How to Tell Someone You’re Looking For a Job

Story Tips Idioms

Introduction and Announcement

Hello! It’s Kristine here with the Express to Impress podcast. Today, I’ll be talking about how to tell someone you’re looking for a job.  Before we dive in, I want to make a quick announcement. This podcast is for ambitious professionals who want to improve their communication skills but don’t have a lot of time. So, I keep the episodes short–somewhere around 10-15 minutes. But then, I thought it could be useful to have an even shorter version of my podcast–just the most important points. So, I created a Pinterest account where I share infographics for each episode. There are simple and colorful infographics on topics like “Your Three Goals in a Job Interview” and “Six Tips to Make a Strong First Impression.” There’s also an entire board with every idiom and phrase I’ve used on the podcast with definitions and sample sentences.  So, when you don’t have 10-15 minutes, but say you have, like five minutes, I invite you to check out the board at pinterest.com/ExpresstoImpress/.

Unemployment is Common

Alright, so let’s dig into the topic. The first thing I want to mention here is that unemployment is common. I won’t weigh you down with unemployment details. Suffice to say, it was common before Covid-19, and it’s even more common now. So, there’s absolutely nothing to be ashamed of, and there’s no reason to hide that you’re unemployed from your family, friends, and professional network. In fact, you are far more likely to land a job quickly if you do tell people you’re unemployed. Yet, it’s not something that just rolls off the tongue. 

Unemployment is an Opportunity

Becoming unemployed is often gut-wrenching and debilitating at first. But once you get your bearings, you’ll see that unemployment is one step closer to a new opportunity, perhaps even better than the last. For many people, unemployment gives them the time and space needed to explore new careers or go after a long sidelined dream.  With massive layoffs related to Covid-19, we’re in uncharted territory. Whereas people used to hide the fact that they were unemployed, many people are turning to LinkedIn the moment they are laid off to announce it to the world. The response has been incredible! I’ve seen people reply within minutes to tell the person about job opportunities. All sorts of incredible volunteers are stepping up to the plate to help!

Get Resume Help

For example, ResumeUp emerged. It’s a free resume service for anyone affected by the pandemic. If you are looking for a new job and need resume advice, you can sign up for a free 20-minute session with an experienced professional relevant to your industry. If you want to get your resume reviewed or volunteer to review resumes, visit resumeup.squarespace.com. 

What Companies Are Hiring

Another awesome example is a public list of companies hiring, freezing hiring, or laying off employees that the company Candor maintains. As of mid-May 2020, there are nearly 8,000 companies worldwide on the list and counting. You can see the list at candor.co/hiring-freezes.  

Story

That brings us to the story part of the episode. Long before social distancing regulations were in place and virtual career fairs were commonplace, my sister Andrea wanted to find a new job. She was working as the office manager for a small heating and cooling company and wanted a challenging new role at a larger company with more benefits. We came up with the idea of going to a Career Fair together. I loved my job, but I was eager to encourage her. I wanted to see her reach her goals and networking and selling yourself is hard work! Before the event, we brainstormed what she had to offer and what she wanted in her next job. She had strong analytical, communication, and organizational skills. She was skilled in developing and implementing office policies and procedures. Finally, she thrived in a role of service to others. She wanted to work for a company that offered tuition reimbursement so she could finish her business degree – so likely a large corporation. Ideally, there would be training and advancement opportunities and plenty of work in a team setting. As for location, she wanted to work for a local company. She was flexible on both the industry and the specific role. She was not dead set on having a specific title but wanted to use her top skills.  Now that we both knew what she wanted, my sister printed dozens of copies of her resume, dressed to impress, and headed to the event space. There, we met with company representatives to ask them about their company benefits. When a company met all of my sister’s must-haves, Andrea would hand them her resume and talk at length about her experience and what she had to offer. She had one interview after another with company reps at their booths. I still remember how she was beaming that day. It was evident to every company rep that she was enthusiastic about learning and eager to work hard to achieve her goals.  In a little over an hour, she had secured a formal interview at Accenture Employee Benefits, a multinational professional services company. In just a few weeks, she accepted a New Business Coordinator role with the company. And in just a few years, she earned a promotion and soon finished her Bachelor’s in Science Degree in Management and Marketing–on Accenture’s dime. 

Tips

Get to Work Immediately

My sister had something that most people don’t have while they’re looking for a job. She already had a job, and employers prefer candidates who already have a job. Whether you choose to consider new careers or look for a job in the same career, it’s important to work alongside your job search. While some recruiters and employers will be more forgiving of a person’s lack of employment because of the ongoing mass layoffs due to Covid-19, it still looks more impressive to an employer or recruiter if the candidate they are considering is working. You may be thinking,

Now wait a minute, Kristine. I want to get a job, and you’re telling me that I need to have a job to get a job?

Yes, that’s right. But, I’ll explain how.  Work can take on many forms and doesn’t have to be paid. For example, you could immediately start sharing your expertise, otherwise known as consulting, for friends and family. Perhaps you ask for payment, perhaps you don’t. The point is you’re working.  Alternatively, you can start volunteering. There are countless volunteer positions you can do from the comfort of your home. If you belong to an industry association, get more involved. For example, you could join the planning committee for an upcoming event. Another option is to find a local employment or staffing agency to find out about temporary job opportunities. To increase your chance of landing a full-time job, consider part-time job opportunities to get your foot in the door and to build new skills. Finally, you can become a freelancer and advertise your professional services on freelance websites. For example, you could set up a profile on Upwork, LinkedIn Pro Finder, Fiverr, Freelancer.com, or Guru, which profile various freelancers. Or, you can find a freelance platform that specializes in your field. For example, if you’re a Designer, you could create a profile on 99 designs or PeoplePerHour. If you’re a writer, you can create a profile on iFreelance or Freelance Writing Gigs. 

Tap Into Your Professional Network

Getting to work right away when you’re unemployed will keep your spirits high, open the door to opportunities and networking, and look great on your resume and LinkedIn profile. Now let’s look at what you can say when you’re telling people what kind of full-time job you really want.

How to Tell Someone You’re Looking for a Job

Before you tell someone you’re looking for a job, come up with a clear and specific job search introduction to say to people in your professional network to enlist their help in finding a job. Include details about what you want such as position, company size, industry, location, values, and particular companies. If the person works in your field, you can go into more detail about what you’re looking for. Here’s how a phone call with an old friend could go, which includes all the important details in a job search introduction.

Hi, Susan! How are you and your family? It’s good to hear your voice. I’m not sure if you heard about the Hyatt’s layoffs, but my entire team was laid off just last week. Yea, it’s awful. The entire tourism industry is taking a huge hit with the pandemic. I wanted to reach out to let you know about my situation and to ask you to keep an eye out for opportunities that might be relevant to me. I would really appreciate it. I’m looking for a management-level position in events management. As you know, my background is in the hospitality and leisure industry. However, I am looking to transition to Corporate Event planning.  Ideally, I’d work for a large entertainment company in the Bay Area that offers competitive compensation packages. I love to continue managing teams, and some of the companies on my radar are Netflix and Pixar.

Whew, that’s a lot of information! Ideally, you’ll share these details naturally in the course of the conversation, not all at once. It’s important to come across as optimistic and motivated. I don’t advise stating, “I need a job” as it can come across as desperate. You want your audience to perceive you as a strong and capable candidate who is eager to tackle a new challenge. Now that you know how to tell someone you’re looking for a job, it’s time to decide who to talk to.  Learn who to contact and what to say during your job search in my online course, “How to Land Your Next Job.” In the course, I go into more depth about communicating with the people in your network during your job search. When you enroll in the course, you receive handouts to stay organized and track your activities. You’ll get a Networking Tracker to list the people in your network and track your communication with them.  You can get 15% off any of my courses when you use the coupon code podcast15 at the checkout. Learn more and sign up today at express-to-impress.com.  In the next part of the episode, I’ll cover the idioms and phrases I used for people looking to build their English vocabulary. 

Idioms & Phrases

Weigh Someone Down Here’s how I used it: “ I won’t weigh you down with unemployment details.” This means to worry, burden, or depress someone. Suffice (it) to Say Here’s how I used it: “Suffice to say, it was common before Covid-19, and it’s even more common now.”   We say suffice to say or suffice it to say when we’re sharing enough details about something to make the meaning clear while withholding some information for discretion or brevity. Roll off the Tongue Here’s how I used it: “Yet, it’s not something that just rolls off the tongue.”  This means when something is very easy or enjoyable to say. Gut-Wrenching Here’s how I used it: “Becoming unemployed is often gut-wrenching and debilitating at first.”  This means something is extremely distressing, unpleasant, or emotionally disturbing.  Get (One’s) Bearings Here’s how I used it: “But once you get your bearings, you’ll see that unemployment is one step closer to a new opportunity, perhaps even better than the last.”  This refers to when something is new and unfamiliar, and a person seeks to find out the details of the situation they are in.  To Step Up to the Plate Here’s how I used it: “All sorts of incredible volunteers are stepping up to the plate to help!” This means to take responsibility for doing something, even though it is difficult. On (One’s) Radar Here’s how I used it: “Some of the companies on my radar are Netflix and Pixar.” This means that a person considers something important and noteworthy. It has caught their attention.  To Get (One’s) Foot in the Door Here’s how I used it: “To increase your chance of landing a full-time job, consider part-time job opportunities to get your foot in the door and to build new skills.” This means to complete the first step in the process of achieving a goal. Dead Set On Here’s how I used it: “She was not dead set on having a specific title but wanted to use her top skills.”  This means being determined to do or get something.  On Someone Else’s Dime Here’s how I used it: “And in just a few years, she earned a promotion and soon finished her Bachelor’s in Science Degree in Management and Marketing–on Accenture’s dime.” It means at that person or party’s expense. They have paid for something for you. Alright, that’s all for today. Thank you so much for listening to this episode of Express to Impress. If you found it helpful, please share it with a friend. I hope to see you next time. Bye! Music By Lucas Knutter