5 Things You Can Do While Waiting for Employment
By Marion Marking

Marion Marking is editor in chief at China Business – Philippines, a monthly magazine available at National Bookstore, Powerbooks, Fully Booked, Bibliarch, leading newsstands nationwide, online via http://ChinaBusinessPhilippines.com ,and to clients of leading hotels and upscale coffee houses in the metro. She can be reached at editor@fairnewsmedia.com.

Today's job market is extremely competitive and may leave you without a job months after graduation. Instead of waiting between job interviews, here are a few things you can do to increase your marketability as a job seeker.

1. Research. If you're trying to join a particular industry, read up on it. Aside from making you more confident during the interview, the added knowledge could turn you into the most likely candidate for the position you're after. It can also help you hit the ground running when you ARE hired and not make you seem like such a newbie when interacting with more experienced colleagues. Also seek out people already practicing in your chosen industry to ask them for tips and inside info.
2. Read. Hang out at Powerbooks on a lazy afternoon and take advantage of the free browsing. Read about everything that interests you—and some of what doesn't! Both your job interview and career will benefit from the knowledge you gain.
3. Travel. It doesn't have to cost a fortune to travel around the Philippines—or even Asia. Airlines and hotels, currently suffering a downturn in bookings, can give you unbelievably bargain basement fares and room rates. You can also backpack with friends and pitch a tent in the mountains if you're worried about spending before you get your first paycheck. Then, create a photo journal. When you go to an interview, you don't have to stare blankly at your interviewer and say “Ummmmmm” when asked the usual question: So, what have you been doing since graduation?
4. Make an online résumé. You probably already know how to Multiply and Twitter, so creating an online curriculum vitae ought to be a walk in the park. Be creative. Don't simply list your (what probably still are) very sparse achievements, but flex your writing muscle and be more descriptive. Consider writing a short essay or drawing up a mission statement for your career and your life. And then proofread your work. Make sure there are no misspellings. Better yet, have someone with better writing skills than you edit your site.
5. Visit/join exhibits, fairs, sundry activities. The worst thing you can do is spend your time vegetating at home waiting for a prospective employer to call. Get off your back and visit a car show, trade exhibit, or activity like an earth day celebration, many of which cost nothing (or next to nothing) to enter. Striking up a conversation with someone you meet may not only give you a new friend but add to your network of contacts as well. Who knows? This may lead to you landing a great job or, at the very least, gaining business contacts you can use when you start your new job.