Has it more than ten years since you launched a job search campaign? With state of the economy and constant negative reports, it can be overwhelming to get started in your job search efforts.
Just turn on your computer and you can easily get lost in a maze of job search boards, company databases, and online recruiting. While it is essential to maximize online tools in your job search plan, avoid being solely dependent on the Internet to land your next job.
I want to recommend a few, ready-to-implement strategies that can have you feeling comfortable and confident about your job search.
1. Know Your Destination: Hold your horses! Before diving into a frenzy of resume-writing and cover letter activities, take the time to determine your target positions.
Do you want to stay in the same field, are you using this opportunity to pursue your dream job or are you only interested in lateral move until retirement? Visit content-packed sites like hoovers.com, wetfeet.com, and vault.com to find critical “insider” information on companies in your target industries.
2. Know Your Value Proposition: Your job search efforts will be futile unless you have clearly identified your personal brand and know the unique value you can offer potential employers. You must be able to articulate and provide concrete achievements to support why a company should hire you and how you stand out from your colleagues.
For example: A manufacturing executive’s personal brand could be:
SENIOR MANUFACTURING EXECUTIVE
Engaging cutting-edge technologies to advance corporate-wide initiatives that expedite manufacturing processes and achieve aggressive revenue growth, cost-cutting objectives, and profitability margins.
3. Market An Achievement-Packed Resume: Your professional resume should be a strategic career marketing document not a career obituary or a flimsy, one-page pamphlet. Focus on relevant content for your resume and support your claims with quantifiable achievements; use the Challenge-Action-Results formula to develop your "WOW" achievement statements. For example:
Challenge: Eliminate duplication of resources, increase operational efficiency, and boost work productivity and results.
Action: Developed short-term strategy and execution plan by developing team with key representatives for technology, finance, and operations divisions.
Results: Reduced company’s overhead costs by $5 million in 6 months and improved efficiency 25%.
Achievement statement for resume: Shrunk annual overhead costs by $5 million in six months by assembling core operations team that further eliminated duplication of resources and increased operational efficiency by 25%.
4. Build A Brand-Focused Career Portfolio: Don't be afraid to move beyond the professional resume in your job search - invest in an entire portfolio of career marketing documents including a networking resume, career biography, leadership profile, cover letters for both employers and recruiters.
The networking resume works well for quick introductions to executive recruiters and personal contacts and the leadership profile is a powerful leave-behind document for interviews.
5. Communicate With A Memorable 30-Second Commercial: Once you are very active in your networking events, leave a great first impression and speak value through your verbal presentation.
Here's an easy, insider tip - use your personal brand as foundation for a unique, 30-second commercial that speaks volumes about what you can bring to the table.
For example:
“Hi, my name is Carl Brown. As an experienced Manufacturing Executive, I have enjoyed a progressive career with top companies like ABC Plastics, Newform Manufacturing, and TechNec Corporation. With a reputation for engaging cutting-edge technologies that helped global manufacturing companies achieve aggressive revenue growth and improve operating cost objectives, I am seeking new executive opportunities at global companies that would benefit from my strengths in P&L management, product innovation and turnaround operations.”
6. Get To Net-Working, Net-Working & Net-Working: Research and join professional and industry-related associations, alumni groups, and Chamber of Commerce committees. Get introductions to key industry leaders and decision makers and start building your own team of alliances.
Don’t forget to use online social networks like LinkedIn.com, E-cademy.com, Zoominfo.com, and Ziggs.com to connect with former associates and friends; also search for industry experts and top people in your target companies.
7. Don't Overlook Niche Boards & Specialty Sites: The drawbacks to using only huge commercial career sites is that you are competing against hundreds of thousands of jobseekers. In addition, these sites are better suited for entry-level to mid-management candidates.
Don't lose your job search success to the inevitable black hole, expand your efforts to specialized online job boards that focus on a particular occupation, industry, job function or type of jobseeker like CEO, Sales Executives, or MBAs.
About The Writer:
Abby M. Locke (www.premierwriting.com) is a career marketing strategist and leadership brand coach who partners with 6-figure executives and professional MBA women to help them achieve true career mastery and success through cutting-edge, career branded communications, innovative job search campaigns, and proactive career management tools.
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