The Critical Path to a Great Career: Step 3, Master Your Skills - Part 1

Using robust and multiple job search strategies will make all the difference in how long you look for a new job, especially if you are unemployed.

The third step in the Critical Path to a Great Career is “Mastering Your Skills”. These skills actually fall into 3 different categories; Career Management Skills (what the Critical Path is all about), Job Search Skills (taking control of your job search not relying exclusively on recruiters) and the 4 Critical, Non Technical skills essential for every business person regardless of function.

I will talk about the 4 Critical, Non Technical Skills in my next article, but today I’d like to talk about job search skills.

Many people rely on recruiters to find them a job. They believe that recruiters will act as their talent agents and simply sit back, letting others control their job search.

This approach is extremely problematic! Why? Think about who actually pays recruiters? The client company. Their service is free to you, the candidate. This distinction is subtle, but very very important. Recruiters are paid to find talent to fill roles. They are not paid to find roles for candidates. The best recruiters do act as a quasi talent agent for the best candidates, certainly. But it’s a little known secret that even the best recruiters can only place 1 in 8 to 1 in 10 candidates. Many roles are filled through the company’s own network before they ever hit a recruiter’s desk.

Job Search Preparation

So, what other strategies can you use to find a new job? Plenty! But first need to develop a couple of tools.

The most important tool in this process is your “Value Statement”. I talked about this last week, but briefly, this is your 30 second elevator pitch that not only helps you remember and articulate the value that you can add to a prospective employer, it changes your mindset from one of, “Please Mr. Employer give me a job” to “You are one of several people I’m talking to in the market place. I’m here to see if there is any synergy between what you are looking for and what I have to offer.”

Incredible mind set shift and one that has led to more than one of my previous clients successfully finding work quickly after struggling for months (and in one case years).

The second tool you need is an achievement based resume. Statistics show that the best of resumes are only read for 15 seconds. Don’t take any chances with yours! Download my resume format here. I’ve had many many people tell me that they started getting calls for interviews within hours after submitting their resume using my format, even if they hadn’t been called for months previously. It works.

Job Search Strategies

So, you’ve got a great value statement and a killer resume. You’re now ready to go out and find your next job. What’s next?

Certainly, work with recruiters. Good ones are worth their weight in gold. But make sure they do never send your resume out without your prior permission.

But in addition to recruiters you need to be prepared to market yourself online, use your own network of contacts and approach companies directly.

Online marketing

I LOVE social media. It’s such a great tool! And you can use it to find your next job. If you’re not on Linkedin sign up today. It’s interviewing while you sleep. There are lots of resources available to help you set up a profile and make sure people find you. Here are some top level suggestions:
- Add a professional looking photo
- Include all of your key skills in your profile so that you will come up on searches
- Build as many connections as you can using your own personal database of emails (Linkedin will do this for you).  
- Then search for people you know for whom you do not have emails in your database.
Search for connections in every city you've ever lived in.  You may just find people you've forgotten about that you can add to the above list.
- Advertise that you're looking for work by making sure your contact settings are set
- Include your contact details in your profile
- Get recommendations!!!!!
- Join groups that revolve around the industry or function you want to become employed in and start participating in those groups by asking / answering questions.  
You need to get known.  Although you can certainly participate in national / international groups you should primarily concentrate on local groups so you can make connections that can open doors for you.  The key here is to make yourself known.
- Participate in the answers section to build your profile
- Create a target list of companies and search for current and past employees.  Does anyone come up that's connected to you or someone you know?  If so, get an introduction to them.  This is where you can use your Value Statement.  Be creative.
- Figure out a way to connect with people who work for your target companies that are not connected to you.  You can request them as a connection writing a very respectful note being honest with them about what you're looking for.  They key here is to be specific about why you want to work for their company and why you're a great fit.
- Look for open jobs in both the Jobs section as well on the group areas
- Add your Linkedin page to your email signature

But Linkedin isn’t the only online job search tool. Almost ever job site has a resume database. Make sure your resume is online. There are also several independent resume databases coming online now. Google them and get listed.

Use Twitter. Here are a couple of really good articles on this:
http://www.loveforbiz.com/using-twitter-for-business-networking-and-even...
http://mashable.com/2009/03/13/twitter-jobs/
http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1903083,00.html

Take the direct approach

Make a target list of companies that you want to work for that have the types of roles that you want to do.  

Monitor their websites regularly to look for open jobs and apply immediately.

Make a list of absolutely everyone you know in your local area.
- Former supervisors
- Former subordinates
- Former Peers
- Former classmates
- Friends
- People from your church, child's school or other community organisations that you are involved in
- Acquaintances

Cross reference the two lists above.  Who do you know that can make introductions to people within the companies on your target list?  Develop a calling plan and start to contact them.

Call the other people on your list to find out who they might know that they can introduce you to who will help you find a job.

Network, network, network

Where do the hiring managers who hire for your roles hang out?  Are there any groups or organisations that they may join?  If so attend their meetings.  Better yet, get involved in their organisations to develop deeper relationships with people of influence.

Treat finding a job like having a job

If you are unemployed it’s extremely important to have discipline around this area. Go to "work" every day; keep regular office hours, set aside some place in your house just for "work", dress like you're going to the office.

And finally, treat your job search like a project with KPI's; set a goal for a certain number of outbound phone calls, coffee catch ups, roles applied for, etc. Then manage yourself to achieve those goals and reward yourself when you do.

Order business cards with your contact details on one side and the types of jobs you are searching for on the other.

If you follow these steps rigorously I guarantee that you won’t be unemployed for long.