Guerrilla Job Hunting

Take The Personal, Persistent Approach

Despite the tight labor market, you CAN stand out from the crowd and get the job you really want.

 

Consider Eugene, a software developer from Savage, MN.

 

After getting serious about his job search, he found his ideal job -- at a higher salary than he expected -- in just over six weeks.

 

Here’s what he did …

 

“I saw a job posted on the Internet that I really wanted,” says Eugene. “Like most people, I thought I would just email my resume and wait. But that approach had not produced any callbacks for three months, so I decided to try something different.”

 

Eugene picked up the phone and called the contact person listed in the job posting, after getting her phone number from the company switchboard.

 

“I asked if I could hand-deliver my resume. She said ‘No,’ but I struck up a conversation and learned enough about the position to write a very targeted cover letter, which I emailed with my resume,” says Eugene.

 

After that, Eugene made three follow-up calls, one week apart, to very politely ask if a decision had been made. Since he had already built a rapport with the hiring manager during his first call, she did not see this as an intrusion.

 

Between his second and third follow-up calls, Eugene employed a brilliant tactic that set him apart from every other candidate.

 

“During my second follow-up call, I offered to deliver a portfolio of additional material. I wanted to maximize my chances of getting that job!” he says. The hiring manager agreed.

 

So Eugene put together a collection of awards and descriptions of projects he had worked on. As he was dropping off this “brag book” with the receptionist, he met several employees in the lobby. “I asked about the four biggest problems they were facing on the job,” says Eugene. “I took notes, then went home to think up solutions.”

 

Finally, after four weeks, three follow-up phone calls and one hand-delivered portfolio, Eugene was called for an interview. He aced it, aced the interview that followed ... and got the job.

 

“After talking to employees and researching the company’s products and customers from their Web site, I was able to talk intelligently and make helpful suggestions. The interviewers were impressed by that,” says Eugene.

 

Does all this research and telephone follow-up sound like a lot of work to you? Not if you consider your job search to be a full-time job in itself. Eugene spent only a few hours total on this approach, but the pay-off was enormous.

 

“I start next week at a higher salary than before and with a great company. I’m really excited about this new position,” says Eugene.

 

Action Step: You can hit the jackpot with some old-fashioned persistence and creativity. Of course it takes work. But doing a thing right is never really work, is it? One thing’s for sure – the other people who want your job probably won’t go to the lengths Eugene did. Will you?

Compliments of David Perry and Kevin Donlin

Grab your Free Guerrilla Job Search Audio here.

Get Help From Gatekeepers

This example is near and dear to my heart – it’s how I landed a job with a marketing communications firm back in the 1990s, when I use to work for other people.

 

After mailing in my resume, I was called by a receptionist to schedule an interview. During our conversation, I asked if she could send me back issues of their corporate publications. I explained that I wanted to research the writing styles of the magazines and newsletters I would be editing if I got the job.

 

She immediately agreed, and had a nice package of materials couriered over to me the same day.

 

It turned out to be a gold mine.

 

I found three typos in one back issue of a magazine I would be proofreading in the position I was interviewing for. Here was proof I could do the job.

 

Two days later at the interview, the subject of proofreading skills came up. I pulled out the magazine (with post-it notes marking the typos) and said: “I’ve been researching your publications and found these three errors. I can improve your image by preventing this kind of thing from happening again.”

 

They hired me.

 

 

Action Step: do whatever you can to research your target company and “start working” for them before the first interview. It’s one thing to claim you can do the job. It’s quite another -- and much more powerful -- to prove it.

Compliments of David Perry and Kevin Donlin

Grab your Free Guerrilla Job Search Audio here.

Research To Uncover Job Search 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 (www.phoenix.edu).

 

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.”)

 

You can call your local library and ask to talk to the reference librarian for advice on the best books and Web sites to use when researching target companies. Keep in mind that most libraries have subscriptions to very valuable – and expensive – research guides like www.hoovers.com but you’ll never know until you call and ask!

 

 

Action Step: Is knowledge power? No. It’s potential power -- knowledge will only help you find a job if you USE IT.

 

So find out all you can about your target company, from online and offline resources, including people who work there! Use your network to tap into sources of corporate information, then use it to prove you’re the one to hire.

Compliments of David Perry and Kevin Donlin

Grab your Free Guerrilla Job Search Audio here.

Severely injured Vets getting good jobs !

Operation IMPACT (Injured Military Pursuing Assisted Career Transition) is an extraordinary jobs program specifically for severely injured veterans. If that vet simply cannot work, the program then applies to the spouse of that vet who would be the primary wage earner.  

The program is sponsored by Northrop Grumman.  These are not necessarily low skill level positions by any means.  Here are just some examples as to where severely injured vets (or their qualifying spouse) have been hired into positions across the

USA

:

• Financial Analyst
• Technical Editor/Writer
• Program and Project Management
• Legal Administrative Assistant
• Logistics Management
• Engineering Technician
• Systems Technician
• Engineer
• Assembler
• Property Control

For complete details go to:  http://operationimpact.northropgrumman.com/default.htm

For information on corporate sponsored outplacement services, career coaching, resume assistance, the Guerilla Job Seekers 10 week boot camp, or if you would prefer personal one-on-one Guerilla job search assistance, contact me at:

theguerillajobcoach@comcast.net

or call me at 724-495-2733.

Mark J. Haluska

• Certified "Guerilla Job Search Boot Camp" Instructor.

 

• Contributing Co-Author of "Guerilla Marketing for Job Hunters 2.0," 1,001 Unconventional Tips, Tricks and Tactics for Landing your Dream Job. Released in June 2009

• Contributing Co-Author of the best selling book, “Guerilla Marketing for Job Hunters,” 400 Unconventional Tips, Tricks and Tactics for Landing your Dream Job. Released in 2005

 

How 3 People Found Jobs 73% Faster, in the State with America’s Highest Unemployment Rate

By Kevin Donlin | November 16th, 2009

The average job search in America takes 26.9 weeks, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics for October 2009.

Yet 3 people were recently hired for new jobs in only 7 weeks — less than 1/3 the time — in Michigan, the state with America’s worst unemployment rate, 15.3%.

How did they do it?

The full story will be released in the coming days, but here’s a preview …

1) Gail Neal, from Detroit, Michigan, accepted a job offer as a sales professional for a radio station on Wed., November 11, 2009.

She had been unemployed since June 7, 2009.

• Time spent in an ordinary job search: 15 weeks.
• Time to hire in a Guerrilla Job Search: 7 weeks.

2) Mary Berman, from Farmington Hills, Michigan, accepted a job on Thur. Nov. 12, 2009 as a executive assistant for a local marketing firm.

She had been looking for work since February 2009 before starting her Guerrilla Job Search in late September.

• Time spent in an  ordinary job search: 25 weeks.
• Time to hire in a Guerrilla Job Search: 7 weeks.

3) Jeff Donaldson, from Oxford, Michigan, got two job offers the week of Nov. 2 and accepted one, as a project manager for a design firm.

He left his job at Chrysler in December 2008.

• Time spent in an ordinary job search: 4 weeks (after taking a sabbatical). Job interviews: 0.
• Time to hire in a Guerrilla Job Search: 7 weeks. Job interviews: 3. Job offers: 2.

The complete story will be released in 3 more blog postings this week. For now, it’s enough for you to know that each of these 3 job seekers had two things in common:

1. Using ordinary resumes produced ordinary results — from 15-25 weeks of fruitless job hunting. (Sound familiar?)
2. Using Guerrilla Resumes, each was hired in only 7 weeks.

Network With Other Job Hunters Online

 

Many cities have job clubs or support groups where people can meet, network and share tips. You already know that.

 

But don't forget the Internet -- there are loads of great Web sites with message boards and chat rooms devoted to networking.

 

Here are two of the best places where you can build and leverage a network of other job hunters, to share job leads and tips:

 

www.vault.com

 

www.wetfeet.com

 

Both of these Web sites have message boards that you can read and post questions on for no cost. Try them and see.

 

 

Action Step: Does this countermand my earlier advice, about people and not computers being the ones that hire you? No. Use Web sites and other online tools as a way to meet and build relationships with people, not as a substitute for doing it.

Compliments of David Perry and Kevin Donlin

Grab your Free Guerrilla Job Search Audio here.

Ask The Magic Networking Question

If your network is smaller than you'd like, think of it as a yeast cell, with the power to expand from its tiny origin until it produces something wonderful. In this case, a new job!

 

Tell everyone you know that you're looking for a job. Call or e-mail every single person in your address book. Now, here's the magic question -- at the end of every conversation, ask:

 

“Who else do you know that I should be talking to?”

 

This is how you expand your network by leaps and bounds! If everyone you talk to gives you two more names, and those people give you two more names, your network will explode like crabgrass in July -- try it and see.

 

Eventually, someone should be able to put you in touch with a decision maker who can hire you.

 

Even former employers can help. If you parted on good terms with your last boss, he or she might be able to refer you to hiring managers in other companies.

 

 

Action Step: Stop thinking that your network is only as large as the people you know. It’s not. It’s FAR bigger and more valuable. When you ask: “Who else do you know that I should be talking to?” the sky is literally the limit – you could be only one or two phone calls away from talking to the CEO of General Mills, the owner of your dream company down the road … or Kevin Bacon. But you’ll never know unless you ask.

Compliments of David Perry and Kevin Donlin

Grab your Free Guerrilla Job Search Audio here.

Follow These 3 Networking Tips

“Networking for a job change or to get off unemployment is nearly essential, since people -- not computers -- hire other people,” says Matt Noah, CEO of Chanhassen, MN-based, NetSuds.com, a firm that helps professionals build and enhance their network of contacts.

 

Here are 3 ways you can network better and find your next job faster …

 

1) Attend Industry Events

No matter what you do, there’s probably a regular event of some kind where potential employers in your industry gather. Identify events or venues that will most likely help your job search, then go there!

 

“Typically, the more focused the event, the better,” says Noah. “If you are a plumber, don’t go to an electrician’s trade show, for example. And size matters -- events are popular and well-attended if they provide value to the people in attendance.”

 

So, attend well-focused, popular events. You can find them advertised in trade journals, the business section of the Sunday paper, or search for them online at www.google.com

 

2) Join a Job Club

These aren’t very high-tech or exciting. Just plain effective.

 

In a good job club, you’ll meet weekly or monthly with 10-30 other people to share leads, provide support and practice such skills as interviewing and negotiating for salary. Job clubs are usually free, so don’t fret about membership costs.

 

You’ll find job clubs all around you. Contact your local library, church, community groups and state employment agency for help in contacting one or more that suit your needs.

 

If your city publishes a free employment weekly newspaper, be sure to check the announcements section to find job clubs; you may also find them listed in your phone book.

 

3) Perfect Your Pitch

No matter how you network, you’ll eventually have to tell people what kind of job you’re after. So develop a 20-30-second “pitch,” describing who you are and what you do.

 

Focus on your unique combination of specific skills, knowledge and experience.

 

Example pitch: “I’m a tech support professional with five years of helpdesk experience. I’ve encountered and solved just about every problem imaginable. Before that, I completed officer’s training as an ROTC student while earning my MIS degree. This gives me a broader range of technical, leadership and problem-solving skills than most folks.”

 

According to marketing expert Larry Chase at www.larrychase.com, “I find people appreciate it when you can deliver your pitch in less time than they anticipated. It telegraphs that you are clearly focused and waste no time getting to the point.”

 

 

Action Step: People – not computers, Web site or fax machines -- ultimately hire people. You’ll have to work effectively with people AFTER you’re hired, so you might was well get skilled at meeting and networking with people BEFORE you’re hired.

Compliments of David Perry and Kevin Donlin

Grab your Free Guerrilla Job Search Audio here.

Free Lunch on me, Wednesday November 11th !

To all my fellow Brothers and Sisters who are (former and current)

U.S.

military veterans. Wednesday November 11th is Veterans Day as many of you would already know.

Get this----Applebee’s will feed you a meal for free on November 11th only !

The menu is limited but looks delicious.

This is one company that wants to stand up and say in a small way, “Thank You for Your Service.”

For details simply go to http://www.applebees.com/vetsday

Ok—so in reality I was a little creative and the meal is not actually on my dollar (only David Perry could afford that) but if you did not know about the free meal, and you take advantage of it, in a sense it is on me.  :)

Pass this on to anyone you know who is a current or former Honorably discharged Vet !

For information on corporate sponsored outplacement services, career coaching, resume assistance, the Guerilla Job Seekers 10 week boot camp, or if you would prefer personal one-on-one Guerilla job search assistance, contact me at:  

theguerillajobcoach@comcast.net

or call me at 724-495-2733.

Mark J. Haluska
Founder and Executive Director of
Real Time NetWork
www.rtnetwork.net

 

• Contributing Co-Author of "Guerilla Marketing for Job Hunters 2.0," 1,001 Unconventional Tips, Tricks and Tactics for Landing your Dream Job. Released in June 2009

• Contributing Co-Author of the best selling book, “Guerilla Marketing for Job Hunters,” 400 Unconventional Tips, Tricks and  Tactics for Landing your Dream Job. Released in 2005

• Certified "Guerilla Job Search Boot Camp" Instructor.

Send The Right Meta Message

 

Your job search could be in deep trouble … and you may not even know it. All because you’re sending a negative meta message.

 

A meta-what, you ask?

 

The term “meta message” is a marketing concept referring to the overall impression you give when communicating with others. It’s the “vibe” that extends beyond (meta) what you say (your message).

 

Here’s an example.

 

You’re sitting across from a prospective employer during a job interview. You say: “I’m really eager to be a part of your company, Mr. Jones. My five years of experience and training give me the tools to succeed as a Sales Rep for you.”

 

On the face of it, that sounds like a convincing message.

 

But if you’re saying this with spinach in your teeth, a razor cut on your chin and wearing socks that don’t match, here’s your meta message: “I’m not really that eager to join your company because I couldn’t find time to groom myself properly. If you let me anywhere near your clients, you’ll be making a big mistake.”

 

That’s just one example of how a botched meta message can ruin an otherwise favorable impression. To avoid this and keep your career on track, it’s crucial that you carefully analyze every part of your job search campaign.

 

Here’s a short list of areas to focus on, based on my experience helping nearly 3,000 clients since 1996.

 

Resume.
Make sure yours is concise, clear and convincing. Use high-quality stationery to present the best possible meta message here. I recommend laser printing your resume on ivory-colored paper, too.

 

E-mail address.
The address you use on your resume must look professional. If your current handle is “iluvbeer@party-time.com,” consider changing it to “SMJohnson@hotmail.com,” or something similar.

 

Answering machine.
Make sure your outgoing message is brief and to the point. That means no laughing, loud music or dogs barking in the background. (Unfortunately, I’ve heard each of these on clients’ messages.)

 

Personal grooming.
Comb your hair neatly every day, to prepare for that one day when it has to be perfect. Clean and press your clothes, too. And never eat spinach salad before a job interview ….

 

 

Action Step: Your meta message speaks volumes about you. Make sure yours says: “Hire me. You won’t be sorry.”

Compliments of David Perry and Kevin Donlin

Grab your Free Guerrilla Job Search Audio here.

How to write a non-fiction book review on Amazon.

I have to admit this is an unusual post for me. It's not about you.  It's about me.  Or more precisely about my book, "Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters".  Which when I think about it is really about you and your job search.   I digress...

Quite a few people have emailed me lately to ask how to write a review for my book on Amazon.  So today I'm going to walk you through the steps so that I can refer people to this post.  By-the-way the mechanics for posting a review are the same for ANY book you read on Amazon. 

As an author I'm telling you that there's nothing more gratifying than seeing a 5-Star book review on Amazon.  It means I've connected and helped you.  In geek terms I GROCK you!  Again I digress. 

Here goes.

In my opinion here’s what Amazon readers are looking for in terms of information and commentary that will be useful to readers who are trying to decide if a particular book suits their interests.  i.e. will they actually read and get value from your recommended books).

how to write an amazon book review

• 1st a few suggestions on what to write to get you thinking
• 2nd understand the mechanics for writing a review

suggestions on what to write in a non-fiction book review

The easiest way to write a review is to think about the person reading your review.   

• Take my last book for example; the person reflecting on your review is very likely:
• Looking for job themselves
• Looking for information for a friend or relative that’s in job hunting mode
• A career or guidance counselor who’s adding to their library of job hunting, resume writing and cover letters books.

They want to discover a better way to write their resume, find job leads faster or network better using social media tools like LinkedIn, Facebook and MySpace.  Maybe how to build a blog quickly, use Twitter, or creative new ways to get in front of a hiring manager – without being blocked by gatekeepers or getting stuck in human resources. 

In short, they’re looking for an edge. 

So with that in mind the first question you have to ask yourself is what where the “take aways” or the “Ah-Ha” moments in the book for you.  Next, would you recommend the book to your best friend if they were job hunting?  So now, you need to tell the reader.

Here are some possible ideas to start you off:

• Did you like the book? Was it written in a style you liked? If it was highly technical were there examples?  Were they good examples?  Were there references or links to additional information? 
• Is the author credible?  Did they know the subject matter?  Did they bring anything new to the discussion or body of knowledge?

example

For example, if you wanted to write a book review for Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 2.0, here are some questions which you might reflect on in order to help you write a review which will be meaningful to those people who will read the review: 

1. What was your personal situation?  Where you employed and looking?  Unemployed? How long had you been looking?
2. Did the ideas in the book accelerate your progress? 
3. Did the ideas help you get interviews?
4. Did you find a job? How quickly?
5. Think about the type of job you were looking for – which of the 1001 tips, tricks and tactics worked best for you? 
6. Did it force/challenge you to change old habits?
7. How did you apply the personal branding section?
8. Did your Guerrilla Resume get an employers attention?
9. Did you engage in eXtreme Networking activities, create a LinkedIn profile or start a blog?
10. Did the chapter on interviewing {Hand to Hand Combat} help prepare you?  How?
11. Was there a chapter/vignette/antidote that struck a chord with you?
12. What was your favorite part of the book or what was the most useful section for you?
13. Did the book spark your creativity and led you to develop fresh ideas on your own which lead to interviews?
14. How did the book affect you?
15. Were any previous ideas you had on the subject changed, abandoned, or reinforced due to this book?
16. How well has the book achieved its goal?
17. How did you originally hear about the book: friend, networking event, or counselor?
18. Did you like the author and contributing co-author’s styles?
19. Did you like the War Stories?  Anyone in particular? Why?

 

another  suggestion

I suggest you write a first draft in your word processor and then when you’re comfortable with it, cut and paste it in to the text box [step 5 below] BUT mostly I suggest you write it from the heart and not just your logical mind. 

the mechanics for writing an amazon book review

To create a book review - the easy way - please follow these exact steps:

1. First and most importantly, you have to have bought the book and read it. Don't write a review for a book you haven’t read.  It does no good for anyone including the author.
2. Find the book you want to review on Amazon and find the "Product Details" section.   This is where it tells how many pages the book has, who the publisher is and the average customer review.[For example - Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters-  http://tinyurl.com/mxzupw ]
3. Click on the "Write a review" link located right next to the "Average Customer Review" information.
4. Rate the book on a scale from 1 to 5 stars, with 1 being worst and 5 being best.
5. Enter a title for your review.  That could be an overall statement about how you felt about the book.
6. Enter the full text of the review in the provided text box.
7. NOTE: If you're a friend of the author say so.  If you received the book from the author to review it - say so.  People don't mind those types of reviews but you need to tell the reader or your review has no credibility OR worse someone buys the book and feels "had", which destroys the review process Amazon has set up. 
8. Certify that you are over the age of 13 (and thereby allowed to contribute a review) by checking the appropriate box.

 

That’s it.  If you followed these steps your review will appear within 24 hours on Amazon. 

David Perry

 

Look Only For Jobs That Excite You

Here’s the story of “Tommy” (not his real name), who is making a critical, but common, mistake in is job search. It’s robbing him of the satisfaction and salary he deserves.

 

Tommy first called me three weeks ago, asking if I could help him write a resume. He said he wanted a pharmaceutical sales job, but he had no experience in sales or health science.

 

When I asked him why he wanted to enter the field, he said he heard it was interesting work and, besides, his aunt and a cousin made good money at it.

 

Fine. But he said nothing about actually WANTING to do this job. When I pressed him further, he replied: “Everyone says I should give pharmaceutical sales a shot.”

 

Tommy is setting himself up for misery by pursuing a job based on the “helpful” advice of others, as opposed to his own gut instincts.

 

Quick solution: go over to www.hotjobs.com or www.monster.com and search for jobs using the 3 skills you most enjoy using. Examples: sales, customer service, management … or training, writing, translation.

 

See how many advertised job listings pop up. Are the job titles you see similar to the jobs you’re hunting? Good – there’s a match between what you enjoy doing and what you want to do next.

 

If you don’t turn up jobs that match your 3 favorite skills, it’s time for some soul searching. You can refine your skills (change “training” to “teaching” for example) or search for jobs using entirely new ones.

 

Let these job boards tell you what the market demand is for your favored areas of expertise. But ultimately, you should decide to pursue a job based on what you LOVE to do, not what you SHOULD do.

 

 

Action Step: 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. Follow your passion.

Compliments of David Perry and Kevin Donlin

Grab your Free Guerrilla Job Search Audio here.

Career Combat: How to get the job you want even when no one is hiring.

The 5 STEPS for converting your job search into a -  job found are:

1. You know what to do;
2. You have the desire to do it;
3. You are willing to do it;
4. You are able to do it; and
5. Finally, you get out and do it.

FREE audio CD gets you hired, even in "The Great Recession of 2009." Grab your Free CD of our recession-proof Guerrilla Job Search tips

Email Your Resume Correctly

If you email your resume to employers and they can’t open or read it, what chance do you have of getting called for an interview?

 

Roughly zero.

 

So, how can you e-mail your resume to ensure that employers can read it?

 

For best results, send your resume INSIDE and ATTACHED to your e-mail. That way, even if you have Windows and the employer has a Mac, for example, you're sure that your documents can be read.

 

Follow these steps before e-mailing your resume to employers:

1. copy and paste the text of your resume and cover letter into the body of an e-mail;
2. attach the document (in Word or WordPerfect) to the e-mail;
3. send a test message to yourself and a friend, to see how the whole thing will look and print -- if it's a mess, adjust and test until it works.

 

 

Action Step: Practice emailing your resume following the instructions above. Send it to at least 2 friends and ask them to report on what they see. Do this until you’re 100% certain you’re emailing your resume correctly.

Compliments of David Perry and Kevin Donlin

Grab your Free Guerrilla Job Search Audio here.