Do You Have Job Search Targets?
By Kevin Donlin | June 30th, 2008
I’ve written before that you need a list of employment targets — companies where you’d be happy working. To wit:
Embarking on a job search with no list of ideal employers is like going to the grocery store without a shopping list … on an empty stomach. You’ll grab the first things you see and probably end up regretting it later.
To illustrate the importance of having specific employers in mind when you start your search for work, here’s a success story from one of my clients, followed by a series of questions to ask yourself if you’re serious about finding the right job fast …
Hi Kevin,
One of the companies I listed as a target is ACB International. Starting Tuesday morning, I called people I hadn’t talked with in a while. During one conversation, I mentioned ACB and that I knew they have a Director of Technology Management position open there, but wasn’t sure if it was a good company to pursue or not. Did he have any thoughts about it or contacts I could talk with?
He said two things: First he said, Duh – look at LEADING magazine where ACB employees ranked it as one of the best mid-size companies to work at, and second he said he knows Lisa in HR there. She ended up called me Tuesday night and said I must talk with her boss the next day. So I said okay, and spent 1.5 hours Wednesday on the phone with Lisa’s boss. She said she would talk with the Vice President who is hiring for the Director position, pass along her notes, and see what happens.
I just got off the phone, confirming next Tuesday, all afternoon, interviews with managers who report to the open Director position and with the Vice President of Technology and Operations. His name is Fred T. — the exact person I wrote on my list last week as the person I needed to contact within ACB.
Having clear targets really works! Knowing what specific companies I want to work for, telling people about those companies, and being confident that even if HR screened me out, I had other ways to get in touch with the right person (knowing who it is) — it all worked for me.
– Peter B., Washington
Now. How can you do what Peter did to get a job interview?
1) Create a list of the 25 companies you’d most like to work for.
2) Find the names of the decision maker(s) at each company.
3) Tell the world about who’s on your list and ask for their help in making contact with your targets.
------------------------------
Spread the Word:
digg this
del.icio.us
Technorati
Blogmemes
Ask Jeeves
Furl
Reddit
Rojo
Simpy
Spurl
Socialize It
Earthlink
Google
Netscape
Windows Live
Yahoo
------------------------------
July 2nd, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Hi Kevin,
After my letters are mailed to my target companies, I make my calls to follow up, what is the best way to handle if they want to interview right then on the phone? I haven’t done the “pre-sale” activity yet, getting leads, talking to employees etc.?…what do you suggest?
Thanks
Bob
July 16th, 2008 at 7:59 am
Bob,
Ever fired a gun? One of the first things they tell you in a firearms class is to never point a gun at anything if you aren’t ready to shoot at it.
Apply this thinking to your followup plans: Never make a phone call if you aren’t ready for an interview.
Because, really, every conversation you have with a hiring authority is an interview of sorts — they’re judging you in one way or another, even if they don’t tell you.
So, prepare accordingly by researching the company, its products, competitors, problems and opportunities.
And of course practice common interview questions you’re likely to hear — you can find those here: interview.monster.com
P.S. — Sorry about the delay in responding! I