How to Help an Out-of-Work Friend

Jill Jacinto  

What is the best way to help your recently unemployed friend? The number-one thing you can do is listen and be there for them...but don't go overboard. As friends, we have a tendency to go big, but a job search is a highly stressful situation--something the job seeker needs to be ready for.

Talk to them. Ask them if they'd like help. Would they want you to act as a career coach? Someone who helps them stay accountable and also sends job listings? Some people have done their homework and know what they want, and that might not be at the end of a job listing. Other people are more open to it, so ask before you go ahead. Don't make empty promises. If you offer to set them up for an informational interview or connect them to someone in their industry, follow up on it.

Practice makes perfect. Offer to look at their resume, and if they are open to it, edit it. You can also help them with mock interviews and by offering feedback for their elevator pitches. Recommend them to sites like the Muse, LinkedIn, and Wakefield. Another thing a great friend could do to go above and beyond is to use a smartphone to record a mock interview. It's helpful to see yourself in action. Do you have a nervous habit of tapping your shoe or tugging your sleeve? Do you speak too fast or use a lot of expressions like "like," "um," or "at the end of the day"?

Use motivating words. Keep their energy level up. Many people tend to get depressed, discouraged and desperate during a long job search. It wears you down not getting called in for an interview or not getting called back for a job. That's a ton of daily rejection. Remind them how much of an all-star they really are. Advise them to try and freelance or put their skills in motion by volunteering. Remind them that their situation could and does happen to everyone, and that it's a matter of circumstance--not reflective of their talent.

Check in. Every friend and friendship are different. If you are very close, ask--but drop it if your friend isn't too chatty on the subject. Change gears and talk about other matters. Don't let your hangouts turn into marathon job-searching sessions. Your friend most likely wants a break from thinking about their dead-end job or unemployed status. Your friendly conversations act as an escape.

Squash tension and negativity. Is your relationship as friends suffering while your friend looks for work? Talk about the friendship, not about the job search. Chances are that it's the job search tension that is subconsciously causing the negativity. I once recommended an unemployed friend to interview at another friend's firm. She was so unprepared and unprofessional in her email introduction and the interview itself that it ended up souring the friendship.

Are they simply venting? Do you have a friend who might be stuck in a dead-end job? Do they truly want to make a change? We have all vented about our jobs to a friend from time to time. The commute, the nosy coworker, the mountains of Excel work, endless business trips...but do they really want a new job, or do they just need to de-stress? Before offering to look at their resume or set them up with job leads, actually ask them what their next move might be.                                          

11 findings about diversity in America’s workforce

In 2015, this is the changing face of U.S. jobs.

Major demographic shifts in the U.S. since 2001 have led to a workforce that looks quite different today, according to a new report from CareerBuilder. "The Changing Face of U.S. Jobs" explores how an increasingly diverse population is affecting the composition of nearly 800 occupations by gender, age and race/ethnicity.

In 2015, this is the changing face of U.S. jobs.

1. Women make up greater share of workforce.
In 2014, 49 percent of jobs were held by women, compared to 48 percent in 2001. That amounts to 4.9 million more female workers since 2001 compared to just 2.2 million additional male workers.
2. Men are performing a wider variety of work.
Despite gains in overall workforce participation by women, men are gaining a share of employment in 72 percent of all occupations. Examples include gains in female-majority occupations like pharmacists, credit analysts and physical therapists.

3. Occupational segregation contributes to pay gap.
Jobs with a high concentration of male workers pay significantly more per hour, on average, than jobs with a high concentration of female workers: $25.49 median hourly earnings for men vs. $20.85 median hourly earnings for women.
4. Women are losing share of employment in high-paying jobs.
Since 2001, women lost ground in 48 out of the 50 highest paying jobs, including surgeons, chief executives, lawyers and software developers. They gained share among lawyers and political scientists.
5. Job losses have come primarily in male-majority jobs.
Among the occupations that lost 10,000 jobs or more since 2001, 76 percent were male-majority occupations. As jobs went away in these fields, male workers had to find work in a broader array of occupations.
6. Occupations with largest gains are mostly female-majority.
Among the occupations that gained 75,000 jobs or more, 69 percent were female-majority. The largest gains in the workforce for women occurred in a smaller number of sizable occupations.
7. Women dominate college graduation numbers, but not in top-paying fields.
While 5.6 million more women than men attained college degrees from 2004-2013, men continue to lead in programs that typically lead to higher-paying jobs, such as computer science (83 percent of 2013 grads), engineering (79 percent), law (54 percent) and postgraduate business (54 percent).
8. The most dramatic demographic shift in workforce composition is age.
The teenage workforce is 33 percent smaller than in 2001, while the age 55 and older workforce grew 40 percent. Jobs for young professionals (age 22-34) grew only 4 percent, while employment for workers age 35-54 shrunk by 1 percent.
9. The aging workforce is felt in virtually all occupations.
Moreover, workers 55 and older make up 25 percent of the workforce in 210 occupations. There were only 86 such occupations in 2014.

10. The U.S. population is more racially and ethnically diverse now than at the turn of the century, and so is the workforce.
Hispanic/Latino and Asian workers make up a greater share of the workforce now than in 2001. Hispanics/Latinos held 13 percent of jobs in 2014, up from 11 percent in 2001, and Asians held 5 percent of jobs in 2014, up from 4 percent in 2001. White workers, meanwhile, lost share of total employment, dropping from 71 percent in 2001 to 69 percent in 2014. Black/African American workers held 12 percent of all jobs in 2014, unchanged from 2001.
11. College graduates are significantly more diverse than in 2004.
Non-white students made up 37 percent of all associate, bachelor's and post-grad completers in 2013, up from 30 percent in 2004.

Spring Clean for Your Job Search

Miriam Salpeter



As we look to spring and thoughts turn to spring cleaning, planting flowers and mowing lawns, it's also a good time to re-evaluate your job search plans. Has your approach been working well for you, or have you met with little success?

If your job search strategy isn't panning out the way you planned, consider the following changes:

1. First thing to evaluate: does your target job exist?

Are you looking for a job that doesn't exist? It's possible your type of position is no longer being filled as a full-time job, but will go to a contractor. Some positions are being replaced with automated systems or being sent overseas, and other jobs are going to contractors and short-term workers instead of permanent employees. (Temp to perm has become a reality for a lot of people.)

Even if you're doing everything "right," if you are looking for a job that doesn't exist, you're likely going to continue to be very frustrated. Your choice? Either a) hang a shingle (maybe a virtual shingle) and think about going into business for yourself as an independent contractor or b) read on!

2. Take some classes.

It's easy to retrain for job skills, as many community colleges and other service organizations offer classes and certifications. You can also turn to online classes, either for credit or for your own edification. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), which are offered by a variety of educational institutions online, are increasingly available. A study by Duke University and RTI International said 73 percent of employers would appreciate candidates who completed MOOCs.

3. Is it time to change career paths or directions altogether?

Research and identify growth fields and careers to learn if you may be a good candidate for opportunities in the new industry. Make sure to target your resume and other materials to your new goal employer. (This is very important, as transitioning between fields is not an easy thing to do, especially when there is a lot of competition for jobs.) Talk to people about their work and prospects in their industries. Read articles that feature future projections for industries and identify those that interest you and where your skills are a good match. Be realistic about your interests and opportunities, and you may find a new field is just the ticket to a new job.

4. Make sure your job search materials help you stand out from the crowd.

If you have a tired and outdated resume, people will assume you are not suitable for their workplace. For example, nix the "objective" and the language detailing what the company can do for you. Focus on what you offer the organization and more employers will come calling.

5. Don't be too picky.

Do you have a certain vision of the type of job you're willing to do? Maybe you don't even LIKE the work you did in the past, but you have your mind set on doing it again. Have you been too particular about the type of people or places where you want to work? (A 20-minute commute - absolutely not! Work for him – are you kidding? When pigs fly!) I am not suggesting you take just "any" job, but it may be a good time to take a good, long, hard look at what you want and decide if you need to change your goals.

Maybe a longer commute is worth it if you can land a job at X company or in Y field or industry. Decide what parameters you can change and refocus your search with new vigor. You never know how opening up a few new windows may result in an open door.