Guerrilla Job Hunting

Job Search Strategy # 1 – Targeted Research

 

One quick way to discover new opportunities is by doing structured search engine queries. And it’s fairly easy to do.   The video above gives you a good overview of how to do it for yourself:

Step #1

Develop a target list of companies you want to work for.  That list of companies is your baseline query for your search.   Now, here’s how you get the list.  The video above is an example using Google.com in which the job hunter want sto work in advertising in New York City.  {You  just do what I'm doing BUT substitute your industry parameters.}

1.     When you do targeted research, generally you concentrate on an industry or a geographic preference (in this case, New York City).  Substitute your city for your search. 

2.     You need to find the names of all the advertising companies in New York.  There are easy ways to do this using the Net.  Go to Google. www.google.com and type the following words in the “advanced” option box in Google.  The search string shown below instructs Google to search for a directory of advertising firms in New York or a conference on advertising held in New York.  We want this list to garner leads for companies.

Your text needs to be filled in exactly the way I did in the video. 
 
My search returned many hits including one for AD:TECH  “The Event for Interactive Marketing”.  This is a conference held in New York for the Advertising industry.  There where also hits for directories of advertising companies in New York, complete with web site addresses, phone numbers, and profiles of the owners.

Step #2 Find People Who Can Hire You:

Once you have a target list of companies to work with, you need to find out who the people are in those companies that can actually hire you.  A good headhunter would pick up the telephone. You might not be so inclined, so here’s another way to accomplish your objective.

Go to each company’s web site and gather the names of the people who can say yes.  Those people are the executives not the human resource people – they can only say NO! unless you’re a human resources professional.  If you’re lucky, every web site will identify their senior executives, including names, titles, phone numbers, career summaries and sometimes email and photos!  Web information should be up-to-the-minute accurate, but I would call the receptionist and confirm it.   

For this example I’m looking for a sales position.  Therefore I’ll seek to locate or research the VP of Sales, VP Sales & Marketing, VP Marketing or General Manager. You would focus your research on the functional areas of interest for your search.

If you’re experiencing difficulty finding names on the site, then go back to Google’s advanced search box and type in the company name in the first box and (Vice President Sales Marketing Director)in the third box.  By-the-way, you don’t need to place the words in brackets and don’t put in any commas or punctuation. 

That search string will bring you:
All the people who are, or have ever been, VPs OR President OR Directors of Sales and/or Marketing for that company.
The resumes of a whole pile of people from that company whom you may be able to phone to coax information from them.

OR

You can skip all that and use LinkedIn, Spoke, or ZoomInfo

Once you have the name of the individual who is one rung up the ladder from the job you want, you need to process their name through Google again.  This time you put their first and last name in the first box and the company name in the third box.

This will produce a list of press releases, and news articles in which they are mentioned, as well as conferences they’ve attended.  Read an article or two and clip something memorable to use in a  NarrowCast letter.

When you send them the letter, you’ll be able to say.  “I read your article in… about… which prompted me to write.”  Very powerful.

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

The 12 Days of Christmas Job Hunting 2010: Day 2

On the second day of Christmas - Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 2.0 revealed to me - "Two strategies to crack the hidden job market.."

 

 

 

Click HERE for FREE DVD that gets you hired - “New Job Search Secrets"

You know, most people put more time into writing down a shopping list for the grocery store than a list of employers they want to work for. Totally illogical, isn’t it? I mean, why be happy working just anywhere? Why not work for a company that excites you?

Instead of blindly sending out résumés to companies you’ve never heard of before, it’s far better to first select potential employers that meet YOUR criteria and then contact them with an offer to help.

Which is what you’re going to learn to do today.  And one of the ways to do that is with Google.

To get the best results focus all your time and effort on the companies you’ve identified as being the Tier 1 buyers of your product - you.  Anything else is a waste of your time, energy and money.  Target your campaign at those companies where you know you can help solve a problem.  Nothing beats a direct approach for speed and accuracy.

Because of the current recession caused by the sub-prime meltdown, employers have different hiring expectations. The direct approach has replaced networking as the best way to break into the hidden job market.
 
The hidden job-market isn’t really hidden.  It’s just not in plain sight.  It’s referred to as the hidden job-market because of the way jobs are created and filled.  Most jobs are created in a company in one of three ways. 
1.     The company is growing;
2.     Someone quits, leaving a vacancy; or
3.     Someone is being replaced and the employer doesn’t want the employees to know about it.
 
When the company is growing, the owner, president, or someone else may know they need to hire but haven’t initiated the process.  They may not have had the time.  They may not quite have the budget.  They may not want to go through the hassle of advertising and interviewing.  So while the need is real, the job itself remains hidden inside the hiring manager’s head. 

When someone quits, managers will first decide if they can eliminate the job, or combine it with another position.   Needing a new person, they will look inside their organization to see whom they can promote into the role.  If they can’t find anyone they’ll likely ask their co-workers for referrals.  If that doesn’t work, depending on the size of the company they may opt to run an ad through HR, or hire a head-hunter.  

Companies will contact a head-hunter when secrecy is required because “loose-lips-sink-ships” and the recruiter can conduct a search without anyone ever knowing.
In all of these cases, the job remains hidden to the outside world for weeks if not months.  Hence the term “hidden” job-market. 

And TODAY the ability for job hunters to “click and apply” for every job they see on the internet has given employers good reason to NOT let it be known n they have an opening.  The onslaught of emails, phone calls and resumes that result from an advertised position is enough to CRUSH an HR department.

The only way for you to access the hidden job-market successfully is to reach out to the hiring managers directly before they opt to go the advertising or HR route OR ask their buddies for referrals.  The hidden job-market is your private laboratory to test out the best methods for finding your dream job.  Now let’s look at two of the Top 10 Strategies Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters use to access the hidden job market.

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

The 12 Days of Christmas Job Hunting 2010: Day 1

On the first day of Christmas - Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 2.0 revealed to me - "A Plan with Clarity..."

 

Click HERE for FREE DVD that gets you hired - “New Job Search Secrets"

The best advice you'll ever receive is  start your job hunt with absolute clarity. All of the best job search advice in the world can be boiled down to three steps:

1. decide what job you want;
2. tell the right hiring authority about it;
3. prove to them you’re the one to hire.

Pretty simple summation of the facts.  Create a plan that is clear and detailed in every way --- then give it some panache!

If you want to get hired you have to get noticed.  You have to raise your voice above the crowd to be heard.  So when everyone else is doing more of the same - things that aren't working - you have to be more focused.  Your job search needs to be focused and very clear.

It must also be:

• Clever,
• Results driven,
• Marketing oriented,
• Inexpensive to execute,
• Realistic, and
• Achievable.

Clever - That’s because the most qualified job hunter is rarely the one who gets hired. The positions[s] invariably go to the person who does the best job at positioning themselves as the solution to an employer’s problem. Often the employer doesn’t realize they have a problem and it’s your job to bring that to their attention.

Results driven - You must measure your progress. You need to do this so that you’ll understand how close you are to achieving your goal and stay motivated and committed to your plan. Measuring requires tracking the metrics which drive you to your finish line. Here are a few of the dozens of proven tactics Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters shows you how to measure:

• How many out of the box activities have you deployed?
• How many you’re sending out,
• How many guerrilla networking activities you’re engaged in.

Marketing oriented - Because the market is geared toward those who effectively brand and market themselves as the ultimate commodity across multiple distribution channels. Winning the War for Talent requires you to become great at guerrilla marketing yourself. Looking for a job is a sales and marketing activity where you’re the product.

Inexpensive - In 1997, Tom Peters introduced the concept of “Brand U” in his book Re-Imagine! At the time, self-branding was an assertive marketing concept best reserved for high-flying techies and senior executives who wanted to maximize the financial returns of their biggest asset—their career. Today personal branding is a matter of survival. Here’s how Tom McAlister turned himself into a comic book hero and landed a job.

Realistic - Knowing what you want to do is great. Combining that with what you’re ‘qualified” to do is the secret. You may be pleasantly surprised at how your current skill-set maps to other industries. For a clear picture of what’s possible to do with your skill-set I suggest you visit America’s Career InfoNet. If you’re not qualified for what you want to do get moving and determine how you can become qualified. In my 20+ years of executive recruiting the biggest problem I’ve run into is that people aren’t realistic – especially job hunters who are unemployed. If this describes you - STOP!  You’re setting for disappointment if you apply for jobs you’re not qualified to do. Sometimes you may have to take a temporary step backwards to move forward in a new career BUT the sooner you start, the sooner you’ll hit your goal. If this even remotely applies to you then you need to make one New Years Resolution – and it’s to yourself – I will check out America’s Career InfoNet.

Achievable - Knowing the exact title and function of the future role you want gives you a realistic goal with no excuses. Get specific. The more detailed the better.

For example, I’ll bet you Vicky Vlachakis new exactly what she wanted to do and who she wanted to work for before she started her job search. When the opportunity came along to design the new two-seater convertibles for Saturn and Chrysler she recognized her chance to knock not one - but two home runs - out of the park!  You can be that focused too.

Nothing is more important to your success than a clear “picture” of your goal. If you can envision your dream job AND you’re qualified to do it then you can find it. With a specific goal in mind you can organize your job search and networking efforts with a laser like focus. Yes some people are lucky and fall into great jobs but luck [as Tom Peters says] is so unpredictable.

The dramatic changes we’re witnessing in the marketplace mean that the tried-and-true methods of finding a job will no longer suffice. Those old ways should remain a part of your plan, however by themselves they don’t provide the horsepower to get the heightened attention of employers.

Clarity of purpose is both energizing and enabling

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

Network With Your Religious Leader

 If you attend a church, mosque, temple or other house of worship, seek out the leader of your congregation for networking assistance.

 

They’re a great resource for networking because:

1. it’s their job to help you,
2. they may know many leaders in your community by name and be only a phone call or two away from almost anyone else you want to meet; and
3. the advice and suggestions of religious leaders carry special weight with many people in the community, so a recommendation from the head of your congregation can be especially valuable!

 

It’s a good idea to ask the magic question of your religious leader: “Given my experience and the value I can offer an employer, who do you know that I should be talking to?”

 

But you can take your networking a couple of steps further.

 

For instance, ask your clergy leader to write you a letter of introduction. Ask them this question: “If a business leader walked into the room, would you have a problem introducing me based on what you know about me?”

 

They’ll probably say that wouldn’t be a problem. So you can say: “Since I’m not a sales person – I’m a people person – could I jot down a letter of introduction on church stationery and show it to you for your approval and signature?”

 

Again, they’ll probably agree with you, especially since you’re saving them the time of writing that letter.

 

So, sit down and write a letter from our pastor that introduces you as a problem solver and suggests that it would be good for the reader to meet you. Get your pastor’s signature, along with as many names of potential employers and community leaders in your congregation as possible

 

Make copies, then mail those letters to your new networking contacts.

 

Wait a couple of days, then call the recipients of your introductory letter and ask if they have been contacted by the pastor/rabbi/iman/guru. Use a script like this when you call: “I asked Father Flanagan about who the top leaders in town were and your name came up. I was sharing with him some things I can bring to the table as a problem solver in your industry and I’d like a 20-minute meeting with you to show you what I showed him. Which would work better for you, this Wed. or Thur. afternoon?”

 

Thanks to Bob Donovan for this tip! He helps people find the right career for themselves. Author of widely acclaimed "What Ever Happened to Dick and Jane?" and developer of PDA software that helps people communicate more effectively, Bob is responsible for attracting more than 10,000 people to career opportunities. Find Bob at www.mrznet.com and www.zprofiler.com

 

 

Action Step: Your religious leader (or spiritual confidant, psychiatrist, whatever) is in the business of helping people. Why not tap into their desire to help, not to mention their network of contacts in the community, and enlist them in your job search?

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

Take The Personal, Persistent Approach

Despite the tight labor market, you CAN stand out from the crowd and get the job you really want.

 

Consider Eugene, a software developer from Savage, MN.

 

After getting serious about his job search, he found his ideal job -- at a higher salary than he expected -- in just over six weeks.

 

Here’s what he did …

 

“I saw a job posted on the Internet that I really wanted,” says Eugene. “Like most people, I thought I would just email my resume and wait. But that approach had not produced any callbacks for three months, so I decided to try something different.”

 

Eugene picked up the phone and called the contact person listed in the job posting, after getting her phone number from the company switchboard.

 

“I asked if I could hand-deliver my resume. She said ‘No,’ but I struck up a conversation and learned enough about the position to write a very targeted cover letter, which I emailed with my resume,” says Eugene.

 

After that, Eugene made three follow-up calls, one week apart, to very politely ask if a decision had been made. Since he had already built a rapport with the hiring manager during his first call, she did not see this as an intrusion.

 

Between his second and third follow-up calls, Eugene employed a brilliant tactic that set him apart from every other candidate.

 

“During my second follow-up call, I offered to deliver a portfolio of additional material. I wanted to maximize my chances of getting that job!” he says. The hiring manager agreed.

 

So Eugene put together a collection of awards and descriptions of projects he had worked on. As he was dropping off this “brag book” with the receptionist, he met several employees in the lobby. “I asked about the four biggest problems they were facing on the job,” says Eugene. “I took notes, then went home to think up solutions.”

 

Finally, after four weeks, three follow-up phone calls and one hand-delivered portfolio, Eugene was called for an interview. He aced it, aced the interview that followed ... and got the job.

 

“After talking to employees and researching the company’s products and customers from their Web site, I was able to talk intelligently and make helpful suggestions. The interviewers were impressed by that,” says Eugene.

 

Does all this research and telephone follow-up sound like a lot of work to you? Not if you consider your job search to be a full-time job in itself. Eugene spent only a few hours total on this approach, but the pay-off was enormous.

 

“I start next week at a higher salary than before and with a great company. I’m really excited about this new position,” says Eugene.

 

Action Step: You can hit the jackpot with some old-fashioned persistence and creativity. Of course it takes work. But doing a thing right is never really work, is it? One thing’s for sure – the other people who want your job probably won’t go to the lengths Eugene did. Will you?

 

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

 

Get Help From Gatekeepers

This example is near and dear to my heart – it’s how I landed a job with a marketing communications firm back in the 1990s, when I use to work for other people.

 

After mailing in my resume, I was called by a receptionist to schedule an interview. During our conversation, I asked if she could send me back issues of their corporate publications. I explained that I wanted to research the writing styles of the magazines and newsletters I would be editing if I got the job.

 

She immediately agreed, and had a nice package of materials couriered over to me the same day.

 

It turned out to be a gold mine.

 

I found three typos in one back issue of a magazine I would be proofreading in the position I was interviewing for. Here was proof I could do the job.

 

Two days later at the interview, the subject of proofreading skills came up. I pulled out the magazine (with post-it notes marking the typos) and said: “I’ve been researching your publications and found these three errors. I can improve your image by preventing this kind of thing from happening again.”

 

They hired me.

 

 

Action Step: do whatever you can to research your target company and “start working” for them before the first interview. It’s one thing to claim you can do the job. It’s quite another -- and much more powerful -- to prove it.

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

Ask The Magic Networking Question

If your network is smaller than you'd like, think of it as a yeast cell, with the power to expand from its tiny origin until it produces something wonderful. In this case, a new job!

 

Tell everyone you know that you're looking for a job. Call or e-mail every single person in your address book. Now, here's the magic question -- at the end of every conversation, ask:

 

“Who else do you know that I should be talking to?”

 

This is how you expand your network by leaps and bounds! If everyone you talk to gives you two more names, and those people give you two more names, your network will explode like crabgrass in July -- try it and see.

 

Eventually, someone should be able to put you in touch with a decision maker who can hire you.

 

Even former employers can help. If you parted on good terms with your last boss, he or she might be able to refer you to hiring managers in other companies.

 

 

Action Step: Stop thinking that your network is only as large as the people you know. It’s not. It’s FAR bigger and more valuable. When you ask: “Who else do you know that I should be talking to?” the sky is literally the limit – you could be only one or two phone calls away from talking to the CEO of General Mills, the owner of your dream company down the road … or Kevin Bacon. But you’ll never know unless you ask.

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

Head hunters find their niche in boom times | Oil & Gas: Special Report | Financial Post

A funny thing happens when oil prices go up. Suddenly, headhunters come out of the woodwork in provinces such as Alberta.

via business.financialpost.com

Great article on recruiting.

How To Treat Your Job Hunt Like The Presidential Campaign [INFOGRAPHIC] - Business Insider

via www.businessinsider.com

Look at the difference between looking for work and being found. very telling infographic.

You Are More Qualified Than You Think

Job search expert James Adams, based in California, once advised an applicant to talk about her hobby as a private pilot when interviewing for a position at a utility company.

 

Why?

 

The job required a manager to oversee a plant delivering electricity to consumers across California. Making the wrong decision -- or no decision -- would put thousands of people in the dark.

 

As a private pilot, this woman had safely landed a crippled aircraft not once, but twice. Had she not made the right decisions fast, while focusing on a solution, she wouldn't have survived.

 

By proving her decision-making ability, which transferred easily from piloting to power plant management, she aced out dozens of other applicants -- and got the job.

 

 

Action Step: I’ll say it again -- you are more qualified than you think.

 

If you need confirmation of this, ask the opinion of at least 3 friends or family members whose judgment you trust. They can provide insights on how your hobbies, interests and experience (paid or unpaid) have given you a valuable set of skills.

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters « asuccessfulcareer

Why Use Blogging as a Job Search Tool?

via asuccessfulcareer.wordpress.com

Here are 3 great reasons to use blogging to help in your job search.

Walk Right In, Sit Right Down

Robbie Brawner Ouzts, Director of Career Services at Oglethorpe University, tells the story of a gung-ho job seeker who got hired after walking into a job interview meant for somebody else! “An administrative professional, we’ll call her, ‘Shirley,’ got so frustrated after sending out resumes with no response that she decided to call on companies in person.” At 10:00 one morning, she walked into the lobby of a local business. Unknown to her, the hiring manager was expecting another woman for a 10:00 job interview. “Shirley walked in and looked dressed for an interview, so the employer thought it was his 10:00 appointment. He started talking to her and thought she was wonderful,” says Ouzts. After 10 minutes, the hiring manager realized his mistake, but Shirley handed him her resume for review. The interview continued … and she got a job as an office manager. What about that candidate who was originally scheduled to interview at 10:00? “She never did show up,” says Ouzts. Action Step: Shirley’s stroke of good fortune seems pretty incredible, like winning the job lottery. But before you dismiss her tactic as something that could never happen to you, understand this critical point: Shirley created her this break all by herself. Put another way, this could have never happened to Shirley if she had spent that morning at home in front of the TV, sulking about her job search. You can literally make your own luck if you get proactive and seek out hiring managers in person. If you’re at all reluctant about calling on employers in person, you have company. The thought of cold calling can be intimidating. Yet, ask yourself this: if you go out to meet hiring managers, what’s the worst that could happen? They say no. Big deal. Dust yourself off, and try again. But what’s the worst that can happen if you sit idly at home and wait for the phone to ring with job offers? The bank could foreclose on your mortgage. Your landlord could evict you. Your significant other could leave you for someone else. Hmm. That’s an easy choice, isn’t it?

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

When the Guru Smacks You on the Head, Take it Like a Man

Great advice is great advice no matter where it comes from and no matter who it was originally intended for.

Here's an article by one of my favorite business gurus - Perry Marshall - on coaching.  Actually no, it's on learning and being open to being open to learn from the best even when people already think you're the best.  the article is oh so  very applicable to job hunters - especially all those stuck in the old ways of job hunting hunting and networking.  When you're finished with the piece surf over to my web site and download our free audio CD on job hunting {Guerrilla Job Search Tips!}

Read Perry Marshall's article for yourself and listen to his advice on how to improve your performance - it's so applicable to job hunters. MORE

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

Network Smarter, Not Harder

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again – networking is how 70-80% of the best jobs are filled. But in today’s economy, don’t expect a plum position to fall in your lap. You must network smartly and more creatively. “Try calling on vendors and suppliers who know of companies that might be hiring. These include your local banker, CPA, lawyer and real estate agent. These people all have a great deal of knowledge,” says Bob Picha, founder of San-Diego-based Ideas At Work, a company dedicated to the release of human potential in individuals and organizations. When you call or meet networking contacts, ask for names of growing companies who could use someone with your experience. Ask for a contact person at the target employer(s), but avoid the HR department, since they often act as gatekeepers and may shun you. Action Step: Call people who may owe you a favor for past business you’ve done with them. This makes them more likely to assist by helping you find companies that are hiring.

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

Read The Paper, But Not The Want Ads

Here are 3 ways to locate job openings using free resources at your disposal.

 

I interviewed Bob Picha, founder of San-Diego-based Ideas At Work, a company dedicated to the release of human potential in individuals and organizations.

 

Based on 30 years of career-consulting experience, Bob’s insights are sure to surprise – and more importantly – help you find a job faster.

 

Research is your first step in ferreting out job openings. And since almost everyone gets a daily newspaper, why not start there? But don’t spend a lot of time on the want ads, advises Picha.

 

“I take an indirect approach in looking for companies that might be hiring. For example, I skimmed today’s Wall Street Journal and found these tidbits: 

• “Toyota now wants 15% of global market share, which means they’ll be expanding worldwide and perhaps hiring locally; 
• “China is buying $1.2 billion in telecom equipment from Lucent and Motorola, which points to both firms needing new personnel; 
• “Earnings for Cendant rose 19%, so they may be hiring …

 

“The list goes on,” says Picha.

 

Two more ways to use the newspaper to uncover expanding businesses are: 

1. Monitor the business section for firms signing new commercial leases, a sure sign of a need for increased capacity, and
2. Look for companies receiving venture capital -- since it’s so difficult to get these days, such firms are likely to have a viable business model … and a need for new employees.

 

 

Action Step: With a little digging, you can uncover the employment clues that point you toward companies in need of new employees. And you’ll have almost NO competition, since 99% of job hunters look only to the help-wanted ads when they read the newspaper.

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

Keep Detailed Records

 

One client, Rebecca, told me how she regretted not keeping detailed records in her job search.

 

Reason?

 

She got calls after submitting her resume to positions, but had forgotten all about what jobs and companies she had applied to! Needless to say, she didn’t get any interviews this way, and all her efforts in sending out resumes to those companies were wasted.

 

Don’t let this happen to you.

 

 

Action Step: Write down the following every time you send out a resume:

• title of job you applied for,
• company name,
• name of person addressed in cover letter,
• source of job lead,
• date resume and cover letter were sent,
• date of your intended follow-up, and
• any other notes that will help you talk intelligently should that company call you for an interview.

 

You should also keep a copy of the classified ad or Internet job posting you applied to, if one is available. That way you’ll be able to discuss the job when you get called to interview.

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

Network Using Your College Career Office

 

You already know that most of the best jobs are found through word of mouth, right? Co-workers, friends and acquaintances sharing information -- this is how 70-80% of all people get hired, according to many estimates.

I’ve regularly written here about how networking can help you gain access to this “hidden” job market and meet decision makers who can hire you.

But today I want to share a nifty twist on networking that worked during the last recession, and can give your job search a boost in this economy, too.

 

This week’s job search tip, from Faith Rothberg, Vice President for Strategic Development at CollegeRecruiter.com (www.collegerecruiter.com), will help anyone who went to college.

Kevin: “Let’s jump right in. What’s the networking ‘twist’ that worked so well for you and how can it help others find a job right now?”

Faith: “In a nutshell, I called the career office at the University of Michigan, where I got my MBA, and asked them for a list of Business School alumni here in Minnesota that I could contact for advice on getting a job. I made some phone calls, did a few interviews and got hired by a prominent bank in Minneapolis. And I did this during the last recession, in 1991, when there were threats of war, just like now.”

Kevin: “So, you networked your way to a new job by calling people you already had an affinity with -- they went to the same school as you. That must have made it easy to start a conversation, right? You already had something in common.”

Faith: “Yes. One week after I called my career office for help, a list of about 20 names arrived in the mail. I started calling them during my lunch hour or before work.”

Kevin: “What did you ask them and what happened?”

Faith: “I asked, ‘Can I meet you for coffee and a quick informational interview?’ I ended up with about two in-person interviews and three other people gave me names to call at other companies.”

 

 

Kevin: “Describe the informational interviews. What did you do?”

 

Faith: “I asked questions about their jobs and engaged them on why they liked what they did. I tried to let them talk about themselves, which puts anyone at east. Then I handed them my resume and asked, ‘Where would a person like me fit into your organization?’”

 

 

Kevin: “How long did it take to find a job?”

 

Faith: “About 90 days. I kept calling new names as I got them, saying, ‘So-and-so suggested I call you for an informational interview.’ Sometimes I was more direct and said, ‘I heard about your opening for a ____ from my interview with so-and-so and I’d like to discuss your needs. When can I come and see you?’”

 

 

Kevin: “What’s your final bit of advice to job hunters in this economy?”

 

Faith: “Talk to anybody you know. Friends, family, friends of friends -- anyone who will let you use their name when contacting companies you want to work for. Because you never know -- it could be your friend’s dad who makes the hiring decision.”

 

 

Action Step: No matter how long ago you graduated, put your college career office to work for you. When you network with other alumni, you instantly have something in common, which builds rapport and can smooth the way toward finding a decision maker who can hire you!

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

10 raisons pourquoi acheter "Guerilla Marketing pour Trouver un emploi" ? | Altaïde

10 raisons pourquoi acheter « Guerilla Marketing pour Trouver un emploi » ? Depuis la sortie du livre « Guerilla Marketing pour Trouver un emploi« , dont j’ai assuré l’adaptation, journalistes et candidats me posent régulièrement la même question : pourquoi l’acheter ? Alors voici 10 bonnes raisons de vous précipiter chez votre libraire préféré pour le réclamer ou le commander sur Amazon ici :

Recrutement 2.0

via www.altaide.com

French Guerrillas?
Now available in French in France. A French Guerrilla only has one 'r' though!

Use Temp Agencies To Get A Full-Time Job

Ever considered temporary work? For many job seekers, it’s the pathway to a full-time position with a dream employer. And it may be easier than you think.

 

To give you the inside scoop, I tracked down a veteran job seeker and an employment expert for their views.

 

According to Chad Deckard, CEO of InfoGeneratorPRO.com, an Internet marketing consulting firm, you can use temp agencies to uncover good jobs with top companies. He should know.

 

He first arrived in Atlanta, Ga., with no local contacts or job prospects, and went on to get hired for full-time positions at CNN, the advertising firm BBDO, and Time-Warner. All by using local temp agencies, with a twist that can work in any city, in any economy.

 

“After I arrived in town, I pulled out the Yellow Pages and started calling temporary employment agencies. I asked them: ‘Who are your biggest clients?’ With that knowledge, I was able to pick the right agencies to get me into the companies I wanted to work for,” says Deckard.

 

Of course, he didn’t strike gold right away. He first had to take on three short-term assignments with companies he didn’t care for. But because he completed every task with enthusiasm, he built up a record as a conscientious, hard-working employee. This led to his big break.

 

And how did he turn a temp assignment at CNN into a permanent position? He did something unusual. He asked!

 

“I did the obvious things, like showing up on time every day and doing everything that was asked of me. On top of that, I studied the company, its products/services, market, competitors -- everything -- thoroughly, until I knew more than most permanent employees. Then I just asked my supervisor for a full-time position. She hired me,” says Deckard.

 

He also turned a temp job into permanent work as an Advertising Rep at Time-Warner. “After building a solid track record, I called the same temp agency and asked them to place me directly at Time-Warner,” says Deckard.

 

By doing good work and having the right attitude, he was able to turn that temp assignment into another full-time job, again, by asking his supervisor.

 

Chad’s experience dovetails nicely with advice given by Bob Picha, founder of San-Diego-based Ideas At Work, a company dedicated to the release of human potential in individuals and organizations.

 

“Many savvy employers use temporary agencies as a screening device. It’s a chance to put temp workers through a trial period. And, if the employee is talented enough, a job can be created just for him or her,” says Picha.

 

Temporary agencies are all around you, too.

 

In addition to your Yellow Pages, you can visit www.google.com, search for “temporary employment,” and you’ll find a huge number of temp agency listings. You can refine your search by adding terms to locate agencies them by city/state, industry, etc.

 

Action Step: With a little hard work and the right attitude, you can turn a temp agency into your own personal headhunter, at no cost. Why not start today?

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

Contact Employers Directly

In my ongoing series of interviews with job search experts, I tracked down Marky Stein, a career coach in San Jose, Calif., who’s perfected a strikingly innovative approach to finding a job fast – in any economy.

 

She’s the author of "Fearless Interviewing: What to Do Before, During and After an Interview" (iUniverse.com Press, 2001). Her Web site is http://www.markystein.com.

 

I questioned Marky to get her very best tips to help you access the “hidden job market,” where upwards of 70% of all jobs are filled. Here’s our conversation …

 

 

Kevin: “Let’s cut to the chase -- what’s the very best way people can uncover and apply for job openings right now, in this time of economic uncertainty?”

 

Marky: “Study after study and my own 10+ years of experience have proven that, hands down, cold calling employers is superior to all other methods.

 

“Now, before your readers say, ‘Yuck! I don’t want to cold call anyone – I’m not a sales person,’ read the following facts.

 

“The firm JIST Works, in Philadelphia, trained 1,000 job seekers in cold calling during the last recession, in 1990. These 1,000 people were trained to devote 25 hours per week to their job search and cold call employers to ask for a face-to-face meeting. As a result, 66% of them were employed within 2.3 weeks and 90% of the rest were employed within 90 days.

 

“In my own study, from 1992 to 1998, I trained over 700 disabled job seekers to spend at least 17.5 hours per week cold calling employers. Of those I counseled during those six years, 90% found jobs within 90 days.

 

 

Kevin: “OK. So what is cold calling? How is it done?”

 

Marky: “It’s simply direct contact to set up an interview. And it works for anyone, from entry-level job seekers to CEOs.

 

“To succeed, you must stop seeing yourself as a job seeker and think of yourself instead as a business person making a proposal. Instead of thinking ‘Please give me a job,’ think, ‘Here are all the good things I can do for you.’”

 

 

Kevin: “Who, specifically, should job seekers try to get on the phone?”

 

Marky: “Try to connect with a decision maker above your future boss. This is important.

 

“The person directly above you may, and often is, threatened by such a call. They may figure, “If this person is so assertive NOW, they may be after MY job in the future”.

 

“Also, a more senior person, such as your potential boss’ boss, has a more expansive view of the kinds of changes that could result in a new job being created or in someone being replaced.

 

“Third, executives often enjoy mentoring junior people, and those with a generous character can do wonders for job seekers, even if that means referring you to someone DOWN the ladder. If you get such a referral from an executive, other members of the team are likely to be open to meeting with you.”

 

 

Kevin: “Is there a script job seekers should use?”

 

Marky: “Yes, you can use the following example script to get started:

 

“Hello, my name is _________. I have _______ years’ experience as a ____________, specializing in _____________, ____________, and ______________. I have a (B.A., M.S., certificate) in _______________ and I recently completed (name a recent successful project with a measurable result). When may I come for an interview?"

 

 

Kevin: “What can job seekers expect when they start calling employers?”

 

Marky: “Cold calling has about 1 in 20 success ratio, in general. Of course, 19 ‘Nos’ on the phone may hurt more than 1,000 rejection letters, but you’ll hear it less often. Just make those calls until you connect!”

 

---

 

Action Step: Cold calling can dramatically shorten your job search, by putting you in direct contact with employers who can hire you. You’ll have no competition, because 99% of job seekers would rather answer classified ads and complain about the economy than be assertive and proactive.

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.