Transcript Corporate Lobotomy Responding To The Baby

Winning The Job-Search War
IEEE
January 27, 2003
Jim Lemke
"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door."
- Milton Berle -
Guerrilla Job Searching Basics
Pounding the virtual pavement
• Guerrilla name generators
• Guerrilla web tools
All about you
• Reflections – interests, skills & abilities
• Your resume
Closing the interview
• Selling your skills and experience
The Leads
Gorilla name generators
– Unconventional, non-traditional, not by-the-book, and inexpensive.
– Think like a headhunter
• News stories (re: organizational changes, grants, new business and
employee promotions)
• Company website
– Press releases
– Events
• Stock site message boards
• Job Fairs (not just in your field)
• Former interviewers
– Hoovers.com – Website/Book
– Executive search type marketing letters
• Create a fictional candidate
Guerrilla tools
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Free
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IEEE.com
Flipdog.com
Truecareers.com
Zillionresumes.com
• Monster.com
• Dice.com
• Hotjobs.com
– Jobsearchlink.com
– Careersurf.com
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Fee for use
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Grassisgreener.com – Job spider - $12 for 3 months
Infogist.com – Job spider - $29 for 3 months
ResumeRabbit.com – Resume blasting tool - $59 unlimited use
ResumeDirector.com - Resume blasting tool - $59 unlimited use
Research
– CareerXroads – Website/Book
– 110 Best Job Search Sites on the Internet – Book
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Lead – cross sharing
Preparing to market yourself
You
• Your Passions
• Your best attributes
– www.emode.com
• What makes a job exciting
• What makes you unique
• Your resume – it’s your marketing tool
• Tailor it for every position
– It is not a legal document – but don’t become too creative.
• It should be compelling. Use action verbs. Use numbers to indicate
volume. Use adjectives. SPELL CHECK!!
• Ask others to read it. Get constructive criticism.
– Your contact information
• If you don’t have a personal email address…GET ONE
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Don’t use a silly Email addresses such as;
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected], etc.
• If you change email addresses, broadcast the changes
– www.freshaddress.com
• Use an answering tool that can be remotely accessed with a
professional message – no funny messages.
Selecting The Job
• Look for the “hard skill” job requirements
• Do your skills directly align with the job
requirements?
– If not, can you truly align your skills with a spin?
• What to you bring to this job that gives you a
competitive edge?
• What excites you about the job?
– Write it down and then put it in your cover letter
• Send a resume & cover letter to HR and to the hiring
manager
Interview Due Diligence
Do your homework
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Research their web page
What Products/Services do they provide?
What is their market position?
Who are the key managers?
Who are their competitors?
Have they been in the news?
What is the corporate culture?
Interviewing
Prepare For Your Interview
• Rehearse your answers to common interviewing questions.
• Video tape yourself practicing to interview. Would you hire
yourself?
• Show you want the job. Tell them what you could do that would
benefit the organization. Tell them what you’ve done for
employers in the past that could benefit them.
• Ask for clarification. It shows an interest in the position and
what the interviewer has to say.
• Remember to listen. Communication is a two-way street.
• Take time to reflect before answering difficult questions.
Interview Basics
• Be on-time.
• Be well-groomed. Wear a suit. Wear sensible, well-polished shoes.
• Bring a resume, references, and samples of your work, if
appropriate.
• Bring a pen and notepad. Jot down information, but don’t take
excessive notes.
• Make eye contact. Be confident.
• Try to relax.
• Be honest. Sell yourself, but don’t claim skills you don’t possess.
• Be aware of your body language. Be positive and try to make others
more comfortable.
• Send a thank-you note within 24 hours.
Your pitch
Selling yourself
• You should be able to say what you want to do, and you are
prepared to do, for your next employer.
• You should be able to say it in 25 words or less.
• Be prepared to say it to anyone in the industry.
Back it up
• Be prepared to give specific examples of your achievements.
• Think on your feet - highlight the skills that would be most
important to the person that you’re talking to.
Reference Books
• Resumes,Cover Letters & Interviews for Dummies
– Joyce Lain Kennedy
• Job Searching Online For Dummies – Pam Dixon
• The Interview Rehearsal Book -Deb Gottesman,
Buzz Mauro
• Resumes in Cyberspace - Pat Criscito
• Resume Magic: Trade Secrets of a Professional
Resume Writer - Susan Britton Whitcomb
• Best Answers to the 201 Most Frequently Asked
Interview Questions - Matthew J. Deluca
Remember….Job searching is
a full-time effort!
Questions ?