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 Many job
seekers are misinformed about our role in the search
process.
Our
primary responsibility is to find qualified candidates for
our clients.
Our job is to make a match that is suitable to
both the candidate and the company.
If you are downsized in today's soft market,
there are things you can immediately do:
-
Don't
panic. Leap into action and be pro-active. Work at job
hunting eight hours or more each day, seven days a week.
-
Stop
watching TV news and reading the newspapers, except to
answer Sunday ads and read the cartoons and sports section.
-
Get
your resume on the web and call your network. Follow up with
them every four weeks. They are busy and will forget
about you if they are not reminded. See number 7 for websites.
-
Stay
away from negative friends and relatives. Stay positive
yourself and don't let others drain you.
The
sky is not falling.
-
Conserve your money, reduce expenses and take a temp
job until a better one comes along.
-
If you
are an older candidate, 50+, consider starting your own
consulting company at the same time you job hunt. Do
parallel action. Calling on companies as a business man
(consultant) is easier than as a job hunter. Companies may
be willing to hire you on a consulting basis first, and then
later hire you full time. At least you are being proactive
and doing something to make things happen. It will make you
"feel" better. At the bottom of this page is a
free brochure on,
"Become a Consultant".
-
Utilize
the web and the various search engines e.g.
For other assistance try
www.interviewcoach.com,
www.assessment.com,
or "Manage Your Own Career" by Dr. Donald J.
Hanratty published by the It's the How Publishing Company.
Try
http://www.wendyenelow.com/toolkit.php, they have a
tool kit for resume writing that could be helpful.
For immediately needs try Gary Smith's
Becoming
a High-Impact Candidate.
It will provide you with a methodology specifically
designed to assist you to achieve success in the job search process. Avoiding the usual "do
this, don't do that" mindset that is endemic to most
books in this field, Becoming
a High-Impact Candidate is filled with
proven tactics and strategies that produce
interviews and job offers--even
in this tough economy! Specifically, this is a
130-page book that demystifies the entire recruiting
process. You're going to learn how to be perceived as
the candidate of choice--even if your competition has better
"paper" credentials.
The
cost of
Becoming
a High-Impact Candidate is $12.95,
payable by credit card. Because Becoming
a High-Impact Candidate is in the form of a downloadable E-Book, you will be able to
apply what you learn to your job hunting experiences
immediately.
Gar's web site is:
www.highimpactcandidate.com
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Find
other search firms that can help you. Kennedy Publications
has a good reference book, "The Executive Recruiters
Directory". Local Libraries have a copy, or go to the
web,
www.kennedyinfo.com.
This directory list firms by categories. Select and send
your resume to those choice firms. Don't
bother to follow up with them, they will call you if there
is a fit.
-
Do you need directories of business in various states or
specific market places? Try
www.directoriesUSA.com
or
www.manufacturersnews.com.
Both places provide CD's of companies, addresses, names,
etc.
-
If you are a recent college graduate with little practical
experience, consider becoming a commissioned officer in the
Marine Corps, Navy, Army or Air Force. These are wonderful
opportunities to gain experience and confidence. Also
consider the CIA, FBI, INS, State Department, and other
Federal Agencies. There are some great jobs just waiting for
a college graduate.
-
Get a
good email service. Companies that are concerned about SPAM
sometimes kick out "Hotmail" and other free email
address in an effort to cut down on SPAM. AOL and MSN
sometimes do not handle attachments very well.
-
Market
yourself as a problem solver who is excellent with
people. Look for things you can do rather than
specific job titles. When you find a prospective employer,
ask yourself what they need and think of ways your talents
can mesh with their needs.
-
Prepare in advance for the interview. At the bottom of
this page, are
"Job Interviewing Tips"
and other ideas. This is available to help you.
-
In the
interview, be concise, give concrete examples of what you
can do for the company and know when to stop talking. Be a
superior listener. Demonstrate that you are flexible and
willing to learn new skills.
-
Don't
discuss money and benefits until after you have been offered
the position--unless the interviewer brings up the subject.
At the bottom of this page is information on
"Salary
Negotiations", etc.
-
Tell a
prospective Employer what is important to you.
-
Sidestep political footballs,
avoid saying anything negative about your former
employer.
-
Show
how you dealt with any downtime. If you have been out of the
workforce for a while, account for the time.
-
Above
all be honest. A no-brainer, but many people embellish their
resumes. They fudge dates to make it look like they have
worked continuously, or they play around with their degrees.
They assume that no one is checking. Today companies pay
attention, they call references. So play it straight.
And
remember:
"Far
better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs
even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those
poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray
twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat."
-
Theodore
Roosevelt
Understand a Search Firm's Role
Our fees are paid by the
Company, not by the candidates.
Typically, when a client
retains a search firm, it searches its data base for individuals
whose backgrounds and credentials roughly match the specifications of the
position. Then they contact potential candidates.
Use search
firms that specialize in your career fields or functions and your
chances of being contacted about available positions are greatly
improved.
Respond
to Calls
Search firms typically
check their existing internal candidate system before tapping external
sources. The background information is entered into a data bank and can be
cross-referenced by a variety of qualifying parameters, years of
experience, management responsibilities, relocation preferences, designations and
compensation level.
Be
Cooperative
Cultivating a
good relationship with a search consultant should be a strategic ingredient in
an executives career plan. Those people who are consistently reliable and
cooperative often are considered more favorably when a promising
opportunity emerges. When you have life style or job changes, keep us
informed.
The
Rule of Three's
Even if a headhunter
calls, hold off celebrating. We are glued to the telephone and run our
search efforts by a Rule of Three's:
Usually,
at least three people are contacted for each one that may
eventually be interviewed and usually
three people are selected for interviewing with the company
Additional Information:
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To view these documents
below you will need
Acrobat
Reader installed on your computer.
If
needed, you can download it by following
this link.
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Become a
Consultant
Counteroffer Tips
How to
Find a Job
Job Interviewing
Tips
Negotiation
Techniques
Psychology
of a Job Change
Resignation
and Acceptance Sample Letters
Resume Tips
Salary Negotiation
Tips
Starting a New
Job
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