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Learning to stand out from the crowd

If Edy Unthank wants to find work, she may have to be more creative about her job search. That’s what a few career counselors had to say after listening to her story.

Julie Lynem SF Chronicle

Job support groups, seminars and workshops, like those offered through ProMatch, are a good first step. But they may not be enough, said Patti Wilson, a career counselor in Monte Sereno and founder of the Career Company.

"People need to keep in mind that everybody is taking that same first step, " she said. "In order to differentiate yourself, you have to go out into the world."

Wilson suggests that unemployed people network with those who are working. Unthank would do well to attend professional association meetings, and not necessarily those that focus on marketing or communications, she said.

Unthank had been a field marketing manager at Cisco Systems, where she fed information to the company’s sales teams.

"She may meet more unemployed people there (at the association meetings), but they may not be looking for the same job," said Wilson, noting that the marketing field was hit hard.

In addition, Unthank should consider doing pro bono work for nonprofits, a community television station, perhaps, Unthank said.

Norm Meshriy, a career counselor and principal of Career Insights, a career consulting firm in Walnut Creek, said Unthank may need to do more brainstorming and soul-searching to determine where she truly wants her career to go.

It’s easy to get stuck on one career path or one way of job searching, he said. And it’s tough to let go, especially if you’re commiserating with other unemployed people.

"The beliefs she’s carrying around in her own mind may be slowing her down, " he said. "A lot of the stuff that she’s doing is good. But sometimes, people need to break out of their own box."

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/02/02/BU229534.DTL&type=business

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