Struggling to find work - getting a job?

I run my own business, but I've been struggling to get work?

How can I find a job and move into that?

All of the advice online just says about how to highlight the skills on my resume, but I'm actually looking for advice on how I actually search for and find a suitable job to apply for? I've looked on job boards, but they are either very low paid unskilled work, or they require "experience" in the industry. Of course I have experience running my business and I believe it is transferrable, but I don't have the specific experience they ask for in the job description. Three years as a ... XYZ.

I'm worried I've cut off all potential of re-entering paid employment.

You need to set up a LinkedIn profile. Get a good professional looking head shot. List any education, volunteer/charitable activities. List skills, jobs, location, contact info,etc. Then upload your contact lists and look for people on there you already know. Search for former teachers, coworkers, clients or anyone else you have known in a business or educational setting. Build a network of connections. Look for organisations to join/follow, particularly in any industry you are in or want to be in. Make sure your settings include allowing potential employers to contact you. Check in daily and review job offers, companies, etc. Also scan indeed, monster, career builder, etc for offerings.

I run my own business, but I've been struggling to get work? how I actually search for and find a suitable job to apply for?

Consider applying at temp agencies, and not online--in person. Set up 1 interview per day, at least 3 a week, starting with a radius closest to you. These require a large amount of time for testing on any applications you are able to use on a job. If your scores are lousy, most agencies will allow you to come back to use their tutorials and test again to raise you scores.

Not all agencies work with the same companies, so applying with one agency is not enough. Most agencies will tell you that they don't have anything at the moment, but that's because they don't leave jobs waiting around for new applicants, they immediately employ people from their 'active' roster--and the only way to get on that roster is to go there and apply in person.

Sending online applications will only triggers a phone invitation to come in to apply, so just call them instead. Otherwise, the invitations won't come until the recruiters aren't busy with placements.

Temp jobs are the way most employers find permanent help. They screen people through a temp job to learn whether they are a good fit for their culture, and then they invite temps to apply for better jobs from within. So it doesn't really matter what role you accept as a temp--it could be the mail room, it could be admin or reception. The idea is to get into different companies to learn whether they offer a culture suitable for you.

Head high.

What kind of business do you have and what kind of a job are you looking for specifically?

As a business owner, you do have a lot of different skills, so you can custom tailor your resume to a specific position you are seeking. Between unskilled labor and need 10 years of highly specific executive level experience in x field, there is a whole lot of in between jobs with good pay. Keep in mind that a lot of the requirements in those job ads are more wish lists than written in stone. So if you have relevant experience at large, apply and let the employer sort out of that's something they are interested in or not. Some employers actually like to hire business owners because they feel these candidates have a much more rounded experience, others however, will completely avoid it. Nobody is going to tell you which way they swing. You simply have to roll up your sleeves and apply and apply.

If you don't know how to flesh out your business experience into a resume, consider working with a resume service company.

Look up career fairs in your area. Network, join business groups, tell your clients you are looking to switch. Your best bet to transition is real life connections. Someone who can vouch for you, recommend you, or even hire you because they already know you and know what you can do.

It really helps to know people so you can have connections. Get involved in your community whether it's church, charity (volunteerism), sports clubs and become more socially active so you can develop, cultivate, nurture and maintain relationships.

Many jobs are attained through the back door, not the front door. Or, there are 'water cooler jobs' or word of mouth jobs from within long before it ever reaches a job board. Many jobs are snapped up from within or knowing somebody from within and never advertised on a company's website. I've snagged jobs at my children's birthday parties, the golf course, through relatives, friends, found out through social media, my parents' friends, my instructor, backyard BBQ's and from those who are already in the company already. You have to beat out your competition by knowing somebody. It's not only what you know, it's who you know that gets you the plum job.

It's also an incentive for those who personally refer you because they get rewarded monetarily. Don't put yourself out in the world as nobody or a faceless person on the Internet. Get personal. That's how you get a job.

Look for the job you currently do for yourself - and apply to do it for someone else.

Take the low-paying job for now, you won't find the perfect job for a while, it takes time. might as well take what you've been offered