Are you in a job search? Do you have a diversified job search approach or are you spending most of your time sitting behind a computer? If you want to jump start your job search, it's important to spend you time on several different strategies, as outline below:
1) Online Social & Professional Networking - You've probably heard it before- most jobs are found through networking. Why is that? Employers like to hire people they know and people that come referred to them. It's expensive to advertise and it's risky to hire an unknown. Be sure to have a keyword-rich LinkedIn profile; become active in LinkedIn groups; follow your target companies. Join and become active in industry-related professional associations.
2) Direct Contact - Do you have a list of companies you are targeting? If not, create one! Your next step is to identify who the hiring manager is for each company and send him/her a targeted cover letter and resume. Don't wait for an opening to be posted. Take the initiative and reach out. Do your research and check your network to find connections to the hiring manager. Ask if you could use his/her name in the cover letter.
3) Recruiters - It is important to identify recruiters for your field and industry. Ideally, if you have a well-crafted LinkedIn profile, recruiters will be seeking you out. Keep in mind that the client for the recruiter is the company seeking to fill a position. If their client is not looking for someone with your skills/experience, he/she won't be able to help you.
4) Online Job Boards - Another piece of the puzzle is online job boards. When applying online, be sure to identify contacts within the company. When possible, in addition to responding to an online job posting, submit a resume and cover letter directly to the hiring manager. This will require some digging on your part to identify that person.
If you're not already doing all of the above, I encourage you to start today! It could just shorten the amount of time you find yourself in a job search.
No comments:
Post a Comment