Mar 27, 2009 5:30 am US/Mountain
Local Jobs List Helps Thousands Beat The Recession
Written By Brooke Wagner
DENVER (CBS4) ―
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The name Andrew Hudson may sound familiar. Hudson is well known in Colorado as a spokesman for Mayor Wellington Webb, Frontier Airlines, and RTD. But lately, his name has become synonymous with helping displaced professionals find jobs.
"I used to think 'It would be so great if there were a centralized resource, where if you were coming to a city, if you were graduating from college, you could go there and find the jobs available,'" said Hudson.
Hudson first had those thoughts when he was graduating from college. Seven years ago, he created a Denver-area jobs list Web site as a hobby. Over the years, it grew and grew. Then, last year, Hudson's mother passed away.
"It kind of made me re-assess what I was on this earth to do," Hudson said.
He began working on AndrewHudson'sJobsList.com full time ... just as the recession was taking hold.
"I'm seeing a lot of professional people now out on the street, looking for a job. A lot of these people haven't had to look for a job for a very long time," said Hudson. "Now, all of a sudden, they are on the street, having to reintroduce themselves to people they don't know ... companies, industries, and job sectors they're unfamiliar with."
Hudson said his site lists the best jobs in the community; about 300 of them per month. And, he said that number hasn't dropped during the recession.
"Companies are still hiring," said Hudson. "We have thousands of organizations out there that are still looking for people to come help them be successful."
In Colorado, that number appears to be even greater. Hudson points to job-rich Colorado industries such as health care, construction, higher education and new energy. He recommends the Denver Business Journal's Book of Lists as a resource every Colorado job seeker should read.
Hudson's Web site attracts about 150,000 visitors a month and has 10,000 subscribers. It is free to job seekers. Hudson also offers one-on-one resume counseling.
"You have to work on your resume to the point where you have a personal brand, so that people understand on first glance what skills and values you bring to the table," Hudson said.
He pointed out that many companies use a computer program to scan resumes for certain words. If yours doesn't contain those words, it may be history.
"You've got to be able to write your resume to conform to these applicant tracking systems, or it will just end up in a resume graveyard. No human will ever have seen it," Hudson said.
Hudson said the key words you want are usually part of skills and experience descriptions included in the job listing.
He added that it doesn't hurt to post your profile on networking sites such as Linkedin.com, so that employers don't come up empty when they type your name into a search engine. Video resumes are also becoming a popular tool, when used correctly.
Hudson admits the computer is not king.
"I see a lot of people who spend until 11 in the morning in their pajamas surfing the Web, trying to find jobs. It becomes very defeating very quickly. I tell people 'You need to have a routine, just like you were at work.'
"You have to go out and network, you need to make lists of people you know, former colleagues, former vendors, people who know you best. Look at ways to advance your job search so you can say, 'This week was better than last week and that week' ... keep that optimistm. Keep that confidence in yourself," Hudson said.
Hudson also hosts frequent events for job seekers, featuring people on the front lines of the job market, such as CEOs and headhunters. He donates proceeds from the events to local charities, last year giving $10,000.
It folds into Hudson's belief that the best way to beat the recession is to stay positive and not fear change.
"I'm an optimist at heart, and I think there are a lot of jobs out there. I think that's going to continue. I think it will get better. What will happen is, there are a lot of people -- white collar folks -- who are going to have to re-invent themselves," said Hudson. "I just want folks to realize that they should not give up."
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