WHAT AILS YOUR JOB SEARCH?

Is your job search working for you? When was your last interview? Are blaming the economy or others for your lack of opportunities and interviews? If your last interview was more than a month ago, you job hunt is sick. Perhaps terminally ill. How do you resuscitate it?

In 2009, internal transfers and promotions filled 51% of jobs. Layoffs are traumatic for managers and the person getting the pink slip. In this “less is more” economy, taking an internal candidate keeps that person employed. While their old job probably goes away. The company eliminated a position, but nobody was laid off.

Networking Is Key

That means 49% of hires came from outside the organization. How do you get to be one of the 49%? Overwhelmingly, they knew someone at the company. Over half of the 49% got the job through networking. How do you get to ‘know someone’ at the company? Talk to people.

No, I mean: TALK TO PEOPLE. Get out of the house and talk to people. Pick up the phone and call people. Tell people you are looking for a job in ABC field because you can do X, Y, and Z.

Social Networking

Look up companies on Facebook. Search for people you know who work at companies you want to work at. Catch up with them. Ask what the best way to get a job at their company is. Ask if they will introduce you to the hiring manager. Ask if they know of any openings, anywhere. You need help, ask for it.

Reality Check

If you are just surfing through job posting at Monster, CareerBuilder, Craigslist, Dice, Ladders, or whatever, your probability of getting hired is just 10%. So, this method of job searching should only get 10% of your time. Networking, on the other hand, works 33% of the time. That is over 3 times better. For most of us, it is also 3 times less comfortable. You can be comfortable AFTER you get the job.

If you are willing to put yourself out there – there is a method that works 47% of the time. Knocking on the door of any employer, factory or office that interests you, whether or not you know of a vacancy. This works best with small employers (100 employees or less) rather than the huge employers. This works because you often happen upon a job (vacancy) that was just created. Or, due to your expertise and enthusiasm, you may help create a new job there. The challenge here is that this method is not for the timid or terminally shy. It takes a bit of moxie to ask for five minutes of someone’s time without an appointment. This works an amazing amount of the time. Your fear is that you are intruding and are unwelcome. People usually want to be helpful. If you have real expertise and enthusiasm and demonstrate that, you will be welcomed more times than not. For more on the best Job Search Techniques see last year’s article. 

Bonus

It is vitally important that you tailor your application materials to the specific job opening. Employers don’t have time to connect the dots of how your experience may, or may not, apply to their job opening. Make direct comparisons between your accomplishments and the stated needs of the job posting. Make it easy to see how you are the answer.

Two excellent resources for you are “The Job-Hunter’s Survival Guide” and “What Color Is Your Parachute?” Both have been written by Richard N. Bolles. The survival guide is about 100 pages crammed full of timely and helpful tips for $9.99. If you really want to find your dream job, “Parachute” will get you there for $19.99. If all the exercises seem overwhelming, don’t hesitate to contact me. Together we can get you where you want to go. After all ...

A dream with a plan is a goal. A goal without a plan is just a dream.

All things are possible,

Elisabeth

Elisabeth Adler-Lund

Executive and Life Coaching

Telephone: 916 • 803•1494

E-mail: eal@EALCoaching.com