I think everyone would agree that the world is going through an economic situation that has never been seen before in such magnitude. The economies of most countries are in turmoil and the labor force, and business as a whole, is suffering. Unemployment is at an all time high although the worst seems to be behind us.

That is good news for many people who are out of work. Companies are hiring again and gradually people will be returning to the workforce. At least some of them will.

The great thing about going through tough times is that many of us are forced to look inside of us and at our lives and "take inventory" of who we are and what we have become. Many of us will acknowledge our shortcomings and figure out what needs to be done in order to turn things around and move on in our lives. But someone people will take a different route. 

I have a friend who is trying to hire an engineer. This is a higher paying job and one that is coveted by those in his industry. Naturally, in today's marketplace, there are a lot of people out of work so he is flooded with resumes. He told me he was shocked by the number of poorly written resumes and cover letters. Most of those applicants never had their resumes even glanced at because their cover letters were so poorly written.

He also told me that some applicants that were either telephoned for pre-interviews, or called in for face to face interviews, were also unprepared or had poor communication skills. those applicants were immediately dismissed as potential hires and therefore were not considered for the job. Hence, they remained unemployed.

The fact is, if you do not possess QUALITY communication skills today, you might as well plan on hitting the lottery for your financial future! You see, it has been estimated that for every open job, there are more than a hundred people applying for it. These would include on-line posted jobs, locally advertised positions, and others. The bottom line is, with so many applicants, only those who create an extremely positive impression will stand a chance at getting the job.

Most people who are out of work, for whatever reason, fall into two groups. Those who "get it" and those who don't. the group that "gets it" will take an "inventory" of themselves and discover what their strengths and weaknesses are. They will ask family members, friends, past co-workers for their opinions and then determine what skills they need to either improve or obtain.

In other words, they will make an honest and concerted effort to improve themselves.

Group two, those who "don't get it" are the people who feel they are "victims" or those who feel that they are perfect in every way and that people will be honored to hire them. These are the people who will have the hardest time getting a new job in this economy. If they are fortunate enough to land a job, it likely will not be one of the highly sought after jobs.

Without improving their weaknesses, or discovering areas for potential change, those who don't get it will be in for an uphill battle.

You know what? I lied! There are 3 groups, not 2!

The third group, and it is a large one, are the people who understand that they need to change something but don't have a clue what. There are a lot of people in that group and you might very well be one of them. If that is the case, that's OK. there are some simple things you can do to get started on the right path. If you are one of those who don't get it, read this too, you might get a wak up call!

The first thing you need to do is get an honest assessment of your skills. Listen to what people are saying and keep an open mind. Don't dismiss negative, but rather use them as a subject for some serious thought. Maybe they are right and maybe they are wrong. But think about what is said and be honest with yourself.

Second, work on your communication skills and presentation. What kind of image do you have?  Do you look like someone who should be applying for that type of job? Do you fit the mold? How about your communication skills? Are they where they should be?

Have someone look over your resume and cover letter and give you their thoughts. Ask several people, not just one. Take the best of what each has to offer and create a total package that will get you through to the next level. A quality resume and cover letter. An appearance that inspires confidence. Most important, communication skills that will inspire and enhance your presentation, not detract from it.

Your goal is to create a first impression about you that sets you apart from other applicants. 

Now, you might be wondering just what the heck this has to do with customer service. After all, this is the Customer Service Training Institute website, right? OK, read on........

Customer Service Training is all about communication skills and finding out what people really want and how to give them the most of what it is they are looking for. It is about choosing the right words, the most effective phrases, and providing everything to the customer in a package that helps them believe in you and inspire confidence.

Isn't that EXACTLY what job seekers need to do? Of course it is! We are always talking about how the same Customer Service skills you use on customers can help in other areas of your life as well. This is just one of them!

Go ahead, get some Customer Service Training and watch the results it brings. We also have some great manuals on preparing for jobs and interviews as well.

Get started now and develop a killer first impression that will get you what you want and much, much, more.!

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