How to get a job in today's market

Oddly enough, I found advice on this topic in The Flint Journal ... but then, I did not check the Globe.

According to the story, I should tell you all that I need more work! I mean, the article doesn't say "Gillian Swart should say on her blog that she needs more work ..." I don't even know Melissa Burden, the person who wrote the story! (Although I did used to know someone named Mike Burden ... I wonder if they are related?)

Advertise your unemployment.

While letting others know you're looking for work may have been passe, job coaches suggest that changing your tune and advertising your job loss may just land you one.

So tell your neighbors, friends, family, former co-workers and others that you're looking and available.

I don't suppose any of you guys owns a newspaper or publishes a magazine, by any chance? I'm not exactly unemployed, as you know (apparently potential employers like you more if you're employed while looking for a job; potential employers are sick puppies).

Challenger and Pachter said joining social networking sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn (make sure to create a professional looking page) and adding friends and colleagues in your field can help in your search. (Challenger and Pachter are experts on this, apparently.)

Well, if it does not work out for me, it may work for someone else! After all, I was informed yesterday that my blathering on about Facebook motivated a reader to sign on.

More than that, a story I wrote about someone for SeaCoast Scene last summer got her a job interview! Yes, a man read the story, called the editor and asked the editor to have me call him so he could contact her.

Reminded me of high school, when boys used to call me to ask if I thought my friend Ann liked them.

The woman/subject of my story ended up taking another job, but we were both pretty amazed. Seems in my work, I'm more of a facilitator than a beneficiary. Luckily this works for me.

After spending some more time on Facebook over the past few days, I have more comments to make ... but that's another post.