Bob Ingold
President

I've Been Downsized - Now What?
By Allen Bauer, CCE

Sooner or later (hopefully later), you may find yourself out of a job, a job you loved. One you thought you would retire from, but times change. Things happen. Companies merge or go out of business. New owners come in, make changes and all of a sudden, you're out! What happened? Are you ready to find another credit job somewhere else? By ready, I mean do you have the skills necessary to compete in this tight job market? You better know what your strengths are because you'll have tough competition.

Once the shock of your sudden departure from the workforce has worn off, you'll need to get aggressive in your job search. Here are some of the things you'll need to do in order to minimize your job-search time:

Update your resume - fast! Be honest with what you put in your resume. Statistics show 25% of job applicants have inaccurate or embellished information on their resumes. I know of an individual who did not get the job he applied for because he was three credit hours short of his bachelor's degree and he claimed to have the degree. The employer checked with the school to verify the information.

Network! Network! Network! This may be a humbling experience, but you need to let your family, friends and peers within the credit community know you are looking for work. And don't forget your buddies in the different credit groups you may belong to, as well as your credit reporting agency rep and collection agency salesmen. You will develop many leads from these sources. I heard a story about a salesman from a collection agency who stayed in touch with an out-of-work credit manager. The salesman knew of several good job leads that he referred to the credit manager. Turns out, one of these leads panned out! This credit manager is happily employed with an east coast company. Why would the salesman from the collection agency want to help his former account, the out-of-work credit manager? Future business. The salesman thought he might get future business. Register yourself with several good executive search firms. You'll get a few referrals this way, but probably not as many leads as through networking.

• Post your resume on the Internet. You might receive a call or two from an executive search firm who has pulled your resume off the Internet. There are several good search engines for job hunters. One that comes to mind is HotJobs.com. This website has a wealth of jobs nationwide. Search by keyword job type or geographical area.
• Mail your resume to selected employers you would want to work for. I wouldn't do a mass mailing hoping to get lucky by playing the odds. You might end up with less than the ideal job at a company you've never heard of.
• Answering classified advertisements from trade journals or your local newspaper is the most common approach to finding a job; however, it is the least effective way to land your new position.
• If you are considering a job out of state, send your resume to several local NACM affiliates. They often hear of job openings in their area and they would be happy to forward your resume. Some affiliates do this for a fee.
• Use the phone book. Call prospective employers. Look at the classifieds and find out who is hiring. You never know; there may be a need. How do you think most credit consultants get their work? They use the phone!

Now that you've been called and have an interview lined up, here are some tips:

• Research the company you are interviewing at. There is a wealth of information on the Internet. Come to the interview knowing about the company.
• Show up for an interview a few minutes early. Look at the surroundings. Does it present a friendly atmosphere? Be prepared to fill out an employment application at this time.
• Come to the interview looking your best. If the company is business casual, don't you also come business casual unless the interviewer suggests it ahead of time. Wear your best clothes. Don't chew gum or smoke-these are big turnoffs. And for heaven's sake, if your interview is over lunch or dinner, don't be a lush with the drinks.
• When asked during your interview why you want to work for that company, don't say because there are only so many jobs out there and that you're applying for every one. Companies like sincerity. They want someone who wants to work there because of the company itself, not just because they are the only one advertising in the paper that week.
• Be prepared to know your strengths and weaknesses. You will probably be asked about them. You may also be asked about your accomplishments at your last job and how you can help your new employer. Think of these ahead of time. Come prepared.
• Don't talk about salary at your first interview. This is a negotiating tool and should be saved for when a job offer comes. If pressured for a figure, give a range and be on the high side.
• Ask for the job! All too often, job applicants go through their interview and never ask for the job. If you don't, your competition will!
• After you interview, always, always, always send a thank you note to the people you interviewed with. I prefer e-mail myself. Chances are you will have their business card and their e-mail address will be on there. If not, call the company and ask the receptionist for the e-mail addresses. That shouldn't be a problem for the receptionist if they know why you want the address.
• Don't be afraid to follow-up with the hiring manager or HR manager to check on the interviewing process. But don't make a pest of yourself by calling every couple of days. What you want to do is keep your name in front of them so they remember you. I heard about one job applicant who saw a recent article (press release) about the company he was interviewing at, called the hiring manager to congratulate him on a recent acquisition their company had made (which prompted the article) and wound up getting hired because the applicant showed sincere interest in the company. Be creative. Make a difference. Show you care.

These are the things that have worked (or not worked) for me over the years. You may find some of these suggestions helpful. But the thing to keep in mind is to not get depressed because your job search is not going as fast as you would like. Experts say your job search could take one month for every $10,000 in annual salary you expect to make. There is a lot of competition out there for the job you are looking for. Don't lose your edge.

The National Association of Credit Management 107th Credit Congress & Exposition is going to be held on June 1st through the 4th this year in Orlando at Walt Disney World.

NJ is the home of the world's 1st drive-in movie theater? It was built in 1933, near Camden. ND is the geographic center of North America, in Pierce County, near Balta. AK has the longest coastline in the US, 6640 miles, greater than that of all other states combined!

Answers to last month's riddle: I have a body, a neck but no head and two arms but no hands. What am I? A T-SHIRT!