What makes SXSW so popular?

Posted by jobspeaker in Job Market, Technology on March 18, 2010

I attended the SXSW Interactive conference in Austin, Texas this past weekend, my first time. I have been a long-time admirer as someone with 20 years experience in the technology industry. I have heard that this conference was unlike all of the other technology conferences and was something special.

I started as I usually do with attending a few conference sessions. But it seemed no different than other conferences so I started to wonder: what gives? I thought this was the conference that everyone was talking about as one of the best … That’s when it happened: I attended my last session of the day and the first related to the job environment. I started talking to some of the people that attended and there were some great people who welcomed me and our message of providing better tools to job seekers. In particular, Jessica Merrell (aka blogging4jobs), Brian Batchelder, Chris Hoyt (aka TheRecruiterGuy) and Leanne Chase were very kind to listen to what I had to say and in some cases generally just hang out over the course of the conference. Thank you for your time!

Soon thereafter I realized that the SXSW conference is not really about the sessions, while some were good – it became clear that it’s much more about networking with people. Time and time again, I met people who in other situations might be impossible to get in front of. So, thank you to the following people for being so gracious:

  • Tim Ferris – thank you for your time; if you want to hit a (hurling) ball around next time you are in San Francisco, let me know
  • Chris Brogan – thanks for your very entertaining panel, for taking the time to chat and for your engaging comments
  • David Meerman Scott – thank you for an authentic, informative, lively discussion on social media for business and being a true gentleman when I came to talk to you
  • Capt. Nathan Broshear - thanks for the video (inspiring!), for being so helpful and for doing what you do

Thanks too to everyone else I met, names too numerous to mention who made my trip very enjoyable. The only disappointment was that the conference didn’t have a real top level forum about jobs, one of the biggest problems in our country today. There were some small sessions but none that really grasped the gravity of the problem for a lot of Americans which is a real shame.

So, what’s it all mean for us: It means that I have come back with a renewed vigour, a new enthusiasm for what we are doing based on what I heard, read and who I talked to over the 5 days I was in Austin.

What was your SXSW experience like and/or does it sound like other conferences you attended?

The Art of the Approach (networking to your next job)

Posted by jobspeaker in Job Market on February 16, 2010

This post is Part 4 in our 7 part series on how to manage your job search.

So I have to admit that writing this blog post took longer that I expected and I guess it reflects the difficulty of the subject matter. Making contact with colleagues, friends and other acquaintances in looking for a job is difficult, delicate and not what you would expect if you haven’t done it before. But before we get to how you go about doing this, let’s first talk about why:

According to a 2009 survey by Career Crossroads, 38% of all jobs get filled from candidates that are already known to the company. Only 8% get filled by candidates that sent their resume in without an introduction. So, are you better off sending your resume in the hopes of hearing something back or are you better off investing some time and effort to network so that your resume gets a warm introduction?

Clearly the answer is to get the warm introduction wherever possible, but how do you do that? That’s where networking comes in – it is an attempt to get that introduction through one of your existing or new contacts. In our opinion, it’s definitely an art rather than a science as it requires you to be creative, diplomatic, and delicate in how you find/approach people. You need to be able to understand the strength of your relationship with each individual and gear your approach based on that, plus other considerations such as: how badly do you need them to introduce you; how many times have they helped you before; the last time you’ve talked to them and do you have something to share with them. If you have established a pattern over the years to show that you have reciprocated any assistance given or kept in touch with people, then you’ll likely be helped. Otherwise it may take some time and effort in order to re-establish those relationships and politely ask them to help.

LinkedIn is a great tool to help you manage your professional relationships, but it too requires time and energy over a prolonged period in order to help. LinkedIn helps you understand how you are connected to companies in your Target list. Even with tools like LinkedIn, Plaxo, Facebook at your disposal, you’ll still have to manage it all yourself and keep track of your contacts and the result of conversations. In some cases you might already know people at the company. In others, you’ll have to carefully work your network to get to the hiring manager. In most cases though, you’re probably no more than 3 steps away from someone at that company. Start with the people you know best, but don’t expect a response from everyone – move on to the next person who will bring you one step closer to the company.

There may be cases where you’ll have to reach outside of your network altogether in order to reach someone at the company. In these circumstances we recommend understanding where people from that company might hang out. Remember face-to-face meetings are best where you can establish a personal relationship so whether it be a coffee house, a professional club or another social setting, you need to put yourself in situations where you can meet these people and where they too are more open to meeting new people.

But make sure to stay open to exploring new opportunities during these conversations as that’s the best way to uncover the hidden job market.

Next:
Step 5: You’ve made contact with the hiring manager, now what?

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Using XBox Live to get your next job

Posted by jobspeaker in Job Market on January 22, 2010

Sounds unusual doesn’t it - XBox Live is an online gaming platform that allows users to play each other using the Xbox game console. It’s not usually where you would look for work, well now it can be used for exactly that!

We’ve heard many stories recently about how people have landed their new job - through an an introduction from an ex-colleague; through another parent at a child’s daycare; through a blog; via a direct contact through a recruiter on LinkedIn; etc. These are all great accomplishments and congratulations again to those involved; but the most interesting story we heard was when one job seeker told us how he found work through a gaming friend on Xbox Live.

For the purposes of protecting his identity let’s call him Brad. Brad was laid-off last April from a bank that has recently been merged with another (not an unfamiliar story). For the first couple of months of unemployment, he took the normal route with recruiters and online job boards for the with no success. Then, he decided to target specific people from his past that he knew were working at banks or similar institutions. Brad systematically identified people that might be looking for candidates and got in touch with them directly or through other colleagues. However, there were a few for whom he didn’t have contact information. He tried LinkedIn for a few contacts and that helped, but he couldn’t find one particular contact.

He knew an ex-colleague on Xbox Live that would have the target contact details so he just had to find a way to ask politely. He began to spend more time on Xbox Live in order to find his ex-colleague, and to do so “naturally” within that environment. Now, he was also able to justify why he was spending so much time gaming to his wife;-). Then when he got the chance to open up a conversation he asked for the contact information of the mutual ex-colleague. Ultimately, this led him to start work through that contact at another bank in September last year.

For Brad, this worked out perfectly; but for you Xbox Live may not be an option. Perhaps you don’t have the Xbox console already or perhaps you don’t know anyone on there anyways? Well, that’s not the point! In this job market you have to build and leverage your network - doing so within an environment where you are most comfortable gives you the unique opportunity to set yourself apart.

Please share your story on the unusual way you have built your network in the comments section below.

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Why Google may not be on your ideal target company – 5 questions to ask

Posted by jobspeaker in Job Market on January 11, 2010

This post is Part 3 in our 7 part series on how to manage your job search.

In theory, building a target company list sounds simple - pick companies that you would like to work for and add them to your list. Alas, creating a good target list requires some work and is an evolving project as you learn more about the companies you are interested in, or as you learn about new companies that you hadn’t heard of before. So, while Google may be a great company for some people, it may not suit your particular requirements. Here are the 5 questions to ask as you build a target list of companies:

1) How should I start my list?

Start with 5 companies that you are interested in today. Don’t over-analyze it, just put down the 5 that come to mind initially (realizing that this list will change over-time). Be aspirational but realistic - if you want to work at Google in Mountain View, CA but live in Austin, TX don’t add them to your target list unless you are prepared to relocate.

2) Are these companies in an industry in which I would like to work?

I know Google is into a lot of things these days but if you are a bio-medical engineer looking to work in the pharmaceutical industry, Google is probably not going to work. I don’t think they have entered the drug industry as yet.

For most jobs, it’s often a pre-requisite to have several years experience in a particular industry. Remember though that experience in an industry is good but sometimes it’s not necessarily a requirement. If you are motivated to work in a specific industry you’ll be more successful in your job search because your enthusiasm will be obvious, and you’ll be willing to put in the extra effort required to work in this area.

3) What if they are not hiring?

Don’t let that stop you! Companies often hire without advertising the positions so it helps to be well-known to a company even if they are not hiring. There are 3 advantageous scenarios which can play out if you target the companies which are not actively hiring:
a. The company gets to know you and creates a role for you because you’re such an outstanding candidate.
b. The company knows you as they are thinking about hiring and therefore you have avoided the resume rush once a position opens up and have landed at the top of the prospective candidates.
c. Offering to volunteer or intern if you are early in your career and if financially viable or offering to cover some temporary position to support a specific project, puts you in an advantageous position to learn the ropes of the company/industry from the inside, get some valuable experience and be first to be considered for hire if a suitable permanent position is available.

4) How should my list evolve over time?

As you progress in your job search, your online and offline research will lead you to the discovery of more interesting companies. . After you do some preliminary research on these companies you should add them to your list and re-prioritize your list based on new information. Some companies will naturally fall off your target list as you better understand what you want. You should be actively targeting a minimum of 5 companies, but 10 interesting companies should be your goal.

5) What else should I be looking for?

Fit - find out as much as possible about how the company’s culture based on information from people working there. If Google is your target company and you prefer to work in a structured, traditional environment, then perhaps Google’s unconventional culture will not fit your requirements. Check resources like Jobnob, Glassdoor or Salary.com to find reviews on specific companies or their hiring processes. Also, remember that your experience within a company is largely determined based on your interaction with your manager and your team, so find out about the people but also the fit within the specific group/department in which you’d like to work.

A word to the wise: Don’t target your all-time favorite company first. I’ve found this out through my own embarrassing interviews after a long hiatus from the “interviewing mode”. You’ll need time to refine your pitch, and to understand and succinctly state why you are different and interesting, especially if you have been out of the job market for a while. Target your favorite companies later in your job search once you’ve had one or two of those terrible interviews where you say all the wrong things - at least then it won’t matter so much and you can be better prepared for when it really counts. More about this in an upcoming post.

So, if after answering all of these questions you still think you want to work for Google, go for it!

Next:
Step 4: How to network into your target companies

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Jobspeaker: “Manage your Job Search” FREE Service now available

Posted by jobspeaker in Job Market on December 27, 2009

Jobspeaker is excited to announce the availability of our next feature: Job Management. Using our FREE service, the Jobspeaker Firefox Add-on and our Jobspeaker Website you can now manage all of your jobs in the one place online. With the New Year almost upon us and hopefully a new job market beginning to open up we want to help job seekers land their next position. Our service helps you save, rate, and track jobs from any job board (e.g. careerbuilder, biospace, hotjobs, craigslist, etc.) or jobs listed from any company (e.g. ibm, genentech, facebook, safeway, etc.) all in one place. Get started organizing your job search today: www.jobspeaker.com or download our Firefox Add-on now.

Our new service enables you as a job seeker to find the jobs just once, then save them to jobspeaker and have a permanent record of the job. Then you can rate them, track them and make notes on them as you progress in your job search. You can compare jobs directly on one page using our jobs dashboard and monitor your own progress. Spending hours everyday finding the jobs you’ve already found across many different job sites or keeping a list on computer/paper is not necessary once you start using Jobspeaker.

We are the only service that is your “personal job aggregator” - you find the jobs and we’ll help you manage the process of landing that perfect job. We’ve developed this service because we believe that it’s you, the job seeker, who knows best where your jobs might be listed. You know, better than any service, the job boards that might list the jobs that interest you, the companies that you’d like to work for and the people you’d like to work with. So, while you search for those jobs, our Jobspeaker service helps you manage all those jobs in one place.

Try it out today and let us know what you think.

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How to Define the Goal of Your Job Search

Posted by jobspeaker in Job Market on December 3, 2009

This post is Part 1 in our 7 part series on how to manage your job search.

Defining Your Goal:

Before you start out on any journey it’s important to know your destination. In this case it’s a life-long journey so it’s best to be realistic. In other words, don’t set your goal to be CEO of GE when you have only 2 years of experience. You need to set goals that are attainable, but also stretch your abilities and afford you the opportunity to learn. The approach we are suggesting is best shown by using an example:

The Subject: Jean Hughes
She wants to move from project management to product management, and ultimately product marketing. She sees herself in a VP of Marketing role within 5-10 years. She has 4 years of experience in project management and enjoys her job but would prefer to work in areas that she feels more passionate about, has more aptitude for and where some of her education might help (she has a degree in Business & Marketing). Jean has defined her goals as follows:

# Jean’s Goal Jean’s Notes Jobspeaker Comment
1 Marketing Project Management I want to get more exposure to the marketing function than in my current role, so I think I can leverage my project management experience into managing projects on the marketing side of the business. This is a good approach, particularly in this job market. It’s not settling but it is being realistic about her experience and the job market today. While it’s similar to her current role, it’s different in a very significant way that provides her experience within or alongside the marketing function.

Thus, she is leveraging both her project management experience and her education while learning more to better position herself for the next role*.
2 Consulting: Marketing Analyst Working at a consulting firm will give me more exposure to lots of companies and their different marketing strategies. I may have to take a step back but ultimately this will benefit me long-term. By thinking long-term, Jean has decided that taking a step back in her career may be the best thing right now, in order to position herself better for her next career move*.
3 Senior Marketing Manager Perhaps at a smaller company my project management experience and my industry exposure combined with marketing education can be enough to propel me directly into this role. This is Jean’s aspirational role that would make her transition into the marketing function quicker and increase her rate of learning towards her longer-term goal.

Jean is also comfortable with the sink-or-swim aspect of this role - she has learned quickly before in some of her project work and so it’s likely the pros outweigh the cons. She enjoys the pressure that this enforced learning environment might require.
4 VP of Marketing This is my long-term goal. Keeping an eye on the long-term goal is a great idea.

The basic premise here is that you can’t afford to focus exclusively on one role and that you should employ a strategy that will give you tiered options: a role that you know you can attain based on your experience today, a role that is a stretch, a role that takes a different approach and even a role that is your dream job just to keep you focused. Then you’ll be better able to understand the pros and cons of each of the options and put them in the context of your long-term career goals.

* You’ll notice that we talk a lot about “next career move”. We do this because you can no longer rely on an employer to employ you for your career or to manage your career for you, you must do it yourself. Therefore, it is assumed that this approach to managing your career is now or is becoming THE strategy for job seekers. This is our recommended approach as it puts job seekers in the driving seat by pro-actively managing their careers and taking a step-by-step approach to learning the skills they need to get to the role they want over time.

Next:
Step 2: Understanding and choosing the right Job Search Strategy(s)

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7 Steps to Managing your Job Search in today’s Job Market

Posted by jobspeaker in Job Market on November 12, 2009

The first in our 10-part series of posts focused on how to efficiently and effectively manage your job search in today’s job market. We have explored this topic before but realize that we need to go into much more depth, so we’ll start with a refresher and then take it from there.

You may think you already know how to conduct a job search, or perhaps you are now one of those people who either hasn’t gone through a job search before or who hasn’t had to do it in a long time. In any case, we think the suggestions we have included here (and throughout the remainder of our series) will help you navigate the job market today. We are here to help. Compiled from a variety of sources this is our advice for the steps that you need to consider and manage to find your next role.

1. Define your Goal

Without a goal you are like a rudderless ship moving in the ocean (the job market) without a particular port (role) in mind. Ideally your next role should fit into your 5-10 year plan that you have mapped out for your career. Even in these tough economic times, it’s good to keep your eyes on the prize while also keeping yourself open to new and interesting opportunities.

2. What is your Job Search Strategy?

Perhaps you know the one person that can get you the perfect job - then your strategy is clear. However, for most people, the strategy(s) are not that clear so you need to pick the most effective strategies that align with your abilities, your environment/locale and your goals. In today’s market, we advise leaning more towards establishing more personal relationships; and so exploring local offline networking events centered around your industry or competency would be worth considering. Similarly, deploying a strategy to find a contact at a prospective company before sending in a resume so that you can get a warm introduction to the hiring manager is a necessary tactic today.

3. What companies should you Target?

What are the companies you’d like to work at most? And which have the most chance of needing your skill set? Some people forget the second part - it seems obvious, but with the job market today looking outside your core skills is going to be difficult. Also, make sure you would actually enjoy working there - it would be terrible to get hired and then realize that the company’s work environment/culture does not meet your expectation. So, get to know them better from a distance - research the people, the salaries (Salary.com), what schools they attended, where did they work before, etc., to get a better understanding of who they are and what they might look for in a candidate. Once you’ve made this assessment, you are in a better position to make a decision whether or not you’d like to work there.

4. The Art of the Approach

So you know what you are looking for, you know how you’d like to go about it and you know where you’d like to work. It’s time to increase your odds of actually getting that job by trying to get a warm introduction to that company - this way at least someone will look at your resume.

Today there are so many ways to find out who you know online. LinkedIn seems to be the most useful today but you should not forget friends, or friends of friends, on Facebook, Twitter or other social networks. But please don’t forget offline contacts as well (e.g. your soccer buddies, other parents at the PTA, your school alumni association or your church). Personal introductions through long-standing relationships are better.

5. First Contact

You’ve made contact with the company and are now speaking with a hiring manager. It’s now your job to convince the prospective boss that you are the best person for this job (even if this position is only a backup - there a lots of people in fallback jobs at the moment, just waiting for the market to pick up).

6. Interview

Be prepared! There is no better advice than this one - know the company and preferably the people you are meeting. Know the area that you are interviewing in, use Hoovers, Google News to find out about the company, people, department and position that you are interviewing for. Other resources like Vault can even tell you a little about the interviewing process. When you know more about the interview process, the interviewers and the company, you can speak more to your strengths that are required for the role.

Be professional, polite and always follow-up with a thank you afterwards.

7. Offer(s)

With any luck, you’ve managed the process very well so far and now it’s time to decide. There are lots of different factors to consider, not just salary - make sure to weigh them all properly before you make a decision.

Obviously role, salary and responsibilities are significant factors but don’t forget that you are going to spend a lot of time at this company with these people, so be sure to weigh the positives and negatives of the people you are working with, the direction it puts you in for your next career move and last, but certainly not least, how well it factors into the rest of your life - your hobbies, your family, your commute, etc.

Good Luck managing your job search!

Our next posts will go into each of the areas above in sequence and explore exactly how to manage them appropriately.

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Tech Tips for Job Seekers: How to Make the Job Search a Little Bit Easier

Posted by jobspeaker in Job Market on July 18, 2009

Unless your career interests are so narrow as to only include one position in the world (for instance, personal assistant to Heidi Klum), there is a good chance you will be applying to quite a few positions during your job search. For example, if you are looking for an entry-level financial analyst position in New York City, there are hundreds of positions you could potentially apply to. Besides being time-consuming, this process is seriously tedious. But if you think smart before you begin, you can cut out a lot of the work.

1) Turn on the auto-fill feature on your web browser. For crying out loud, why would you want to type out your phone number on 350 applications? If you have that much time on your hands you’d do better to spend it counting the blades of grass on your lawn. There are built-in tools for this in the Google or Yahoo toolbars but also some very cool new tools for your browser to help manage all your private data, e.g. Sxipper.

2) Have your browser save your passwords for future access to sites. Every job site and almost every company has their own registration and password procedure to complete before you can fill out an application for employment. Having your browser remember the passwords for each site makes your life a lot easier, and it gives you faster access to the site should you need to look over your application again. Some products can accomplish both auto-fill and password management (e.g. LastPass) and more (e.g. Billeo), so going that route may be better than getting multiple tools.

3) Make a .txt version of your resume. Many companies require you to copy and paste a version of your resume into a text box as part of the application process. Rather than copying and pasting from a nicely formatted Word document, wouldn’t it be smarter to save a version of your resume as a .txt file? This way you only have to delete extraneous spaces and bullets once, and you can then spend your time customizing the resume to the specific job to which you’re applying. You can use Google Docs and/or Yahoo Notes to capture text files that you need to cut and paste again and again in online forms.

4) Keep a record of jobs to which you’ve applied. We have mentioned this tip before, because it is seriously important to stay on top of where you have applications and where you are in the application process. If you maintain a good record of what you’ve done and what still needs to be done, it’ll be a cinch to prepare for a job interview. If you get a call asking you to interview for a position and you have no idea what the recruiter is talking about, you stand little chance of adequately preparing and being an impressive candidate. Tools like Jing or Clipmarks can also help here - it allows you to take a snapshot of any piece of an online page. This is particularly relevant if you need to reference the job description and it’s not posted anymore.

5) Simplify and streamline your search by using company indexes like Hoovers. If you’re interested in working for a specific company or industry, a search on a site like Hoovers can give you a list of all the top national players, with links to jobs, financial statements, news, and expert analysis and forecasts. This eliminates a lot of guesswork on your part and can give you an edge over job seekers who are less savvy. It is also essential in preparing yourself for the interview so that you can speak intelligently about the industry and ask relevant questions.

I’m sure you have other tools or ways of making the whole process easier for yourself, would love to hear about them.

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Job Search: Top 3 Irritations and How to Fix Them

Posted by jobspeaker in Job Market on June 19, 2009

Frustration is a feeling near and dear to all job seekers. Whether you were laid off, you just graduated, you’re changing careers, or you just hate your current job, looking for employment is seriously not fun. Here are three common irritations of the job search, and three ways to make them a little less troublesome.

1) Recruiters are slow to get back to you, or never get back to you at all.

When you send your resumé out into the cold world, with it go your hopes for a better job. How depressing is it, then, when you never hear back from anyone? The truth is that recruiters are inundated with thousands of resumés each day, and simply lack the resources to sift through each one and craft a response. Fortunately some companies have created auto-responses that assure you your resumé was actually received. Not all recruiters have caught on to this practice however, and many job seekers are left wondering. The best thing to do if you have not heard back from a recruiter is to send a follow-up e-mail a few days after your original letter. Wait a few more days, and if you have still not heard back, call the recruiter. Remind them who you are, and what kind of job you’re looking for. Offer to come in for a face-to-face meeting. The point is to get your resume out of the stack of thousands and into the hands of a real person.

2) You don’t know how to find recruiters in your industry.

It’s a big challenge to find recruiters working in your industry, either because you’re entry level, you haven’t used a recruiter in years, you’re in an unfamiliar city, or because all the recruiters you used to know have since moved on. The challenge is even greater if you live in a small city with limited opportunities. The best way to find recruiters is through word-of-mouth. When you meet people at networking events or at informational interviews, ask them if they know of any industry recruiters. Their contacts may be old or obsolete, but they can at least point you in the direction of the appropriate firm. You can also search social networking sites, job boards, or conduct an internet search for local industry recruiters. The goal is to get a name and an e-mail. In your e-mail, say who referred you. Be brief and direct - recruiters are very short on time. And remember to emphasize how YOU can help THEM.

3) You’re having a hard time keeping your job search organized.

A job search in today’s economy could easily span over 6 months, and require hundreds of applications and e-mails. It’s a full-time job just to stay on top of the paper trail. But it’s essential to keep a record of which jobs you’ve applied to, who you’ve contacted at each job, and what steps you’re taking next. How embarrassing (and damaging!) would it be if a recruiter called you about a job and you had no idea which position she was talking about? A record management system will make all the difference between making you seem organized and competent, or sloppy and unprepared. Keeping on top of your job search will also save you time (since you won’t be applying to the same jobs twice) and headaches (since you won’t have to spend hours sorting through e-mails in your Sent folder trying to find the one relevant to your interview tomorrow).

10 Steps to Organize Your Job Search

Posted by jobspeaker in Job Market on June 10, 2009

Looking for a job can be one of life’s most unpleasant tasks, akin to shopping for car insurance or getting a root canal. But the process need not be so painful. If carried out in a thoughtful, directed way, the job search can be streamlined, and dare I say, even fun? Well let’s not get carried away.

Step 1: Define Your Goal

Before you can compose a resume, before you can schmooze at networking mixers, you need to know what you want to do. If you want to keep your options open, it’s ok to have several roles in mind (systems analyst, IT consultant, bikini inspector), as long as you know what job titles you’re aiming for. These roles will guide all your efforts from here on, so it’s important to get them figured out at the beginning of your search.

Step 2: Define Your Strategy

Before you start looking, decide in advance how you want to search for the role(s) you have in mind. Today the best recommendation is to use a variety of approaches combined to implement an efficient, well-rounded job search. In no particular order of importance, these are some of the strategies to employ: network into the companies, talk to recruiters in your industry, apply online through job boards, apply directly through company websites, talk to friends, network at industry conferences, etc. Depending on your industry and role, some or others might be more successful - decide before you start what the most successful strategy should be for the industry, role and companies you are targeting.

Step 3: Create Your Online Profile(s)

There are lots of ways to create your online profile - concentrate on those that are displayed in the first page of Google results when you search on your name. If nothing exists, create one using one of the popular professional social networking tools available today (e.g. Plaxo, LinkedIn). Make sure this online profile fits your career goals and how you wish to be portrayed to employers. Clean up any pictures, comments or other online content that you’d prefer an employer/recruiter not see. If you have several disparate jobs you are evaluating, keep your profile(s) relatively generic to highlight your transferable skills.

Step 4: Create Your Standard Resume(s)

A standard resume is what you use to customize for each role - create one for each different type of role you are interested in. Ideally you would have experience that actually qualifies you for your target positions, but you can always be creative (a waitress job could easily transition into public relations, conflict resolution, and even waste management!). Do use action verbs and industry jargon (but use responsibly). Do not include meaningless keywords at the bottom of your resume to fool resume-scanning software. Do include volunteer experience, awards, and unique items that make you stand out. Keep the layout clean and font consistent. Spell check, do not fudge facts, and if you are a recent college graduate, include your GPA unless it’s truly horrifying.

Step 5: Identify Target Companies

Now that you know what you want to do, you should figure out where you want to do it. Just like when you applied for college, it’s good to have a tier system of dream companies, mid-range prospects, and safeties (though obviously you never tell a safety that they’re a safety!).

Step 6: Network Your Heart Out

It’s cliched, but it’s the Newtonian law of finding a job. According to the 2009 edition of “What Color is Your Parachute?”, the success rate of applying to positions online is about 4%. The success rate of finding a job through networking however, is closer to 33%. Use your sleuthing skills to find people who work in the companies you’re targeting and make dates to speak on the phone, or even better, meet for coffee (and yes, you’re paying). Speak with recruiters who work for the companies you like and find out who they like to hire. Also speak with people who do what you want to do - find out how they got their job, what they like and dislike about the company, and if appropriate, ask if they can look at your resume. And always follow up with a thank-you e-mail. Other networking opportunities include your hobbies, interests, school, alumni or other affiliations - employers like to hire like-minded people.

Step 7: Customize Your Correspondence

It’s tedious, but you can’t send out form letters and generic resumes. Remember the job market is a numbers game and you have to set yourself apart from all the rest in a matter of seconds. Your cover letter and resume need to be specific to the job requirement if you are serious about the role. Explain why you want to work for Company X and no one else, why all of your experience to date satisfies their requirement and why you are passionate about the opportunity. You can use bullet points, tables, and bold or italic print as long as your letter is legible, and ideally address it directly to the hiring manager or recruiter responsible. In the resume, don’t forget to customize your objective to that job.

Step 8: Take Notes

It’s important to have a record of what jobs you’ve applied to, who you’ve spoken with, and who you need to contact next. The last thing you need to do is blow a great opportunity because you forgot about an interview or accidentally e-mailed the wrong person. After speaking with a recruiter or a new contact, keep notes of what was said and how you’ll follow up with them. Imagine the great impression you’ll make on your new boss if you remember he’s a whiskey connoisseur!

Step 9: Follow Up

Ask for business cards at your interviews - then you have the information necessary to send a thank you note. You probably haven’t written a thank-you note since Aunt Ethel gave you that hideous purple sweater in 9th grade, but it’s time to dust off the stationary and get writing. After every interview, even if it’s over phone or Skype, sending a hand-written thank-you note to everyone who interviewed. It should be in the mail within 24 hours after the interview. It doesn’t have to be fancy - just thank them for the interview and restate that you want the job. This kind of personal attention should set you apart from others, show your enthusiasm for the role and hopefully propel you into a second interview. If you interviewed at a company with a more relaxed culture, a thank-you email will suffice.

Step 10: Be Productive, Stay Positive

When you’re unemployed, it’s tempting to veg out and catch up on sleep, but you need to treat the search for a job as your actual job. If that means taking a shower and sitting down at your computer by 9 a.m., so be it. You also have time to develop new skills, catchup with friends new and old, explore new business ideas, and learn what makes you happy. If you’re asked during an interview what you’ve been doing for the last 6 months, you don’t want to say you’ve seen every episode of “Family Guy” - Twice. You’d be doing yourself a huge favor by using the time to your advantage. And stay positive. It won’t be long until you’re working 60 hours a week and having little to do is only a distant memory.

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