Job Search Strategy 3/6: Getting Called

3. Getting Called
If I could rank the pleasantness of the 6 job search strategies, this would rank right up there. Getting called means being sought out by a potential employer directly or via a recruiter. A very nice feeling and it gives you more control in the process. Here are three basic situations:

You’re Famous
Okay, famous may be a strong word, but let’s say that you have significant profile in your industry, market, or profession. You are a sought after property. Self-explanatory. And, something to shoot for.

Visible
A couple notches below famous is visible. You are visible when the people who might matter to you and your career, inside and outside your company, hear about you or can find / identify you easily should they need to.

Being visible also includes receiving recommendations from people who might know you or have heard of you. The person doing the recruiting does “sourcing” and receives names of people who might be qualified to do a job.

Cold-Called
The least personal way of receiving the call is via a point of data relevant to the hiring manager / recruiter. You may receive a call because you hold a certain job that is relevant to them. (You are the sales manager for a specific territory and they are hiring a sales manager in the same territory). Your name might be in a directory, for example, or someone knows your name, but nothing about you other than that you hold a job similar to the one being recruited.

Now, the thing about this category is that in the short-term, you can’t create fame or industry visibility for yourself. Over time, of course you can (as long as you are great at what you do and are adept at marketing yourself). But, if you haven’t put the building blocks in place over the last years, this isn’t something you can just rely on.

This job search strategy is an attraction strategy. Over time, you are creating pathways for people to find you.

The lesson: This kind of talent/job matching happens ALL OF THE TIME. You can play this game if you invest and play for the long term. In relationships. In your profile. In learning to play the game. Ultimately, this category of job search strategy should be your principle means of finding new opportunities down the road.

Job Search Strategy 2/6: The Job Posting route

Landing a job through a posting…ask most people what’s the first thing they do when they start a job search, and they will tell you that they searched job postings, online or in the newspapers.

Trolling through job postings is an essential part of a well-rounded job search. However, it is also at the bottom of the list of effectiveness. Most people do not get their jobs through postings.

Benefits to postings, other than finding a job:
1.Gives you an idea of who is currently hiring for what
2.Identifies companies that you have never heard of
3.Highlights what skills, knowledge and experiences are currently in demand in your field
4.Gives you ideas about job avenues other than your current path.

What doesn’t work:
I’m sorry folks, but what are you thinking, when you apply to thousands of postings, most totally unrelated to what is you can offer?

Stating the obvious:
The closer you match the requirements of the posting, the better chance you have. Period.

Recommendations:
1.Identify all the places, online and offline, that could post a job for which you would make a good candidate. (Do not forget the career sections of the companies you would like to work for).

2.Create a pipeline so that as much as possible, you are notified when something gets posted that is relevant to you. Most of the job boards, like Monster.com, offer some sort of agent that will email you the jobs you are interested in.

3.For offline, figure out what days the job listings get published, and schedule a small amount of time to peruse.

4.Monitor your pipeline on a regular basis, and spend the rest of your time on other search strategies.

Cover this channel diligently, but DO NOT assume that your next job is going to come from a posting.

6 Job Search Strategies

Thinking about a change or need to make one quick? There are basically 6 ways of landing a job.

1. Get moved internally
2. Land one through a posting
3. Get called
4. Market yourself to target companies
5. Get referred / sourced / recommended
6. Create your own

If you expect to be successful in your career, you need to both know where to spend your time and efforts and master the appropriate skills.

I will delve into each of these in coming posts.

How’s that for incentive to keep you coming back? :-)

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