Basic Job Hunting Strategies

OBJECTIVE

Tough times means job-hunting can be difficult. For example, the press reported recently on a poor lady getting turned down daily; employers telling her she’s overqualified thus they’re afraid she’ll leave for a better job. Another misguided soul paid a firm to distribute his CV to 3,000 companies. He’s still wondering why there are no replies.

This tutorial will help you focus your time and energy in your job-hunt, based on the strategies that lead to success.

 For more advice, watch Job hunting techniques, where employers talk through techniques you need to use to get the most out of your job hunting activity.
  
TUTORIAL
When job hunting, there are basic strategies to follow that will help you to be effective with your time. You will find your success rate improves as you spend more time phoning and meeting people.

Note that email communication takes 80% of your influencing ability away, so make picking up the phone a habit.

Strategy 1: Set yourself a target


Every time you register on a job board also make the effort to call a recruitment consultant and arrange a time to meet them. Try to talk to at least as many recruitment consultants as the number of job boards you register on.

Strategy 2: Apply direct to

companies

Ensure you present:  
  • A clear picture of the business of the employer
  • Proof of your understanding of the problems and challenges the employer faces
  • A plan describing how you will do the work that the employer needs to be delivered.
  • An estimate of the impact you will have
Whether for your cover letter, CV or interview, if you can’t answer and explain the above then you are relying too much on luck.

Strategy 3: Register on

job-boards

Re-post your CV every seven days. A recent submission date suggests you have not been looking for too long and that you are active. Many recruiters and employers filter by date posted, so this ensures your details get retrieved.

Strategy 4: Use social and business networking sites

to contact potential employers or people you know that could possibly help. Likewise, talk to friends, family, parents of friends and ask what they do for a living and if they have any suitable vacancies. This is the hidden job-market.


When hundreds or even thousands of people apply for a job, the job is hardly "available." Even outstanding candidates slip through the cracks exposed by unsophisticated screening processes set up to deal with mass applications. Additionally, while HR filters CVs, a recruitment consultant has met with the line manager, submitted a shortlist of candidates and is preparing the candidates for interview. This is why low response rates become the norm. The norm is not what you want.
 

What not to

do

If you're worried about differentiating from the competition, you may feel the urge to start exaggerating or bending the truth on your CV or, even worse, start injecting key words all over the place since someone told you this is important for the job search engines. Put a factual, well recognised job-title; state your responsibilities and achievements clearly; keep it waffle free with fewer adjectives and more facts.

Before applying to any job review your CV, cover letter or application form and test one point: Is it clear what you can do to help this employer succeed?

 

 "Think about the balance of time you spend with recruitment consultants, direct employers or applications and job-boards."



"Act like your own recruitment consultant, pick up the phone and be proactive. "
 
LEARNING POINTS
  • The key points for you to remember are:
  • Think about the balance of time you spend with recruitment consultants, direct employers or applications and job-boards.
  • Network continuously with friends, contacts, family and so on. Ask if they have vacancies.
  • Act like your own recruitment consultant, pick up the phone and be proactive.
  

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