1) Have a Game Plan
a. Be specific with what type of job you want (avoid sounding like you just want any job – even if you do)
b. Map out your strategy: Do what by when?
2) Create a Video Resume (put on YouTube and burn to DVD)
a. 60-90 seconds
b. Get video endorsements as well (2 business, 2 personal, 15-20 seconds each)
3) Know your Competitive Advantage
a. What makes you unique relative to other qualified people for the job
i. Has to be more substantial than “my personality”
ii. Is there anything from your job or personal history that makes you an interesting candidate
4) Do your Research
a. Before you show up, learn as much as you can about
i. The company
ii. The job
iii. The people you are interviewing with
5) Knock on the Door
a. Avoid blasting resumes out and hoping to get a response
b. Pick 3-5 jobs/places you want to work
c. Call to find out who the point person is for hiring
d. Go knock on the door – let them see and meet you
e. Getting a job in this market is a lot more about selling yourself and a lot less about qualifications/experience
i. Why? b/c everyone is “qualified and has experience”
6) Keep a Journal
a. Keep track of your experiences
i. What companies you met
ii. Contact information (emails, phone, mailing address, locations)
iii. Who you met, what their job is
iv. What questions you were asked
v. How you answered
vi. What you did well
vii. What you did poorly
viii. What you would do different next time
ix. At end of meeting always ask what the next steps are (are you supposed to contact them are they supposed to contact you, by when?)
7) Try before you Buy
a. Consider doing a non-paid internship for a 2-4 weeks
b. Let’s them see your value add; let’s you decide if you want to work there
Be Resilient
a. “No thank you” is one step closer to “We would love to hire you”
Tags: competitive advantage, finding jobs, job search, re-entering the workforce, strategy, workforce
