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Column: FINDING JOBS: The Most Effective Approaches You know what you want to do. You have a resume to assist you. Now it is time to find the right opportunities and get those interviews. While answering job ads is the first thought for many job seekers, the reality is that other ways to find work are often more effective. So if you really want to find the best options, you need to incorporate a range of activities into your search. Step 1: Keep your network going We talked previously about building your network. This process continues throughout your job search (and, ideally, beyond it). Each new contact you make should get a thank-you letter and a copy of your resume. This way you can remind the person of your goals and ask to be kept in mind for any job leads - classic reinforcement of your message. Any job lead you get should result in several actions: Research to decide if you want to pursue the lead. If you do, contact the person whose name you were given by your network contact about the job directly. If you have an address, follow the same plan as you would for a job ad: send in your cover letter and tailored resume. Substitute the person's name who provided you with the lead in the email subject line or opening sentence for the 'read your ad at Monster' line. If you have just a phone number, call. Be prepared to leave a message too. Say who gave you the information and that you are interested in learning more. If you leave a message remember to clearly state your full name and phone number at the beginning and end of the message. Whether you decide to pursue a job lead or not, remember to thank the person who gave you the lead. Ask if you can pass it on if you know someone else who might be interested. Passing such information to another also helps you feed your network to keep it healthy. Step 2. Employee Referrals Employee referrals are one of the favored sources of new hires for many organizations. Thus you should cultivate your contacts at those organizations you are interested in. And/or find new contacts at your targets through your existing network. Perhaps someone you know or have networked with tells you about a job in her organization. Or you hear through another method and remember that you know a person there. These leads are often lost because the applicant doesn't think of this as applying for the job but thinks of it as the friend's responsibility: "I told Joe I was interested" or "My friend will take care of me." Don't make this mistake! When you get one of these leads, treat it very similarly to any other job ad. Sure, first you talk to the person you know to get any additional information about the job and the organization. Then do your own research. Then formally e-mail/send your contact your cover letter and resume. What are the differences from just applying via an ad? In your cover letter, thank the person for letting you know of the job (or for talking to you about it). Ask if he or she will give your resume to the right person, or if he or she prefers you to go directly to someone else, and if so whom. Then go right into your chart of qualifications and the rest of your typical cover letter. And include your resume. This lets the employee pass it on and get credit professionally. Plus many companies have an employee referral program. It also lets your contact know how professional you are and that you can stand on your own merits. And, if the contact you know gives you the direct referral? Remember to put your contact's name into your cover letter to the new person. And keep your contact informed along the way about what is happening. A quick email "Thanks for the referral, I had a phone interview today and am very excited" is easy and helps enlist further support. Step 3: Direct contacts Perhaps you have identified organizations you really want to work with, but have seen no jobs there that meet your goals. Find out the name of the top person in your field who works there. This info may be on the website, in public documents, or you can call the company and ask - just get the correct spelling! Write to that person directly. Tell her why you want to work there and what you can contribute. Put a little 'sales' effort into your cover letter. It still should be one page long but it can be more detailed than an ad-response one. Attach a resume. Another option, especially good if you are changing your direction, is to write a one- to two-page letter and skip the resume. In either case, put in a line about when you will contact her, and put it on your calendar too! Telling the person that you will follow up makes it more likely the person will both look at your background and think about whether there is anything likely to be available. And if she has nothing now, she becomes a good contact to add to your network for the future. There are samples of these broadcast/direct letters on many websites, including:
www.questcareer.com Recordkeeping Through all these efforts, be sure you are maintaining good records. You want to be able to easily pull your packet up when you get a call from the company. You need to be able to thank the right people, pass on leads to others, and continue to grow your network. These networking and contacting people efforts, plus your research activities, are why job hunting is hard work. But it is also true that an effective job search may be the most worthwhile investment you ever make. |
