Introduction
The job search is a competitive event. Those job seekers who learn the mechanics of the job search game and prepare accordingly are the winners. An effective job search approach is based on the implementation of five search strategies:
1. Networking
Expand your image
Career management experts and veteran job seekers encourage networking as the most effective method of securing a new job. Networking is an ongoing process to obtain company information from your contacts leading to job leads. Networking is not about asking someone for a job.
As the term “networking” implies, your goal is to build a continually growing network that ultimately connects internally to the specific and ultimate mission of this company while unearthing the needs and decisions of the employer. Your visibility and availability increases with each person in your network who provides you with information and contacts.
There are several reasons why networking is successful. First, the most available current jobs are not public knowledge on any given day. Job opportunities or new positions that are still in the planning stages are known to people inside the company weeks or months before they are announced to the public. Networking can allow you to meet these “insiders” and learn about these unadvertised positions before others learn of their existence.
Second, many employers prefer to hire someone they already know or who has been referred to them by someone they know and trust. Familiarity and references greatly reduce the uncertainty involved in hiring a new employee.
The importance of people
Without a doubt, the job search is a process of communicating, meeting and interacting with people. Written documents cannot :
- give you the backstory on what it’s like to work for a certain company;
- to let you know about unadvertised job opportunities;
- refer you to the person who has the authority to hire;
- Hire YOU.
The hidden job market
Unadvertised job pools are referred to as the “hidden job market” or “friendly job market”; these positions are filled by people who know and refer others, i.e., people who are involved in networking. It is sometimes said that the best jobs are not posted on the “open” market; they are filled quickly and exclusively by “word of mouth”. Networking is your way to reach the “hidden job market” directly.
Here are 8 reasons why job opportunities abound in the “hidden job market”:
- newly created positions still in the planning stage;
- positions that will soon become available as a result of impending reorganizations;
- jobs planned as a result of new or unexpected business plans;
- of planned jobs due to organizational or procedural problems;
- of available jobs due to impending retirements, resignations, or staff growth;
- jobs to be announced next week;
- last month’s jobs that were not filled;
- jobs that were advertised by a single employment agency.
In addition, many employers never advertise their job opportunities. Instead, they prefer to hire someone they know or who has been recommended to them. For some, networking is their only way of meeting staffing needs.
Networking in person
In this age of electronic communication via email and voice mail and the rapid transmission of information among ourselves, it is tempting to want to rely entirely on electronic job search activities. As mentioned earlier, the job search is about building relationships with others. Your contacts will invest much more in you when you have demonstrated some effort. Meet people in person. Go to their office. Go to their homes. Be visible to your contacts; they will remember you. Whenever possible, network in person; meet with two people a day.
Steps in the networking process
- Build your network list
- Arrange meetings with your network – by phone or email
- Prepare meetings with your network
- Leading meetings with your network
- Follow up after meeting with your network
1. Build your network list
Start your networking process by making a list of your contacts. Try to get between 30 and 50 people on the list initially. Of the people you know, very few will be able to hire you; however, they know people who know people who will refer you to job opportunities.
Your first list may include people from the following categories:
- family
- friends
- relatives
- customers
- vendors/suppliers
- lawyer
- dentist
- teachers
- insurance agent
- former supervisors/manages
- former colleagues
- accountant
- financial planner
- club members
- colleges
- neighbors
- associations
- brokers
- certified accountants
- travel agent
- fitness center
- chamber of commerce
You’ll be surprised to realize that the most utopian tips and frivolous relationships can turn out to be your best sources. Don’t censor or prejudge certain job leads; follow up on all of them. It is impossible to predict which of these leads will be the most important and which of the information will get you in front of the decision maker who will hire you.
Exercise: Brainstorming Your Relationships
This exercise will allow you to make a list of your interpersonal relationships.
2. Arrange meetings with your network by phone or email
Do your homework before you make each call. Have your planning notes in front of you during the call. Write down the person’s first and last name, company information and key points you want to cover. Also list the outcomes you want to achieve such as a face-to-face interview, a reference, answers to your questions, etc. Here are some tips before you start making phone calls:
- Schedule calls: Schedule your calls to get the best results. Make important calls early in the morning and less important calls later in the day. If you make long distance calls, remember the time zones. Most importantly, CALL! Don’t let a rigid formula or fear of rejection stop you from dialing. You will learn new telephone communication skills as you call.
- Communicating with administrative support staff: Effective communication with administrative staff can increase your chances of speaking with important people. To help administrative staff do their jobs well, you should immediately say your name and ask to speak to the person using their first and last name. In the event that you are asked the reason for the call, mention the name of the contact person you both know who suggested you call or say that you are following up on a return call.
If you are told the person is not available, ask for a better time to call back. Do not leave your phone number; you lose control if you do. Try to call before 8:00 am or after 5:00 pm.
- Overcoming voicemail: When you call, you may get a voicemail system. If it does, don’t leave your name or phone number. Keep calling. If after the fifth attempt you cannot reach the person, speak with the operator and ask for the best time to reach the person you want to talk to. If you decide to leave a message, do not wait for the call to be returned, continue to call, but leave your name only on certain days.
- Dealing with refusals: Occasionally, your contacts may say, “I can’t help you” or “I don’t have time to meet with you. When this happens, try to get some positive information out of the call. Ask the person on the other end for advice, referrals or additional questions.
- Demonstrate confidence: It is normal to be nervous when making calls to your network of contacts. However, speak in a firm voice and do so with confidence. People value you for the value you demonstrate!
Below is a typical “script” used to call a contact person in your network. Your approach should be brief and direct. If you sense reluctance, do not back down. The person may simply believe that you think they cannot help you. Show them that they can help you!
3. Prepare meetings with your network
Prepare your network meetings by determining your objectives in advance. This way, you create an agenda and structure your meeting by maximizing your time with each contact. For example, your objective may be:
- identify the key players you want to meet (such as decision makers in your target companies)
- Obtain information on growth or hiring trends in other companies in your field;
- brainstorm the names of other companies related to your domain;
- obtain at least three names of other professionals in your field;
- Have your contact person call a prospective employer and talk to them about
- of you and your skills;
- to brainstorm your career choices;
- discuss how your skills can be accepted in a new field
- related;
- to discover the company’s charter (and where in the company you can identify yourself);
- to get feedback on your resume.
Before the meeting, think about the questions you will ask your contact person. Possible questions include:
- Can you look at my list of target companies and tell me if you know anyone in those companies?
- Can you name other companies that might be interested in a person with my background?
- Do you know any good recruiters in my field?
- Do you know of any business associations or strategies that I may have overlooked?
- Do you know of any business websites specific to my field that I could visit?
- Can you take a look at my resume and give me your feedback?
- Do you know of any companies in my area that have openings in my field?
- Can you suggest other jobs that might match my skills and background?
- What future trends do you foresee in this area?
- What skills are employers looking for in this particular area?
- Can you provide me with three or four names of other people who would be willing to meet with me?
- Who do you know who works in (fill in the appropriate sectors/areas/companies)?
Exercise: Writing Your Script
This exercise allows you to develop a script that you will use when you call your contacts to arrange meetings.
4. Leading meetings with your network
Conduct your meetings the same way you would a business meeting. Be sociable, show interest in the person you are meeting with, but focus on achieving your goals and getting the information.
Begin your meeting by thanking the person for agreeing to meet with you and telling them that you will not take up any more of their time than you have agreed upon.
You can mention a few snippets from your 30-second summary, which leads you in an orderly fashion to listen to what the person wants to tell you. (The way you can help me is…)
The person in front of you may want to know more about your background before answering or may want to read your resume first. Offer them choices.
Another way to start is to refer back to your phone call (As mentioned on the phone, I am looking for opportunities in the investment field and would like you to tell me where you foresee the areas of the future….) Continue to ask questions and establish a dialogue. Your first goal is to get the names of at least three other people in your field, preferably decision makers, or the names of people who have contacts in your field.
Your two most important questions will probably be “Who else do you know who might be willing to talk to me?” and “Who do you know in ________ who runs ______?”
Ask, then wait. Most people will suggest at least three people who can help you.
Show your contact the list of your favorite or target companies and ask if they know anyone (in any department) on the list. Your contact may keep the list, add important names to it and return it to you later by mail. End the meeting by saying that you will check in on your progress, and be sure to do so. Check-ins like this allow you to network again.
The network references you are trying to obtain will fall into one of three categories:
5. Follow up after the meetings with your contact person
Follow up with your contact person after each meeting by sending a thank you email within a week of the meeting.
Between 70% and 80% of all jobs are obtained through networking. It is estimated that on average, networking takes between 28 and 32 hours per week.
2. Online job postings
Looking for opportunities
Here are some important facts about the online job search:
- Responding to ads that are posted on the web is an important strategy in your job search.
- Reading job ads is also a quick and effective way to assess your local job market and determine the companies and fields in which employment is being filled. The ads give you an idea of where to look to get work.
- Between 5% and 15% of all jobs are obtained by responding to published advertisements. One reason why these percentages are so low is due to the high competition, hundreds of people may respond to the same ad.
- The key to getting a job using this method is to increase your opportunities and differentiate yourself from other applicants by matching your skills to the requirements in the ad.
- Before answering, get as much information as possible about the company.
- You should use your cover letter to respond to each of the items mentioned in the ad. Personalize your response to show that you “fit” the company’s needs.
- Don’t waste your time answering ads that are “risk of failure”. Refrain from answering ads for which your background is not suitable for the job.
- If possible, you may wish to identify yourself and email your resume and response to Human Resources to the hiring manager.
Personalize your follow-up calls as much as possible. Be friendly and enthusiastic. The more you “build rapport” with the person hiring, whether it’s over the phone or face-to-face, the better your chances of getting an invitation to an interview or an offer. Employers hire people they get to know and like. Be sure to follow up personally to ensure that your efforts pay off.
Writing a cover letter
Before starting to write a cover letter in response to an advertisement, you must first analyze the advertisement by highlighting the requirements directly or indirectly stated.
You should write two or three paragraphs about where you found the position, why you consider yourself the right person for the job, and how you can be reached. You don’t have to repeat what’s already on your resume.
Before sending, open the file you are attaching to make sure your resume is up to date and error free.
Example of an announcement
After outlining the requirements, list them so you can more easily spot them to match your background: resourcefulness; leadership; willing to work night shifts; three years of relevant experience.
Then write your paragraphs (usually the second and third paragraphs) to match each of the requirements to your background or experience. The first and fourth paragraphs can remain unchanged, except for the job title, where you located the ad and the date of publication. Here is a sample letter:
Salary profile
Although some ads ask you to include a “salary profile” in your cover letter, you should be very careful about doing so. Determining a number removes you from a pre-established range that you could have negotiated if you had the chance to present your qualifications in person. If possible, state in your letter that the “salary is negotiable if mutual interest is established”.
In the event that an ad formally states that a resume without a salary profile will not be accepted, sell your skills and qualities aggressively. Briefly state your salary by referring to your most recent salary or salary range (most recently, my base salary was in the 50s) in the context that your priority is the challenge of the position and your salary consideration is highly negotiable.
Between 5% and 15% of all jobs are obtained by responding to published advertisements. It is estimated that, on average, this method takes 2 to 7 hours per week.
3. The recruiters
Considering the realistic expectations they can and cannot make in your search, a limited use of recruiters can be an important asset in your overall job search process.
Types of recruiters
1. Paid recruiter
Paid recruiters are institutions hired by companies to typically recruit senior mid-level and executive level managers. They typically focus on recruiting professionals with salaries of approximately $75,000 or more. They are “hired” by a company, which means they are already being paid before a candidate is hired or interviewed.
Identify institutions that are active in your area of expertise. Email resumes to as many of these institutions as possible. In the event that this institution is conducting a search for an executive position that requires your specific background, you may be a qualified candidate.
There is no need for you to follow up as the paid recruiter will only call you if your background matches the specific criteria for the position. Exceptions to this rule may be recruiters who have contacted you in the past or who have been referred by others as contacts.
2. Intervention Recruiter
Intervention recruiters typically look for more candidates from lower level middle management and even senior management. They generally focus on recruiting professionals with salaries of $75,000 or less. On the other hand, intervention institutions sometimes recruit people into positions with salaries between $100,000 and $150,000.
Intervention recruiters are paid on a “placement basis” or only if their candidate gets the job. For this reason, companies may contact several intervention facilities to “find the right candidate”.
Call the hiring facility first, get a contact name, describe your background and then mail your resume to that person. Follow up soon and then from time to time.
3. Temporary Recruiter
Temporary or contract recruiters are a growing segment of the labor placement business; they can operate on a temporary or permanent basis. Many companies have decided to recruit people at the lower level of employment for the time being and augment their workforce temporarily when they experience a surge in their workloads. Many business management experts see these arrangements as a permanent change in today’s organizational culture.
Many temporary or contract recruiters specialize in particular fields (banking, automotive industry, advertising industry, etc.) or specific job tasks (sales, engineering, administration, etc.). In order to maximize your results, you will want to search for and locate those organizations that specialize in the tasks and areas related to your experience.
Things to remember
- Recruiters provide a service to their client companies; companies with a specific (usually defined and limited) need for certain skills will hire a recruiter, either paid or contingency, to find the person to fill that need.
- A recruiter will be interested in you if, and only if, you meet the specific needs of the position they have been hired to fill.
- Do not give an exclusive “right” to an intervention facility to work on your behalf.
- You can work with as many organizations as you want; the quality of your relationship with your recruiters should help you determine how many recruiters you want to work with.
- Choose carefully the institutions you want to work with-researching directories and your network of contacts are excellent sources of information about recruiters.
- Initial contact with a recruiting facility should be made by phone. Get a name, determine the type of facility, and find out if there are any immediate assignments that fall under your background.
- Always include a cover letter when sending your resume to a recruiting institution.
Between 10% and 20% of all jobs are obtained through recruiters. It is estimated that between 5 to 10 hours is required per week.
4. Reach the companies
As a result of an effort, contacting companies is less effective than networking to penetrate the hidden job market. But doing so can help you reach out to companies where your contacts don’t have referrals and search for hidden jobs in remote locations. In addition, by contacting hiring managers directly, you also work to build relationships with managers who can help you in the future.
When contacting companies, your goal is not to get an immediate job interview, but to get your foot in the door. First and foremost, you want to meet with potential employers so that they can place you in the running for positions that are available now or will be available soon. To do this, you need to determine exactly what companies need and what you have to offer. You can then communicate with the companies and demonstrate your ability to solve their problems. It will take a lot of effort, but it can open doors for you.
The process starts with an in-depth analysis. Take the time to research companies that need help and identify managers in your area of interest. Read between the lines to find the problem you can solve or the need you can fill. If you’re in sales, look for slow-growth areas that you could help develop.
Direct mail campaign
Communicating with prospective employers by mail is called a direct mail campaign. You put yourself out there by mail and hope to attract and hold the attention of a relevant decision maker at a target company in the hope that they will want to meet with you. You can’t expect this kind of advertising to be very successful if the person receiving your mail is the wrong person. Do your best to determine who should receive your mail in each company—–habitually the head of your discipline in the company. Do not address your letter to the head of human resources unless you are seeking employment in that discipline.
Follow-up is extremely important for a successful direct mail campaign. Do not wait for the employer to call you. You must be proactive and call them to schedule an appointment.
The marketing letter
Your first communication tool when communicating directly with companies is the marketing letter. It combines the strengths of a cover letter and a resume in one document. Do not send a resume with a marketing letter. Expect a response rate of between three and four percent for marketing letters.
Types of positions available
When you contact companies directly, you may discover two types of job opportunities:
- A current opportunity is a position that is vacant and needs to be filled.
- An opportunity created is a position that must be established. A new job can be created once the company recognizes that you can bring a lot to the company.
Action plan
Between 5% and 15% of all jobs are obtained by contacting companies directly. It is estimated that between 2 to 7 hours is required per week.
5. The "gateway"
Your networks (professional, family and social) can be important tools to access target companies. Identify the companies in which you are interested and establish a worksheet of target companies. Choose them based on geographic region, reputation, industry and potential growth, as well as references from people you know. This list of target companies will grow as your research progresses. At that point, you will want to use your list of contacts to “penetrate” these target companies. This is done by establishing “gateways” to companies:
- Complete your list of target companies and people you want to meet. Target companies can be from your current, previous or new area of interest.
- If the company is a public company, obtain their annual report. The company will provide it to you if you ask. Find out who the company’s auditors, bankers, advertising agencies, lawyers and other professionals are.
- If the company is a private company, ask them directly on the phone who the professionals are in the company or ask local businesses in the area (bankers, Chamber of Commerce and suppliers) until you find someone who knows people in the company.
- Watch newspapers and trade journals for news and information about your target company’s operations and who they “do business” with. Visit their website.
- Your initial networking relationships will direct you to other business relationships until you network in your target businesses.
The "Gateway" campaign
We’ve all heard the old adage “It’s not what you know, but who you know that counts”. This statement is true to some degree when you think about job search. You will have more success in getting an appointment with your target person if you have identified a “gateway” into the company. Your “gateway” campaign should include the following:
1. Identify target companies through a search
- Get a list of managers.
- Get financial information.
- Know your strengths and weaknesses that are related to your target
2. Identify target managers within the target company
- It is usually the functional manager who has the authority to hire.
- He is not usually a human resources employee.
3. Identify through your network a “gateway” person who knows the target company/manager.
- You have to build your business relationships.
- Social/family relationships can be helpful.
4. Call your “gateway” contact person and :
- Confirm the name of your target manager.
- Have your resume hand delivered to the target manager whenever possible.
5. The “gateway” letter
- Address the letter to your target manager.
- Name your reference (“gateway”) in the first sentence, first paragraph.
- Let people know that you know the company.
- Ask for an appointment.
- Attach your curriculum vitae.
6. Telephone follow-up
- Call two or three days after you send your letter.
- Use the name of your “reference” and your “correspondence” to free yourself from the secretary (e.g., “Is Thomas there? Denis Pronovost, a mutual friend, suggested I call him. I am following up on our correspondence.”)
- Let them know you know the company and mention your experience.
- Ask for a short meeting, perhaps over a cup of coffee.
7. Meeting with the target manager
- Use a low-key approach.
- Let people know you know the company and mention your potential contribution.
- Ask for a job if there is ever an opening.
- Ask for the names of other references.
8. A word of thanks
- Email the note the next day.
- Identify your contributions.
- Ask to be considered.
9. Telephone follow-up
- Follow up every 10 to 14 days.
- Be friendly/persistent, not a nuisance.