Everyone has felt like Charlie Brown, but few realize that he or she has redeemable and attractive professional attributes like him. Although it is up to the job seeker to feature them, a great resource are people within the network who could help bring out the best.

There are attributes about you that people like and could be used to get hired. What are they? How are you like Charlie Brown? Please share in the comments.

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Dads, Talk With Your Son About His Future Career, After The Sex Talk

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The future career talk during teen years is critical. I would like to proclaim that we as “Dad” have a “relationship” talk instead of a “sex” talk with our sons. Both jobs and sex are about relationships, and as Dads, we need to help our sons with building relationships. Our women will love us a little more. Not to mention the similarities that we should no longer ignore, nor disassociate from the main bridge between the two.

Careers are largely about the relationships we build. We have to be liked, but in different ways, without it being about us. Relationships are not about sex, but sex is about the relationship. I didn’t appreciate it until I was married for some time, and I like other Dads, learned this the hard way.

Here are several reasons of my own that relationships make the career, dating, and marriage intertwined:

Relationships and careers require respect and like, giving first, then earning the receipt of it. As a baby boomer, we grew up with a chauvinistic view of women, and the synonym was being macho. In this day and age, I am the caveman. Without validation, it sprinkled on my boys. If we fathers do not teach our boys to respect and like Mom, we have failed to help them with their future relationships with co-workers, bosses, girlfriends, wives, and in-laws.
Both require longitudinal planning. Just because we had short relationships and careers, doesn’t mean our sons have to experience the same. Help them to plant seeds, not just build a shelter. A healthy plant requires cultivation over time. Relationships and careers need the same cultivation, not just when we need something from someone.
Neither relationships or careers are about you. You are going to give more than you get, and receive a portion in return if you’re successful. If you are getting more, then respond by giving more than the other person.
Both have difficult and complex issues. Careers and relationships should be handled with truth and responsibility. Our teen boys need training in handling conflicts, unfairness, and tragedy with grace, courage, and truthfulness. If lying and deceit develops into a pattern early, it is so hard to un-train it (but it can be done). As Dads, if we have a problem with honesty, then it is hard for us to detect it in our kids. This is where we need to be humble and pass the baton to the women in our lives.
Mishandling careers and relationships can tear your life apart. As my working, college-bound son makes career defining decisions at 17 years old, he needs the training from me. He received his first college acceptance, and has more work experience than knowledge about girls. The work challenges are intriguing, but we talk a lot about how to handle them. Dads need that conversation often, at least once a week, even if for a few minutes each. They need to know how to handle work and relationships equally. As Dads, mistakes are training opportunities, and teachable moments that need immediate attention. Be there to catch them when they stumble or fall.

Train your sons character, and not just the behavior. The best lessons are hard to digest, and trying to control him will only breed rebellion in the long run. Being successful for years at a time takes a man who is accountable, dutiful, and skillful at relationships and career. The best lesson is failure, so as a Father, teach them to learn from failure. .

What are you struggling with in having these talks? Feel free to share them with us by commenting below.

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About Mark Anthony Dyson

About Mark Anthony Dyson

About Mark Anthony Dyson