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3 Ways to Find a Job by Doing the Opposite
by Kevin Donlin - Guranteed Resumes - Click for Info
Want to get hired faster? You can almost always shave days, weeks -- even
months -- off your job search if you stop following the herd.
In my 8 years of helping people find work, I've watched too many job seekers
take too long to get hired because they do the same things as everyone else.
This is especially true for recent college grads.
So start doing a few things differently in your job search. And start getting
called for more interviews.
Here are three ways ...
1) Look where others don't
When you began your job hunt, where's the first place you looked for
openings? I'll bet my next house payment it was either the classified ads or the
online job boards. That's where EVERYBODY starts their job search. And that's
where you have the MOST competition for openings, like fishing off the same pier
with 10,000 other people.
Change your approach.
Where's the last place most people look for job openings? Their network of
contacts. Specifically, current and past employers. You know, the people who've
signed your paychecks.
Think about it: if someone thought highly enough of your skills to pay you a
salary every two weeks, do you think they MIGHT be willing to share job leads
with you, or at least pass your name on to someone they know who's hiring?
So today -- right now -- make a list of at least 5 current or former managers
you are on good terms with and whom you can contact for job leads. Then call or
email them to let them know what you're looking for. Today!
2) Write a very different cover letter
Sorry, but there's no nice way to say this -- most cover letters stink like a
high school gym locker.
And, without seeing yours, I can predict with 95% certainty that it has one
major flaw -- it's focused too much on you and your needs.
Specifically, I'll wager the last cover letter you sent out was rife with
language like this: "I am applying for a job with potential for advancement,
where my skills will be utilized and where I will be challenged ..." or
something similar.
This is how almost everyone writes cover letters. I know, because I've read
almost 10,000 of them since 1996.
Stop it. Now.
Instead, do this: replace every "I" and "my" in your next cover letter with the
word "YOU."
This will force you to shift the focus from "me, me, me -- gimme a job" to "you,
you, you -- how can I help you, Mr./Ms. Employer?"
Your cover letters will be dramatically more effective. And you'll start getting
more interviews as a result.
3) Follow up differently
Most folks fail to follow up effectively after sending out their resumes and
cover letters -- when they follow up at all.
Instead of calling employers every week and asking, "Did you get my resume?" or
"Did you make a hiring decision yet?" try to add value each time you follow up.
Examples: research the competition and write up a quick report, then send it to
the hiring manager. Or share a success story from your past that's relevant to
the employer's situation.
In short, try to give employers another reason to hire you every time you
contact them. Nobody else is doing this, which is a screaming opportunity for
you to get noticed -- and get hired.
Now. These three tips are predicted on a simple idea: why be ordinary?
You can break out of the herd -- and find a job faster -- if you do just a few
things differently in your job search. Why not start today?
Now go out and make your own luck!
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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