If you’re in the middle of a long job search, it may be difficult to get out of bed some mornings and pound the pavement one more day.

Heck, even if you’re just starting to look for a job, motivation can be hard to come by. You might need an occasional pat on the back — or kick in the rear — to get going.

If so, here’s a quick way to motivate yourself and get back to work faster …

Write Your Job Search Goals Daily

In his book, “Influence” (which I just re-read and got excited about all over again), psychologist Robert Cialdini describes how the power of written goals can change your attitude and actions — in other words, your whole life.

Example: The Amway Corporation has, for years, encouraged its members to set individual sales goals in writing. As one member said, “There is something magical about writing things down.” There might be something to this — Amway sales have totaled as much as $7 billion per year.

Another example: Ever wonder why companies like Procter & Gamble run those “100 words or less” testimonial contests, in which entrants mail in personal statements about why they like a certain product? Apparently, one reason is to get you to go on record – in writing – as liking their product, because it makes you more likely to buy it later.

According to Cialdini, written commitments are powerful because ”they require more work than verbal ones. And the evidence is clear that the more effort that goes into a commitment, the greater is its ability to influence the attitudes of the person who made it.”

Why not adapt this simple idea to your job search?

If you write down your employment goal first thing every morning – including your job title, desired salary and deadline for getting hired – you are guaranteed of starting your day off right. And that can make all the difference.

Try it for the next 21 days and prove it for yourself.

Note: If you know anyone looking for a job in the Detroit area, please tell them to come meet David Perry and me in person on Sept. 17, at the Guerrilla Job Search Secrets Revealed event, in Troy. (The ticket price goes up this Friday.)

Otherwise, grab your free Guerrilla Job Search audio here.

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Readers write (and sometimes, I answer).

Dear Kevin,

If you apply for a position with a company’s online app. system, is it ok to look up the senior manager on LinkedIn (or wherever) and send them a personal message? And if so, what would one say in the message?

Tracy

Dear Tracy,

It’s ALWAYS a good idea to make sure a human on the inside of your target employer sees your resume, after applying online. (Before you apply is better.) The more people who know about you, the better.

Should that person be the senior manager or hiring authority? It depends.

If your message adds value to their day, while also saying, “By the way, I’ve applied to your company,” that can work. Find useful info, news, etc. to send in your message. Then, put yourself in their shoes. Ask yourself: “Would I be happy to get this message?”

Better: You’re on LinkedIn, right? Whom can you suggest they contact among your LinkedIn network to help their business? Example: Who do you know who might be clients, vendors, or resources for them? Then, mentioning that you’re applying to their company can come almost as an afterthought, but one that should be well received.

Like shaking hands with a maitre d’ and passing him a $20 bill, an ordinary communication becomes extraordinary when it comes with something valuable.

Stated differently, nobody likes to get an email or call like this: “I just applied to your company. Could you look at my resume right now?”

But most people will accept this message: “Hello, I’ve researched your company, talked to 3 of your employees, 5 of your clients, and 3 of your competitors. Based on what I’ve done before, I thought you might find the following information/contacts useful: __________________. By the way, my resume should be in your database today. Could we meet for coffee or by phone for 10 minutes to discuss how I can help you?”

Finally, I’ve written before on the topic of making live contacts at an employer, here.

I hope that helps!

Note: If you know anyone looking for a job in the Detroit area, please tell them to come meet David Perry and me in person on Sept. 17, at the Guerrilla Job Search Secrets Revealed event, in Troy.

Otherwise, grab your free Guerrilla Job Search audio here.

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I can’t think of any clever openings today.

So, cut to the chase: If you’re job hunting and want to meet more people who can hire you, here are two ways to do it …

1) Follow Growth

If you’re looking for a job, go where the action is — growing companies are more likely to hire than failing ones.

And a great tool for finding signs of growth is LinkedIn, according to personal branding coach Otis Collier.

“I research companies on LinkedIn to find out who has been recently promoted, which shows which departments may be hiring and what jobs they may need to fill.”

This can help you find places within a company to make connections that lead to interviews.

Example: Choose the “Search Companies” option on LinkedIn, type in Apple, and you’ll find two lists of interest: New Hires, and Recent Promotions and Changes. Both of these show departments at Apple that may be growing.

You’ll also see which names, if any, are in your 1st level and extended networks, so you know whom to contact for information about the hiring climate.

2) Network at Conferences

Here’s another tip from Collier: Make connections at conferences put on by organizations and groups you belong to.

“Networking is still the #1 way people find jobs, and attending a conference is a prime chance to network,” says Collier.

Problem: It’s impossible to meet the hundreds of attendees at a typical conference.

Solution: Do your homework and create a targeted list of people to make connections with.

Collier suggests the following method.

Before attending a conference, search LinkedIn for the organization’s name. You will find all the people who listed membership in their profile. Then, do an advanced search to cull the list down by job titles or areas of expertise. Print the best names and bring them to the conference.

You now have a “shopping list” of people to meet. When you register, ask for a printout of all attendees. Use this to determine which people on your list you can connect with.

What if you or the people on your list don’t attend the conference? Contact them anyway, by email or phone. Mention your membership in the same organization and you’ll have an instant affinity, which makes them more likely to speak with you.

No matter how you meet people, remember this: When having a networking conversation, be coy.

Don’t ask, “I’m looking for a job — do you know anyone who’s hiring?” You may look desperate and put people off.

Instead, say, “Hi, I was hoping you could help me. I’m looking for information about XYZ company. Because you work(ed) there, would you have 3 minutes for a brief conversation?”

There are 3 key principles in those last 3 sentences, so pay attention:

1. Most people will help, if you ask politely.

2. Saying one word — because — when asking a favor, often gets compliance, as detailed in the book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, by Robert Cialdini. Try it.

3. Always give a time limit. At the end, say, “Well, it’s been 3 minutes. I’ll let you go, unless you have a couple more minutes.” Respect others’ time and they will respect you.

Now, go out and make your own luck!

Note: If you know anyone looking for a job in the Detroit area, please tell them to come meet David Perry and me in person on Sept. 17, at the Guerrilla Job Search Secrets Revealed event, in Troy. 

Otherwise, grab your free Guerrilla Job Search audio here.

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If you or someone you care about is looking for a job in Metro Detroit, here’s news …

Now you can get live help at the world’s only Guerrilla Job Search seminar based on the new edition of the book, Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 2.0.

It’s called, “Guerrilla Job Search Secrets Revealed!” and it happens Thur. night, Sept. 17, from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm, in Troy, Michigan.

Here’s what everyone in attendance gets:

• Free Resume Help. You’ll go home with a personalized Guerrilla Resume template that is PROVEN to work, in this economy
• Free Live Networking. You are GUARANTEED to get at least one new networking contact
• Free DVD: “Guerrilla Job Search System” — 74 min. of David Perry and Kevin Donlin live on video
• Free Report: “77 Guerrilla Job Search Secrets” (any one of which can get you hired)
• Free Audio: “Job Interview Secrets Revealed” (unlike anything you’ve ever heard)
• PLUS … Job Search 2.0 Training, the “Coffee Cup Caper” technique that gets job interviews in 48 hours, and much more

Warning: In the first 24 hours, we sold more than 10% of our tickets. Time is running out …

Seating is strictly limited and the event is fast approaching, Sept. 17, from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm, in Troy, Michigan.

Learn more about this Michigan job search event here.

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Every job search is a sales campaign.

You knew that, right?

Before getting hired for any job — from accountant to zoologist — you must sell an employer on the idea of “buying” the services you offer as an employee.

So, the more sales tricks you know, the shorter your next job search is likely to be.

With that in mind, I interviewed sales expert Jeffrey Gitomer, author of several best-sellers, including the “Little Red Book of Selling” and “Little Black Book of Connections.”

He shared practical tips, based on his 30+ years of sales experience, that can help you find work faster in today’s competitive job market.

1) “Butt-Simple” Networking

You know that networking is the most effective way to find the best jobs. So, why are you still unemployed? Possibly because you’re networking wrong, or not networking enough.

In most cases, right networking produces right results, which will motivate you to keep networking until you get hired.

And how do you network the right way? Start at the top, where the hiring power is, according to Gitomer.

“Look at the chamber of commerce or where the biggest business meetings in town are held. Go to places where people with money and power go. Try your best to bump into those people. Shake hands and say hello to every single person that you can.”

Gitomer then shared his own networking story.

“When I moved to Charlotte, North Carolina 20 years ago, I didn’t know anybody. So I began to network. I would get the paper every day and look in the business section to see what events were taking place. I followed a ‘50-butt’ rule — if there were 50 butts in a room, I put my butt there too.”

At meetings, Gitomer met and shook hands with as many people as possible, which he found the easiest way to make valuable connections. “I didn’t ask people for anything. I wanted to find out what they did and see if I knew anybody who could help them.”

Get that? Gitomer didn’t meet and greet with the idea of getting business leads. He sought to help people first, before expecting anything. By priming the pump and giving freely of his time and contacts, he later got plenty in return.

Question: What can you give away when networking that will make people more likely to remember you with favor — and job leads? Examples include specialized information, introductions to people you know, or even your time, if you’re available to volunteer.

When you network with a “give first, get later” mindset, something strange happens. You stop feeling guilty about asking for job leads, and you start feeling good about helping people. Which makes those people happy to refer you to others … which ultimately leads to a meeting with your next boss.

2) Don’t Look for Jobs — Look for Employers

Gitomer tells the story of his friend, a marketing VP who was laid off by a bank. “He’d been searching for a job for three months, and he looked desperate, without a real goal of where he wanted to go.”

The problem?

“He was looking rather than targeting. I would tell anyone who’s been out of work for two or three months to pick five targets — the places where you want to go work,” says Gitomer.

Once you have a list of employers, research each one and its competitors, looking for problems and opportunities. Brainstorm for ideas and solutions, which you can turn into a white paper or PowerPoint presentation. Then, tap your network to arrange meetings with executives at your target employers, where you can deliver your findings.

The moment you sit across from a vice president and discuss the profits or productivity you can increase for their company, you are transformed. You change from being a job seeker, which is a position of weakness, into a problem solver, a position of strength.

In fact, you may never go on another job interview again. Instead, you’ll be having business meetings with executives who are eager to hear your ideas.

According to Gitomer, people don’t like to be sold, but they love to buy.

Employers are people, too. And while most don’t like to be sold on the idea of hiring more staff, they still love to buy.

All you have to do is provide research-based solutions to potential employers, and add up all the money you can save or earn them, until it’s higher than the salary you want.

Point out — specifically — that you can produce $1.00 in profits for every 35 cents you’re paid in wages, for example. When you do this, you’re selling money at a discount.

Now, what employer wouldn’t want to buy that?

For more ideas like these, grab your Free Guerrilla Job Search Audio.

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