 |
 |
 |
| Strategic Job Hunting |
Invest time in your search - Spend at least 30 hours per week on your job search process, 10 hours if you are working full time. If you’re not employed, think of your job search as your full time job. Plan and structure your day as though you were being paid to conduct a successful job search.
Diversify your information sources for job openings - Explore as many different job search options as possible, concentrating on those that will produce the most results in the shortest period of time.
Some options include:
- personal contacts (referrals)
- Internet
- Employment agencies such as ACT•1
- Newspapers and trade journals
- Yellow pages (for direct employer contacts)
- Social service organizations
- The Employment Development Department (a.k.a. the "Unemployment Office")
- Business schools, local colleges and universities
- Job fairs
For best results, use at least five different job search methods at any given time:
Network - The more people who know you are job hunting and who understand what type of work you are seeking, the greater your chances of finding suitable employment.
Contact employers directly - Remember that most employers never advertise positions that they have open. Instead they fill positions with people they already know, or those who find out about the job openings through word of mouth. You can become one of those people by contacting the hiring manager directly by phone, mail or in person.
Be persistent in contacting potential employers - Persistency is the single most important ingredient to your job search success. It means having to hear many rejections from potential employers. When you hear a "no" however, you must be willing to ask again (at a later time) to hear, possibly, a "yes".
Apply to small businesses as well as large ones - As many as two-thirds of all new jobs are created in companies with twenty or fewer employees. As large companies continue to downsize, small companies are the ones that are growing and hiring new employees.
Send thank-you notes - Thank you notes are a great way to network and keep in touch with those who have helped you in your job search that day. This may be prospective employers, potential informational interviews, friends of friends and other referral sources.
Complete a Self-Analysis - Review your skills, identifying the ones that particularly apply to the position for which you are interviewing. Keep in mind that a major reason for extended unemployment is that 80% of job applicants fail to prove their top ten skills for the jobs they are interviewing for.
Do your homework - Do as much research as possible on the organization that you will be interviewing with. Find out its origin, products and services, growth, corporate structure and prospects for the future. Knowing this information will help you to answer important interview questions such as: "What interests you about our company"? and "What kind of contribution can you make to our company"?
Think of yourself in terms of your skills - Rather than to focus on the jobs you have done, think of the skills required in doing the job well. For example, someone is not only a car mechanic, but also a person who is good with tools and diagnosing problems.
Develop a weekly schedule - Make a step by step plan for each stage of your search, and keep an organized record of personal and employer contacts.
Cultivate a strong support system - Searching for a job is not only challenging but also very stressful. The harder it becomes the more support you need. If possible, ask for help. Enlist someone to meet with you on a weekly basis to offer support and accountability in your job search.