While the recession hasn’t hit Louisiana’s job market as hard as the rest of the country, we are still feeling the downturn. April’s unemployment numbers rose to 6.2% in April, up from 5.8% the previous month.

Keep your chin up though! There is “light at the end of the tunnel” with new evidence that the economy is beginning to stabilize. In fact, we currently have many jobs available right in the Baton Rouge area. Click here to view today's open positions.

According to national employment leader Monster.com, there are still things you can do to keep your job search “on the move” in these challenging times:

Eight Tips for Job Hunting During the Recession

1. Pick and Choose Your Targets – select a few companies that you’re interested in and don’t waste your energy on others. Even if the company doesn’t have current openings, it can still be worth your while to pursue them.
2. Concentrate on Growth Industries – jobs that alleviate pain are usually recession proof. The defense industry will continue to thrive as well as homeland security, border patrol, and industries that focus on cheap fuel & heating.
3. Work Your Network – reconnect with former business associates, attend networking functions, & check out your business social media contacts – let these people know you’re looking and see how they can help!
4. Sell Yourself – learn all you can about the company you are interviewing with and be prepared to talk about yourself in a way that is meaningful to them – make a list of potential interview questions & bulleted answers to create speaking points.
5. Consider Freelancing – if you are in a field that supports it, such as design or writing, seek out your own opportunities – freelancing can keep food on the table while you’re searching for your ideal job.
6. Take a Temporary Position – accept a temporary assignment with a company that you are interested in. Many times, temporary positions convert into permanent work. And, it pays the bills until you can find something else!
7. Sweat the Small Stuff – sometimes, it’s the “little things” that matter. For example, make each cover letter address specific skills or qualities that the company is looking for – and don’t forget to write a thank you note after the interview!
8. Stay Positive - although this can be a challenge, it’s important to remain upbeat and positive. Carol Vecchio, founder and executive director of Centerpoint Institue for Life & Renewal, has this to say “Even in a job market with 10% unemployment, there’s 90% employment.” Isn’t that a great, “the glass is half-full” attitude to have?

Resources:
http://www.bls.gov/lau/
http://www.reuters.com/finance/economy
http://career-advice.monster.com/
Eight Tips for Job Hunting During the Recession by Margot Carmichael Lester, Monster Contributing Writer

AccuStaff, a sister company of Frazee Recruiting Consultants, Inc., recently opened a new office in Baton Rouge. Marianne Frazee has owned the AccuStaff franchise since 1995. The franchise is part of global staffing firm Randstad NA. Randstad is the 3rd largest staffing firm in the world and has franchise affiliates throughout North America.

AccuStaff provides office support and light industrial staffing services. The local office supports Randstad’s national and strategic accounts in the banking and logistics industries.

The AccuStaff team is headed locally by Toni Swanson, an Ascension Parish native with 15+ years of Human Resources background. Toni has recently been joined by Staffing Coordinator Laura Dakyn, a graduate of the University of Southern Georgia & a newcomer to the Baton Rouge area.

AccuStaff and Frazee Recruiting team together on many projects. It has proven to be a winning combination with both companies specializing in their particular niches. The AccuStaff office is located at 4137 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd., Ste. 220, Baton Rouge, LA, 225-292-4777. You can visit their web site at www.accustaffbr.com.

Frazee Recruiting Consultants is proud to sponsor the Greater Baton Rouge Society of Human Resource Management (GBRSHRM) upcoming Focus On Abilities Workshop, Tuesday, July 14th , 8:00 AM – 11:15 AM at Drusilla Place in Baton Rouge, LA.

Focus On Abilities program is the name of the alliance program which resulted from GBRSHRM’s collaboration with the Louisiana Business Leadership Network (LBLN). LBLN is a business-led, non-profit organization dedicated to helping Louisiana employers understand, utilize, and benefit from the valuable resource that people with disabilities represent in both the consumer and labor markets. The goal of the program is to ensure that people with disabilities, once hired and properly accommodated in their jobs, are not “workers with disabilities,” but simply workers.

"The GBRSHRM chapter is committed to continuing the important work of our Focus on Abilities alliance program," said Robin Schooling, Immediate Past President of the chapter. "Even in these challenging economic times, many employers continue to engage in future-oriented workforce planning and realize that the success of their businesses means hiring qualified and job-ready workers. Job seekers who are veterans or individuals with disabilities represent two underutilized segments of the population, and GBRSHRM's continuing "Focus" will be on connecting these employment-ready individuals with employers."

The workshop sessions include information on assistive technology in the workplace as well as successful initiatives in the hiring of veterans. Registration for the workshop is online at http://gbrshrm.shrm.org.

With the economic downturn impacting all sectors of the economy, many companies are providing outplacement services to their displaced employees. When a leading international chemical company recently closed their Baton Rouge sales office, they turned to Frazee for outplacement assistance.

“Although this was a new service area for us, “said Marianne Frazee, “we felt it was a perfect fit. We know the job market well and we know what it takes to get an individual job ready. It was easy to step into the outplacement role, especially since we knew the client and had done business with them in the past.”

Frazee provided the displaced workers with resume and cover letter preparation, reference development, and resume submittal. They assisted with interview training including mock interviews with Frazee Recruiters.

According to HR Consultant Kay Foremen, "Frazee provided our outplaced employees with the individual attention they needed to gain the confidence and skills to start their job search in this challenging job market. While there are no guarantees to place each employee in a new position, the team at Frazee certainly has an advantage considering their knowledge and experience with job placement in the local Baton Rouge market."

Candidate networking, training in job search techniques, and resume submittal were all part of the program provided. Frazee has also marketed the candidates to local companies and set up interviews for them. One of the displaced workers has already been placed on assignment through Frazee.

For more information contact Jeff Pruitt at 225-231-7880 or jpruitt@frazeerecruit.com