It’s holiday shopping season once again and you might have a friend or family member who is a new college graduate, unemployed, or just unhappy in their current role, looking for a new opportunity.  There are many wonderful gifts for someone who is a job seeker.

Here are 6 practical gift ideas for job seekers

    1. Resume Writing Service Gift Certificate – A professional resume is crucial to a job search.  It’s a marketing tool and used to apply for jobs online, to hand out at job fairs and when going on face to face interviews.  A gift certificate to a resume writing service makes a great gift and is very practical.  You can search for local resume writers in the area or ask around to see if anyone knows a resume writing service that is reputable and reasonably priced.
      • Resume Writing Service is one of the largest, professional resume services available online and have a high customer satisfaction rate with their professional services. Click Here to check out their services
    2. Job Search Books – There are loads of book resources available to job seekers helping them with how to use LinkedIn, picking careers and interviewing advice. Amazon is one of my favorite places to find books.  Here are some job search book suggestions:
    3. Coffee Shop Gift Cards – Meeting at coffee shops is pretty standard these days when it comes to networking. Also, sometimes it’s nice to get out of the house, bring your laptop to the coffee shop and browse LinkedIn for new connections and  job boards for the latest opportunities. Having Coffee Shop Gift Cards on hand helps to offset the cost during their job search.  Some popular coffee shops include:
    4. Planner/Journal – Staying organized is important when it comes to job searching.  Writing down contact names, keeping a list of companies you applied to, adding interview and networking dates in a calendar and taking notes on an interview are ways to help stay organized during your job search.
      • One of my “go to” places to find inexpensive office supplies is the Dollar Tree, where everything is $1.  You can find journals, notebooks, calendars and planners, all which make great gifts for job seekers.  Check out office supplies at the Dollar Tree online by clicking here
      • My 2nd favorite place for planners and journals is Amazon. Planners and organizers 2017, Journals 2017
    5. Briefcase or Portfolio – It’s nice to have a briefcase or laptop bag to carry a computer and other materials needed when out networking or interviewing. Something professional can help boost a job seekers confidence. Look for ones that have pockets for key items like business cards so they don’t get lost at the bottom of the bag. A nice portfolio to bring to meetings is also a great gift.
    6. Job Search Training & Coaching Services – Job searching techniques are always changing and now with job searching being done online, it can get confusing on how to use LinkedIn, learning networking techniques and applying to jobs online.
      • I have been in the recruiting industry for over 20 years and understand what hiring managers are looking for and how recruiters go about finding job seekers.  Check out my Job Search Training Services  where I teach job seekers tips and tricks on getting their profile seen by recruiters, human resources and hiring managers, how to get found in searches and helping to connect with the right people. For more information on Job Search Training, click here

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