Nick D'Ambrosio, First Round Search Reveals: The Five Reasons People Remain Unemployed

    IRVINE, CA, March 16, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- I have spent the last 15 years working with over a thousand job seekers and hiring managers across the US. And while some have unique situations that add to their challenge of finding work, 95% of the people I work with fail to find work because of one of the five reasons explained in this article. By understanding what is hindering their search success, they can adjust their approach, implement new tactics and achieve greater results.

1. They have job skills that are not in demand. If you are one of many who spent your life working in an industry that has fallen on hard times, you know how difficult it is to find work. It is particularly tough if this industry (auto, banking, home building, real estate) has been decimated. While certain job skills are transferable, hiring managers' in tight markets want the complete package. They want people with industry knowledge and job related skills. They want someone who will contribute DAY ONE! If you owned a computer business and were looking to hire a sales person, would you rather hire someone with a successful track record selling homes or computers?

2. They have below average backgrounds. In our industry, these people are referred to as "job hoppers". They have shown short term success but fail to show any long term stability. They always chased the next big thing, spending 1-2 years before seeking greener pastures. In good times these people do fine, however, in today's market, the gaps in their resumes are the kiss of death. The problems these individuals faced in their past cannot be changed. This is a hard pill to swallow, especially when reminded of their poor choices by every employer they approach. I often hear them explain in detail why it made sense for them to make these job moves. As much as I sympathize with them, I'm not the one doing the hiring.

3. They are geographically undesirable. Many people have great backgrounds but live in second tier markets. I have coached very talented people who happen to live in these areas. This plays a huge role in their ability to create career options. Last year I coached an absolute A+ individual in South Carolina. In any major market he would have seen incredible results. While he did eventually land a job, he had far less options than those living in major markets. So while it's nice to have hundreds of affordable golf courses in your area, unless you are in the golf business, finding a good job may not be easy.

4. They let their egos get in the way of their success. I talk to a lot of people who just lost their jobs. They are adamant about staying at the level they were at when they were laid off. Their attitudes change drastically after 3-4 months of unsuccessful job hunting. I am not saying a former VP at IBM should take a job at a local bank. I am saying that people need to forget their past titles and be open to taking positions a notch or two down in the pecking order. Remember, the longer you are unemployed the harder it will be to find work. Explaining why you took a job you were overqualified for is easier than explaining why you haven't worked in two years.

5. People lack the skills needed to find and compete for "good jobs".
Across the board, this is the top reason 99% of all job seekers fail to find work. Every day, I see brilliant people with amazing backgrounds struggle to find meaningful work. They seemingly have it all and yet cannot secure interviews, let alone job offers. A great background and resume has significantly less to do with future career success than most people believe. Success almost always comes down to being an expert at what I call the 5 Steps in the Search Process. Unless you excel at all of them you will struggle. Most experts will have you believe the "silver bullet" is called networking. I strongly disagree. How many interviews have you landed using your network? How many offers? If you are like most people I speak with, the answer is not many. So what are the 5 Steps?

Watch for Part 2- The 5 Steps To Career Success

Nick D'Ambrosio, Managing Director of First Round Search is a nationally known and published career expert. Since 1994, he has interviewed thousands of job seekers and met with hundreds of hiring managers at both early stage companies and industry giants including: IBM, Cisco Systems, HP, EMC, GE and many others. This experience gives him insight few career experts have. It also taught him first hand why certain people consistently win more jobs and why others fail at this process. This insight has formed the foundation of what he teaches in his Career Advisory Programs. He has helped hundreds of individuals across the US exceed their career goals by applying this unique and proven system.

Mr. D'Ambrosio has been called on as a subject matter expert by the Wall Street Journal, Wired Magazine, FINS, Startupnation.com and countless other career related publications. He also offers career advice to the students at the largest computer training center in the world- New Horizons Learning Center. In February 2010, Nick was named a Finalist for the Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Orange County, California. Mr. D'Ambrosio can be contacted via phone: 949-675-0000 ext 101 or email [email protected] Or go to www.firstround.net/career.htm

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