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Critical job search strategies

in an uncertain worldOctober 17, 2011

Sandra KischukProfessional Writer and Success Coach

Living Beyond Limits

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Critical Job Search Strategies in an Uncertain World

About Sandra J. Kischuk

• Since being downsized out of corporate America, Sandra has written over 3,000 résumés

• Sandra integrates her professional coaching to help people determine what they really want do and explore career directions. She then teams with them to develop résumés that work

• Sandra has a Masters Certificate in Project Management, MS in Management Information Systems, BS in Business, and studies in Fine Arts

• "I change lives"

THE REALITY

• Whether you are:– fresh out of school, – have been downsized, – or are just in the wrong job and ready for a change

• You only know two of three things:– You used to have a job…or– You used to think your job fit, but it, the company, or

you, changed– You don’t know where the next job will be and how long it is going to take to get it—

and that part is scary.

MORE REALITIES . . .

• Unemployment compensation is finite• Unemployment compensation is only marginally

adequate, and COBRA, if available, may be financially out of reach

• Unemployment does not advance your career. If you aren’t making a concentrated effort to stay “on track,” what feels like a well-deserved “time out” is time lost for maintaining and improving your skills

MORE REALITIES . . .

• Today’s companies seem to expect complete loyalty to the company, but are not loyal to their employees

• Today’s companies are sending the message that they don’t need YOU, leaving you feeling like you have to beg for a job

• Today’s companies seem to want employees who can fulfill multiple job roles; e.g., a computer programmer who can maintain server hardware and manage a 15-employee department

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• Today’s job market is difficult to understand and seemingly impossible to “crack”

• Today’s job opportunities seem to be “hidden,” with the best jobs hard, or even impossible, to ferret out.

• Today’s hiring managers seem to be playing a “shell game,” where they ask for one thing, but if you have it, then they want something else

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MORE REALITIES . . .

• You are either too young or too old, too educated or too uneducated, too experienced or not experienced enough

• If you can’t get a job:– You need to try “harder”– You need to send out more résumés– You need to “dumb down” your résumé– You need to cast your net “wider,” and be

willing to go for jobs that don’t really “fit”

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MYTHS . . .

• Truths: If you can’t get a job:– Don’t try “harder,” try “better”– Don’t send out more résumés, “target” where

you send them– NEVER “dumb down” your résumé– DON’T go for jobs that don’t really “fit.”

Carefully and honestly assess your skills and interests to explore career opportunities where you will be happy.

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TRUTHS . . .

• Define ourselves by our jobs and the companies where we are employed

• Judge others based on who they work for, what they do, and whether we feel they can help us

• Lose our sense of self-worth and identity when we lose our jobs . . . and even more if we don’t find a new job quickly

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MANY OF US . . .

• The shotgun approach

• Barrel fishing

• Finding your Target Universe

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JOB SEARCH STRATEGIES . . .

THE SHOTGUN APPROACH

• This involves getting your résumé out to as many potential employers as possible.

• You are hoping that some hiring manager will see a “match” and call you in for an interview.

• This may fulfill the requirement for collecting unemployment, but is not effective for finding the “right job.”

SHOTGUN APPROACH EXAMPLES

• Find potential jobs on Monster, CareerBuilder, etc. E-mail as many résumés as possible . . . maybe someone will figure out where you fit in.

• Read the want ads. Send out as many résumés as possible . . . maybe someone will figure out where you fit in.

• Go to job fairs. Drop off as many résumés as possible . . . maybe someone will figure out where you fit in.

SHOTGUN APPROACH EXAMPLES

• Ask your friends and neighbors who is hiring, then pop a résumé off to those companies even though you know little about the companies and nothing about what they need

• Hand out résumés wherever you go “in case” the individuals you give them to “see” an appropriate job

• Post generic résumés on as many forums as possible

SHOTGUN APPROACH…Is there a theme here?

• You are splattering your résumé around with very little thought about the type of job you want and what qualifications you bring to the table.

• If your résumé is generic enough to fit a LOT of different jobs, it is NOT SPECIFIC ENOUGH for any of them.

• If you apply for “any old job,” that is what you are going to get . . .

THE MYTH OF MONSTER

• Gotta find a job?

• How many people think the best way to go about this is by looking at what’s available on Monster, CareerBuilder, or other job search sites? After all, that’s where companies list the jobs they need filled.

• STOP!

THE MYTH OF MONSTER

• These sites are a super way to find the key words to include in your résumé for the particular job you are looking for.

• Applying to the jobs listed on these sites may be worthwhile if the “fit” looks particularly good.

• Do you know why relying on Monster is NOT a good job search strategy?

THE MYTH OF MONSTER

• A job listed on Monster may not even exist. A company may merely be “testing the water,” to show a current employee how easily he/she can be replaced.

• A job listed on Monster may be outdated, filled, or withdrawn before you ever get a chance to turn in your résumé.

THE MYTH OF MONSTER

• A job listed on Monster may exist, but the company may have a policy of listing ALL potential positions publicly, as well as a policy of filling as many as possible from within. If they already know they’re giving the job to Joe, what chance do you have?

• A job listed on Monster may get as many as 3,000 applications, all as desperate as you are. Good luck!

THE MYTH OF MONSTER

• That being said…if the job is legitimate, SOMEONE will get the job. Just make sure you have a carefully crafted résumé that:

– Looks Professional– Meets their requirements exactly

THE PROBLEM WITH ANY OLD JOB . . .

• You are not likely to be happy with the job long term and more likely to end up developing a job-hopper history.

• You are less likely to succeed at the job. • You end up spending your time doing something

you don’t enjoy instead of something that provides meaning to your life.

BARREL FISHING

• You find an industry or a few companies you might be interested in working for…so you drop your “line” into those barrels to see what you can catch.

• You have a better chance of finding the right job because, at least, you put a little thought into the type of job you want.

EXAMPLES OF BARREL FISHING

• You look in the Yellow Pages under specific categories to find companies you might be interested in.

• You find out organizations professionals in the fields you are interested in belong to and attend their meetings.

EXAMPLES OF BARREL FISHING

• You talk with your friends and acquaintances to find contacts in the companies you want to talk with.

• You look up companies you know about on the Internet and check their “Careers” pages.

• You read relevant professional journals and find their job listings.

PROBLEMS WITH BARREL FISHING

• Barrel Fishing is only as good as the barrels you fish in and the bait you use.

• If the barrels don’t have any fish (jobs), you’re not going to catch anything.

• If you use the wrong bait (wrong résumé), you’re not going to catch anything.

• You may not find all the barrels—ALL the companies you might want to consider for your potential “next employer.”

TARGET UNIVERSE

• Your Target Universe is any and ALL companies which could potentially use your skills.

• Your Target Universe may be national, international, or even in your home town.

• Your Target Universe will be unique to your job search…so how do you find it?

CRITICAL JOB SEARCH STRATEGIES IN AN UNCERTAIN WORLD

• Job search strategies that will increase your “employability” and shorten your job search:– Targeted research– The informational interview– Temporary assignments– Ancillary positions– Volunteer work

TARGETED RESEARCH

• The $200 tip– Get a Library Card– Go to your local library website– Go to “Online Databases”– Select “ReferenceUSA”– Enter the bar code off your library card

THE $200 TIP

• You can now look up companies by:– Yellow Page Listing– SIC [Standard Industry Code] or NAICS

[North American Industry Classification System]

– Size of company [number of employees]– Annual Sales– Zip code

THE $200 TIP

• Valuable information:

– Names, titles, and gender of key officers

– Address and phone number

– Website

THE $200 TIP

• The listings may also show:– A picture of the company building– Whether the location is a branch or

headquarters– Other businesses close by– Competitors– Credit ratings– Expenditures in certain categories

THE INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW: HOW TO DO IT

Find a company which works in the area you are interested in. Use its SIC or NAICS code to find other companies which do the same type of work.

Look for companies which have an adequate number of employees for the type of position you are looking for. An engineering firm with 4 employees might be large enough…but for other businesses that could be too small.

THE INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW

• The purpose of an informational interview is to find out more about a company where you are:– Interested in the industry the company works

in– Interested in the types of work people in the

company do– Interested in the company

THE INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW: RESEARCH

• Thoroughly research the company in ReferenceUSA, on its website, and online (news).

• Call and ask for an informational interview– Try to get to the manager of the department

you are interested in working with, NOT HR!– YOU ARE NOT ASKING FOR A JOB

INTERVIEW– You are interested in the company and want to

find out more about what they do

THE INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW: APPOINTMENT

• When you get the appointment:– Research the company thoroughly– Arrive on time, professionally dressed– Carry a portfolio so you can take notes– Have three fresh copies of your current

résumé tucked in the back—you may or may not need them

THE INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW: CHECK IT OUT

• When you are at the interview:– Ask questions about the company [ones you

could not find answers to in your research]– Find out about the people who work there– Talk about the challenges the company faces– Look over the facilities . . . Is this the kind of

place where you would like to work? How do you feel about the people you have met?

THE INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW: NO, THANK YOU!

• At the close of the interview:– If you don’t see yourself at the company, say:– Thank you so much for your time today. I

thoroughly enjoyed meeting with you. I still need to do some more research. Who else do you know in the industry I could talk with?

– If you get a name, ask if it is okay to use the host’s name as a reference.

– SEND A THANK YOU NOTE!

THE INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW: I LOVE IT!

• At the close of the interview:– If you see yourself at the company, say:

– Thank you so much for your time today. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting with you and am very impressed with your company. Who can I talk with about working on your team?

THE INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW: NOT HIRING

• If your host says the company is not hiring, say:– Who else do you know in the industry I could

talk with?– If you get a name, ask if it is okay to use the

host’s name as a reference.

– SEND A THANK YOU NOTE!

TEMPORARY POSITIONS

• Many people: – Ignore temporary placement firms as

“beneath them,” or not providing “real jobs”– Are concerned, if they take a “temporary job,”

they will miss the opportunity for permanent placement

– Are concerned that “temporary jobs” will mess up their résumés

TEMPORARY POSITIONS

• Temporary positions: – Help you maintain or ADD to your skill set– Are understood as being “temporary” and in

no way preclude continued search for a permanent position

– Can often provide entrée into a permanent position with the client company

– Give you the chance to work at a company while avoiding the “politics”

TEMPORARY POSITIONS

– Allow companies to “look you over” without obligating themselves to hiring you . . . Mistakes can be expensive

– Allow you to “look at the company” and learn why you would NOT want a permanent position . . . Again, mistakes can be expensive

– Allow you to “look at the company” and perhaps become aware of “internal hiring opportunities”

TEMPORARY POSITIONS

– May give you the opportunity to do something different from what you have done in the past . . . And discover a new career direction

– May give you the opportunity to work at a number of different companies, learning about the different “cultures”

– May provide benefits. Some “temporary” companies provide training and/or health insurance or other benefits to their “employees

TEMPORARY POSITIONS AND YOUR RÉSUMÉ

• If relevant to your career focus: – List the position on your résumé, followed by

the name of the company. You may put the name of the temporary firm in parentheses, but it isn’t necessary.

– If you work in one type of position for a number of clients, list the position on your résumé, followed by the names of the companies, with the name of the temporary firm in parentheses.

TEMPORARY POSITIONS AND YOUR RÉSUMÉ

• If NOT relevant to your career focus: – Split your experience into RELEVANT

EXPERIENCE and OTHER EXPERIENCE. List your most recent relevant positions first on your résumé.

– List your temporary position(s) under OTHER EXPERIENCE on your résumé. This usually ends up on the second page.

TEMPORARY POSITIONS

• What “temporary” really tells employers: – You are an upbeat “Go-Getter” – You are versatile and not afraid to work– When faced with a challenge, you are willing

to take the initiative instead of waiting for someone else to solve your problem

ANCILLARY POSITIONS

• Ancillary positions are jobs you take that are often:– Part time– A slightly different “tilt” on what you normally

do or even perhaps totally unrelated to your primary career direction

– Not sufficient to fully support your financial needs, at least initially

– Jobs you may consider maintaining even after you have obtained a primary position

ADVANTAGES OF ANCILLARY POSITIONS

• They can support you until the “right fit” job comes along

• They may turn into permanent, full-time positions, particularly if you discover the work is fulfilling

• You may be able to maintain an ancillary job on a part-time basis so that, should your primary job again disappear, you are not completely without resources – creating “multiple streams of income”

TYPES OF ANCILLARY POSITIONS

• Part time positions • Starting your own “business” (note: if you are

short on resources, now is NOT the time to make big expenditures). – Services (e.g., yard maintenance, handyman,

virtual assistant, house or business cleaning)– Internet-based businesses

• IMPORTANT: Make sure you get the proper licenses, bonding, and insurance to do what you intend to do.

VOLUNTEER POSITIONS

• Many people: – Ignore volunteer jobs as “waste of time,” or not

providing “real jobs”– Are concerned, if they take a “volunteer job,”

they will miss the opportunity for permanent placement

– Are concerned, if they take a “volunteer job,” that they will “fritter away their time”

THE TRUTH ABOUTVOLUNTEER POSITIONS

• Volunteer positions: – Provide the opportunity to maintain and

expand your skills– May lead to full-time, paid positions within the

organization– Widen your community exposure, increasing

your chances of finding full-time work outside the community

THE TRUTH ABOUTVOLUNTEER POSITIONS

• Volunteer positions: – Show potential employers you are involved

with the community, and again, a worker– Decrease the chance you will “fritter away

your time” by providing purpose and a reminder that “your time is important”

VOLUNTEER POSITIONS AND YOUR RÉSUMÉ

• Volunteer positions can help fill in the unemployment “gaps” in your résumé

• If you end up working as a volunteer for an extensive period of time, you can move that experience from the COMMUNITY SERVICE portion of your résumé to the “EXPERIENCE” section. Just because you are not paid for work doesn’t mean you did not do the work . . . And it’s the work that is important.

SALARY NEGOTIATION

• www.salary.com– Find a job title/description which most closely

matches the job you are applying for.– Use the zip code where the job is located.– The site will generate a bell curve with a

median salary for the zip code as well as the 25th and 75th percentiles.

SALARY NEGOTIATION

• www.salary.com– When you are asked what salary you have in

mind, you can then say:

– “The median salary for this type of job in this zip code is XXX. I’m worth more than that because…” then you talk about what you offer that exceeds the skills in salary.com’s job description.

SALARY NEGOTIATION

• www.salary.com– When you are asked what salary you have in

mind, you can then say:

– “The median salary for this type of job in this zip code is XXX. I’m worth more than that because…” then you talk about what you offer that exceeds the skills in salary.com’s job description.

CRITICAL JOB SEARCH STRATEGIES IN AN UNCERTAIN WORLD

• Hiring managers don’t care about everything you have done unless it is relevant to the job.

• They ALL listen to the same radio station – W-I-I – FM – “What’s In It For Me.”

• For every job they need to fill, they have to say “no” hundreds of times…and “yes” only once.

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Critical Job Search Strategies in an Uncertain World

• Questions?

• Contact Sandra for a free resume critique:– www.SandraKischuk.com– Office: 813.935.7760– Sandra@LivingBeyondLimits.com

• APICS Florida West Coast Chapter– www.APICS-FLWC.org

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Your Webinar Presenter

Sandra Kischuk

Professional Writer and Success CoachLiving Beyond Limits

www.SandraKischuk.com www.LivingBeyondLimits.com813.935.7760 Sandra@LivingBeyondLimits.com

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