re you using an ineffective job search strategy?

The typical activities that job searchers use include:

Post CV or Resume on various career sites.
Set up job alerts on jobsite, Fish4jobs, The Ladders, Indeed.com, etc and check target Company sites for new job postings.
Apply to job posts found online through the job post links.
E-mail people in their “network” to see if they have any job leads.
E-mail agency recruiters to let them know you are still looking.
All of these are necessary actions when you begin your job search. But after several months with very few interviews, many candidates continue to rely on the same strategies, which are initially proactive, but ultimately become reactive… waiting for someone to e-mail you back.

So at this point you need to consider other proactive steps to take. If you aren’t making any progress with your job search and feel pessimistic about your prospects, then you need to stop focusing on e-mail as your main method of communication.

You need to step it up a level and make in-person or phone conversations your main method of communication.

So try this; e-mail contacts for job leads and apply through job sites as a last resort. Instead, pick up the phone, meet for coffee, attend networking meetings and career workshops, and make every effort to interact with people face to face.

Do your research, know what you can offer them -Have your case for the particular position or company prepared in advance of any phone call or meeting.

Continue to look for job leads and research potential employers online, but use these strategies together with your new, more personal approach.

Here’s an example:

You get a job alert that a company you are interested in has posted a new position. Instead of applying through their link and waiting for a response, look on LinkedIn to see who you know at that company or who could introduce you to a contact at the company, and then call them. Yes, call them!

We are all inundated with e-mails, but a personal call is harder to ignore and gets a dialogue going. Just touch base, and ask the person if he or she would mind finding out the name of the recruiting manager or who in HR is handling that position. You never know where a conversation might lead.

They may offer to put a word in for you! Or they may say had they known you were looking for a position they would have done XYZ for you! At the very least, in-person meetings or phone conversations will re-energize your job search.

Remember that employers are always looking for assertive, determined workers. They need to know that the people who work for them will be capable and will contribute positively to the organization, not be a problem.

But don’t be too aggressive -Appearing to be an aggressive person raises questions about how you will fit in at the company .This could result in your application being rejected before you even get an opportunity to prove how good you are.

Here are a few hints for your new, more personal job search

Remember that you have the ability to fashion the impression people will have of you. The words you chose can tell important stories, and convey purposeful messages.

Be friendly and open a two way dialogue

When you call or meet people, make it friendly and social. Let them know you would like their assistance, but listen for an opportunity to do something for them.

Ask if this is a good time to speak.

Be respectful of people’s time. Most people don’t have an hour to chat, but most can spare 10 minutes to catch up.

Be Positive

Make the conversation pleasant and positive. Don’t moan!

Your job search may be difficult and frustrating, but people are more receptive and likely to help if you’re upbeat and optimistic. Listening to someone complain for any length of time is a turn-off.

Make sure you’re a good candidate. If you are going to ask others to champion you, even just by forwarding your cv or resume to their HR departments, make sure you are a strong fit for the role and that you have revisited your CV or Resume so it matches the job description.

When you forward your customized cv/resume, make sure you include the job description and a few bullet points that recap your relevant experience.

Don’t take shortcuts just because you have a champion. And never abuse their help

Sometimes we need to shake things up in our search for the next great position. Focusing on more personal modes of communication adds a human element to your search process and can lead to a more positive attitude toward your job search as a whole.



Conversations also give you more opportunities to showcase your “value proposition” to potential employers and may lead, directly or through referrals, to the interviews you seek.



“The results you achieve will be in direct proportion to the effort you apply.”
Dennis Waitley

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