How to Find the Job You Really Want in 2010

If you turn on any news channel it's hard not to get discouraged during these tough economic times, where we hear there are thousands of people out of work and fewer and fewer employers to choose from. One word about the media that will always hold true is "Sensationalism". That's right, the more shocking the content the larger the viewers. However, the system is out of balance because you hear all of the bad things and very little good news regarding jobs that are available and how to find them.

Recently, I was having lunch with a colleague of mine and when I asked her how business was going, she had nothing but great things to say. She talked about the stability in the industry that she was in and how they are not only doing well in their business but so much so they have more work than they can handle. I was so surprised to hear this because all I've heard for the past six months is doom and gloom in the job market.

There are people out there that are currently unemployed and in a state of panic because of what they have heard. I am not suggesting that there are not some harsh realities that we have to face in this economy such as making smarter decisions in our spending, but I am saying that there is hope for a brighter future if you only do your homework. So, are you ready for that new job in 2010? Well, in my opinion there are three basic job categories: 1. Employee 2. Entrepreneur 3. Visionary.

The first category (Employer) is easy, because the majority of American's dwell in this area of being an employee, which means you work for someone else and by working for someone else you receive a paycheck for that service. However, if you are in an industry where you are paid salary and commission or strictly commission, you are working to build someone else's dream and not your own. Let me explain this a little bit. When I was actively in the Finance industry, I would be paid commission and the most I ever earned in my paycheck was $200,000.00 in a single year. To some of you that may seem like a great income, but was it really? I worked 15 hours a day and while I earned $200,000.00 in my pocket, can you guess what I made for the company that year? It was more than $1,000,000.00; so imagine if I owned my own company and worked just as hard what my earning potential would have been. I believe that even after paying overhead and expenses, I would still have put an additional $300,000.00 in my pocket. Therefore you may be living a comfortable life as an employee but you may not be living life to the fullest.

The second category is (Entrepreneur) which is a great place to be because you set your own hours, your own schedule and take control of your own earning potential. However, many people have issues with actually living in this category out of fear. I always say fear is false evidence appearing real. We are fearful because we have been so programmed to work for someone else that we never consider that we may have the gifts and the talents to start our own business and pursue our own dreams. What better way to live than to do what you truly love on your own terms. If you find yourself out of a job, this is time time to assess your own gifts and talents and put some thought into how you can start your own business. There are some great resources that will guide you in how to start your own business. The library is a wonderful and FREE place to start as they have access to thousands of material on becoming a Entrepreneur.

The third category is living a (Visionary) life. You ask, what is a visionary? When I looked up the word in Webster's, I was shocked at what I found. The dictionary says a visionary is characterized by fanciful, not presently workable or unpractical ideas, views or schemes. It's no wonder there are so little Visionaries in the world if that's what they are perceived as.

I say a Visionary is a person that doesn't just think about the now, but they have an ability to see or anticipate a need for a product or service. Just think of people like Bill Gates or Walt Disney. Their vision will live on for years because of a thought that was birthed in their mind that gave way to vision. Let's not forget about our modern day visionaries that developed facebook, tweeter and MySpace. Our world practically spends more than 60% of their time networking, marketing, informing and reconnecting with old friends on these social networks.

So, again you ask where are all the jobs?

If you feel that being an Enterprenur is not for you and you haven't gotten to the Visionary stage yet, will there is good news! Here are some great tips on how to find and keep that job you are looking for:

1. Research - In our current economic condition, you have to work smarter and not harder and that includes spending time researching industries that are flourishing in this market. Industries such as medical, energy, network security and various forms of sales positions within these industries.

2. Education - Now more than ever the government is offering grants and scholarships to assist you in increasing your skill sets or even changing your skills sets for something that would allow you to not only compete in this market, but get and keep that new job.

3. Presentation - With so many people in the job market you must perfect your presentation skills which includes verbal as well as written communication. Your resume for instance is your calling card and should stand out its it's content and format. There are lots of free resources that can assist you with resume writing such as your local Department of Labor Office, the Library or even local staffing agencies. They will show you how to write an effective resume and give you talking points on how to anticipate questions during an interview.

4. Networking - Statistics show that 80% of the people in this market that are finding their new jobs are finding them due to networking. There are lots of local networking groups you can join that are free, so do the research and find a group nearest you and start getting your name and resume out there.

5. Work - Yes, you have to work in order to find the work you are looking for. There is no room for sitting around waiting for the telephone to ring, because chances are you'll be sitting and waiting a long time. Here are some sites that you can go to in order to apply for "real jobs". When I say "real jobs", I mean jobs that are offering pay checks and not just commission only. (www.Indeed.com, www.Atlantaevent.com, www.Hoovers.com, Gwinnett_Georgiaworks@dol.state.ga.us) Some of these sights are State specific, but contact your local Department of Labor and find out what free services they have available to you.

I wish you all the best in your job search and REMEMBER you are not alone and you CAN have that job you've been looking for, so it's up to you to decide how and when you want to start. Today sounds like a good day!