Eight Tactics for a More Effective Job Search

How many of these are YOU doing? The fact is, the more diverse your job-hunting strategy, the more effective it's likely to be, and the more opportunities for success you’ll find. 1. Contact /Join Professional Organizations in Your Field National, regional and local professional organizations exist in great part to help their members with career development. This is just what you need. Many organizations include field-specific job listings on their Web sites or in their printed publications. Check them out! 2. Visit Company Web Sites Many companies and organizations post their job openings right on their own Web sites (usually under an "Employment" or "Career Opportunities" link). This is also a good time to do some research. 3. Apply Directly to Companies that Interest You Do you know you want to work specifically for Company X? If so, send a well-written cover letter and your résumé directly to the person who would likely make hiring decisions for the part of the organization that interests you. It isn't always easy to find the right person to get in touch with; you'll have to do some digging, which brings us to… 4. Network, Network, Network Generally, the most effective job-hunting approach. Networking is simply talking to people to either track down helpful personal contacts or learn about job openings that may not be advertised at all. Let everyone in your life know you're looking for a job, and give them an idea of what type of job you want. Ask others if they’ve worked for your target company(ies) and can offer any insight. If you can, get an informational interview with someone (anyone) at the company. Fifteen minutes of face-to-face interaction will be good as gold in your search. It can also confirm (or contradict) the research you’ve done. 5. Visit / Write Your Campus Career Center Yes, even if you haven’t ever responded to the alumni appeal. Yes, this is mainly for entry-level jobs. They can tell you what campus recruiters are looking for. Is there an area you need to improve? 6. Participate in Job Fairs A job fair is employers coming to you. Yes, there is a lot of walking, but you are meeting a lot of people, too. Get their business cards. Follow-up with telephone calls. Bring your résumé (at least 10) to hand out directly to the employers. 7. Use a Recruiter / Headhunter Even if they can’t find you a job, they may provide other assistance: market information, areas in which to look, markets to avoid. If they tell you there is a glut of people with your skills; that may help you decide to take a sideways approach to your job search. Heads-up: While most of these organizations receive their fees from employers, some will seek money from you. Also, some will want you to sign a contract. Don’t. So make sure you know who's paying the bill and for what services. 8. Consider Temping Sometimes, by working as a temp for a company, you can position yourself to be hired for a full-time, permanent position that opens up later on. Even if that doesn't happen, however, temping can help you see various companies from the inside, meet people, build your network, and earn some money. - ☼ - Contact me now to begin the journey of discovery and adventure as we get you to where you want to be. Telephone: 916 • 803•1494 E-mail: eal@EALCoaching.com