Need a Job? Go Where the Employers Are Looking

With the dawn of 2010, countless optimistic job seekers either began, or renewed their resolutions to find their great new job.  With layoff numbers and the unemployment count still growing throughout the United States, many of these diligent and hopeful applicants have become discouraged.  What guidance can we offer to the thousands of qualified, though jobless workers who are simultaneously searching for their next opportunity? You can start by changing your strategy, renewing your efforts, and going directly to the source.

We took the advice of knowledgeable career advancement professionals, and honed in on some of the most significant and effective methods currently practiced by leading hiring managers when seeking their new prospects. We found the most useful approaches focus on connecting candidates to their prospective employers in more direct and personal ways. The trick is to go where hiring organizations are looking. If you know where they’ll go, then you can be there to find.   This could be a very powerful advantage in today’s over-populated job market.

The Resume Bear team did some digging; then found and identified some of today’s top 5 most productive ways to look for a job:

Search EVERY Day

Although this might be easier said, than done; searching the job boards, newspapers, and sundry other techniques of job hunting on a daily basis will greatly increase your chances of finding that great new job. Many job seekers spend as much time hunting as they would if they were working, by searching early and often.

Consider that 62% of prospective employers have said that they generally try to fill all open positions within 30 days of becoming available.  Furthermore, a disproportionately large 35% of hiring managers said they try to fill open positions within two weeks!  Procrastination will kill your chances of landing the interview if you don’t keep up with the new jobs as soon as they are available.  Your best chances are within a few days of the job posting, and your best way to keep up with them is to spend the time to search every day, and continually follow through with correspondences with a sense of urgency.

Become Your Own Boss

Although companies may cut costs to stay afloat by handing out pink slips, those same organizations will still need for their business to run efficiently to stay in business.  Many companies are combating the money problem of paying full time employees by cutting costs and hiring independent consultants for individual projects and services.  The cost of retaining a permanent, full time staff will cause many businesses to go under in tough times. Hiring an independent contractor gives them more options, and takes away  additional costly expenses of paying regular employees, like benefit packages  and paid vacation time. Thus, businesses which might have gone under can keep going.

Freelancing your skills will keep them sharp and fresh; and can expand your networking base with entirely new types of business contacts.

Furthermore, in many cases; independent contractors will become indispensible parts of business, and can lead to a regular full time job within the company.

Becoming your own boss and successfully selling your services can open doors you have never imagined your find.  It is a wonderful way to showcase your talents, and build your resume and experience.  Take the time to check out Career sites specifically dedicated to freelancers like the popular Sologig.com.

Attend Career/Job fairs

Job fairs might intimidate the faint of heart. Some feel they are a tedious waste of time spent filling out countless applications to no avail.  That being said, keep in mind the only reason they even exist is so applicants and recruiters can interact face-to-face in a more casual atmosphere – almost like a preliminary interview.

Job fairs allow hiring managers to scope out dozens of candidates in a very short time. They can then weed more quickly through the mounds of applications with a little more knowledge of the candidate because only at a job fair can they put a face to the name on the resume before an interview. Job fairs provide also provide a very good outlet for networking because they are a place where employers are comfortable chatting with applicants in a less structured, non-corporate atmosphere. In a less intimidating environment, people feel more at ease opening a conversation with a higher-up in the company, who ordinarily they would never dare approach.

Cultivate Your Networking

If you have ever read our blog before, you may have picked up on a common pattern: Networking! We continually encourage our readers to spend time on a regular basis building their networking circle; whether through internet social networking systems like Linkedin, or by simply schmoozing at a party, job fair, or corporate dinner.  The benefits of networking are infinite, and can lead to opportunities you may have never dreamed of.

It’s all about who you know – or more importantly, who knows you – and is willing to vouch for you. Experts now estimate that upwards of 75% of open jobs are filled through candidates with personal referrals from trusted colleagues.  Corporate hiring managers would rather go with a recommendation then weed through hundreds of applications and resumes. It generally saves time, resources, and their head ache. Which leads us once again to -

Obtain a Personal Referral

(Excerpted from our original article on the Personal Referral. Click the link above to learn more about the advantages of personal referrals)

‘Personal employee referrals are widely considered to be the single best way for employers to find reliable new hires in the vastly oversaturated job market.  With so many potentially qualified job seekers looking for work, many managers strongly prefer considering applicants who have been previously recommended by a trusted colleague, or valued employee.  Scoring the coveted “personal referral” with the hiring manager can not only get you an interview, but can also offer a hearty advantage over any competition before you even set foot in the door.’

The jump-start offered to you through a personal recommendation could go far beyond what the most impressive resume or cover letter ever could. Nick Corcodilos, author of the book Ask The Headhunter: Reinventing the Interview to Win the Job, suggests that job seekers should not be fearful of asking for personal referrals and recommendations from trusted friends and former colleagues, because when done correctly the entire process should be a positive experience for both.  Corcodilos explains that not only will the referral benefit from a positive recommendation, but “so do I, because the quality of the introductions I make reflect on me and my credibility grows.”

However, as always, with privilege comes responsibility.  Never take advantage of a person offering a personal recommendation for you.  Be sure to follow through with your part,  conducting yourself in a professional way.  Misusing the advantage or failing to follow up with the hiring manager will not only hurt you, but cause the person referring you to lose some trustworthiness. “Treat a personal referral with respect”, says Corcodilos, “because someone put his reputation on the line for you. Follow up. Call the person who’s expecting your call. Behave like the person that I have vouched you to be.  But if you squander my assets, don’t ever call me again.”

Now go out and get hunting!