Companies ARE hiring, jobs openings are out there. This economy is an opportunity for someone; why not YOU?

It is counterintuitive to look for a job now, yet my clients are getting great new jobs all month.

This is a challenging economy, but there is work out there. There is no need to panic or to stay stuck in a bad situation. Looking for a job can be compared to dating: you really only need to find one that you truly connect with, a place where YOU belong!

I have been asked to give a speech for Columbia University Alumni next week and I wanted to share with you some of the points I will be making:

First of all, STOP THE PANIC. A calm, smart, optimistic strategy will get you employed.

Getting a good job in any climate depends on knowing your own strengths, networking, and interviewing well. ANYONE can learn these skills.

With these skills, when everyone around you panics, you actually have an ADVANTAGE.

The EMPLOYMENT rate today in NY is at 94%; this is the number to focus on, not unemployment. It means you have a 94% chance of getting a job.

Even my clients in financial services are getting good new jobs and lots of job offers — so can you with a strategy for networking and the tools to do it effectively.

Turn off the steady stream of doom forecasting from the 24/7 media; focus on YOU. This is not the time to worry about what everyone else is doing.

Channel that anxious energy to make a constructive change in your life now!

The best way to secure a great job is to improve your interviewing ability. You can LEARN to do this. (A recent client in the financial sector just got a top job and two other offers after learning how to present himself more effectively.)

As a professional career counselor and executive coach who has counseled, coached, and trained professionals for 18 years, I know that there truly are opportunities available.

Warmly,

Judith Gerberg, MA, LMHC