MILWAUKEE — To The Rebound Milwaukee and Getting Back to Work. This pandemic is making it more challenging than ever to get that face time to land your dream job.
Job Research strategist Sarah Johnston with Briefcase Coach suggests setting up ten minute phone calls with people you have networked before, in that industry, “The key to the hidden job market is you're not asking for a job you’re asking for advice, there’s a real difference there.”
She also says no matter what field you are trying to break into, you should set a wide net and apply to at least 25 different companies, “A common mistake that i find with job seekers is they really hone in on one company.”
Johnston urges you to be your own detective and find the person making the hire, “That’s the beauty of the hidden job market is that often there is a need for a position but maybe the head manager has been too busy to post it.”
These are strategies Bertha Nance used to land her job as a certified nursing assistant at a Milwaukee nursing home, just this month! She says, “I was determined to get the job.”
We followed her journey since January when she took part in programs offered through YWCA Southeast Wisconsin. Since then, she has completed her high school equivalency diploma, and is at MATC studying for her associates degree in childcare.
Her advice for anyone who feels they are in a rut? “Don’t be discouraged. Don’t give up, and just keep going!”