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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
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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 • Free • IEEE.com • Flipdog.com • Truecareers.com • Zillionresumes.com • Monster.com • Dice.com • Hotjobs.com • Jobsearchlink.com • Careersurf.com • Fee for use • 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 • Lead – cross sharing
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 • Don’t use a silly Email addresses such as; • moosehunter@hotmail.com • moviegoer@yahoo.com • lovleylady@excite.com • isleeponthejob@qwik.com, 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 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?
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