Author: Michelle Dumas
In recent months, the job market has become increasingly
competitive. But even as the economy slows, and there are
increasing numbers of job seekers in the job market, there
are many professionals who have been incredibly successful
in conducting fast, effective job searches. What do they
have in common? How are they doing it? Here are nine tips
to speed your own job search and drive it to a fast,
successful conclusion.
Know what you want and go after it. Starting a job search
without knowing what you want will almost certainly end in
frustration. Think about it: If you don't know what you
want and what your job target is, how will you know who to
contact and how to conduct your search? If you are
uncertain about your career goals, it is critical that you
spend some time and energy now - before launching your
search - on self-introspection and analysis. Knowing what
YOU want, what YOU are passionate about, and what YOU bring
to the table will provide you with a confidence that simply
can't and won't be matched by many of your competitors in
the job market. This is the crucial first step to any job
search and is essential for long-term career success as
well.
Know and sell your personal brand. When you think about
your next career move, how would things be different for
you if employers and recruiters actually sought you out?
Personal branding (the process of clarifying and
communicating what makes you and your unique value
proposition different and special) allows you to make a
name for yourself. It differentiates you from your peers
and helps to position you as a leader in your field - as a
specialist and an authority who knows how to do a job and
fill a particular niche in the workplace better than anyone
else. Once you are clear on your personal brand, you can
use it to project a cohesive brand image and value
proposition throughout all your job search activities, and
do so in a way that addresses the specific concerns of your
target audience. By knowing and promoting your brand, you
achieve instant, precision-like focus that positions you as
the ideal candidate for the specific type of opportunity
that interests you. You gain immediate competitive
advantage.
Be able to clearly articulate who you are and what you have
to offer. While this may feel uncomfortable to you, the
simple truth is that a job search is a sales and marketing
campaign: a sales and marketing campaign in which YOU are
the product. Through the process of personal branding, you
must identify what differentiates you and paint a
compelling portrait of your unique value proposition. But,
don't stop with just promoting this in your resume and then
become tongue-tied when someone asks about you and your
candidacy. You will hear the "what do you do?" or "tell me
about yourself?" questions over and over, both during your
job search and throughout your entire career. Don't wing
it! Preparation is the key to confidence and the key to
making a lasting, positive, and memorable first impression.
Be ready with a 30-60 second pitch that immediately and
confidently conveys to the listener who you are as a
professional and what it is that you offer.
Make their first impression your best impression. Take a
hard look at your resume. Like it or not, your resume is
your first introduction to most employers, and your only
chance to make a good first impression. Effective resumes
are highly focused marketing pieces that are strategically
written and designed to sell YOU as THE best solution to a
potential employer's needs and problems. Your resume should
be written to convey and illustrate your unique value
proposition, with succinct "stories" that differentiate you
from your competitors in the job market. Does your resume
accomplish these goals? Is it focused effectively? Does it
accurately present you in the way that you wish to be
presented? If not, it is time to rewrite.
Network, network, network...and then network some more. At
least 80% of all the jobs are found through the "hidden"
job market, also known as the "unpublished" job market.
These are jobs typically landed through word of mouth and
referrals as opposed to answering ads, posting your resume
to internet databases, or other techniques meant to target
the remaining 20% of all jobs in the published market. It
stands to reason that if the vast majority of the jobs are
to be found in this hidden market, that you should spend
the majority of your job search time working to crack it.
There is no more effective job search technique than
networking. So, even if it feels a little uncomfortable at
first, just get out there and do it. Make networking a part
of your daily routine and plan to spend the majority of
your job search time on networking activities
(approximately three-fourths of your time is a good
estimate). The more you network, the faster your current
job search will come to a successful conclusion and the
faster and more successful any future job searches will be.
Plan and execute a multi-pronged job search campaign. Yes,
networking is essential, but other job search techniques
are also important. An effective job search campaign is a
multi-pronged one that includes the strategic, planned,
methodical use of a variety of job search approaches.
Answering ads alone is almost never enough. Neither is
working with headhunters, using internet job search
sources, or researching and targeting specific employers.
But, when you combine all these approaches with networking,
carefully evaluate and prioritize the approaches based on
relative effectiveness, and then launch an integrated,
multi-pronged job search campaign, you will always come out
ahead. The best job search is one in which the job seeker
approaches it as if it was a job itself.
Build a support team. While your preparation will certainly
ease the whole process, job searching can be a grueling and
very stressful experience. So, I want to remind you that
you don't have to go through it alone. You should build a
support team around you of people who can help you stay
motivated and on track while giving you honest feedback and
helping you stay accountable to the goals you set for
yourself. Family and friends, past and present managers,
your peers and colleagues, financial advisors, and
professionals in the careers industry such as career
counselors, coaches, and resume writers all make excellent
people to add to your team. By assembling a good mix of
people to support you, from a diversity of backgrounds and
professions, you will receive a variety of different
perspectives, ideas, and insights that can be very helpful.
You should consider joining a job search support club or
group - a local one if one is available or an online one.
If you have been provided with outplacement services by
your former employer, by all means take advantage of the
office space and resources offered. The point is that you
don't have to and shouldn't conduct your search in
isolation. Surround yourself with a team that will help and
support you. Above all, recognize when you need support and
don't be afraid to ask for assistance and guidance.
Always follow up. Following up on all of your contacts and
your activities can do more to influence your success in
achieving your job target than anything else. A
hand-written thank you note or a more formal, typed thank
you letter after speaking with a networking contact,
attending an informational interview, or after attending an
actual job interview can make a lasting positive impression
that gives you a distinct competitive advantage. A
follow-up phone call on every resume you send, whether it
is a resume sent cold, in response to an ad, or based on a
referral from one of your networking contacts can make all
the difference in whether your resume is actually read and
considered or not. A consistent method of follow up is key
and you must make the time in your schedule to do so.
Follow up will positively influence decision-makers, it
will help key the process moving along, it will show your
interest and your professionalism, and it will position you
above the competition.
Adopt a "failure is not an option" attitude and make
finding a job a job itself. Celebrate your accomplishments
daily and weekly, but recognize that a successful job
search requires persistence and consistent effort. The more
"feelers" you put out, the more contacts you make, the more
resumes you put into the hands of hiring authorities, and
the more face-to-face interviews you go on, the faster you
will achieve your job target. It can be difficult to remain
motivated when you don't immediately see results but remind
yourself that job searching is a process and that it takes
time. Reward yourself not just for the results, but for the
effort.
About the Author:
Nationally certified resume writer and career marketing
expert, Michelle Dumas is the director of Distinctive
Career Services LLC. Through Distinctive Documents
http://www.distinctiveweb.com and her Executive VIP
Services http://www.
empowered thousands of professionals all across the U.S.
and worldwide. Michelle is also the author of Secrets of a
Successful Job Search http://www.job-search-secrets.
