A myriad of forces have brought about these changes. Global competition and an increasing focus on the bottom line have resulted in downsizing, restructuring and reengineering. Job security is not what it was when parents and grandparents joined the work force. .

Despite increasing profits for many companies, the layoff phenomenon continues. When you include the changes brought on by computers and communications technology, navigating the workplace can be confusing and unsettling.

Getting a job can be hard enough, but if you believe in some of the myths and wives' tales that proliferate, it can be a lot more difficult. The following are some of the more popular myths and the facts that will dispel them.

Myth: Job seekers should avoid companies that are laying off people. After all, how could a company hire if they are letting people go?

Fact: In reality, these companies can be among the best places to look. The best kept secret in today's job market is that many firms continue to hire while they are laying off people. Some of the best job prospects exist with firms that are experiencing economic difficulties.

Companies are always looking for people who can do the work of more experienced - and more expensive - individuals. Also, some companies may be downsizing or eliminating entire divisions, but have other areas that are growing and have excellent job opportunities.

Myth: Job seekers who lower their salary demands are making themselves more appealing to employers because they're asking for less.

Fact: People who ask for less are viewed by employers as "undesirable property." Employers look more favorably on job applicants seeking an equivalent or better salary than in their last position. If you ask for less, you will not convey an air of confidence and may even give the impression that you were fired from your last job due to poor performance. If the employer views you as "undesirable" or anything less than a first-class prospect, you are not likely to be hired.

Myth: If you cannot find anything available in your field, switch careers.

The best move for an individual who cannot find a job in their industry is to look at how their skills can fit into other industries. But the answer is not to scrap all the skills he or she has learned and start from scratch. When most jobs are examined from the functional stand point, it opens up a whole range of new possibilities. securities broker, for example, is a salesman. Sales skills can be successfully transferred elsewhere because businesses need sales.

Myth: Workers older than 50 who have lost their jobs will have a very difficult time obtaining another job. Few employers will hire people older than 50.

Fact: Workers age 50 and older are winning new jobs in approximately the same length of time as their younger counterparts. Today's employers have a favorable impression of older workers who are seen as work-tested and experienced. Employers are placing a premium on experience to help them meet their increasing worldwide competition.

Myth: A person who gets extended severance payments from his or her last employer should take a vacation, get away from the workplace and not start looking for a job until the money starts running out. There is no hurry to start looking for another job immediately after being discharged.

Fact: With the large number of layoffs, today's job market is more competitive than ever. The problem with long-term severance payments is that they lull the individual into a false sense of security and delay the job search, taking the person out of the job market at a time when he or she should be most active.

Employers tend to be suspicious of anyone who has been out of work for as long as six months. After a few months of being out of the market, employers will not think of you as fresh and will question whether your delay back into the work force could be a negative reflection on your job performance.

Myth: A well-written resume is the most import part of the job search and should be enough to get the job.

Fact: Resumes rarely win jobs. Face-to-face interviews win jobs. The resume is an essential tool in the job search but in itself loses more jobs than it gains. It gives the employer a chance to screen you out, not in, if it does not say exactly what the employer wants.

Myth: An interviewer will be impressed at how smart you are if you can reel off several facts about the company or suggest a better way the company can run business.

Fact: Impressing the employer by showing your knowledge of the company can often backfire because if you get the information wrong, you will look worse to employer. The best thing to do during an interview is listen carefully to the questions and respond in a way that will communicate how your past experiences and successes can benefit the employer.