3 Job Search Basics - NOT Creative, Just Effective

I got an email yesterday from a Minnesota man who wrote: “I followed all of your advice but I have not gotten any job interviews. Do you have any other suggestions?”I took a quick look at his LinkedIn profile and found that he hasn’t followed all the advice I gave him.

It appears he hasn’t followed any of it, actually.

And yet he wants more ideas from me.

So, here’s my advice to him and anyone struggling to find a job: to get hired in this economy, you must execute the basics in your job search.

Here are 3 of them. How many are you doing?

1) Upload a picture to your LinkedIn profile

These days, having a profile on LinkedIn.com is as essential as an email address on your resume was 5 years ago. It proves that you’re up-to-date on technology. It’s free. And there’s no excuse for not getting it done.

But you have to do it right. For your profile to be considered complete, you must upload a picture of yourself.

Employers and recruiters expect to see a professional photo on your LinkedIn profile. Fail to include one and you have failed to execute the basics, which makes you less employable.

2) Get LinkedIn recommendations

A recommendation is simply a testimonial on your LinkedIn profile, written by someone who knows your work. And it’s another basic that too many people neglect.

I recently counseled a technical manager who couldn’t get one person to recommend him on LinkedIn after six months of trying. Either he wasn’t really trying or had never done anything worth recommending. Either way, it’s no surprise that he’s still unemployed.

Tip: The best way to get recommendations is to give them, because LinkedIn prompts anyone you recommend to give one to you in return. Plan on giving at least three recommendations for every one you seek.

3) Create a support system

Job hunting is hard enough in a strong economy. Why go it alone now?

Try to find one person you can talk to at least once a week, to brainstorm ideas with.

Even better, find two or more people and form a job-search support group.

Meet weekly for coffee in a pleasant location to share what’s working and what’s not. This has all sorts of benefits:

• By creating a “board of directors” for your search, you can tap the power of other people’s brains and networks to solve your problems.
• By helping other people, you’ll forget your own troubles, exercise your intellect, and feel better.
• By leaving the house to meet others, you’ll change your environment and avoid falling into a rut, like not shaving for three days straight.
• By having to explain your progress each week, you’ll hold yourself accountable and be motivated to get things done.

There’s a reason why every single Fortune 500 company has a board of directors: it produces results. So, put this idea to work in your job search.

 Now. 

Have you heard any of these ideas before? Well, don’t smirk and think, “I know that.” Instead, ask yourself: “How well am I doing that?”

Then get going.

I know it can be maddeningly difficult to stay focused on one project, like getting recommendations on your LinkedIn profile, and grind it out until you’re done. The temptation is to flit from one task to another every 5 minutes, hoping that by doing so many things, you’ll hit on something that works.

But this rarely works. The ranks of the unemployed are full of “busy” people who really don’t get jack done each day.

Don’t be like them. Get the basics done and done right.

Then, be sure to grab your Free Guerilla Job Search Audio CD.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, April 16th, 2009 at 12:05 pm and is filed under job search tips. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.