Job Hunting in a Layoff Economy

Get Your Story Straight

Yes, you need to start shaking hands ASAP. But before you can interview, you need to figure out how you'll explain those twists, turns and potholes in your resume -- and to the hiring managers interviewing you -- preferably in two minutes or less.

Adding the phrase "the company closed" or "contract position" alongside a job listed on your resume is obviously a quick fix, Edwards said. But, she advises, the words "laid off" should never appear on your CV. Instead, quickly explain in the interview that you were let go. Unless the hiring manager hasn't read the news all year, this shouldn't come as much of a surprise.

But what if you have a five-year employment gap? Does that render you unhirable?

Not if you have a good explanation for what you've been up to and "how it will be of value to a current employer," Edwards said.

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For example, if you've been off building schools in Third World villages since 2007 or running your own business since 2002, you probably have all sorts of bootstrapping, communication and decision-making skills an employer will find attractive.

Likewise, if you've been playing full-time caregiver for the past several years, you can still impress potential employers with your multitasking and administrative skills, not to mention your reliability and patience. In addition, taking courses, volunteering or consulting in your chosen field will go a long way toward freshening up your resume.

As for those who've been sitting in mom's basement playing video games since getting their bachelor's degrees a year ago, I'm with your mom: It's time to get off your duff and take whatever work you can get that won't land you in jail.

Look Beyond Monster.com

When it comes to sniffing out the jobs, if you're just relying on Monster, CareerBuilder or Craigslist, you're not looking hard enough.

Unless you have some unusual, highly coveted skills, "Throwing your resume out there in the wind to be competing with 9 million people [is] just a waste of breath," Edwards said. While you might find the occasional gem on such sites, you're far more likely to land a great lead through your professional connections.

Don't have any fresh connections in your field? Then it's high time you got some. Talk to friends and former co-workers to see if they know anyone employed at the companies you'd most like to work for -- or if they have suggestions for companies that are hiring. Line up informational interviews with any healthy companies you can, even if they're not currently hiring. Those meetings have a way of paying off a few weeks or months down the line when an opening arises.

Tap the local chapter of your professional association of choice, too. Not only do these organizations host free or low-cost training programs and meet-and-greets, many of them provide their members with job listings as well as e-mail discussion lists and newsletters filled with insider information you can't get anywhere else.

And finally, if you don't yet have a LinkedIn profile, it's time to make one. Many employers are using this free professional networking site to list jobs and find candidates. It may not be as fun as Facebook or as sexy as Singlesnet.com, but creating a professional profile could turn out to be one of the best hours you've ever spent.