(NAPSA)—Despite it being one of the most challenging hiring environments in the nation’s history, there are still opportunities for job seekers. In fact, recent CareerBuilder research found that half of workers whowerelaid off from full-time jobs in the last 12 months reported they found a new full-time, permanent position while another 8 percent found part-time work. While it may take longer to find a new opportunity in today’s market, there are jobs out there, especially in key areas such as health care, government, education, sales and technology. Once you start your job search,it is important to devote five hours or more to job searching every day by checking onlinelist- ings, talking to recruiters, joining social networking sites and more. An additional strategy to find a new job may be transferring your skills to other industries. Thirtyeight percent of workers who were laid off in the last 12 months and landed new positions said they found work in a different field from where they were previously employed. Of those workers who are still job hunting, 44 percent are looking for work outside of their profession. If you’ve been laid off, here are some moretips to help with your job search: Keep an open mind: Make a list of your current skills and look at a variety of job postings inside and outside yourfield to see how they measure up to the job requirements. * Go beyondthe basics: Ask a graphic designer to help you with your rsum to makeit eye- Good jobs arestill available and searching online is a great place to start. catching. Showoff your skills with a digital portfolio of your work or follow up with an opinion on relevantarticle after your interview. * Relentlessly use social media: Use professional and social networkingsites, Twitter or create a blog to create a recognizable personal brand online and connect with industry insiders. * Use targeted job sites: CareerBuilder.com, the nation’s largest online job site, offers a variety of nichesites: * WorkinRetail.com: On WorkInRetail.com, job seekers can instantly apply to part-time and full-time positions from the nation’s leading retailers and food service organizations. * Sologig.com: Sologig.com specializes in connecting contract- to-hire, contractors, freelancers and consultants with quality employers looking for independent professionals. PrimeCB.com: Retirees, mature workers and other experienced job seekers can quickly target job opportunities for their experience level from the nation’s top employers at www.primechb.com.
