ComputerHunter.org |
|
|
|||
|
 |
How to Get Hired by Being Obvious
If you want a drink of water, do you hire a focus group or pick up the Yellow Pages? No. You go to the kitchen, fill a glass and drink. You take the shortest route to fill your need. The path is obvious, right? Your job search is the same way. The formula for success can be obvious, if you take the time to look at how others have found employment before you. Here are three ways to find work faster by "being obvious." Obvious Tip #1: Follow Up With Employers You can't get hired if employers don't know you exist. So, if you're sending out resumes with no response, or going to interviews without getting job offers, you need to follow up better with employers. Because you may have fallen off their radar. Know this: getting hired may be your #1 priority, but it may rank around #459 in the mind of a busy employer. That means you can't depend on them to call you back. It's up to you to take action. You have to follow up. But as many as 90% of job seekers FAIL to do so, according to my observations and those of hiring experts like Elizabeth Laukka, National Recruiter for Minneapolis-based Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. "It so rare to receive a thank-you note or follow-up phone call that these really stand out for me. I get them from around 10-20% of the people I interview," says Laukka. And what if you don't have an address to send a thank-you letter to? "I would absolutely give my mailing address to candidates who wanted to drop something in the mail -- all they have to do is ask," says Laukka. Obvious Tip #2: Don't Alienate People Who Can Help You In this age of Palm Pilots, Day Planners and other organizational gizmos, there's no excuse for not staying on top of the details in your job search. Example: I agreed last month to write a resume free of charge for one local man. He replied once to the three emails I sent him. And he never did return my phone call. I figure he's either been hired (and no longer needs a resume) or can't keep track of his phone and email messages. In either case, he won't be getting my help. Here's the reality: the people most able to help you find a job are busy. And they're mentally keeping score of how quickly and professionally you respond to their emails and phone calls. So it behooves you to treat everyone you meet in your job search with courtesy. Respect their time. Return their phone calls. And they will champion you with hiring managers. Obvious Tip #3: Ask For The Job OK. I saved the best for last. That's because if I had put this tip first, I would have scared half of you away by now. Let me explain. Any successful job search all boils down to two simple facts. You must: 1. meet the right hiring authority, and 2. convince that person to hire you. It follows that, the more hiring authorities you can meet, the faster you'll find work. So, why don't more people just introduce themselves to prospective employers and ask for a job? Is this method too obvious? Frightening? I don't know. But I do know one thing. If you do this right, you will get hired. Fast. Here's an example shared by Claire Nelligan, from the WorkForce Center in Minneapolis. "I knew a job seeker who wanted work as a baker. We wrote his resume and was going to mail it. But I asked him to put on his business clothes and walk the resume in to his top three prospective employers," says Nelligan. Nelligan told him: "Ask for the manager. Introduce yourself. Tell them you want to work there. Tell them that you appreciate they are busy, and quickly share what value you would bring to their organization. Give them the resume and tell them you will call to set up a convenient time to answer any questions they may have about how your skills could meet their needs." What happened next? "He was interviewed on the spot and left with a job offer," says Nelligan. Now, can you expect to walk into Trump Tower, ask to meet The Donald and get a job offer as his next apprentice? Probably not. But you can tweak this method to match your personality and ask to meet almost any hiring authority you choose, so long as you're persistent and professional. Now, go out and make your own luck! Kevin Donlin is President of Guaranteed Resumes. Since 1996, he and his team have provided resumes, cover letters and online job-search assistance to clients in all 50 states and 23 countries. Kevin has been interviewed by USA Today, CBS MarketWatch, The Wall Street Journal's National Business Employment Weekly, CBS Radio, and many others. As a reader of this publication, you're eligible for a special offer. Get your Free Job Search Kit ($25.00 value) at the Guaranteed Resumes Web site - http://www.gresumes.com
Google News - Top Stories
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Working as a Knowledge Worker in the Information Age The old adages: "It's not what you know, but who you know" and "High Tech, High Touch" could be the mottos of knowledge workers in the 21st Century. Retiring in Paradise I have to admit that I'm starting to slow down a bit. I am definitely in my final career ? and quite comfortable working a 40 hour schedule. I even take a day off here and there to golf/ bike/ ski, although I'm thinking of selling my windsurfing equipment . Writing a Must-Read Cover Letter If you want to land an interview, you'll need more than a perfectly polished resume, you'll also need a perfectly polished cover letter. Surviving Corporate Politics Part 2: Keeping Up Appearances Never a 2nd chance to make a 1st impression, or so the saying goes. We all know that when someone is introduced into your work environment for the first time, their peers size them up immediately. How they are dressed, how they talk, and how they set up their workspace. Especially in large companies, where there is constant personnel movement, keeping up your appearance is a full time task. In smaller companies, how you compose yourself from Day 1 is of utmost importance. We will start with the basics: Resume Writing Service Website Promote Your Resume Business Website! Occupational Health and Safety - Stress and Workaholism at Work There has been a lot of hullabaloo recently about the problems facing Australia in retaining talented workers and the subsequent pressure placed on those remaining behind in the workplace. After Your Interview - What Must You Do Next? Other than actually landing the interview itself and living through it, waiting after the interview and wondering whether you will get a phone call or a rejection letter can be one of the most difficult aspects of searching for a job. What you do after the interview should actually start while you are still 'working' the interview. Yesterdays Project Manager is Todays Project Engineer The rapid growth of technology, greater exposure to knowledge, higher levels of awareness are making the young project engineer act more and more like a project manager. Youre Fired! One-day you're minding your own business and your boss comes in and says "You're Fired", perhaps he was a bit more polite than that but the end result was the same, you're now out of work!! Personality Testing; Myth and Realities It is commonly believed myth that personality testing instruments can measure your personality and predict your future behaviors. The pre-employment testing mechanism has been following this creed without any solid evidence. The testing industry claims all out validity. The educational institutions and employer organizations use them for screening purposes. Their transparency and equity has even convinced the courts of law. Unemployment Blues: Staying Afloat The unemployment checks are running out and there is no potential job in sight. The wolf is knocking at the door and you need to survive. Job Interviews: Plan Your Appearance to Make a Great First Impression Your personal appearance is a critical component of that all-important first impression when you walk into the room for your interview. Avoiding 10 Deadly Interview Mistakes Too many job seekers set themselves up for failure before the interview ever takes place. They fail to target their audience, demonstrate relevant skills and experience, or present themselves in a way that grabs the attention of potential employers. Plan for success and avoid these ten deadly interview mistakes. How To Become A Computer Consultant Have you ever wanted to become a computer consultant, but you weren't sure if you could cut it? Do you have a basic understanding of computer-systems, strong problem-solving skills, and a desire to help other people? If so, then you already possess the main abilities and traits that you need to become a computer consultant. Dynamic Interviewing Practices The pre-hiring process can be a challenge. If you're reading this article, you are finished with the pre-hiring process and are looking for tips that will guide you through the interview. Creating a Feng Shui Power Office: 6 Easy Tips to More Successful Surroundings More and more people are looking to gain an edge in their working environments. One method that business people are increasingly turning to is feng shui. Feng shui promises that by arranging your office environment correctly, it is possible to create a better energy in your office, and that energy can promote further opportunity and advancement. Make A Lasting Impression With Interview Etiquette (Des Moines, Iowa - February 2, 2005) Behaving appropriately during every course of an interview is just one way to increase your success with finding a job. Here are some tips to consider before you're seated across from your interviewer. Are You Sabotaging Your Career? My experience working with thousands of leaders world wide for the past two decades teaches me that most leaders are screwing up their careers. Giving Notice: 6 Things to Do To Prepare to Leave After days, weeks, months or longer of interviewing, you have received a job offer that meets your needs and have decided to give notice to your employer and resign your current job. Negotiating Skills: How to Obtain the Salary You Want Salary negotiating is an important topic that must be addressed prior to your initial interview with a prospective employer. Knowing your bottom rate, and being able to live with it [or on it?] is an important thing for candidates to uncover before the first interview. Why then do so many of us make the tactical mistake and go to the interview unprepared?
|
|
|
|
|
