Guerrilla Job Hunting

Dedicated team player - What do they really mean?

I’m the boss and you’re going to be working for me!

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

Q: How much do people embellish when they're writing job postings?

A: Job ads are designed to arouse your interest and entice you to apply. So often times it’s what ever goes – from the “team” you’d work with to the technology or even the location. Recruiters always ask themselves what sets this opportunity apart from everything else out there especially if the job isn’t deemed to be glamorous.  They're selling "sex" and "power".

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

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 --- my book, "Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters".  Which, when I think about it is really about you and your job search.  

Quite a few people have asked me lately how to write a review for my book on Amazon, so today I'm going to walk you through the steps. 

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. Barnes and Noble or where ever.  It means I've connected and helped you. And that puts a huge smile on face!

So without further delay... here’s what Amazon readers are looking for in terms of information and commentary to help thme 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

Think about the person reading your review.   Take my last book for example; the person reflecting on your review is very likely:

• Looking for a job themselves;
• Looking for information for a friend or relative that’s in job hunting mode; and/or
• A career or guidance counselor who’s adding to their library of job hunting, resume writing and cover letter books.

The potential reader likely wants to discover a better way to write their resume, find job leads faster or network using social media tools like LinkedIn, Facebook and MySpace.  Perhaps they need to know how to build a blog for job hunting, use Twitter, or discover what the best creative new ways to get in front of a hiring manager are – without being blocked by gatekeepers or getting stuck in human resources. 

In short, they’re seeking 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 personally.  What did you learn?  What made you uncomfortable BUT you tried it anyway and were successful?  Next, would you recommend the book to your best friend if they were job hunting? 

Now, you just tell the reader.

Here are some possible ideas to start you off:

• Did you like the book?  --- I liked this book because... 
• Was it written in a style you liked?  --- I liked the way the author writes... 
• 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 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.
2. Find the book you want to review on Amazon and find the "Product Details" section.   This is the section that details how many pages the book has, who the publisher is and the average customer review.[For example - Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters-  http://amzn.to/gJx2wa ]
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 your review in the provided text box There are no length requirements or restrictions.
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

PS A lot of headhunters read Amazon reviews looking for possible candidates to recruit.  This is especially true for highly technical books that are written for a very focused audience for example in engineering, medicine or leadership.  Take advantage of that fact and also review books that will get you found by headhunters in your industry.

 

   

“Do Yourself a Favor, Dump that Guerrilla Resume”

You Guerrilla doubters out there are going to appreciate this article because it is added proof that a Guerrilla Resume simply is not everyone’s favorite flavor; and that our methods are especially disliked by many so-called, process oriented job experts out there.     

One of our current  students (Mark G.) who is enrolled in the 10 week Guerrilla Job Seekers Boot Camp shared an interesting in the trenches story during last Friday’ job seekers conference call.    

Per one of his weekly assignments, Mark applied to a particular department, and to a specific person within a company that piqued his interest.  He used his Guerrilla cover letter and one page Guerrilla Resume in the “precise manner” that he learned in our boot camp. (The former is where I believe the overwhelming majority of “maybe want-to-be” Guerrilla job seekers fail. That is because they don’t follow our EXACT Guerrilla instructions and/or the job seeker puts together what they “think” is a Guerrilla cover letter and resume when in reality, it simply isn’t.)  

To continue Mark’s story, the hiring authority routed Mark’s resume to Human Resources (HR) and “directed” them (HR) to call Mark in for an interview.  Therefore, HR had no choice but to call Mark because HR does not have the authority to tell the boss –“no !”  

Here is where the story gets interesting…  

Upon arrival for the interview and following company protocol, Mark first sat with the HR Manager before meeting with members of the actual hiring team. According to Mark, after the HR person looks over his resume, that individual sits back and says, “You truly do yourself a disservice using a one page resume such as this.”  

Mark asks, “How so ?”  The HR professional responded by saying, “Well this is really nothing more than a dressed up functional resume that lacks sufficient detail. It’s not the way things are done.” 

Mark responded by saying, “The cover letter and the 1 page resume method I used was only intended for the sole purpose of an employer to sit-up, pay attention and want to talk with me.”   

The HR person then said, “But this resume leaves out particulars that we would like know before an interview takes place.”  Mark then said, “Well, my one page resume and the information I provided got me in the door for an interview, didn’t it ?”  

Purportedly the silence in the HR persons office was deafening regarding the matter and Mark was sent on his way to interview with the real decision makers !   

Did I say, “Do yourself a favor, dump that Guerrilla resume ? “  Sorry, I didn’t really mean that, but it got your attention didn’t it ?

Mark J. Haluska, Senior Certified Guerrilla Job Search Coach for North America

www.psychoape.com  

 

Are you too easy? Job Hunters

Where you one of those guys in high school that always seemed desperate for a date?If so it was probably because you were a real pleaser, An eager beaver?

Did it annoy you that the guys who seemed indifferent where the ones the girls where most interested in? You know the Captain of the football team couldn't brush them off fast enough AND the more he brushed the more they swarmed.

 Have you ever noticed that passive candidates, those who seem to be the least interested in a particular job - often because they're already employed - are the most sought after? Is there a lesson to be learned here?

Yes. If you're consistently getting the interview but not the offer it's probably because you're too nice. Too easy. Too ready to please.

Its kind of like going fishing and the fish jumps in the boat - not much challenge in that. Employers want to be drilled by candidates just as much as they want to drill the candidate themselves. So the next time you go in for an interview prepare questions about the business NOT the job.

Be prepared to talk about the future of their industry and what keeps them up at night. Don’t ask them what keeps them up at night – research it through their association ahead of time and be prepared to talk about the issues and ideas as it applies to the interviewer’s firm. 

The passive candidate gets the offer BECAUSE they'll take the time to assess the opportunity being presented against their current one.  They have detached interest which forces/encourages the employer to sell more than they would to a job hunter who's desperate for a date - any date.

Guerrilla - set yourself up for success by setting yourself apart from ALL the other job hunters.  Do your home work.

The New America

In the 1800s, our forefathers witnessed the beginning of a colossal economic transformation with the onset of the industrial revolution. Within a single generation, it became necessary to start clearing out old city neighborhoods and rich farmlands to make way for steel mills, railway yards, warehouses, and office buildings.

To fuel this economic behemoth, people left the far reaches of rural America to take jobs that most of them would hold for the rest of their working lives.

Today in places like China and India old city neighborhoods, entire towns, and rich farmlands are still being cleared to make way for trade and industry.

The tidal wave of economic change—pressure to increase shareholder value quarterly instead of yearly, outsourcing, and rightsizing —all have greatly affected the domestic job market that we once knew. Competition to get noticed and chosen for the best professional opportunities is stiff. No matter how talented you may be, many others also are vying for that top spot.

See which jobs have a future in this "New America" download the 3 complimentary chapters.

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

How Job Hunters are using Facebook to Target Employers: PART 1

Grant Turck takes time out to talk to me about how he launched a targeted Facebook campaign at the Public relations firms he wanted to work at. Grant explains how he did it. What it costs and the results. He also has advice for others considering doing the same thing.

COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT of the VIDEO

David Perry: How do I find you on Facebook, because that is what we’re here to talk about today?

Grant Turck: On Facebook you can search for me in the Search box under Grant Turck and I should pop right up.

 

David: I wanted to talk to you today, Grant, about what you did specifically on Facebook because you just graduated from Pepperdine University in Public Relations, right?

Grant: Correct.

 

David: You’re looking for a PR job in Hollywood, here in Los Angeles. Tell me, why did you use Facebook, how did this come about, what have the results been?

Grant: The first thing I did is I picked up a copy of your book, which I found out about one day when I was watching NBC News and they had some recruitment guy {The Recruiting Animal} on there talking about what you should do and he said, “The number one thing you should do is pick up this book-“

 

David: I’ll have to find that tape! [Laughter]

Grant: “-by David Perry and Jay Conrad Levinson called Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 2.0.” I picked that book up and read through it and was looking for good ideas and one of the ideas in there was talking about Facebook advertising.   It talked about how despite our recommendation to do Facebook advertising and how powerful it is at making one stand out, the percentage of people that will actually take us up on what we say is very, very, very, very miniscule.  I said, “What the heck. I’ll try this. They say it’s not going to cost much and it’s very easy.” So I did. I took you guys up on what you said in your book and it’s turned out great.

 

David: How did it work out? Did you get interviews out of it?

Grant: The greatest thing I got out of it was exposure and publicity for myself, which is the number one thing, and not just in Los Angeles or Hollywood but in this world at large in this job market is to make myself stand out from the crowd, so with Facebook advertising, if you target your ads specifically to those people that you want to reach directly in a very, kind of creative manner that not many people seem to take advantage of.

 

David: Everybody wants to know what are the results? Did you actually get any interviews?

Grant: Yeah, I’ve actually had, in the past four or five weeks, about one interview a week.

 

David: Okay. Have you gotten any offers, or are they ongoing conversations?

Grant: Several ongoing conversations and I’ve had one offer.

 

David: Obviously you didn’t take it because we’re sitting here talking, right?

Grant: Yes.

 

David: That’s an assumption. So with the Facebook targeting, is there anything else you’re doing in conjunction, or is there anything else you think you should be doing, or somebody else that is watching should be doing in conjunction with Facebook?

Grant: Yeah, definitely. There is always more one can do in the self promotion game. I think that is the key to getting a job these days. You have to self-promote yourself because if you’re not self-promoting yourself nobody else is going to.

I’m finally getting my blog started, so I just have my blog up and it’s going to be TurckishDelights.com.

 

David: Turckish Delights?

Grant: Yes, playing off of my last name and the unique branding of Turckish Delights.

 

David: That’s cool.

Grant: I’m going to start doing a blog. I do Twitter. I do LinkedIn.

 

David: Where do you get the most amounts of hits? I know you’re on LinkedIn. Where are you getting the biggest bang for your buck? Is it with Facebook? With Twitter? Is it with LinkedIn?

Grant: I think with Facebook, I think it really has all come about the entire nexus. I’ve recommended people to be on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, I would say those are the top three to invest time into doing each one of those in conjunction with one another as being the most important.

 

David: How much time is that typically taking out of your day?

Grant: To maintain it I would say anywhere from two to three hours.

 

David: Okay, that’s just two to three hours casually, or two to three hours working at pushing it to the next level?

Grant: I would say two to three hours casually, maybe like one hour hardcore direct focus.

 

David: The Facebook interviews that you got, they were target companies?

Grant: Yeah.

 

David: And how did they come about? I mean, who did you target? How did they find you? What unfolded?

Grant: I’ve done several different types of ads on Facebook. I’ve done ones that have just been focused on the keyword “public relations” in Canada and the United States. I put focused on specific companies within public relations, sometimes I was running maybe 20 different ads with all basically the same relative body copy within the ad but the headline was different.  So it would say “I want to work at Bite.” “I want to work at GH” for Golin Harris, or “I want to work at _____” and then just target those specific company names within the targeting.  With Facebook advertising you don’t have to worry that somebody from Golin Harris is going to see your ad that you’re running the same time for Bite Communications because-

 

David: Oh, I didn’t know that.

Grant: -if you don’t have that you worked at Bite Communications in your résumé and you’re now working at the other company, you’re never going to see the ad.

 

David: So what these people, Bite is one that you talked about, what happened at Bite? Who did you connect with and how did that interview come about?

Grant: That interview came about from a senior account executive at the company who saw the ad and wrote me an e-mail directly and actually said to me that he had never responded to an Internet ad ever before but saw my ad, was kind of uniquely intrigued by it and wanted to reach out to me and that it seemed like I had some great qualifications that could be a great fit for Bite and I should look at their Web site. If I was interested I should e-mail their HR person, and they gave me the HR person’s e-mail address and he said I could then say that he had referred me to the HR person.  I took a look at their Web site, it seemed like a great place to work, it was in San Francisco, so I emailed the HR person who then scheduled a phone interview which took place about a week, week-and-a-half later, and then about two weeks later I went out for a physical in-person interview where I interviewed with four different people within the company.

 

David: Then you got an offer that you ended up not taking.

Grant: Right.

 

David: So you went in at the HR level and the senior executive level, and we talk in the book specifically about entering, going in at the level of your boss’s boss. Is that the level you went in at?

Grant: With Bite Communications I would say probably so because I went in, the senior guy was the person who reached out to me and directed me to the HR person, and the interviews I landed I interviewed with the account manager with the team I would be working on, the senior account executive, the account executive, and then the HR person again, so I think I did go in at that higher level.

 

David: Okay. Now, do you have a top ten list as we talk about this in the book? Do you have a top ten list?

Grant: I don’t know if I have a top ten, like a full top ten list? I would say I have a top five list.

 

David: Are they all here in LA?

Grant: Yes.

 

David: Looking at the camera, who do you want to work for?

Grant: I want to work for Golin Harris; Rogers & Cowan; Bragman, Nyman, Cafarelli; Solters & Digney; or Warner Brothers.

 

David: Why those companies because you’re involved in other things. I mean you graduated from Pepperdine University with a degree in Public Relations, but you have other things that you work on that are really interesting. How can those programs you’re working on, the movies you’re working on, the books you’ve optioned…what was that one, The Secrets of…that you optioned for $20?

Grant: How to Succeed with Women Without Really Trying by Sheperd Mead, which is a book written in 1957. I’m pursuing that as a movie right now and we’ve just attached some great comedy writers, Dax Shelby and Robert Stevens. They’re a writing team so we’re currently going out next week to actors and talk with some people, Robert Downey, Jr., Matthew McConaughey, and folks like that to attach one of those names with the pitch that these guys come up with because the book is non-narrative, non-fiction and the plan is to take that pitch with the actor and take back to the studios for financing to have it written and developed and turned into a motion picture.

 

David: What is your involvement once it becomes an actual, what is it called, a product or…?

Grant: Once it gets put into active development and pre-production, which is basically my involvement, I’m a producer, I’ll be credited as a producer on the project, but when it comes down to the physical production that will be basically left up to another producer that does the physical line producing and on the set type stuff.

 

David: Once that happens, your involvement, other than getting paid for it, is gone?

Grant: Yeah, it’s minimal.

 

David: Tell me then, how these companies that you mentioned before, would benefit from hiring you given what else you’re doing. Is there a crossover? Is that an eco-system in itself that cross pollinates?

Grant: One of the things to look at from what I’ve done in the entertainment business is the ability that I’ve had to uniquely position myself and get things done that basically very few to no one else has been able to do.   For example, one of the other projects that I’m working on, which is John Grisham’s The Partner, which I’m producing with Lynn Hende and Robert Chartoff, and people might know Robert’s name because he won an Oscar for Rocky, is I brought the money to the table to get it done but I had never produced a movie ever before.  I knew one of the key things is that John Grisham - there are a lot of people in this city and Hollywood that want to make a John Grisham movie – is that because I never produced a movie before that John Grisham would never give me the rights to take his book and make it into a movie, so I knew that it would take somebody bringing somebody else on to the team with producing credibility to get that done so I went and brought Robert Chartoff on board and we pursued it together.

 

David: This is a family friend? How did you get Robert-?

Grant: I met Robert Chartoff through Lynn Hende who is the president of his company, and I met Lynn Hende through a client of mine, a science fiction author I was working with introduced me to Lynn Hende and said that if there is anybody in this business you can trust its Lynn.   I went to Lynn and said, “I have the money to get this project up and running but I don't have the producing credibility. Can we pursue the co-production together?” Luckily it turned out and she said yes and so we did pursue that together.  It’s very fortunate because a lot of times, especially in Hollywood, if you approach somebody and say, “There is this great book that would make a great movie,” they say, “Awesome, yeah, we’ll work together,” and you never hear back from that person again and they take that book and make it into a movie and you’re left on the sidewalk. I was very fortunate.

 

David: Where did you learn to do all of this? You’re not from here, right?

Grant: No, I’m from Cincinnati, Ohio, and I pride myself on the fact that I have no entertainment familial connection at all.

 

David: Where did you learn to do all the connections?

Grant: Just by doing. I learn best by doing and learning from mistakes and going with the flow. You learn so much more on the field than you do in the classroom.

 

David: Interesting. Facebook aside and LinkedIn aside, let’s go back to job hunters. I can see the value in hiring someone like you because you’ll just make connections until the deal is done, and that is the way things happen, right? Most people don’t realize that.  What kind of advice would you offer job hunters now that may be struggling? For example, how do you keep yourself motivated? You’re here in Hollywood, you’re family is not here, right?

Grant: Right, they’re back in Ohio.

 

David: They’re back in Ohio. You supported yourself through Pepperdine, you graduated, you’re now looking for a job, you have all these different projects on the go, and you’re looking for a full-time gig as an account manager for one of these firms, how do you keep yourself motivated? How do you keep yourself going every day?

Grant: I exercise. That’s very helpful, but very basic, too. It releases endorphins, but beside that I do a lot of reading and ultimately, it may sound kind of dumb but you just have to tell yourself that in the long run it’s all going to work out and it’s all going to be okay. Think positive. You just do it.

 

David: Any last suggestions?

Grant: Don’t be afraid of making mistakes.

Would you like the opportunity to actually work with David Perry and I next week ?

Tomorrow July 8^th at 6 p.m. Eastern Time is the deadline to express your "genuine" interest.

It’s going to be an unforgettable summer for those fortunate enough to join he and I for the upcoming 10 week Guerrilla Job Seekers Boot Camp. 

Why?  

Because in this highly structured Guerrilla Job Seekers program, we are going to teach you unconventional tips, tricks and tactics that you WILL NOT find; even in the best-selling “Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters” series of books !  

Naturally the course will include countless strategies that we NEVER blog about herein or anywhere else for that matter.

Best of all---you will be getting your weekly lesson plans, our exclusive Guerrilla Job Seekers software  not available to anyone who is not in our class ---at any price, you’ll be joining us for small group sessions as well as “one-on-one” time with us (both) throughout the program.     

Participation is LIMITED in order to give those who enroll in our program the individual attention you will not only need--- but deserve, in this unprecedented lackluster job seeker market.

After some discussion, we came to the decision to extend enrollment until Friday, July 8^th at 6 p.m. Eastern Time. 

We cannot accept any further applicants for the upcoming 10 week session after this firm date and time because Day 0 of the course is Saturday July 9^th and you don’t want to fall behind !    

For questions and more information you can call me (Mark Haluska) directly at my office at 724-495-2733. Should your reach my voice mail, simply leave me a message and I will return your call as quickly as possible.

Mark J. Haluska

Senior Certified Guerrilla Job Search Coach for North America

p.s. If after the 10 week course, and provided you perform all of your Guerrilla assignments, if you not working by then, we will stick with you FREE of charge until you are working !!!

3-5 years work experience - What do they really mean?

We’re looking for young and stupid ideally .... someone we can burnout ourselves.

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

Required/Preferred - What do they really mean?

This is the old Wal-Mart tactic - we want as much experience as we can get for the same low low price

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

A proven team player - What do they really mean?

We've been told to look for a proven team player but this confuses us as we don't even have a bowling team.  We don’t know what they even look like so you better be able to tell us!

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

A proven team player - What do they really mean?

We've been told to look for a proven team player but this confuses us as we don't even have a bowling team.  We don’t know what they even look like so you better be able to tell us!

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

Q: How can you tell a sincere job posting from a fluffed up job posting?

A: It’s more than 25 words long. A sincere ad will as much try to screen people out as in. For example minimum requirements often means exactly that. If you don’t know the difference between thermal underwear and a thermal coupler – you shouldn’t apply – chances are your transferable skills won’t be enough. Sometimes it really is rocket science.

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

Job hunting phrases and what they really mean.

Here are some of my favorite phrases and what they really mean.

• Phrase
• You probably think
• What it really means
• What you can do about it

 
Phrase: Self-starter

You probably think
This job requires a great deal of initiative

What it really means
You’re on your own. Remember that old saying “sink or swim”. Here’s where the rubber really meets the road cause your on your own baby!

What you can do about it
Go to Google and run a search with the name of the company as well as the word resume. This will return the resumes of people who used to work at the firm. Call them up and ask them what it’s like to work there.

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

A “Guerrilla Job Seeker” tip you won’t find in our best selling book!

I’ve stated in prior articles that the moment you become a job seeker, the FIFTH (5^th) task you should undertake (in order of importance) is your resume and cover letter.  To me, doing a resume right off the bat is like planning an important business trip but not knowing where you are going, how you will get there or what your real agenda will be once you arrive.

 

If I were a job seeker however, the SECOND undertaking in order of importance that I would carry out is drawing up a list of potential organizations that I would want to work for…and at this time not care if they were hiring or not. The idea here is just to get this list fully completed with the knowledge that modifications will likely be made as necessary and as time passes.

 

Now, here comes the tip:

 

As “a part” of your SECOND most important undertaking as a job seeker, and once you have fully researched all the information you need regarding your list of potential employers, you should also visit and sign up with a web site called “Watch That Page” or http://www.watchthatpage.com

 

Why should you sign up ?

 

You’ll save a lot of time and (time) is the only commodity in life you can never recover. If you are a serious job seeker you need every moment of every working day to be productive in your job search. I think most of us can agree that as someone devoted to landing their next position, you can never know enough about a new potential employer. Moreover, many organizations are highly active in keeping their website pages up-to-date  especially in terms of its current openings page, the executive and sales team pages, and especially it’s PR or (latest) News page. These are pages you should be paying attention to !  

 

How is this a Guerrilla tip ?

 

Beyond the time savings, you will be automatically tracking employer web pages that could potentially be of value to you. That in turn can lend itself to opening up a number of way Guerrilla Job Seeker tactics could be put in motion to either swing an interview in your favor or “earn and interview” you may not have otherwise been granted !   

 

Now ask yourself what would be easier; taking the time to (manually) “frequently and deeply” comb through each and every website that is on your list of potential employers to harvest the latest information (or) being automatically notified anytime a page(s) change on those would-be employers websites ?

 

Interesting to note is that using “Watch That Page” is FREE…unless you get ridiculous and become an unadulterated power user.  I’ve been freely using Watch That Page for several years now and I have found it to be highly reliable. It has saved me hundreds of hours of mundane research.  What’s more is that it allows me to keep tabs on designated pages within websites of interest because when a “tracked” page has any changes, I am  notified either the same day or the next via email.  It’s a great research tool that I highly recommend you put to use today !   

Have a Great Guerrilla Day !

In closing, there are copycats out there but; if you or someone you know are looking for a new job, get one faster and would to like to learn more about authentic "Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters" training; don't be bashful, visit me at http://www.psychoape.com

While you are there don't forget to grab a copy of our FREE audio CD for Job Hunters --- a $ 50 value !

Mark J. Haluska

Watch How Job Seekers Overcome Age Bias

“Age Bias,” has become somewhat of a buzz word associated with job seekers over a given age, but let’s call it for what it is…Age Discrimination.  There I feel better now.

 

When does it begin  ? 

 

It’s been my experience that age discrimination starts rearing its ugly head when one is over 40 years of age and not 50 as is widely believed. 

 

Does age discrimination exist ?  I know it does, at least to some degree.

 

In fact, as an Executive Search Professional, I once had a new client (a household corporate name you would know) who screamed obscenities into my phone and further threatened to fire my search firm; if in the future we sent them anyone 40 or older. 

 

What was their (twisted) rationale ?

 

“People over 40 simply do not have enough (runway) left in their career to advance far in this company,” they were quoted as saying to me.  By the way, this was the belief and a rigid mandate set forth by the company’s Regional President who ironically enough was closing in on 60 !   

 

Did my firm get fired ? 

 

No, I fired the client because it is both wrong and illegal.  Now before anyone asks, when we took on this new client, they neglected to mention that they discriminated based on age. I can only assume that they were accustomed to working with recruiters who would look the other way; they must have assumed that my firm would do likewise.

 

Did I try to “educate” this Regional President as to the consequences of being convicted of Age Discrimination ?  

 

Yes I did, and to no avail.  His response was short and sweet, “That’s what our lawyers are for and that is the end of this discussion.”  Oh well, that just goes to show that not “everyone” in a position of authority will modify their moral compass even if at their own peril. 

 

So, how do the “more experienced” workers over 40 gain meaningful employment ?

 

First and foremost, even though you “feel” you may have been a victim of age discrimination it does not mean you in fact were. Let’s face it; on a national basis, this is likely the most competitive job market we have seen in our times.  You may have been a casualty due to the sheer numbers of unemployed people you are competing with.  Then again you may have been competing with a Guerrilla !   

 

If you are a job seeker over 40 or over 50 for that matter, here are seven rock-solid proven points to seriously consider while looking for your next gig:

 

• Your resume and cover letter must quickly and clearly articulate your value in that it addresses an employers primary pain points; no great revelation here except for the fact that very few people can skillfully do it.      
• Approach your search with an absolute goal in mind that goes above and beyond just getting “another” job.   
• Remember that what YOU want is of no significance to a potential employer.  
• Humanizing your job search is a cradle to grave undertaking, you must do so throughout the ENTIRE process. 
• It is of the essence that you’re talking and meeting with “yes” people.
• Don’t be a nuisance, but be “imaginatively” persistent with potential new employers.
• Networking, be it direct or indirect is still the number one proven way to land a new job. Learning to socially engineer your way into a new position will pay off.   

 

If I were to describe a “typical” Guerrilla Job Boot Camper,” they would be over 40 (or 50) and of course unemployed when they joined us; as a best guess I would have to say that less than 1% of our boot campers have been under 40 years of age.  

 

Go here to WATCH several short videos and see what these people did to overcome (either) real or imaged Age Discrimination. You’ll note that not one of them is under 40 !

 

http://www.psychoape.com/recommendations.html#video

 

Have a Great Guerrilla Day !

 

Mark J. Haluska

http://www.psychoape.com

724-495-2733

Job Seeker Goes Bizarre in Pittsburgh !

Meet Steve, a job seeker from Pittsburgh,PA.

You can actually “meet” Steve momentarily on a couple of short video interviews that Steve (along with my Guerrilla colleague Kevin Donlinand I) at a Holiday Inn just outside of the city last Tuesday.

When Steve was first laid off and as part of a severance package, his employer paid $ 5,600 for him to attend a short employment outplacement program with one of the well known “big boys” in the outplacement consulting industry.

The end result for Steve was that by using their recommended methods for finding a new job; he ended up submitting literally hundreds of resumes to prospective employers with nothing to show for his time and efforts. Before Steve knew it, he surpassed the one year mark of unemployment. By Steve’s own admission, he was losing confidence in himself and enough even some of his own identity.

Has this happened to any job seekers you know ?

Steve has been a financial service’s professional for nearly 30 years. Before joining us at the Guerrilla Boot Camp, the very few employers who actually did talk with him quickly dismissed his candidacy telling him that he was “overqualified.”

Do you know of any job seekers who have heard that line before ?

A brief history - Steve had been out of the workforce for 14 months and felt he was running out of options. As it turns out and unknown to me at the time, he had been following my blog postings for a time and decided he had nothing to lose by contacting us. Steve did so in January 2010 to ask about our 10 week Guerrilla Job Seekers Boot Camp.

Now the bizarre part:

While Steve was enrolled in our Guerrilla Job Seeker consulting program, (he was) all along sharing his experience regarding our unconventional tips, tricks and tactics with his immediate family members as well as a “job search buddy” we require all Guerrilla Job Seekers to enlist.

His “job search buddy “embraced our methods and was intrigued, but one Steve’s highly successful family members was quoted as saying, “Those things you are being advised to do in that boot camp are simply too bizarre ! “

I’ll let you as the reader be the judge.

I say that because what is truly “bizarre” is the fact that while Steve was enrolled in our job seeker boot camp, his first offer was delivered in a mere 4 weeks and 3 days after joining us. Furthermore, Steve was asked to entertain a total of six (6) offers after talking with eight (8) potential employers within that very short timeframe.

Oh, did I mention he only sent out a total of 10 resumes while working with us ?

In this day and age, that kind of job search success is staggering !

On a closing note and as I type this, Steve is savoring his hard earned job search victory with a start date of March 15th. He is a newly appointed Senior Vice President at a most prestigious organization here in Pittsburgh.

This new Guerrilla Boot Camp graduate is now positioned to earn nearly 4 times more in guaranteed base and potential bonus than he was “originally willing to settle for” because of 14 months of rejection by employers and resigning himself to the fact that; even if he did find a job, he may be forced to join the ranks of the grossly under-employed.

To watch Steve’s story…………..

Simply go to: http://www.psychoape.com and click on the button titled,” What Do Job Seekers Say about Us”

Once you have clicked on that button, near the top of the page there will be two side-by-side video’s featuring Steve. The videos are titled:

• “80% Interview Success Rate for Guerrilla Resume!”

• “Guerrilla Job Search Coaching: Shock and Awe!”

Have a Great Guerrilla Day !

In closing, if you or someone you know are looking for a new job, get one faster and would to like to learn more, don’t be bashful, visit me at http://www.psychoape.com

Mark J. Haluska

• One of only 4 certified Guerrilla Job Search Instructors in North America  

Publications:

· A Contributing Co-Author of the highly acclaimed "Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 2.0," 1,001 Unconventional Tips, Tricks and Tactics for Landing your Dream Job. Released June 2009  

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

• The Guerrilla Marketing series of books has sold over 20 million copies in 62 languages worldwide !  

·  Recommended reading for Corporate Hiring Authorities: “Executive Recruiting for Leaders,” Insider Secrets for Locating, Evaluating and Retaining Top Talent by David Perry and Mark J. Haluska, Released July 2008

 

Does “The Best” Resume Guarantee You an Interview ? (Part 2 of 3 Parts)

If you read Part 1 of this posting, you might be thinking, Mark you implied in Part 1 that more or less a high number of companies would want to interview me if I do a “Best Resume.”

Is that right ?

I would have to say, “Yes, that would be correct.”

As I stated in Part 1 of this article, your cover letter and resume “should “realistically net a 30% to 75% success rate in terms of being contacted by your targeted employers. Those percentages are based on the ranges that our Guerrilla Job Seeker clients have enjoyed to date, even in this recession !

As a practicing Executive Search Professional (aka Head Hunter), a Certified Guerrilla Job Search Coach and a contributing co-author of two best selling books on the subject both (published by Wiley) within the last 5 years, what I will say is that your cover letter and resume must pass the 15 – 20 second smell test or you’re toast.

Your cover letter must be concise and articulate your value to the point of making that potential employer slam on the on the breaks, come to a complete stop and really pay attention.

Likewise, your resume has to deliver a quick and hard one-two knockout punch. Your message has to hit them right between the eyes; because the clock will still be ticking on that 20 – 30 second smell test.

So, how would I define “the BASICS” of a “Best Resume” ?

Here are just 12 basic ideas to get you started.

As I stated in Part 1 of this article, your newly updated resume ought to be your 5th (fifth) priority when it comes to finding a new job. Now, aside from the usual punctuation, spelling and layout errors resumes are prone to have, here are some “BASIC and simple” Guerrilla rules: (Well they are not entirely trouble-free because it requires people to in fact think followed up by the execution of a well thought out game plan. )

1. Your cover letter must be aimed at the one person in the company who genuinely cares about filling the position. I say that because it just stands to reason that the job would not be open if the company did not have a dilemma on their hands in need of resolution.

2. The first thing the recipient at your target employer is going to read, if done properly, is your cover letter. If done as I suggested earlier in this article, this will at least get you on first base. Don’t believe all that blather that recruiters and employers “never” read cover letters. Many people WILL but only if the cover letter is personalized, intriguing, to the point, and begs for more.

3. Sign your cleverly created cover letter in light blue ink.

4. Add a post script at the end of the cover letter using a presumptive sales technique to close it out.

5. Your resume doesn’t necessarily have to be on top grade paper in most cases. Paper in the medium price range will do just fine as will the color of white.

6. Don’t use an ASCII (Plain Text) resume format unless you are expressly instructed to do so. ASCII resumes are first read by computers. To the human eye however appear and most often read like a Microsoft instruction manual. 

Due to time constrains I have to run for now. Let’s hook up in a day or two at the same place. I’ll outline the next 6 (six) additional points to consider relative to what constitutes a “Best Resume”  and also share with you an absolutley astonishing resume success story by a client of ours who did the exact things I am talking about and with astounding results.  

I hope you join me for Part 3 of this articleand in the meantime, have a Great Guerrilla Day !

In closing, if you or someone you know are looking for a new job, get one faster and would to like to learn more about authentic "Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters" training; don't be bashful, visit me at http://www.psychoape.com

Mark J. Haluska

Does “The Best” Resume Guarantee You an Interview … a MUST read (Part 1 of 2 Parts)

To quote Bill Clinton, “it depends what you mean by "The Best.”

Ok- that is not EXACTLY what Bill said, but you get the idea. :)

If you gave your resume to 10 different resume writers, (or wannabe writers) I’d venture to guess you’d likely get 8 to 10 diverse opinions as to “what” your resume really needs to be considered “The Best” and land you an interview invitation.

Did I mention that if you lost your job today, that scrambling to write / update your résumé should NOT be the FIRST thing that you do to find a new job?

Other than breaking the bad news to the family and filing for unemployment compensation of course, Guerrilla Job Seekers know that putting your “best” resume together should be the 5th (fifth) thing you would do as a matter of setting priorities in obtaining a new position. .

You read it right; the FIFTH chore you should carry out!

One thing that “most” resume writers will not disagree with is that your résumé is a very important part of your personal branding. Your resume AND cover letter should sell both the steak AND the sizzle at the same time!

Yes, despite what you may have read elsewhere, cover letters will be read IF you give the recipient a reason to do so !

More often than you would imagine, the most qualified person does not always get the position. I know this to be fact because I was a senior decision maker for years and (I) knowingly did not always make an offer to the “best qualified” applicant for a variety of reasons. Moreover, our Guerrilla Job Seeker Boot Campers have reported back to us scores of times where they were told after being hired that they were not “the most” qualified.

According to these new employers, it was their unique approach that put them over the top.

Why?

Because the best qualified individual was never viewed in quite the same light as the person who branded and marketed themselves as the ultimate commodity. In this highly competitive job market, these people discovered how to get, and then keep the attention of the prospective employer.

In fact, the best qualified candidate may never have been interviewed because of a poorly prepared resume, cover letter and then failure to follow-up. Then again, their resume may have just fallen into the HR Black Hole as a result of a poorly trained HR screener.

What is an ill-prepared resume?

Aside from the usual punctuation, spelling and layout errors resumes may have, an inadequate résumé is one that fails to compel of AT LEAST 3 of 10 carefully targeted hiring authorities to want to immediately talk with you. In fact, if you were to contact 20 targeted employers and batted a .750 (or a 75% call back rate) I would not at all be that surprised. It would not be the first time!!!!!!!

So, what I am saying is that “The Best” resumes can only be measured by the results you achieve in terms of invites for an interview.

Wow, in light of the competitive job market we’re facing today, that’s a bold statement isn’t it Mark ?

Due to time limitations today, I have to close for now. Catch me in the next business day or two and I’ll continue this thread, going over “the basics” of a “Best Resume.”

In closing, if you ever thought about being a Guerrilla Job Seeker, don’t to be bashful. Visit us at www.psychoape.com

There’s a FREE audio CD valued at $ 50 in it for you!                                        

Have a Great Guerrilla Day!
Mark J. Haluska   

                                               

Posted 1 day ago | Delete discussion

A Job Seekers Caveat Emptor (Part 2)

There are scam artists in all professions. Be it a doctor, investment advisor, lawyer, roofer, auto mechanic, you name it and you'll find someone who will intentionally take advantage of you. There are some so-called career coaches / counselors that are no different. The crooks live among us and they want your money and in actuality may offer little if anything in return.

Here are some other options both free and fee paid that you may want to consider:

You can go to one or more headhunters. Their services are free, but unless they have a position for you on their books, all they can really do is put you in their data base until something comes along for which you are an EXACT fit. Don’t ever count on the Executive Search Professional to find a job FOR YOU. It’s their job to find people for companies; not find jobs for people.

There are a gazillion blogs out there that you can start to follow on line. In fact there are so many out there, you’ll never have time to proactively look for a job if you spend all of your time following them. I would suggest that you pick a select handful of blogs or articles that are written by credible sources and seem to offer helpful advice and follow them. Don’t be bashful about asking forum questions if you have that option. You are welcome to do so in this group !

Join local job seeker networking groups. If you reside in a different area outside of the geographical area where you want to work, find a virtual networking group(s) located in that region. The most successful participants in these groups seem to be those who attend the meetings and are people who freely offer to be of assistance to others when they can in order to get help from others later. Joining these groups also gives you a good excuse to get out of the house and interact with others.

Most likely there are free job seeker services in your area that are available to you and they have been known to be very helpful. These may be funded via a federal, state or local government agency or they may be a registered non-profit entity. Give the free services a shot because it shouldn't cost you a dime. (Ok, some non-profits might ask for literally a dollar or so "donation" but hopefully that would be deemed a value on your part---- because it is --- and they have expenses too)

If after a 6 to 8 weeks (or so) taking advantage of the previously mentioned free services, you've still gained no real traction in your job search; you should recognize that you're market value (in the meantime) is more often than not diminishing to prospective employers the longer you are out of work.

For that reason alone, it might be time to seriously consider talking with a legitimate professional who has the credentials to help you build your professional branding. This step would require an investment on your part; therefore you need to take it upon yourself to perform your own due diligence. Talk with the prospective coach / counselor, ask questions, etc., but be wary of any out-and-out verbal or worthlessly written “guarantees” of a new job because THAT does sound too good to be true. There are simply too many variables for anyone to make such a claim.

Lastly, there are legitimate career coaches / counselors out there who are former HR executives. At first glance that may sound great but that credential alone may not be enough if YOU are a paying client. If outside the corporate world, they have no demonstrable track record of “helping” job seekers (as a coach / counselor) find work in a variety of professions, verticals and levels, you might want to keep looking.

"Let the Buyer Beware," and hopefully you will not get swindled into working with a scammer. He is just one link you might want to visit: http://www.rileyguide.com/scams.html

Have a great Guerrilla Day !

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:

[email protected]

or call me at 724-495-2733.

Mark J. Haluska
Real Time NetWork & Guerrilla Job Search International
724-495-2733

• Certified "Guerrilla Job Search Boot Camp" Instructor.

• Contributing Co-Author of "Guerrilla 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, “Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters,” 400 Unconventional Tips, Tricks and Tactics for Landing your Dream Job. Released in 2005

A Job Seekers Caveat Emptor (Part 1)

Caveat emptor is Latin for "Let the Buyer Beware." Early on and before our time, caveat emptor was acknowledged as the property law doctrine that controlled the sale of real property after the closing date.

In this day and age, it seems to me as a layman that caveat emptor is more loosely and frequently identified as a transaction between two parties when most anything is purchased, be it a piece of property or any type of good or service.

Most of us have learned as adults, for every unfortunate situation where a buck can be made in our society, someone with nefarious intentions will seize an opportunity. In this case I am talking about Job Seeker scams on the part of some so-called "career coaches / consultants."

You'll find these "consultants” on the internet with impressive looking web sites. They'll also typically run large display ads in metropolitan newspapers in the employment section. These companies have been known to make claim to having an "in" with not just a few, but rather many HR departments at the largest most attractive companies. In their ads and on their web sites they will list dozens of blind ad jobs with salaries ranging from $ 50,000 to $ 750,000 or more. Although their marketing materials look and sound too good to be true, it's a fact, desperate people are known to do desperate things and often times become victims.

Here's just one example as to how these people have been known to successfully suck people in: You contacted them so they already assume you are unemployed and desperate so; after you have found their ad, you are directed to call them to set up an appointment to "visit their office" or you can email mail them with your particulars and they will call you for the same purpose.

In this instance, the key is to get you to go to their office. When you arrive on site, they will greet you, tell you how wonderful your background and experience is; then you'll fill out a stack of paperwork, you’ll meet with a couple of people, perhaps be assigned a so-called “specialist” and then they’ll verbally tell you that for X dollars they will "GET you a new job."

Being on their on their home turf you will endure a well scripted nuclear powered sales pitch detailing all ways they can "supposedly" GET you a new job. They'll also try to convince you that you need them more than they need you.

Based on my research on career consultant "scammers," the average fees are just over $ 5,000. I read one article about a man (an ex-employee of one of these consulting firms whose conscience got the best of him) who stated that when it came to job seeker fees, "the sky was the limit." What I gathered from that courageous confession is that attractive commission were tied to closing the deal and to pull as much money out of the hopeful job seeker as possible.

Catch up with me on Tuesday, December 29th when I'll post Part 2
and learn how you can avoid being A Job Seekers Caveat Emptor Loser.

Have a great Guerrilla Day !

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:

[email protected]

or call me at 724-495-2733.

Mark J. Haluska
Real Time NetWork & Guerrilla Job Search International
724-495-2733

• Certified "Guerrilla Job Search Boot Camp" Instructor.

• Contributing Co-Author of the highly acclaimed "Guerrilla 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, “Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters,” 400 Unconventional Tips, Tricks and Tactics for Landing your Dream Job. Released in 2005

What is the better “value,” the book Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 2.0, the Guerrilla Job Search Home Study Course or the Guerrilla Job Seekers Boot Camp ?

This is Part 1 of a 4 Part Discussion.

I have been asked this question many times over by job seekers via email, a blog posting or in an informational phone call. Not to be presumptuous but what most people are really asking when I drill down is; what is the most economical way to become a Guerrilla at little or no cost. As a side note, Outplacement counseling is roughly a 3 Billion dollar business in North America.  

But back to the question: 

Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 2.0 - is your best value “if” what one is really wants to know, “what is the cheapest” way Guerrilla tactics can be learned. For about the cost of taking three people to McDonalds for an Extra Value Meal, you can purchase the book and within days start putting to use the tactics that thousands of other people already have done to land their next job.

Imitation may be deemed the best form of flattery, but we’re finding and pursuing outplacement people /companies who are using our material and putting it out as their own. This practice IS NOT authorized for any reason, and a subject for later, but my point is that others are repurposing our information and are presenting it. That in and of itself should tell you something if one has to mull over the small cost of the book !

Quite frankly though, if you could invest in only one of our products, one "might" say there is a shortcoming to purchasing the book say as opposed to the Home Study Course or the 10 Week Guerrilla Job Seeker Boot Camp. (David is going to kill me for this :) 

The first down side is that the publisher of the book (Wiley Brothers) would permit only so many words that could be printed in order for Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 2.0 to be retailed at a certain selling point. That is simply how things are done in the world of big time publishing. As a result, it was not possible to make the book as all-inclusive as we would have preferred.

In fact, there was enough material left over that we could easily put to market “Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 2.1, the unpublished chapters” if we chose to do so. (More about this exciting and unknown bit of news later in this 4 part article--- and how You can gain access to this information)

Also on the down side in regards “Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 2.0” is the fact that the book was intended for people who will “on their own accord,” get off thier duffs, step away from their computer, stop reading endless job board listings and be daring enough to step out on a ledge and do things that others simply would not to attempt to do. I’m not talking about purchasing costly bill board space or walking around with a sandwich board strapped to your chest and back. Thankfully, we’re a little more sophisticated than that.

In the book we don’t ask job seekers to take any risks what-so-ever, but rather the reader is taught how to keep their opportunity funnel filled and genuinely stand apart from the crowd. The reader is also shown how to and deliver their value proposition in a clear and concise fashion that will garner the attention of the right people within an organization. So this book like any other informational publication where one has to literally “put words to action” is not for those who at least without being literally pushed, are reluctant to follow instructions to the letter.

Lastly, the single biggest down side of purchasing the book versus our other products, is that the reader is not entitled to have the advantage of receiving “free” phone access to author David Perry, or contributing co-authors, Kevin Donlin or myself (Mark J. Haluska) or all three of us together for that matter; to acquire additional one-on-one advice or coaching when it might be needed at a most critical moment in your job search.

Due to space limitations I have to run for now. Tomorrow I'll talk about the upside of investing in the book, Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters, 2.0  and why contrary to the belief of some, why the book is also very suitable for most blue collar workers !  

In closing, if someone you know is out of work and would benefit from our FREE audio on How to Land a Job Even in the Recession of 2009 (a $ 50 value) simply send them to my link at: http://tinyurl.com/cpkwha         Supplies are limited !

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 Guerrilla job search assistance, contact me at: [email protected] or 724-495-2733 for information.

Mark J. Haluska

• A Contributing Co-Author of "Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters" and "Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 2.0," 1,001 Unconventional Tips, Tricks and Tactics for Landing your Dream Job.

* Certified Guerrilla Job Seeker Instructor

 

I'm not getting any response from recruiters after I contact them with my resume ! (Part 2)

 

* It could be the case that your resume and cover letter looks like everyone else’s. In a word boring. My time is limited and the only non-renewable resource I have. Therefore, like all the other executive search professionals I know in North America your resume has 30 seconds or less to impress me. If your resume and cover letter grab my attention, it would be because you’ve gone above and beyond what most job seekers do to clearly show me your value proposition. Doing so would prompt me to call you as soon as possible !

You asked about follow up and how. I would suggest you do so, and the phone should to the trick; but be mindful of the fact that the recruiter does not work for you as s/he is not on your payroll. Even if you feel justified in giving him/her a piece of your mind because of the time it has taken to reach that recruiter, be on your best behavior otherwise your resume will end up in the shredder before the phone conversation is over. Putting your best foot forward and making a call every couple of weeks, if just to leave a voice mail should eventually result in contact with the recruiter.

Your question does not hint at what your profession is, but I would suggest that you seek out a few recruiters who specialize in your field as they are most likely to be the people who may have something for you and if not, they may know another recruiter who does. If the recruiter belongs to a split network such as Top Echelon (www.topechelon.com) he/she will be highly motivated to share you with another recruiter because the fee would be split between them should you be hired.

One final suggestion is to use Google. Suppose you were in Human Resources. Simply go to the Google search bar and type in “recruiters who specialize in human resources.” That will result in 10,100,000 results. The above search string works for any profession.

Once you have checked out some of the firms who specialize in your area expertise reach out to some of them. Try one or two local ones first but don’t feel hesitant to talk with other firms hundreds or thousands of miles away. As long as they specialize in your field is all that matters.

Hopefully I have answered your questions. By following the advice I’ve “hinted” at herein, recruiters will get back with you.

Best of luck with your job search !

For information on corporate sponsored outplacement services, career coaching, resume assistance, the Guerrilla Job Seeker10 week boot camp, or if you would prefer personal one-on-one Guerilla job search assistance, contact me at: [email protected] or contact my office at 724-495-2733.

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

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

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

• I'm one of only 4 certified "Guerrilla Job Search Boot Camp" Instructors in North America

• Recommended reading for Corporate Hiring Authorities: “Executive Recruiting for Leaders,” Insider Secrets for Locating, Evaluating and Retaining Top Talent by David Perry and Mark J. Haluska 

 

 

 

Revealed: The 5 Secrets For Job Search Success -- Do You Have What It Takes?”

Join Keviln Donlin and myself [David Perry] for a FREE Guerrilla Job Search Boot Camp online tele-seminar on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2008  click here for details.This is for anyone who's looking for a job, having trouble writing a resume that gets results of is working with a recruiter.  there are only a limited number of phone lines available.  Don't wait to sign up - do it now! the advice is patterned after my book Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters
 

Q: What are some keywords that you look for when you're trying to place the right candidate with the right company?

A: Key words which are specific to an industry vertical. For example ‘SQL” or “ERP” as opposed to sales or management which are generic.

Q: How can you tell a sincere job posting from a fluffed up job posting?

A: It’s more than 25 words long. A sincere ad will as much try to screen people out as in. For example minimum requirements often means exactly that. If you don’t know the difference between thermal underwear and a thermal coupler – you shouldn’t apply – chances are your transferable skills won’t be enough. Sometimes it really is rocket science.

Q: How much do people embellish when they're writing job postings?

A: Job ads are designed to arouse your interest and entice you to apply. So often times it’s what ever goes – from the “team” you’d work with to the technology or even the location. Recruiters always ask themselves what sets this opportunity apart from everything else out there especially if the job isn’t deemed to be glamorous.  They're selling "sex" and "power".