My Job Loss

How to Reach a Decision Maker in Your Job Search, Part 2

In our last post, we talked about ways to find out the name of the decision maker at a company you are targeting in your job search.  Today, we'll discuss the steps that you should take to make contact with that decision maker.

If you have found someone in your network who knows the person you are trying to reach, ask your contact for permission to say, "My friend ------------ suggested that I contact you." A soft introduction has a greater chance of success than a cold call.  Send your contact copies of any correspondence that you generate, and be sure to send your contact a thank you note for helping in your job search.

Even if you don't have the benefit of a soft introduction, the procedure for reaching your decision maker can be the same (if not a little more challenging).  I suggest that you follow these steps:

1)  Send a cover letter with your résumé to your decision maker.  Identify the job that you are seeking in the opening paragraph of your cover letter.  Without rehashing your résumé, state why you are interested in the company and why you believe that you are best for the position.  Try to convey a tone of enthusiasm.  Be sure to include complete contact information on both the cover letter and your résumé. 

2)  Within a week to ten days of sending your letter, follow up with a phone call.  Be prepared to have a 30 to 60 second pitch to give stating how you learned of the job, why you are interested and why you believe that you would be a good fit for the company.  As you can see, this pitch needs to be different for each company you are contacting.  If you have a mutual contact, mention that person's name.  Don't forget to ask for the sale:  at the end of your pitch, ask if you could schedule an interview, or meet with the decision maker, or if there is a position available.  Practice your pitch until you feel comfortable, and be sure to keep your tone conversational.  Role playing with a trusted friend can be a huge help.

3) Be prepared to deal with the gatekeeper!  If you have a contact in common, here is where your task will be easier, as a receptionist or administrative assistant is more likely to put you through if you are able to say, "So and so suggested that I call..."  But if you can't do that, here are some ideas to "get you through the gate."

    -Use the decision maker's first name only:  "This is Jennifer Harrison.  Is Mark in?"
 If the decision maker is not in, do not leave message, but ask when is a better time to call.  Do this for several days, and try calling at different times.  Someone else may answer the phone and put your call through.  Or try calling after hours.

    -If asked what this is regarding, you may say something like, "I have a question about --------" or "I am seeking Mark's opinion about----------".  Stating that you are calling about a job or a personal matter is unlikely to get you through.

    -Whatever you do, be nice to the gatekeeper!  You have nothing to be gained by bullying, and personally, I would never hire someone who was rude to my support staff.

4)  If you do get through to your decision maker, and he or she states that there are no openings, or that you are not qualified, don't give up!  Take a moment to ask some follow up questions, such as what qualifications are they looking for, is he or she aware of other positions in the industry that might be a good fit for you, etc.

5)  Have a thick skin!  This is really hard stuff!  You will get frustrated when you cannot get through to your intended contact, and it is natural to feel hurt when you are rejected.  Anticipate these feelings of rejection in advance and plan to do something nice for yourself once you've made your calls.  

How to Reach a Decison Maker in Your Job Search, Part One

When making contact with a company where you would like to work, you will have a better chance of being noticed if: 1)  you can get your information directly to a decision maker, and 2)  you have a "soft referral," meaning that someone in your network knows that decision maker and is willing to give you an introduction.  So how do you figure out who the decision maker is?

1)  Check the firm's website for the names of its principals.  Some sites have archives of press releases, which you can review for the names of contacts.  If the website does not lead you to contact information, Google the name of the company for press releases and other media which may identify decision makers.

2)  Check with your network for contacts within your targeted company. 

3)  Visit your local library and make friends with a reference librarian.  Many local libraries have useful resources such as:

• The JobBank books    
• Standard & Poor's Register of Corporations, Directors and Executives
• Dun & Bradstreet's Million Dollar Directory
• The Directory of Human Resource Executives
• The Corporate Technology Directory, and
• Industry specific directories to be identified by your librarian.

Once you have identified a person by name, check back with your network.  Even if no one seemed to know anyone within the company on your first go-around, a specific name may jog someone's memory.

In our next post, we'll talk about how to make contact with the decision maker you've identified, and how to get past the dreaded gatekeeper.

Avoiding Scams on the Internet

One of the most disheartening things that we encountered when my husband was looking for work was that there are actually people out there who are waiting to prey upon unsuspecting job seekers.  Talk about kicking someone who is down!  So what can you do to protect yourself from being scammed when you are looking for a job?

First, remember the old adage that if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is.  Any job listing or offer that promises the opportunity for unlimited income or instant wealth should arouse your suspicion instead of your interest.  Many ads that use language like that are simply an up-sell for a product that you shouldn't waste your money on.

Second, remember that no legitimate employer would ask for your personal information before extending a job offer.  Any request for a social security number, a photocopy of your drivers license or a passport should absolutely raise your hackles.  Similarly, I've never heard of a legitimate employer requesting a "processing fee" for a job application.

Third, if something doesn't feel right, trust your gut. There is probably a very good reason that you feel uncomfortable. 

There is a great article on About.com that you should check out.  While it primarily deals with work-at- home scams, it provides excellent advice about how to investigate whether potential employers are legitimate.  You can find the article here.   

Networking 101 - More Thoughts on Boosting Your Job Search

Check out this great post by Nancy Loderick over at The Downtown Women's Club called How a Networking Group Can Help Your Job Hunt.  Yes, Gentlemen, you should check this out also - the advice is truly gender neutral.  

Nancy is a writer for the Women's Dish, the official blog of the Downtown Women's Club, an organization with networking groups in multiple cities.  I especially like her idea about starting your own networking group, something that I recommended in my previous post.

Once you begin networking in earnest, it can be difficult to track your contacts.  Check out Jason Alba's website, JibberJobber.  Jason offers contact management solutions on this website and writes a great blog about career topics, with a strong emphasis on the importance of networking.  I've been following his blog for several years now, and hope that you will too. 

Networking 101

Before we get too far into this post, let me be clear about what I call networking.  I define networking as the act of seeking to build connections with people to provide mutual value.  This may involve meeting new people, or it may mean deepening connections that you have with existing acquaintances.  The important part is that you approach this with a sincere desire to connect with others and to serve. 

If networking is old hat to you, I hope that you will stick around and share some of your networking tips.  But if you are new to networking, I hope to provide you with some ideas to help you to get your feet wet.

1. Why would anyone want to network?  Networking is important for a number of reasons.  First, when you increase the number of people you know, you increase your circle of influence.  And when you have a sincere desire to help others, you will find that they are more likely and willing to help you.  Finally, connecting with people is a rewarding experience.  Why miss out on that?

2.  Where to start.  If you are brand new to networking, the idea of it all is probably pretty daunting.  Even if you are not new to networking, a recent job loss may have left you feeling insecure and wanting to stay home.  The key to beginning anything is beginning - taking some kind of action to get you moving forward.   Review the options that are listed in the next paragraph and pick something.  If that doesn't work for you, pick something else. 

3.  Networking opportunities. The following is a quick list of some ideas to get you started.  Again, I would love to hear your suggestions.

• Scan your local newspaper for networking opportunities in your city.  Most papers have a business section which contains information about seminars, trade shows and networking events.
• Look for trade organizations in your targeted industry.  Check their websites for local chapters and events.
• Is there someone you met recently and thought that you might like to get to know better?  Give him or her a call and suggest meeting for coffee.
• Join a book club, or an investing club.  Or any club in which you have a sincere interest.
• Get in touch with your local chamber of commerce.  Does it schedule networking events?  Does it have committees that would interest you and to which you could contribute?
• Join a networking organization such as Business Networking International.
• Serve on the board of a nonprofit.
• Volunteer for an organization about which you are passionate.
• Play a sport.
• Host a dinner party or a picnic and ask your guests to bring someone you've never met.

4.  Set goals.  It is important to set goals in networking, both during your job search and beyond.  For instance, you could decide to attend one networking event this week, and strive to meet three people whom you didn't know before.  Or, you could decide that you will practice introducing yourself to five people whom you have never met.  What will your goals be this week?

What Do We Tell the Kids?

I don't have children.  My husband and I have two dogs, who pretty much think that we are OK as long as we show up periodically and drop food into their bowls.  My husband has children from a former marriage, but he was blissfully, gainfully employed when they were young, so he is no help here.  So we won't presume to think that we know how to talk about a job loss with your children. 

Fortunately, there are wiser souls than we are thinking about these matters.  Check out this article:  Job Loss Should Be a Family Matter, which is full of advice for parents.  Some of the tips that I really like are to let kids offer advice so that they feel like part of the team; to let older family members talk about living through tough times; and to have continuing conversations about money to keep the dialogue going.  I would be very interested to hear from those of you who are parents. What you have told your kids? How did they react?  What would you do differently?        

Researching Potential Employers

So you've identified several companies as potential employers and you are getting ready to send them résumés with cover letters.  Or, even better, you are scheduled for an interview.  How can you find out more?

There are numerous resources available, but here is a list of ideas to get you started: 

1)  Don't overlook the obvious:  the company's website.  If the company is local, stop by and request copies of their marketing materials.

2)  Send an email to your address book to ask if anyone you know has a contact within the company.  Check with your Linked In network for company contacts.  Post the same question on Twitter and Facebook.

3)  Jibe is a web tool to help you research whether a company's culture is a good fit for you.  I've not tried it yet, and would love to hear from someone who has - please let me know what your experience has been.

4)  If the company is publicly traded, check it out with the Securities and Exchange Commission. 

5)  Don't overlook Google.  Particularly helpful are Google News and Google Finance.  

6)  Hoovers is a great resource for both industry and company specific information.

7)  Look for trade associations within your targeted industry.  Check out their publications and websites for references to your targeted companies.

8)  Search for newspaper articles about your targeted companies:  American City Business Journals , The Wall Street Journal, and Forbes are good places to start.

9)  Make friends with a reference librarian, who can steer you towards resources at your local library that you might never have considered.

Thorough research can prevent you from taking a job with a company that may not be right for you.  You can also differentiate yourself by weaving your newly gained knowledge of your target company into your cover letter and interview questions.  What resources would you add to this list?

      

Recession-Proof Your Job Search

When my husband lost his job, he made a conscious decision to try something new.  Instead of seeking a job in his existing profession, he decided to seek a job in sales.  This was a big change.  When I asked him why, he indicated that companies that are looking to grow will always value strong sales professionals.  Plus, he would always be able to justify his own existence if he became a strong seller. 

My huband never ceases to amaze me.  Forbes lists the following top ten recession-proof jobs as:

1)  Sales Representative

2)  Software Design and Development

3)  Nursing

4)  Accounting Executive

5)  Accounting Staff

6)  Networking and Systems Administration

7)  Administrative Assistant

8)  Business Analysis - Software Implementation

9)  Business Analysis - Research

10)  Financial Staff - this applies to anyone who can help to make businesses run more efficiently. 

Ric Edelman, best-selling author, predicts significant growth in many areas of the U.S. economy.  Edelman first notes that the U.S. remains the largest, most powerful economy in the world.  Next, significant growth is projected in many sectors of the economy, including computer design and related services, education and health service employment, energy, insurance and professional services.

Furthermore, the economy is predicted to benefit from recent, significant technological advances.  Laid-off automotive workers take note that Nissan, BMW's MINI and Audi will be introducing electric cars; each manufacturer will have plants in the US.  The electric MINI Cooper will hit showrooms in 2009.  Wind turbine power will soon enable us to free ourselves from those who sell us oil.  And, pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies are testing a record 633 new biotech medicines.

So how's that for a dose of optimism?  What will you do to position yourself for your next career?

Using Twitter to Search for a Job

On January 7th, we discussed some ideas to increase your exposure on the internet by using social networking sites such as Twitter.  I am new to Twitter and am still learning about all the things that you can do with it.  I came across two great blog posts that are full of ideas to help you search for a job with Twitter.  I hope that you will check them out; they can be found at Blue Sky Resumes and The Online Beat.         

Getting unstuck, one step at a time

"Inaction breeds doubt and fear.  Action breeds confidence and courage.  If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it.  Go out and get busy."   --Dale Carnegie

So you are a week into the new year, and you are sitting at your computer trying to figure out what to do.  There are some jobs on the internet, but you're not really sure that you are qualified.  Or, there are so many websites to look at that you don't really know where to begin.  Or, you know that you should be getting out into the world and networking, but your confidence has been low since you lost your job, and you don't really feel like being sociable.  Or, you have a list of people to call, but you hate to talk on the phone, or the list is overwhelming.  Or, worse yet, you don't have anyone on the list of people to call and don't know what you are doing next.

My friend, you are stuck.  No doubt.  The question is: what are you going to do about it?

Consider this story, written by one of my all-time favorite authors:

"Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he'd had three months to write.  It was due the next day.  We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books on birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead.  Then my father sat down beside him, put his arm around my brother's shoulder, and said, ''Bird by bird, buddy.  Just take it bird by bird.'"                    Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott

So just do something.  It need not be perfect, because the perfect is the enemy of the good.  Just take action.  Get yourself moving.  Take a small step outside of your comfort zone.  I dare you.