How to Market Yourself While Unemployed

You should be able to get a job you are qualified for based on your skills and value, but fair or not, if you have been unemployed for longer than six months, your chances of getting a job decrease significantly. Because of this, you need to learn to market yourself as employable. See the tips below to up your chances of a successful job search.

Prove to your future employers that you keep up with your industry by updating your skills, volunteering, or attending networking events. Even when you aren't employed, you can show that you're still working.

If you are not finding a perfect position and time is ticking away, be flexible to change by considering a new city, a switch of field, or a lower-level position. Once you have a job secured, you can plan your next steps.

If you get a lot of interviews but haven't been hired, you may not be showing off your value in person. Practice your interview skills before you meet with an employer. Create a list of common interview questions and answer them out loud. Record your responses so you can assess your posture, eye contact, and body language in addition to the actual answers you give. Take time to write down the benefits of working for the company. Everyone likes a sincere compliment and it never hurts to bring those points to the hiring manager.

It is easy to get discouraged during a job search, but stay positive. Remaining hopeful is important for your peace of mind and it will help you present yourself as a strong, capable candidate to employers.

Be awesome in your personal life. If you show up to a potluck with a just a bag of chips, people will notice. If you're late to meet your friends, they'll notice. When you don't have any current co-workers to recommend you, the people around you can sometimes help. Don't show up late. Do what you say you'll do. Make an extra effort. Do what it takes so your friends and acquaintances can honestly say "Amy is awesome. She'd be terrific for your job."