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| Consider other ways to land jobs BESIDES applying online. |
Here are their top ten ways, plus their comments about why their ideas worked. Consider how their tips can help you land a job or get a better one!
10. Find a job in the newspaper/apply in person. James of St. Louis says, “I saw an ad in the newspaper. I hand-carried my resume to them and chatted with the admin assistant. Eventually I got an interview and a firm job offer. So, no internet, email, LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter … just good old fashioned tactics ultimately paid off.”
NOTE: Be warned: Some companies don’t like hand-delivered resumes (one recruiter went so far to say that he thought hand delivered resumes were “creepy,”) but it might be a worthwhile effort to try for certain organizations.
9. Send a mass email or LinkedIn InMail followed by a phone call. Lisa from San Francisco says that this tactic “is cold calling, but by sending the letter first, it makes the process easier.” Duane of Milwaukee, Wis. has taken a similar approach using LinkedIn InMail messages to let his massive network know how his job search efforts are going and how he can use their help.
NOTE: If you send a mass email, put all recipients’ email addresses in the blind CC box (BCC), or send each person a separate message so recipients won’t see others' email addresses. Make it easy for people with short attention spans to help -- include the job titles for the position you seek every time you contact your network.
8. Stand out through samples and creative application submissions. “I've hand-stitched small books promoting myself and hand delivered them. I've also created concept-based self promotions that can be wrapped in personally designed wrapping paper and shipped to them in the mail. Everyone loves opening a gift,” says Adam, an art director from Salt Lake City
7. Reach out to people you’ve helped. “I've reconnected with people who I've met and helped during their job search who are now employed. They are most likely willing to help to return the favor,” says Sandra of Boston, Mass.
6. Intern / serve as a temporary employee. Mary of Huntsville, Ala. catapulted her way into a full-time job by first working as a temporary employee. “Become so essential on the job that the company won’t be able to envision hiring anybody else but you,” she said.
5. Get acquainted with people in LinkedIn groups. “When I started using LinkedIn I was awkward, but if you just start reaching out to people, they really are willing to help. Comment on their posts and then work up to making a connection,” says James of St. Louis.
4. Go to job networking events. “They often cover ways to conduct an effective job search,” notes James of St. Louis. Plus, you can meet people at who can be instrumental in recommending you for positions at their company.
3. LinkedIn connections. Terri of St. Louis said, “I landed my current position through LinkedIn networking. I contacted HR employees at target companies. One of my contacts recommended that I contact my [now] boss. I arranged a meeting with him. Three months later his company contacted me and offered me a position that was not posted. If I had not reached out to a connection, I would never have been a candidate for this opportunity.”
2. Recommendations from others. “I have had parents of former students recommend me for positions. Now that's a vote of confidence!” says Pamela of Cleveland/Akron, Ohio.
1. Networking. Frank of St. Louis says, “I did a mind map on what tools 400 job seekers and 100 employers were using to find each other. Networking was the number one answer on both sides."
Wanda of Washington, D.C. concurs. “I landed jobs through dinner parties and conferences. The infamous question, ‘What kind of work do you do?’ by a dinner guest seated next to me got my foot into the federal government despite a hiring freeze. Attending conferences has led to my acquiring overseas positions, which wouldn't have happened if I hadn’t met the right people at professional conferences.”
Marshall Karp, a career coach in Canton, Ohio, may have the ultimate correct answer for outmaneuvering the online application system: “Try different things. Apply online, but you better also be doing networking, warm calling, cold calling, and going to former schools' career centers.”
How have you landed positions other than applying online? Share your ideas! -- Kathy
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mass email
ReplyDeletehave to remember not to make it sounds spammy.
not making it spam is key.
ReplyDelete