EMPLOYMENT SEARCH TIPS

By Kevin Donlin

In my continuing series on job search tips for hard times, here are 3 ways to locate job openings using free resources at your disposal.

This week, I interviewed Bob Picha, founder of San-Diego-based Ideas At Work, a company dedicated to the release of human potential in individuals and organizations.

Based on 30 years of career-consulting experience, Bob's insights are sure to surprise and more importantly help you find a job faster.

1) Read the paper, but not the want ads

Research is your first step in ferreting out job openings. And since almost everyone gets a daily newspaper, why not start there? But don't spend a lot of time on the want ads, advises Picha.

"I take an indirect approach in looking for companies that might be hiring. For example, I skimmed today's Wall Street Journal and found these tidbits:

"Toyota now wants 15% of global market share, which means they'll be expanding worldwide and perhaps hiring locally;
"China is buying $1.2 billion in telecom equipment from Lucent and Motorola, which points to both firms needing new personnel;
"Earnings for Cendant rose 19%, so they may be hiring …

"The list goes on," says Picha.

All is takes is a little digging to uncover these "jewels" that point you toward companies in need of new employees.

Two more ways to use the newspaper to uncover expanding businesses are:

Monitor the business section for firms signing new commercial leases, a sure sign of a need for increased capacity, and
Look for companies receiving venture capital -- since it's so difficult to get these days, such firms are likely to have a viable business model … and a need for new employees.

2) Consider temporary employment

Temporary agencies can open the door to a wider range of jobs than you think they're not limited to office support or light factory work.

"Many savvy employers use temporary agencies as a screening device. It's a chance to put temp workers through a trial period. And, if the employee is talented enough, a job can be created just for him or her," says Picha.

In Southern California, some companies draw 33-50% of their staff from the temporary work force, according to Picha. Similar figures may apply to other parts of the country.

Temporary agencies are all around you, too.

"Just visit www.google.com, search for ‘temporary employment,' and you'll find a huge number of temp agency listings. You can sort them by geography, industry -- whatever," says Picha, who found 59 agencies listed for his Southern California region.

3) Network smarter, not harder

I've said it before, I'll say it again networking is how 70-80% of the best jobs are filled. But in today's economy, don't expect a plum position to fall in your lap. You must network smartly and more creatively.

"Try calling on vendors and suppliers who know of companies that might be hiring. These include your local banker, CPA, lawyer and real estate agent. These people all have a great deal of knowledge," says Picha.

Don't forget associations there's one or more for every field of work. Use them to meet decision makers who can hire you. Call the reference desk at your public library for help finding associations.

When you call or meet networking contacts, ask for names of growing companies who could use someone with your experience. Ask for a contact person at the target employer(s), but avoid the HR department, since they often act as gatekeepers and may shun you.

So there you have it.

Three job search tips to help you use the newspaper, temp agencies and your network more creatively and effectively than before.

-- Kevin Donlin is the author of "Resume and Cover Letter Secrets Revealed," a do-it-yourself manual that will help you find a job in 30 days ... or your money back. For more information, please visit http://www.CollegeRecruiter.com/1dayresumes.html

Three Job Search Mistakes to Avoid

By Kevin Donlin

Is your job search going nowhere?

You can blame the economy or the seasonal hiring slump. You'll have lots of company if you do.

Or ... you can look to yourself. Are you secretly sabotaging your job search?

You might be.

Let me tell you the story of "Tommy" (not his real name), who is managing to do almost everything WRONG in his job search. Learn from three of his career-killing mistakes, which can rob you of the salary and satisfaction you deserve!

Tommy first called me three weeks ago, asking if I could help him write a resume. He said he wanted a pharmaceutical sales job because his aunt and a cousin made good money at it, and he heard it was interesting work.

But he said nothing about actually WANTING to do this job. When I asked, he replied: "Everyone says I should give pharmaceutical sales a shot."

Lesson #1: Find a job you WANT to do.

Tommy is setting himself up for misery by pursuing a job based on the "helpful" advice of others.

Unless you're passionately committed to the job you seek, you won't pursue it with enough gusto to be successful in the long run.

Tommy wanted a new resume to apply for jobs he'd seen posted on the Internet. When I asked if he were also networking for a job, he answered: "Networking? How do you do that?"

Lesson #2: The best jobs are never advertised in the classified ads or online. They're filled by word of mouth -- people talking to other people.

Tell every single person you know about the job you're after. Then ask them this magic question: "Who else do you know that I should be talking to?" This can double or triple the size of your network almost overnight. Try it!

After asking for my email address and promising to send his resume to me that afternoon for review, he hung up.

Six days later, his resume arrived by email. I sent him a reply and thought I might hear back from him in a day or two.

Another week passed.

Yesterday, Tommy called again and left a rambling message on my answering machine, asking nearly the same questions he had asked in our first conversation two weeks before.

Lesson #3: Take action in your job search. Now.

Tommy wasted two weeks emailing and calling me with vague questions that we could have settled in five minutes. If this is how he's pursuing his next job ... he's in for a long, painful struggle.

You can supercharge your job search by learning what NOT to do. This will help you pursue a job you really want, uncover the hidden job market through networking, and take action -- now.

Job Search Lessons from the School of Hard Knocks

By Kevin Donlin

Have you been hit hard by the slow economy?

If you're 30 or younger, you've probably never experienced a recession as a member of the work force. And when compared to the go-go economy of the late 1990s, the current rash of job cuts and hiring freezes must seem especially frightening.

So I tracked down and interviewed James Adams, a 70-year-old former Minneapolis resident who's seen it all.

He's has held -- count 'em -- 107 jobs in his life. In fact, Adams became so skilled at getting jobs that the U.S. government hired him to teach his job search secrets to others!

Without further ado, here are three job hunting tactics for hard times, from the school of hard knocks.

1) Don't take every help-want ad at face value

Some employment ads are written to prevent all but the most gung-ho job seekers from applying.

Reason? To prevent a flood of resumes that would take days to read, some employers purposely place ads that ask for unrealistic qualifications.

"I recall a help-wanted ad for a shipping clerk that read like a laundry list. They wanted someone with a college degree (master's preferred), able to lift 300 lbs., type 50+ words a minute -- it went on and on," says Adams.

So, how did Adams overcome this obstacle?

"I took the direct approach. I went down to the company and said, 'Here I am!' I told them that God himself couldn't meet all their qualifications, but if they wanted a top-notch shipping clerk, I was their man."

He got the job.

2) You may be more qualified than you think

Adams once advised an applicant to talk about her hobby as a private pilot when interviewing for a position at a utility.

Why?

The job required a manager to oversee a plant delivering electricity to consumers across California. Making the wrong decision -- or no decision -- would put thousands of people in the dark.

As a private pilot, this woman had safely landed a crippled aircraft not once, but twice. Had she not made the right decisions fast, while focusing on a solution, she wouldn't have survived.

By proving her decision-making ability, which transferred easily from piloting to power plant management, she aced out dozens of other applicants -- and got the job.

3) Rejection letters can be a good thing

Your response to a letter of rejection may, incredibly, get you the job.

Because, when a hiring panel interviews several applicants but still can't decide on one candidate, they may send out rejection letters to test the mettle of those job seekers.

"I was consulted by a woman who interviewed very well for a position, but still got a letter of rejection. Most people would have torn up the letter and gone on to other things," says Adams.

Instead, Adams told her to write a gracious reply, thanking the company for their time and reaffirming her strong desire to work for them.

Did it work?

"The top contender for the position had to relocate on short notice. The hiring panel remembered the letter they got from the really eager and pleasant woman who replied to their rejection letter. She got the job," says Adams.

So, take it from a job search pro who's been there and done that. You can do great things in your career if you exercise persistence, politeness and a little street smarts.

Job Search Tactics for Recent College Grads

By Kevin Donlin

Just graduated from college? If you're hitting the streets in search of your first job, you may find it slow going in this economy.

Take heart.

Here are three tips for finding that first job faster, based on the advice of career experts and my experience advising 2,000+ job hunters.

1) Don't sit back -- be aggressive

"In this job market, don't wait for placement firms or prospects to respond to your mailed resumes," advises Paul Richard DiModica, President of DigitalHatch, a sales training and consulting firm.

"Deal with decision makers only. Call the VP of the department you want to work in and ask for an appointment. Never deal with HR -- they do not make decisions and are more 'resume traffic managers,'" says DiModica.

The more persistent and proactive you are, the better. Sure, you might get the phone slammed in your ear once or twice. But the more "Nos" you hear, the closer you are to that one "Yes" that comes with a job offer.

2) Research for insights

The more you know about the company you want to work for, the better you can tailor your resumes and cover letters to hit them right between the eyes. And the better you'll do in a job interview.

"Research the company you are trying to seek employment with. Review their earning statements and Web site. Gain an understanding of who their customers are and what they want and need," says Richard Schuttler, Ph.D., Associate Dean at the University of Phoenix.

The more extensively you research a company, the more intelligently you can approach them with potential solutions to their problems. (Remember -- never think: "Give me a job." Think: "Here's how I can help you.")

3) Plug into your network

Networking is both the most effective and most overlooked tool in every job seeker's tool kit, no matter what your age or experience level.

Here are three uncommon ways to network better, according to Paul Richard DiModica:

Contact your religious leaders -- they are networking experts. Ask for help reaching decision makers at target companies in your community. If your own leaders can't help you, perhaps their colleagues in another congregation can -- just ask!

Contact the head of the chamber of commerce in your city. Buy that person lunch at their favorite restaurant, then ask for advice and introductions. Take notes!

Make a list of 50 companies you like best. Call the switchboard and get the name of the VP you would work for, then call that VP and ask for a 20-minute appointment (it can help to buy lunch here, too). If you've researched the company ahead of time (and you must!), you can wow them with your knowledge and ideas.

Here's hoping these pointers help you make that all-important leap from college student to full-time employee!