IntroductionWelcome| 00:04 | If you're like many people, you are
frustrated with searching for jobs.
| | 00:07 | Looking for a new job can be
confusing, overwhelming, and a lot of work.
| | 00:12 | In this course, I'll show you ways to
make the process easier and give you
| | 00:16 | techniques to make your
job search more effective.
| | 00:18 | I'll start by demonstrating tools to
manage the job search and stay on track.
| | 00:24 | I will then show you how to make
use of online technology to identify
| | 00:29 | opportunities and gain efficiency and visibility.
| | 00:33 | Next, I will guide you through
leveraging your networks and social media tools
| | 00:38 | so that when you are ready for the next
move, your network will be ready to help you.
| | 00:44 | Finally, I will discuss how to establish
and maintain working relationships with
| | 00:49 | the best job recruiters in your focus area.
| | 00:52 | So let's get started with Job Search Strategies.
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| Using the exercise files| 00:00 | During this course, I will show you
techniques for effectively managing your job
| | 00:04 | search and finding job openings.
| | 00:06 | We've provided free exercise files that
are available to all lynda.com members
| | 00:11 | to help you get the most from
each section of this course.
| | 00:15 | These files include a checklist and a
template for tracking your job search.
| | 00:18 | I recommend that you have these
on hand as you watch this course.
| | 00:23 | Now let's get started.
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1. Starting the Search ProcessManaging the search process| 00:00 | Most people approach the job search
by looking for jobs online and applying
| | 00:04 | to them haphazardly.
This can be a big waste of time.
| | 00:08 | It's important to actually try and
manage the job search as if it were a job.
| | 00:13 | You want the relevant
opportunities coming to you.
| | 00:16 | Organizing and focusing your
search will help make this happen.
| | 00:19 | It's useful to think of
Pareto's Principle, or the 80/20 rule.
| | 00:24 | In the case of job seeking I find
that most people spend 80% of their time
| | 00:30 | online job searching and the other 20%
connecting with people or networking.
| | 00:35 | You want to flip this
strategy so it is more effective.
| | 00:39 | You want to focus 20% of your time
online and 80% reaching out to people to
| | 00:44 | discover unpublished positions.
| | 00:46 | To do this, you have to have systems in place.
| | 00:51 | First, I recommend you set
up a job search tracking tool.
| | 00:55 | We've provided a worksheet that you can use
as you're researching and applying to jobs.
| | 01:01 | This worksheet helps you track
your resume submissions, networking
| | 01:05 | contacts, interviews.
| | 01:07 | It also includes a sheet to
list helpful career websites.
| | 01:12 | There are also services online that
will help you to track your job, like
| | 01:16 | virtualjobcoach.com.
| | 01:18 | This online service provides easy
web access and sends you text message
| | 01:23 | alerts for follow-ups.
| | 01:25 | There is a free version to get you
started and a fee-based service for extras.
| | 01:30 | Once you have a system in place to
record your activity, you will want to set
| | 01:34 | aside specific times to work on your job search.
| | 01:37 | If you're not working a full-time job now,
you should expect to spend forty hours a
| | 01:43 | week on your search.
| | 01:45 | If you are working, but really want to
make a change I recommend you dedicate at
| | 01:50 | least five to ten hours a week.
| | 01:52 | This may seem like a lot, but the
investment of your time does pay off.
| | 01:57 | Job searching requires patience,
energy, concentration, and confidence.
| | 02:03 | By organizing your job search, you will
spend less time on searching and more
| | 02:07 | time on being effective.
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| The top five job search tips| 00:00 | The job search can seem like an
overwhelming task as you start to think about
| | 00:04 | making changes in your life.
| | 00:06 | If you're like most people, your first
thought is "I don't even want to do this."
| | 00:10 | However, the following five tips can make it
go much smoother and keep you more positive.
| | 00:15 | First, use search agents. These are
online tools that will automatically send new
| | 00:20 | job postings to you.
| | 00:22 | This frees up your time to connect with people.
| | 00:25 | Second, be visible in your field.
| | 00:28 | You should make it easy for recruiters to
find you and recognize you as an expert.
| | 00:33 | You can do this by blogging,
speaking at conferences, and being active in
| | 00:38 | professional associations.
| | 00:40 | Third, you should have a good system
to keep track of your contacts and jobs
| | 00:45 | that you've submitted applications to.
| | 00:47 | You want be sure to maintain contact
with your professional network so they are
| | 00:52 | available when you need them.
| | 00:53 | Fourth, get support from friends and
family as you go through the search.
| | 00:58 | Not only can they help you with a quick
review of your resume or practicing an
| | 01:02 | interview, but they can keep you positive
and on track as you go through this process.
| | 01:08 | Finally, create a positive attitude.
| | 01:11 | This is about discovering new
opportunities and recognizing your potential.
| | 01:15 | Leave your inner critic at the door,
and remember that you are coming with a
| | 01:20 | unique skill set that employers will value.
| | 01:23 | These are my top five tips to get you
started, and I'll be covering some of these
| | 01:28 | in more detail throughout this course.
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2. Searching for Positions OnlineSetting up job search agents| 00:00 | When filling a job vacancy, employers
want a get diverse pool of qualified
| | 00:04 | candidates and they often turn
to online job boards to do so.
| | 00:08 | There are literally thousands available,
and it can be hard to determine which is
| | 00:13 | the best option for you.
| | 00:14 | So how do you decide
which ones are right for you?
| | 00:17 | To begin, you need to think about where
the employer will get the most highly
| | 00:23 | qualified pool of candidates.
| | 00:24 | The first place employers
will post is on their own site.
| | 00:28 | In fact, if they're a well-known company,
this maybe the only place that they post
| | 00:34 | as they expect candidates
to come directly to them.
| | 00:38 | Make a list of organizations that
interest you so that you can check their
| | 00:42 | web sites for a career section.
| | 00:43 | If you need help researching specific
organizations and industries, check out my
| | 00:49 | course, Managing Your Career, here
on the online training library.
| | 00:53 | The next best sources are
professional associations, industry journals, or
| | 00:58 | specialty sites related to your area of interest.
| | 01:02 | HR professionals turn to these
outlets because they know they will have
| | 01:06 | a targeted audience.
| | 01:08 | Make a list of associations, journals,
and specialty sites that relate to
| | 01:12 | your area of interest.
| | 01:14 | If you need help finding these
sources, do a search online or check out
| | 01:18 | weddles.com to find an
association in your field.
| | 01:22 | The truth is that you don't know when or
where an employer will post an opening.
| | 01:26 | You'll want to use a mix of these job
boards in your search so that you don't
| | 01:30 | miss an opportunity when it becomes available.
| | 01:34 | In the next movie, I will show you how
to make the most of these job boards.
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| Using a job search agent successfully| 00:00 | No matter what job boards you decide to
use, a job search agent will save you an
| | 00:05 | immense amount of time.
| | 00:07 | Job search agents allow jobseekers to
get notifications via email or RSS feeds.
| | 00:13 | Many large organizations and specialty
sites will give you the ability to set up
| | 00:18 | an agent on their site.
| | 00:19 | The benefit of these agents is that they are
within a defined organization or specialty.
| | 00:26 | If they don't have the capability of
setting up an agent, then you'll want to
| | 00:30 | set up a weekly time to review
targeted organizations' web sites and specialty
| | 00:35 | sites in your area of expertise.
| | 00:37 | However, there are also multi-search
mash-up sites that can be useful, like
| | 00:42 | indeed.com or simplyhired.com.
| | 00:45 | These sites crawl the web and direct
jobseekers to openings on corporate
| | 00:49 | career web sites, recruiting job
boards, online newspapers, blogs, and
| | 00:55 | association web sites.
| | 00:58 | The benefit of course is that it gathers
information from many sites and you can
| | 01:02 | do broad searches on skills such as
Photoshop to broaden your opportunities.
| | 01:07 | Let's take the example of simplyhired.com.
| | 01:10 | The first step is to type in keywords.
| | 01:13 | This could be a title, skill,
or knowledge you want to use.
| | 01:17 | In our example we'll use
the skill of graphic design.
| | 01:21 | You'll want to use quotation marks
around the terminology so you get specific
| | 01:26 | jobs that mention graphic
design in the description.
| | 01:29 | Second, if you have a geographic
preference, you would want to put in the location--
| | 01:34 | for our example, Carpinteria.
| | 01:37 | Next you'll click on Search All Jobs.
| | 01:40 | You can see that this brings
up jobs that may be of interest.
| | 01:43 | If you like this search, you can now set up an
email notification for new jobs, or an RSS feed.
| | 01:49 | If you'd like to drill down on this
search, you can use the advance search
| | 01:53 | function on the left-hand
toolbar by company, title, and others.
| | 01:58 | If you would like to see your
connections to these jobs, they have an application
| | 02:02 | that will connect to your LinkedIn account.
| | 02:05 | Your connections will now
show on the right of the job.
| | 02:08 | At this point, you should be
getting regular job updates.
| | 02:12 | Strategically posting your resume
on different sites can help human
| | 02:16 | resources find you.
| | 02:18 | We will discuss this in
detail in the next movie.
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| Posting your resume online| 00:00 | Posting your resume to job sites will
help you to cover all your bases, making
| | 00:04 | the online search more efficient.
| | 00:07 | This makes you immediately
accessible to recruiters and tells them that
| | 00:10 | you're looking for a job.
| | 00:12 | To be effective, you want to be
strategic and follow some specific steps.
| | 00:17 | The first thing you need to
consider is where to post your resume.
| | 00:21 | You want to post where recruiting
professionals are seeking candidates for your
| | 00:24 | particular industry or role.
| | 00:26 | Post your resume on job boards and
employer sites that you identified earlier.
| | 00:32 | Second, there will be two options
for posting your information: an online
| | 00:37 | application and uploading a resume.
| | 00:40 | My advice is to fill out everything.
| | 00:42 | Don't leave anything blank.
| | 00:44 | You don't know what the criteria
employers will use to screen through
| | 00:47 | potential applicants.
| | 00:49 | It is to your advantage to
provide as much information as possible.
| | 00:55 | Third, consider which resume you may
want to use if you have multiple versions.
| | 01:00 | Post a resume that is
designed for your ideal career.
| | 01:04 | It should be a reflection
of your next career move.
| | 01:06 | Fourth, if the site asks you for your
salary history or expected salary, you
| | 01:12 | should always fill this in.
| | 01:14 | Never leave this blank, as you may
automatically be screened out of the candidate pool.
| | 01:20 | If you can, put in either not
applicable for salary history and negotiable for
| | 01:25 | salary expectations.
| | 01:27 | This will often work.
| | 01:28 | If they ask for a specific number,
be truthful on salary history and do your salary
| | 01:34 | research for your position of interest.
| | 01:37 | Finally, one last piece of advice:
| | 01:39 | take care of your privacy.
| | 01:42 | You should thoroughly vet each site to
understand their privacy policies and how
| | 01:47 | they use your information.
| | 01:49 | Make sure that they are not preying on job
seekers that are desperate for that new job.
| | 01:53 | Don't go by what the site has to say;
seek out more information on the web or
| | 01:59 | from individual users of the site.
| | 02:01 | Remember, you don't need to share
your birthdate or Social Security number
| | 02:06 | until the employer hires you.
| | 02:07 | Posting a resume online makes you
searchable and immediately accessible to
| | 02:12 | potential employers.
| | 02:13 | In the next movie, we'll take a look at
building an online profile to further
| | 02:18 | increase your visibility.
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| Making your online profile work for you| 00:01 | The online profile is
essential in today's job search.
| | 00:05 | You'll find that hiring managers are
increasingly looking for talent through the
| | 00:09 | use of online profiles, and if you're
not present on the web, they can't find
| | 00:13 | you for those unpublished positions.
| | 00:15 | To get you started with online profiles,
you'll first want to consider which
| | 00:20 | ones are most appropriate for you.
| | 00:23 | You want to focus on those that
are professional and not social.
| | 00:27 | In professional sites, you're able to
better reflect your skills, knowledge,
| | 00:32 | and qualifications.
| | 00:33 | In choosing the sites to build your
profile, think about where hiring managers
| | 00:38 | are most likely to find you.
| | 00:40 | Here are some sites you might want to consider.
| | 00:42 | LinkedIn is one of the most widely
used sites by HR professionals to connect
| | 00:48 | with highly qualified candidates.
| | 00:50 | Xing.com is similar to
LinkedIn, but more European-based.
| | 00:55 | Twitter.com, a microblogging site,
has many uses for the job search.
| | 00:59 | For example, you can establish
yourself as an expert through your tweets.
| | 01:04 | Plaxo.com is an enhanced address
book, with networking capability, and
| | 01:10 | finally, zoominfo.com, which allows you to
claim your profile and control your web identity.
| | 01:17 | You may also want to check out
specialty sites for your area of interest.
| | 01:21 | Sites can be found for entrepreneurs,
small business owners, artists, and many more.
| | 01:26 | No matter which sites you choose to
represent yourself online, I recommend you
| | 01:32 | follow these five basic strategies
for creating an effective profile.
| | 01:38 | The first strategy is to create a
summary or a pitch of your career interest.
| | 01:42 | Your pitch should be a memorable statement of
unique qualities you bring to the workforce.
| | 01:50 | No matter what you choose to bring into
the pitch, it should be a coherent story
| | 01:54 | of your career interests.
| | 01:56 | Second, make your profile keyword-rich.
| | 02:00 | HR professionals can narrow the pool
of candidates by searching for specific
| | 02:05 | and unique keywords.
| | 02:07 | If keywords aren't included on
your profile, you may never be found.
| | 02:12 | You may want to search their job
descriptions to find the important keywords
| | 02:16 | that will be helpful to
describe yourself and your skills.
| | 02:21 | Third, include a link to your resume.
| | 02:23 | You may build your resume on a
web site, use one of the many vendors that
| | 02:27 | specialize in visual resumes, or upload
to the site with special applications.
| | 02:32 | Fourth, most sites will allow
you to personalize the URLs.
| | 02:37 | This will allow people to find you quickly and
give you higher prominence in search results.
| | 02:43 | Finally, you want a complete
profile and recommendations if possible.
| | 02:48 | They tell the employer that
you're detail-oriented, care about your
| | 02:52 | presentation, and are a credible candidate.
| | 02:55 | You'll also want to think about any
social networks you are on and make sure
| | 02:59 | that you set privacy settings
accordingly, so a consistent professional image
| | 03:04 | of you is portrayed.
| | 03:06 | Now that you have your online profile
ready to go, you'll want to continue
| | 03:10 | increasing your visibility online so that
jobs are coming to you versus you seeking them.
| | 03:16 | In the next chapter, we'll go over
blogging and using networking sites to
| | 03:20 | establish yourself as the candidate of choice.
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3. Improving Your VisibilityBlogging and using networking sites| 00:00 | Blogging is a way to stand out and
establish yourself as a leader in
| | 00:04 | your industry or role.
| | 00:06 | Blogging can be an asset to your
job search, but you want to establish
| | 00:09 | realistic expectations.
| | 00:11 | Follow these four guidelines to
get the most leads from your blog.
| | 00:15 | First, keep your blogs focused on
your industry or role with the most
| | 00:20 | up-to-date information.
| | 00:22 | The core areas to blog about include
industry trends, new techniques, or skill
| | 00:28 | sets needed in your profession, past
projects, and anything that will set you
| | 00:33 | apart from other candidates.
| | 00:34 | Second, blog often.
| | 00:37 | The more you blog about your industry
or role and the skill set you bring, the
| | 00:42 | more people will identify you
as an authority in the subject.
| | 00:46 | You should set a time to
blog at least once a week.
| | 00:49 | It doesn't have to be long,
| | 00:51 | just relevant and fresh, so that
recruiters know that you are active in
| | 00:55 | your industry or role.
| | 00:57 | Third, make it a two-way street.
| | 01:00 | You should engage with your audience by
responding to comments on your posts and
| | 01:05 | visiting their blog sites to comment.
| | 01:06 | You are not only showing that you are
an engaged professional, but you are also
| | 01:11 | building your informal contacts
to discover those unpublished jobs.
| | 01:16 | Finally, to make this a
successful strategy, publicize the blog.
| | 01:20 | The easiest way to do this is by
linking it to your professional networking
| | 01:24 | sites like Linkedln and Twitter.
| | 01:27 | You can answer questions in
LinkedIn groups and also tweet relevant
| | 01:31 | career information.
| | 01:32 | This will help to put your blog to
the top of searches on the internet, and
| | 01:38 | don't forget to put it in your resume.
| | 01:40 | Beyond setting yourself up as an expert,
an additional benefit to blogging is
| | 01:45 | that it keeps you up to
date on the most recent trends.
| | 01:48 | It prepares you to ace interviews because
you've already thought deeply about the subject.
| | 01:53 | If you're not familiar with setting up
a blog, there are courses here on the
| | 01:57 | online training library
that can help you get started.
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| Volunteering and hosting workshops| 00:00 | You might be surprised to hear that
volunteering is not only a great way to give
| | 00:04 | back to the community, but it can also
be a fantastic way to make contacts and
| | 00:08 | fill gaps in your experience.
| | 00:11 | Although volunteering is for a cause,
your first step is to determine what you
| | 00:16 | need from the experience.
| | 00:17 | It could be to gain a new skill set, a
new knowledge base, or build your resume.
| | 00:23 | It should be a mutually beneficial
relationship where you bring value to the
| | 00:28 | organization but that you also benefit.
| | 00:32 | Once you have decided on the best
volunteer options for you, you'll want to
| | 00:36 | understand how to set boundaries.
| | 00:38 | You want to make the most of
your time at the organization,
| | 00:41 | so sit down with the supervisor and
discuss your responsibilities, the time
| | 00:46 | you have to offer, and an end date.
| | 00:49 | A specific short-term project with an
interesting organization can add a lot of
| | 00:54 | value to your job search.
| | 00:57 | What you don't want to do is get
caught up in an ambiguous ongoing assignment
| | 01:01 | that does not add value.
| | 01:04 | Next, you want to actively engage in
developing networks throughout the organization.
| | 01:09 | Think about the people that you
want to meet and set up informational
| | 01:13 | interviews with them.
| | 01:14 | This allows you to be noticed and also
develop leads to potential jobs within
| | 01:20 | and outside of the organization.
| | 01:22 | Finally, you should remain
focused on your job search.
| | 01:26 | Volunteering will keep you busy and
active, but you should always have your eye
| | 01:30 | on the prize and stay focused on your career.
| | 01:34 | Volunteering is a win-win situation.
| | 01:36 | It demonstrates to
potential employers your initiative.
| | 01:39 | It can also give you a lot of
visibility while giving back to your community.
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| Using conferences effectively| 00:00 | You've probably heard time and time
again that networking is the key to finding
| | 00:05 | unpublished positions.
| | 00:06 | One of the easiest ways to develop
your network is by attending professional
| | 00:10 | conferences related to your fields of interest.
| | 00:14 | Conferences are an opportunity to
connect with many like-minded individuals that
| | 00:19 | can lead to potential jobs.
| | 00:21 | However, they often may seem daunting unless
you have a plan to capitalize on the event.
| | 00:26 | There are six strategies that I
recommend to make the most of the conferences.
| | 00:32 | Prior to attending the conference,
submit a proposal to present.
| | 00:36 | It immediately sets you up as an expert
in your field and people will approach
| | 00:40 | you rather than you
having to take the first step.
| | 00:43 | You may also want to check if your
professional organization runs webinars.
| | 00:48 | In addition to the conferences, this gives
you the same opportunity to set yourself
| | 00:53 | up as an expert and have people contact you.
| | 00:55 | The second is to do your research
on the attendees and presentations.
| | 01:01 | You want to go to the
conference with an action plan in mind.
| | 01:05 | You should prepare questions to ask
during the lectures so that you're ready to
| | 01:09 | stand out in the crowd.
| | 01:11 | You should also pick sessions where you
will meet the largest number of people
| | 01:15 | that match your goals.
| | 01:17 | Third, you should have your pitch down.
| | 01:19 | You want each encounter that you have to
serve a purpose, and that is to get the
| | 01:24 | message out that you are
an accomplished professional.
| | 01:27 | You should practice this prior to attending.
| | 01:30 | It will come out more naturally when
someone asks you about yourself and your interests.
| | 01:36 | Once you're at the conference, you
will want to employ the fourth strategy,
| | 01:40 | which is to be the one to initiate conversation.
| | 01:43 | It can seem intimidating to be the one
to start the conversation, but believe
| | 01:48 | me, people will be
relieved you have approached them.
| | 01:51 | The simplest way to break the ice is
to introduce yourself and ask them a
| | 01:56 | question about themselves.
| | 01:58 | It can make them feel comfortable in
the conversation and you get to learn more
| | 02:02 | about them in a short period of time.
| | 02:05 | Easy questions include how they are
enjoying the conference or what they do.
| | 02:10 | The fifth strategy is to take
advantage of informal networking opportunities.
| | 02:15 | You should stay at the hotel of
the conference as there will be many
| | 02:18 | opportunities to network with
participants in the lobby and coffee shops nearby.
| | 02:24 | In addition, make sure to use lunch
and dinner as an opportunity to build a
| | 02:29 | stronger relationship with people
that you have met in the sessions.
| | 02:33 | Finally, you will want to stay in
touch with each person that you have met.
| | 02:38 | They may not have the immediate opening
that you are looking for, so you want
| | 02:43 | to remain on the radar
screen for future opportunities.
| | 02:46 | You need to ask for their card or
contact information and let them know that
| | 02:51 | you would like to stay in touch.
| | 02:54 | As you increase your network, you're
going to want to maintain relationships and
| | 02:58 | leverage each contact.
| | 03:00 | In the next chapter, we'll talk about
the best ways to utilize your current
| | 03:04 | contacts as you search for new positions.
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4. Leveraging Your NetworkUtilizing your existing network| 00:00 | Current contacts are an invaluable resource.
| | 00:03 | How you approach these contacts
will depend on whether you are doing a
| | 00:06 | confidential search or currently unemployed.
| | 00:09 | However, there are some best
practices in leveraging your contacts.
| | 00:14 | First, to make this less overwhelming,
you will want to review your contacts and
| | 00:18 | make a thorough list of those that you
think may be helpful in your job search.
| | 00:22 | Second and the most valuable tip
is to prioritize your relationships.
| | 00:28 | You want to approach
stronger relationships first.
| | 00:32 | Strong relationships will open doors to
introductions, knowledge, and opportunities.
| | 00:38 | Third, set goals for reaching out.
| | 00:41 | It is one of the more overwhelming
pieces of the job search, and so by setting
| | 00:45 | small goals of at least one contact a
week will get you started on this process
| | 00:50 | and build your confidence.
| | 00:52 | Fourth, be able to articulate
exactly what you want from your contacts.
| | 00:58 | You should be able to describe
to them the skills, knowledge, and
| | 01:02 | qualifications you bring.
| | 01:04 | You should also convey your
preferred work culture and any lifestyle
| | 01:07 | considerations that you have.
| | 01:10 | This will allow them to connect
you to the right people and point out
| | 01:14 | appropriate opportunities.
| | 01:16 | If you are unclear of your needs, you may
want to consider creating a career profile.
| | 01:21 | Fifth, remember be clear and concise.
| | 01:25 | You should know if you are asking for a
referral, an opinion, or to get exact job
| | 01:31 | leads of unpublished positions.
| | 01:33 | You want to respect their time and
also give them a way to help you quickly.
| | 01:38 | Be open to their advice, even if it
doesn't fit your request exactly.
| | 01:44 | Their knowledge in the field can be
invaluable to gaining the next opportunity.
| | 01:49 | Finally, follow-up is key to
maintaining these relationships.
| | 01:54 | Follow up with any of the leads that
they give you immediately, and let them
| | 01:58 | know that you have done so.
Also, send them a thank you note for their time.
| | 02:03 | Even if you know them well, it is
appreciated, and they're more likely to
| | 02:07 | help you in the future.
| | 02:09 | You should now be able to
confidently approach your current contacts.
| | 02:13 | But, what if you need to
approach people you don't know?
| | 02:15 | We'll take a look at this in the next movie.
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| Approaching cold contacts| 00:00 | If you're looking at changing your
industry or geographic area, you may find
| | 00:04 | yourself needing to reach out to
unknown people, also know as cold contacts.
| | 00:09 | Making new contacts can be intimidating,
but with the right approach, it can be very productive.
| | 00:14 | There are four steps you should take
to make this strategy more effective.
| | 00:19 | The first step is to target organizations that
you would most like to work for in the future.
| | 00:24 | You will want to do some basic
research on organizations and know the various
| | 00:29 | organizational structures.
| | 00:31 | Often, you can find this on their
web site or by using tools like LinkedIn.
| | 00:36 | The second step is to
identify the right person to contact.
| | 00:40 | This contact will most likely not be an
HR representative, unless of course you
| | 00:45 | are interested in the role of HR.
| | 00:48 | If you're exploring career options
then you will want to identify people that
| | 00:52 | are in the role you
potentially envision yourself in.
| | 00:56 | If your goal is to determine open
opportunities soon then you will want to reach
| | 01:02 | out to the decision maker.
| | 01:03 | This is most often the person you
would be reporting to in the organization.
| | 01:09 | Once you've identified the correct
person, you're ready for the third
| | 01:13 | step: making contact.
| | 01:15 | You can do this by email or phone,
but there are some key steps to follow.
| | 01:21 | You'll want to have your pitch down.
Think about why you're calling, what
| | 01:25 | specifically do you need from
them, and the value that you provide.
| | 01:30 | You want to make this a two-way
conversation. Have questions prepared to ask them.
| | 01:35 | Next, limit your requests to a short time frame.
| | 01:39 | Generally I advice no more then twenty minutes.
| | 01:42 | It gives you enough time to ask your
questions and start to develop a rapport,
| | 01:47 | but doesn't waste a lot of their time.
| | 01:50 | In your request, give them specific
dates and times that you are available.
| | 01:55 | Offer that you're flexible if those do not work.
| | 01:57 | This gives them an actionable item,
and they're more likely to look at their
| | 02:01 | calendar and respond.
| | 02:04 | You should also put in a date and time
that you'll call to schedule an appointment.
| | 02:09 | That way if your communication gets
misplaced in their inbox, this offers you a
| | 02:14 | second option to reach out.
| | 02:16 | Remember that this is
about building relationships.
| | 02:20 | After the conversation, follow-up is just as
important as the research on the front end.
| | 02:25 | You'll want to take action on any of their
suggestions and send them a thank-you note.
| | 02:31 | You've made the initial step with your
meeting, but you will want to continue to
| | 02:35 | build on this conversation.
| | 02:36 | There are many ways to develop and
maintain these relationships that I'll
| | 02:40 | discuss in the next movie.
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| Maintaining your social capital| 00:00 | We've talked a lot about networking for
the job search and techniques to reach out.
| | 00:05 | Now we need to talk about
maintaining those connections.
| | 00:09 | You need to invest in your network and
think of this as a long-term strategy.
| | 00:14 | Nurturing relationships will allow you
to make the request when you need them.
| | 00:18 | The focus should be on the quality
and not necessarily the quantity.
| | 00:22 | There are a few key success strategies
for developing a reciprocal relationship.
| | 00:27 | As part of your professional
development strategy, you should keep a running
| | 00:33 | list of people to reconnect with and
prioritize them in your outreach efforts.
| | 00:38 | Think about not only how they can help
you, but how you can add value to them.
| | 00:43 | Let's go over several ways to do this.
| | 00:46 | Keeping up with industry news is a
great way to contribute to conversations and
| | 00:52 | keep your contacts updated.
| | 00:54 | This could mean scheduling a meeting
to discuss changes to the industry or
| | 00:58 | simply forwarding an
interesting article along to your contact.
| | 01:03 | This will show you have up-to-date
knowledge and a true interest in your career.
| | 01:08 | You should also facilitate connections.
| | 01:11 | By regularly contacting people, you are
in the perfect spot to introduce people
| | 01:16 | that are seeking
particular information or people.
| | 01:19 | For instance, if a contact mentions
that they are looking for a person to fit a
| | 01:25 | particular role and it is not something
that interests you, connect that person
| | 01:30 | with somebody that will fit the role.
| | 01:33 | Once you've helped to them solve the
problem, they are much more likely to
| | 01:36 | help you in the future.
| | 01:39 | Another way to add value to your
contacts is to let them know of opportunities.
| | 01:44 | You may hear of a consulting opportunity or a
position that may interest them, but not you.
| | 01:51 | By looking out for your
contacts, they will look out for you.
| | 01:55 | There are also quick and easy ways to connect.
| | 01:58 | First, always follow up on their suggestions
and let them know how it worked out for you.
| | 02:04 | You can also send them a regular short
update of your progress or where you are
| | 02:09 | in your career at this moment.
| | 02:12 | Finally, connect for coffee or lunch,
just to catch up and see how they're doing
| | 02:17 | and if their career is still on track.
| | 02:19 | These techniques will allow contacts
to think of you when a new opportunity
| | 02:24 | presents itself within their organization.
| | 02:28 | Now that you have a better handle on
developing and maintaining networks to find
| | 02:31 | unpublished positions, let's
talk about working with recruiters.
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|
|
5. Working with RecruitersUnderstanding the recruiting relationship| 00:00 | Another way to find unpublished
opportunities is through recruiters.
| | 00:05 | Recruiters fall into three categories:
| | 00:06 | internal, retained, and contingency.
| | 00:10 | Internal recruiters work
directly for the company.
| | 00:13 | They generally work in HR, and your
contact with them will usually come when
| | 00:18 | you apply for a job.
| | 00:20 | They find you through their search of
social media sites or some of the other
| | 00:23 | visibility strategies we identified earlier.
| | 00:28 | Retained and contingency recruiters are
either independent consultants or part
| | 00:32 | of a larger search firm that helps
organizations find talent for their openings.
| | 00:38 | We'll focus on the retained and
contingent recruiters, as these are the type of
| | 00:43 | recruiters that you can
possibly develop a relationship with.
| | 00:47 | You have to know how these recruiters
work, to make this strategy effective.
| | 00:52 | The first thing you have to
remember is that they are working for the
| | 00:56 | organization that hired them and not you.
| | 00:59 | A retained recruiter is paid over
a period of time to fill a specific
| | 01:04 | position for an organization while a
contingent recruiter is only paid once
| | 01:09 | the role is filled.
| | 01:11 | If they're working for a firm, they could
work on either model, depending on their client.
| | 01:16 | Let's go through both so
you understand the importance.
| | 01:20 | Because the contingent recruiter is
paid only when a position is filled, they
| | 01:24 | typically will work with a large number
of openings and look for candidates that
| | 01:29 | have a strong resume match
to send to organizations.
| | 01:34 | They are not looking at spending the
time to find the most qualified match, but
| | 01:38 | a close-enough match.
| | 01:39 | These recruiters typically work with
high-volume positions that usually pay less
| | 01:45 | than a hundred thousand, for
example, positions like IT or sales.
| | 01:51 | The recruiter will play a larger
part in getting the organization qualified
| | 01:55 | candidates, but the organization usually
plays a larger role in the interviewing
| | 02:00 | and negotiation process.
| | 02:03 | In this case, it is to the benefit of
the recruiter to send the same candidate
| | 02:08 | to many different positions that match
the job seeker's profile to increase the
| | 02:13 | chances of getting ahead and getting paid.
| | 02:16 | On the other hand, retained recruiters
typically are more invested in the search
| | 02:22 | and handle more of the responsibility,
including interviewing and understanding
| | 02:26 | candidates' salary requirements.
| | 02:28 | Their goal is to get exactly the
right candidate in the position.
| | 02:34 | They often work with positions
that are over a hundred thousand, at a
| | 02:37 | higher level, and searches that
maybe more confidential in nature, like
| | 02:42 | executive positions.
| | 02:44 | If they find the right candidate for
the position, it is in their best interest
| | 02:49 | to present that candidate to
only one organization at a time.
| | 02:53 | Because of these differences, it is
important to think about what type of search
| | 02:58 | firm might be useful in opening up
opportunities for you and your field.
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| Identifying the contacts in your sector| 00:00 | Now that you know more about the
different ways that recruiters work
| | 00:03 | with organizations,
| | 00:04 | it's time to pick the right firm
for you to work within your search.
| | 00:08 | You will want to have a good
understanding of the level or position you are
| | 00:12 | seeking as well, as your
industry and role of interest.
| | 00:15 | The first place to start is with
people in your existing network.
| | 00:19 | Ask people whom they have worked with
in the past, or seek out hiring managers
| | 00:24 | and see whom they have used for past searches.
| | 00:27 | Your network will be best able to refer
you to recruiters with great reputations
| | 00:33 | and leads for open positions.
| | 00:34 | If you are trying to keep your search
confidential, you may want to consider
| | 00:39 | using a recruiter directory.
| | 00:41 | There are several free directories.
| | 00:44 | By going to rileyguide.com, you can
find a list; however, you may also want to
| | 00:50 | consider fee-based
directories that maybe more up to date.
| | 00:54 | The Association of Executive Search
Consultants has a fee-based service
| | 00:59 | bluesteps.com that has up-to-date
information on retained recruiters from many
| | 01:06 | different industries.
| | 01:08 | A third resource is to use your
professional networking sites like LinkedIn to find
| | 01:13 | recruiters in your niche area.
| | 01:16 | They have a heavy presence on these
sites, as they are also searching for
| | 01:20 | qualified candidates.
| | 01:22 | It is free to use, and most sites will
have a category for recruiting and search
| | 01:26 | firms in their advanced search function.
| | 01:28 | Finally, check with your professional
association and see if they have a list of
| | 01:35 | reputable recruiters
working in your area of specialty.
| | 01:39 | Recruiters will often partner with
these organizations to tap into talent.
| | 01:43 | Now that you have a list of reputable
recruiters, you want to know the most
| | 01:47 | effective way to connect with
them and start a relationship.
| | 01:51 | In the next movie, we will discuss how
to make contact with recruiters and work
| | 01:55 | with them effectively to
land your next position.
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| Establishing the relationship| 00:00 | The best way to start working with a
recruiter is to have them come to you.
| | 00:04 | You should be using your
networking and online profile to attract the
| | 00:08 | attention of recruiters.
| | 00:09 | However, if that doesn't work,
you can approach recruiters directly.
| | 00:13 | You will want to have a good strategy in place.
| | 00:17 | The first thing you want to think
about the timing of your approach.
| | 00:21 | You want to establish a relationship
with a recruiter before you need them.
| | 00:25 | Whether right or wrong, recruiters look
for people that are currently employed
| | 00:29 | and happy with their careers.
| | 00:32 | You want to approach them while you
are still employed but thinking about
| | 00:36 | leaving your position.
| | 00:37 | Approach them as if you are
interviewing them for your next move, and if they
| | 00:41 | will be the right fit for your search.
| | 00:43 | The second key is to have your
pitch down of why you are considering
| | 00:48 | leaving your position.
| | 00:50 | Good reasons for leaving your
position include looking for new challenges,
| | 00:55 | the potential for advancement, or that the
organization is going in another direction.
| | 01:00 | You don't want to focus on the
negatives of your current position.
| | 01:05 | Third, you want to be direct in your approach.
| | 01:08 | If you know they are working on a
particular search that interests you, let them
| | 01:12 | know and why you are qualified.
| | 01:15 | If you are looking at establishing a
relationship, call them directly to get the
| | 01:19 | conversation started.
| | 01:21 | Let them know immediately how you fit
their niche area of recruiting and your
| | 01:25 | reason for wanting to change.
| | 01:28 | Let them know that you don't want to
take up much of their time, but you think
| | 01:32 | you'd be a good match for their candidate base.
| | 01:35 | Finally, don't send them anything
until you have the conversation with them.
| | 01:40 | By understanding their needs first,
you'll be able to tailor your resume and
| | 01:44 | cover letter to their niche market.
| | 01:47 | If you followed the first step of
approaching the recruiter before you need them,
| | 01:51 | then you will also want to add a
final strategy of maintaining contact.
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| Maintaining the relationship| 00:00 | Once you've interviewed potential
recruiters to assist you in future searches,
| | 00:04 | how do you'd maintain contact so that
they are available when you need them?
| | 00:09 | First, help them. Recommend people in
your network that would be a good fit for
| | 00:13 | any of their current
searches that aren't a fit for you.
| | 00:17 | You're providing them with
a valuable resource: leads.
| | 00:21 | This is how they earn their salaries,
| | 00:23 | so you can be helpful for them now, they're
more likely to think of you in the future.
| | 00:28 | Second, you want to make sure you
are presenting yourself as a highly
| | 00:32 | qualified candidate.
| | 00:34 | You can send trends and updates
in your industry. You never know,
| | 00:38 | these may be potential leads
for them to obtain new search.
| | 00:42 | Third, you want to send them any
professional updates about you.
| | 00:47 | If you have recently won an award or
have gotten a promotion, this will keep you
| | 00:51 | on their radar screen as a
highly qualified candidate.
| | 00:55 | So how often do you contact them?
| | 00:57 | If you are currently in a job
search then I recommend you contact them
| | 01:01 | every four to six weeks.
| | 01:03 | This will help keep you at the top of
their mind without coming across as annoying.
| | 01:09 | If you are currently employed but are
planning your next move then, I recommend
| | 01:13 | you contact them every eight to ten weeks.
| | 01:16 | Remember it is important to cultivate
these relationships so that you have
| | 01:21 | people working for you to advance your career.
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|
ConclusionFinal thoughts| 00:00 | Hopefully you have a much better
idea of effective strategies for looking
| | 00:04 | for jobs, interacting with your networks,
and identifying those unpublished positions.
| | 00:09 | The job search is a full-time job.
| | 00:12 | It's important to remain
visible so that jobs come to you.
| | 00:15 | As you are looking for a job, remember
that it does take time, so be patient and
| | 00:21 | stay active in your search.
| | 00:23 | Build your plan and stick with it.
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