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Last Update:

1/31/2001 

Job Searching In Dallas

Being notified that you no longer have a job can be a very bewildering experience. Even when you’ve anticipated a job loss, there is an adjustment period. Similarly, if you arrive in the Dallas area without a job you can be anxious about trying to search for reemployment when you are unfamiliar with people and the region.

If you are job seeking in the Dallas/Ft.Worth area, be comforted somewhat in knowing that new friends and professional assistance are readily available to you. This is not the case around the country, especially in smaller metropolitan areas.

Listed below are recommended steps to get a job search going in the Dallas/Ft.Worth area:

1. Take a few days off just to let your emotions settle down. You’re beginning a new job soon. It’s called "job searching." You need to have your mind ready to begin. Having a positive outlook is crucial. The people you meet in your search will detect your attitude and respond accordingly. Following the next steps below will help you. Use the inertia of your old work habits to establish a new work routine from the outset, e.g., get up at a regular time, start working at a regular time, and schedule your off time. Consider wearing dress casual clothes even if you’re just staying home to work.
2. If this is your first time job hunting in several years or longer, you should learn or relearn how to do it properly. One of the best books available on job hunting is (and has been for many years) What Color Is Your Parachute? By Richard Nelson Bolles. Buy a copy and read it. It tells how best to search for a job. It also contains some very useful exercises to help you determine what type of job is best suited for you.

Warning! If you are new to job hunting and you are tempted to start without reading this book (or one like it) or without getting other professional assistance, you might be making a serious mistake. For most people effective job hunting is a learned skill.

3. Apply for unemployment benefits with the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). Visit the TWC web site, www.twc.state.tx.us, to find out how to apply. If your last job was not in Texas, the TWC will probably forward your application to your former state. You will then have to comply with that state’s procedures.
4. Spend some quality time clarifying exactly what you want to do. KNOW what you like to do and what you’re good at. Then decide what type of job(s) you’re going to pursue. Fight off feelings of desperation to find just any job. You will do a much better job searching if you are enthused and confident about your goal.
5. Effective job searching is something that you cannot do alone. Join one of the job search networking groups in the area. You will quickly meet many people who are in similar circumstances and who are immediately ready and willing to help YOU find a job. Local churches sponsor most of these groups as a community mission. The cost of joining them is nominal. Most have professionals that freely teach what they know and provide individual and group assistance. Many networking members are also members of other networking groups. This will help you find a group that suits you well. Through these groups you can obtain assistance with preparing resumes, learning how to network, interviewing, and negotiating salaries.

I recommend that you begin by attending the Career Transition Workshop (CTW) on a Monday evening. (See below.) Bring $25.00 and purchase the course notebook. Attend the Career/Hi-Tech Connection (CC) meeting the next evening (Tuesday) and join. Follow up by joining one or more of the CC focus groups. These are where strong networking really occurs. Do these and you’ll be off to a good start.

6. Avoid professional services that require substantial up front fees. You can obtain quality assistance without paying a heavy price. Richard Bolles (What Color Is Your Parachute?) gives a number of other tactics employed by job assistance companies that you should be wary of. If think you could use some one-on-one professional help and you are not eligible for it through your former employer, contact Jewish Family Service.
7. Prepare a resume with the best assistance you can find.
8. Design and print some personal business cards. Handing out your resume to everyone you meet is a poor tactic. Business cards are great. At a minimum they should contain your name, address, phone number(s), and email address. In addition you should print your title or function and your specialty, for example:

Industrial Engineer

Project Management for Manufacturing and Logistics

Support Groups

Career Transition Workshop. Northwest Bible Church, Christian Life Center (CLC), 8508 Douglas Ave., Dallas. Northwest Highway @ North Dallas Tollway. Twelve excellent professionally presented job-searching lessons in a twelve-week period. Lesson sequence starts over after 12 weeks. Lessons preceded by networking. Mondays, 6:00-9:00 PM. The series notebook costs $25.00. You can also purchase audio tapes of the entire series. Mentors at CTW provide one-on-one assistance.

Career/HiTech Connection Inc. Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church, 9800 Preston Road, Dallas, 214-739-7153. Job leads and networking support group for unemployed professionals. Meets Tuesdays 6:30-9:00 PM. Many smaller "focus groups" meet throughout the Dallas area at other times. www.careerconnection.org $20 membership fee.

Jewish Family Service, 5402 Arapaho Rd., Dallas, 972-437-9950. (One stop light east of the Tollway at Arapaho/Knoll Trail intersection) Contact: Camille Kramer ([email protected]). Non-denominational employment resource group meets 2^nd Tuesday of the month, 7:30pm-9:00pm. Meetings are much like the ones held at CTW, with guest speakers teaching job search skills. In addition, JFS has a resource room much like Career Connection (CC). CTW and CC meetings often have over 200 attendees. If a smaller group is more to your liking, try this group. JFS also provides professional one-on-one assistance for a nominal fee. www.jfsdallas.org.

Job Net of Plano, Reformed Church, 5333 Independence Pkwy, Plano, 972-867-6704. A support group for people between jobs. Meets Thursdays 7:00 PM. See www.reformedchurchplano.org.

Other Professional Networking Groups: See http://gsmweb.udallas.edu/cmo/professional_networking_groups.htm

Job Search Seminar at TWC Richardson Office. Taught every other week by Bill Vidovic. Capacity: 20 people. This is the only class in the State of Texas geared toward the professional level. If they have blue-collar attendees, Bill will have to address some items to them. This seminar is three half-day classes and two full days. Main focus: Four-step redirect and the Video Interview.

Employment Transition and You (et&u) at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano. Meetings are held every Wednesday night. The moderators are Lynn Guillory and Dene Allred. Dene and Lynn used to be Mentors for John McDorman of CTW. This is an 8-week class. Main items: Two Minute Commercial and 20 Second (Elevator Commercial).

Job Search 2001 at Dallas Public Library. This is a two-hour seminar held the third Wednesday of the month from 9:30-11:00AM. Sponsored by and held by Business and Technology Division in the Hamon Training Room, 5th floor of the Downtown Dallas Public Library. This class is a must for any kind of research in the business arena and researching employers. Enrollment is limited, so call 214-670-1608 to reserve a place.