by Kevin Donlin - Guaranteed Resumes - Click for Info

In good times and bad, there are jobs to be had.

But if you follow the crowds and apply only for positions advertised in the classifieds or on Internet job sites  you're doingwhat everybody else is doing.

And just about everybody is finding this job market tougher than a $2.00 steak.

There's another way.

You can effectively create your own private job market -- and have jobs created just for you -- if you do one simple thing: writean "approach letter" to employers and ask to meet with them.

To show you how it's done, I interviewed a company president, Stuart Lichtman, from Santa Barbara, Calif.

In addition to running three companies right now, he's a scientist, former Fortune 500 consultant and author of 14 books, including hislatest, "How to Get Lots of Money for Anything - Fast" (http://www.gresumes.com/moneyandjob).

Here's how you can write a simple letter to employers -- and get job offers.


1) What's the process? How's it done?
In a nutshell, you'll write a concise "approach letter" to the person you want to work for, sell them on your skills, and ask to meet.

"As a company president, I always try to meet qualified candidates who write and ask. I have created jobs on the spot for people whomade a strong case for hiring them," says Lichtman.

And he's not alone.

"The biggest problem in running any company is getting the right people, so a good leader is always looking for new star employees.Most presidents of successful companies I know feel the same way," says Lichtman.

Since star employees are usually action-oriented, the act of writing a letter to ask for a meeting shows initiative. Which can earmarkyou as the kind of go-getter that employers want on their team.


2) What do you say in your letter?
Surprise! You're not sending a resume or cover letter.

Instead, write a concise "approach letter" letter to the president of the division or company you want to work in. Your aim? To sellthem on the idea of meeting you.

"I prefer letters that say, in effect, 'Here's what attracts me about your organization, and here are the skills and abilities I cancontribute. Would you be open to discussing this?'" says Lichtman.

To write an effective approach letter, research and learn the needs of your target company. You can talk to people who workthere or at the competition. And your experience can provide valuable insights, too, if you're in the same industry.

Be sure to mail an actual paper letter. Since it's tangible, it can't be deleted in two seconds, like an email.

3) How well can this work?
Lichtman offers startling figures to illustrate the potential success rate for this method.

During his 30+ years as a company president, he received letters from about 40 candidates asking to meet, and he sat down withalmost all of those. How many got a position?

"I hired about 26 at last count. Essentially, I created jobs for them on the spot. Most of the others I referred to friends and colleagueswho could help," says Lichtman.

You may or may not experience a high number of calls for interviews, but if the phone isn't ringing now, what have you gotto lose?


4) Can this work in a slow job market?
What about the current economic doldrums? Are employers hiring?

"Yes, especially when times are tough. The need for good employees is even greater now," says Lichtman.

With more job hunters chasing a shrinking number of advertised positions, you should have less competition by approachingemployers directly. So, a rotten job market may actually favor you.

5) Final analysis
While some may dismiss this "approach letter" tactic as too simple or not right for their industry, it's important to remember this:you'll never be hired for any job without meeting with someone first. Why not initiate that meeting on your own terms?

Lichtman says: "It's amazing how many people treat the job search as a non-human process, when, in fact, the decision-making is alldone by humans."

Please email me at mailto:kevin@gresumes.com?subject=approach_letter_feedbackwith your experience using this method. I may interview you for a future column!

Kevin Donlin is President of Guaranteed Resumes.

Since 1996, he and his team have provided resumes, cover letters and online job-search assistance to clients in all 50 states and 23 countries. Kevin has been interviewed by USA Today, CBS MarketWatch, The Wall Street Journal's National Business Employment Weekly, CBS Radio, and many others.

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