LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Here's a career tip: Join a support group

I specialize in helping middle and high school students find their path to a career. However, since the downturn in the economy, I have been asked more questions by adults than students. I hope that this occasional note helps those on the job search and those looking to move away from a job they don’t love. Because, after all, if you don’t love your job, how likely are you to keep it?

This is probably the last thing most people do when looking for a job. Join a support group.

Who knows more about who is hiring than those actively looking for work? Why sit around sending out blind résumés? A support group allows you to get an insight into what is working now at specific places. If a certain employer is not hiring young people, this is good to know before you waste your time and gas. These groups can provide insight into a company’s background that no About Us page could ever provide. Group members offer information on the coworkers, office layout, and plenty of other useful stuff we often take for granted.

By coming together as a group, you can pool your resources. Joining a group also widens your access to the hirer. No longer are you a resume in the basket, but now you may be a friend of a friend. This increases your chances of being hired almost 100 percent. We all know it’s who you know that counts, so why not get to know every positive person you can? Group members can also provide support by giving rides, printing out résumés, or simply calling you to remind you about an appointment. Imagine getting a text from 30 people every time they saw a job posting somewhere that matched your skills. A bit overwhelming, but a lot of help.

A group also provides a private and safe place to express your frustrations and hopes with those who are in the same situation. Just as those who have been alcoholics make the best AA counselors, the same is true for the unemployed. Group members bring stories of past failures and successes that provide motivation and education. A support group like this also offers a place to unload non-job hunt stress that may be affecting your job search. Getting home life off your chest in a one-minute blurb at the beginning of a group session clears your mind and allows you to focus on the task at hand.

Lastly, a job search support group is a place where you can make life-long friends. People who need people usually make the best friends and, if you are really sharing and giving, these people will be there for you for anything you need. Can’t work a p.m. job because you have no babysitter? No worries, Jill from the group knows how that feels and is willing to help out.

Relationships are the key to getting a new job and forming a lasting career. Remember this and your job search will be a short one.

Courtney Cunningham
Florence