Let's Move Forward

After you have developed a list of potential employers from your efforts using your Personal Network and other research, you must contact the potential employer to begin the employment process.

Many people are not confident in contacting potential employers. A normally talkative person may turn shy when they think their career is on the line. Even telephone operators would probably rather mail resumes than phone for interviews.

Mastering the use of the telephone is one of the essential elements to success in your Search. This is an issue you must face squarely and realistically. Are you willing to make the calls necessary to be successful in your Search? No one can tell in advance how many you will be required to make. Be prepared to make a great deal to acquire a sense of the variety of the opportunities that are available. There is no maximum. You will have to set your own standards and reach for your own goals and targets.

Contacting potential employers is one of the keys that will determine, in a great part, how long it will take you to obtain the job you have chosen. You can take a "sit around and wait to see approach" or you can take a pro-active, positive, planned and organized approach to acquiring employment.

When you are communicating the potential benefits you offer a company, rather than the need for a job, the majority of the people will talk with you. As we said earlier, you will get many "NO's" in the Search Process before you get a "YES". Remember, these "No's" are not directed at you personally.

You must organize your efforts in advance and plan on making a targeted or specific number of calls each day. The number you target will depend on your schedule and the time available. These are calls in which you are able to talk with the party you called. These are not calls where you leave a message and ask for them to return your call.

Using your Personal Network and other sources, identify twenty to forty companies and individuals who are in hiring positions to call. Schedule your calls to begin at a particular time each day. Early morning is the best time, as a rule, to call. Schedule to begin at 8 am to 9 am, if possible. The exact time to schedule your calls will depend on the schedules of those you are calling. Often, the best time to reach someone is about thirty minutes after they arrive at the office.

Once you begin making your calls, do not stop until you have completed your target number for the day. When you are conducting a Search, one of your primary objectives is to accomplish activities necessary to find the job that meets your criteria.

Continued next week.....

Homework Time!

TARGET COMPANIES

Begin by creating a list of the companies you want to contact. It is best to organize them by location, due to ease of follow-up.

At this point, dont over qualify. Remember you will find contacts in the companies and develop a profile of each. The profile will help you identify ways to be noticed and secure an interview.

Target twenty to forty companies that are in a position to hire someone with your background.

Getting You On The Right Track

For the next few weeks we will be doing a series called, "Getting YOU on the Right Track" for a CAREER...not just a job. Take some time and really think about the answers. Look at yourself from several different viewpoints: Your own, Boss, and Friend. If it helps, ask your friends to assist you on this (with the caveat that only honesty will help you move forward!)

Week 1:
ABILITIES INVENTORY

Now is the time to inventory what you have to offer an employer. It is essential that you identify the skills and knowledge you have obtained in your education and previous employment. Review your past accomplishments to identify the specific skills that will be beneficial to an employer.

SKILLS
Group these skills in the following three areas: PEOPLE - working with people on an Individual or Group Basis, DATA - working with information, knowledge, concepts, words, numbers, and ideas, THINGS - working with inanimate objects, materials, substances, machines, equipment, or products.


PEOPLE




DATA



THINGS



Examine the skills you have identified. Check or circle those you found more satisfying and rewarding. These are the skills you will most likely use in a job you find satisfying.

Networking

Do you have a network? Whether you know it or not, you do! Any affiliation where people know you (like church, work, after school programs for your children)is a network of possible job leads.

Of course, there are many networking sites online (one of the most famous is www.linkedIn.com). These social networking sites are a great opportunity for you to reach out to these people.

There are a few things to remember when contacting a networking contact, though:
-Verify that they can talk
-Explain the purpose for your contact- Ask for Assistance
-Ask permission to:
-Send a resume (bring it up to date first)
-Send a list of companies you are targeting
-Ask to call back for name of someone to contact
-Find out convenient time to call back
-Follow-up at appointed time
-Take any name and Thank the contact
-Ask them to introduce you/Not sell you
-Re-contact for possible additional names

Most people would love to help someone find a job, especially if you are courteous. Make this a part of your everyday job search!

We are taking our own advice and are using our network! Visit Us Here!