Thinking Outside The Box Could Land You A Job

Barb Parees, director of CareerLink Pittsburgh/Allegheny County, sees unemployed workers every day.

And she knows how tough it is being out of work.

“When you are out of work your personally at a low point, so it’s helpful to join others,” Parees said.

She said many people come to the CareerLink center every day not only to look for work, but to get support from others in the same situation.

In a tight job market she said people need two things. “They need information about the world of work as it is today and information about themselves,” Parees said.

Workers need to know what they’re transferable skills are.

While the Internet is a good place to look for opportunities, it can’t be the only place you look.

“You have to be gathering information from other places. Read the business section, look for company names that say they’re hiring. Listen to all the business shows because they’ll be featuring companies that are doing well and industries that have new ideas and projects,” Parees said.

She also said not be shy about telling people you are looking for work.

“Everywhere you go you must tell everyone you are looking for work. You say, ‘I’m looking for work right now. I’m looking for my next best opportunity. Say it in a positive way,” said Parees.

And have your elevator speech ready.

Parees rides the elevator from the ground floor to the CareerLink office on the 22 nd floor of her building daily.

She always asks people on the elevator if they are looking for work.

“I’ll say what are you looking for and I can’t tell you how many of them will say, ‘Oh, anything.’ That’s not helpful to me. I say to them it will be helpful to you if you can be more specific and say what it is you are looking for,” Parees said.

Useful links: WPXI's Our Region's BusinessPittsburgh Business Times