Career Advice and Q&A with August Cohen of GetHiredStayHired.com

Q: I am struggling with depression now that I’ve been laid off. When not looking for work, I spend a lot of time and have been open with my friends and family and they have been supportive, but I feel like I need more. Any suggestions?

A: Depression is an understandable and tough problem during a job search. Here are some things that I suggest to my unemployed clients that have proven helpful in getting them through the ups and downs of unemployment:

1. Volunteer. This has multiple benefits:
   • It takes your mind off your problems, especially if you are volunteering with people who are in worse situations than you are; it offers perspective.
   • It provides happiness and fulfillment during a period where you may have little of either.
   • It can help you feel empowered and productive, and you may learn a valuable new skill.
   • It can be a networking opportunity that may lead to a job.
2. Take advantage of (often free) courses and seminars to enhance your marketability. Another great way to network also. If you have a special talent, offer to conduct a course.
3. Consult with a financial advisor. Get a realistic picture of your finances and any options you may have if you end up with no income coming in. This will help you feel more in control and not fear the unknown as much.
4. Talk to a professional therapist, especially while you still have your insurance benefits. The return can be much greater than the cost of your copayment. You can be more open with a therapist than you can with friends and family, and the therapist will offer more objective advice.
5. Exercise, and use this time to make other positive changes in your life such as losing weight or quitting smoking, which in turn will make you a more desirable and healthy candidate.
6. Keep up-to-date with all your networking tools including LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Participate in job support groups, but make sure that time is balanced with some of the other activities mentioned above.

While a job loss is one of the most challenging life events you will endure, it is virtually always temporary, and soft economic cycles at some point become hard again. Keep a long-term perspective while engaging in short-term positive activities to help keep you motivated and encouraged. 

Q: At the end of an interview, should you use a strong close or soft close? At a workshop on interviewing, one of the speakers suggested that at the close of an interview a candidate should say something like this to the interviewer, "I am really interested in this position and I think that I would be the best fit for this job based on what I have heard today. Is there anything that I said or did not say that would make you hesitate to hire me?"

Some people I spoke with thought that was great, while others I spoke with felt that it is entirely too aggressive and you should be more humble. What do you think?

A: I don't think it is either or. While I believe you should make some inquiry in regards to your chances of securing an offer, I coach my clients to be situational interviewees, understand their audience (the interviewer), the position, and culture of the company, and respond accordingly.

If you are a sales executive you would be expected to "close the deal" in a very assertive manner, especially if you were interviewing with the National Sales Vice President or someone in your chain of command. If you were interviewing with the HR manager for a non-profit, a more gentle exploratory line of assessing interest may be in order.

As a minimum, it is appropriate to inquire as to what are the next steps in the hiring process, which can be telling in itself.

August Cohen is a distinguished Raleigh-based resume writer and career consultant that holds the prestigious Certified Advanced Resume Writer (CARW), Nationally Certified Resume Writer (NCRW), and Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) credentials. August leverages the talents she acquired in her successful corporate career to assist professionals with high-impact resumes, confident interviews, and effective job search strategies.
 

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August Cohen

 

Career Advice by August Cohen