Monday, March 16, 2009

The Seven Ways Job Hunters Get Interviews



The are times when conducting research for a post or an article when I say to myself, “this guy says it as well as anyone, even better than me!” This is indeed one of those times.

I wanted to write a short, thumbnail version of the most important ways in which job searchers get interviews. There are books, courses, coaches and articles out there, and it can become a little overwhelming, so I wanted to boil it all down to a few key approaches.

Well, here are pearls of wisdom from Orville Pierson, a globally recognized leader in the field of outplacement services and author of The Unwritten Rules of the Highly Effective Job Search. In addition to his writing and speaking, Orville works for one of the most recognized career services firms, Lee Hecht Harrision. He summarizes the topic of landing an interview very well. Read on:


“When job hunters get interviews, it’s pretty much always because they engaged in one of seven job search activities. Unfortunately, these activities are not always well-understood. Even some of the popular job hunting books define them incorrectly and confuse them with each other.

It doesn’t matter which ones you use. It only matters that you’re getting interviews. To use any of them well, you need to understand how they work and how to best use them.

Here are the seven, in approximate order of effectiveness. The first three are the ones that prove successful for the vast majority of job hunters.

1. Networking. This is certainly the most misunderstood job hunting technique. It’s also the one that is most likely to work for most job hunters. That’s not something I made up. There have been scientific studies on it.

At Lee Hecht Harrison, where I work, we provide job search assistance services for as many as 100,000 unemployed people a year. Most start out by saying that they don’t have a large enough network. Or that’s networking is too difficult, or somehow problematic. Or that they don’t know anyone important.

Then they learn how to do it and find jobs.

2. Headhunters and Staffing Firms. Executive search firms (retained search) are how many job hunters with salaries over $100,000 find employment. For those at lower salaries, it’s more likely to be staffing firms (contingency search).

3. Internet Postings and Newspaper Ads. Many job hunters find jobs this way. The surest way to find out if you’re one of them is to try it. If you’re not getting interviews - or if there aren’t enough listings in your field – you’ll need to try another of the seven techniques.

Personally I don’t think you should wait the 30 to 60 days it might take to know for sure if this method is working -- especially if you’re unemployed. Why not get started with other activities right away? The same is true of headhunters.

4. Cold Calling. The definition of cold calling is telephoning total strangers without being introduced to them. These are people who never heard of you and who have not posted any job openings. Some job hunting books confuse this with networking, but in networking you are talking only to people you know or to those you’ve been introduced to by people you know.

While cold calling is effective for a small percentage of job hunters, most have difficulty with the high rejection rate that goes with this kind of telemarketing activity.

5. Direct Mail. This is sending letters and resumes to total strangers who have not posted any job openings. When you are on the receiving end of this kind of communication, you call it “spam” or “junk mail.” It works for a small percentage of job hunters, but – like cold calling -- it requires very large numbers of contacts.

6. Applications. If you’re thinking of government employment, applications are an essential part of the process. Some lower-paying private sector jobs are filled this way, but at the middle and higher income levels, it’s much more likely that you’ll complete an application after they decide to hire you – if at all.

7. Walking In. Presenting yourself in person at the place of employment is a good technique for some hourly jobs and a few entry-level salaried jobs. But it’s very time-consuming. The higher your earnings, the less likely this is to be appropriate – or effective.

Before you jump into a job search, I hope you'll take the time to understand these seven approaches and ascertain which are most appropriate for your particular search. Then use them in the context of a planned job search and you'll be on your way to success.”

Thanks, Orville. And to you, my colleagues engaged in a job search….The very best of success and remember to Keep Careering Today and Everyday.

Mark

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