The Job Search

Looking for a new job is always a daunting task and requires preparation, knowledge of the employer you are looking to get hired by, written skills of the resume, training for the interview and how to be saleable before the interview and at the interview.

In order to make it to the job interview there are many strategies for a job search that one needs to follow in order to become a candidate among hundreds of potential hires.  The key component is to stand out with your best educational, professional and personal experience.

Study the job requirements and present the resume the way the employer wants to fulfill the employment.  Apply for jobs that your have most of the requirements the employer is looking for in the job posting.  Thus, each resume is specific to the employer.  Don't get lazy and use the same resume over and over again without consideration of the employer and the specific requirements.  Have your basic resume ready for changes as required by the employers' demands on the job post.

Don't make your resume the first contact with the employer.  Let's call a contact with the employer a "touch point".  A touch point is a sales method in a cold call situation where you soften the buyer to come to a buying decision and in this case the employer to hire you.  Use touch points to find out about the business and show interest in the company.  Make sure to research the business before calling to show that your have spent the time to know the company and you are eager for the job. Contact the company again in a few days to know who will be interviewing you and who are the decision makers for your potential hire.  Go to social media to find them and understand their likes and dislikes as well as education, employment history and contact information (Employers my also do the same to see who you are and what your character is all about.).  Use this information to create more touch points by e-mail or direct calling.  One thing to remember,... don't get too pushy and know when to slow down with the touch points, but in saying that the opposite can be in your favour.  The more touch points your have the more the decision makers will know who you are.  Make these individuals know your name and that you have applied for the job position.  Help them want to look at your resume first by using colour paper for your resume and plant the seed of a descriptive colour in their minds so they go to your resume first thing.  (You can also colour cover letters and resumes in MS Word if you are sending it by e-mail.)  I will talk about the colour to use in a later segment of packaging the resume effectively.

The next 3 segments will contain:

1. Understanding the components of an effective resume.
2. Selecting information for the resume.
3. Packaging the resume effectively.