Anatomy of a Job Search: Reactive and Proactive Seeking

Being unemployed for the better part of the last two months I’ve learned that one of the most stressful adult activities is looking for a job when you don’t have one. If you have a job and are looking, it’s a whole different world: you are often not rushed or pressured and most importantly you already have a paycheck coming.  If you don’t have a job, you already have one strike against you in your job search. Employers want to know WHY it is you aren’t working. Many employers won’t even hire someone that is unemployed. As a recruiter, I often subscribed to that philosophy; but after being unemployed I’ve learned how disadvantaged this philosophy can be.

I began my job search with energy, enthusiasm and confidence. I had no doubt in my mind that employers would be flocking to me in the hundreds—all wanting a piece of what I bring to the table.

Wrong!

Given that I moved to Nowheresville, USA, at least an hour outside of any respectable job market, the economy is down, I’ve technically had two jobs in the past year,  and I bear that curse of being unemployed, I’ve found that I have had to be much more proactive in my job search. Where some will post their resume on a few job boards, sit back and wait to be called, I’ve had a much more aggressive strategy. If you are unemployed, searching for a job is your JOB. If you are unemployed and forget that… well… you might just be unemployed for awhile.

Accustomed to a 9-5 workday, I set up my unemployed “workday” in the same fashion.  I organize my days into reactive and proactive job seeking. I usually start with a cup of Starbuck’s finest and the local paper and dive into what is a farce of employment classifieds. Though I’m pretty certain my next career won’t result from a 4 liner about sending faxes and answering phones, I read them out of curiosity and amusement. At times I’ve even sent my resume to a few of them, but often get called back about selling timeshares or working a $40k job for ten bucks an hour. No thanks.

I often wonder if there are deranged psycho killers out there that post to the print classifieds simply to get resumes to target new victims. I know it sounds horribly morbid—but you have to admit it would be a great idea if you were into stalking and heavy breathing on the phone and then hanging up.

I also give the classifieds on Craig’s List a daily nod, but there actually ARE documented cases of psycho’s and rapists using the site, so I generally take all postings with a grain of salt.

After I’ve pondered the finer points of classified advertising, I usually move on to the internet and scope out the newest job postings on Indeed.com. If you are in a job search and not familiar with Indeed.com I suggest you tattoo the site into your arm. Or just remember it. Your choice.

Indeed is a search agent that does a sweep of all the job boards out there. Therefore, instead of logging into Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com and anything else.com, you can do a quick sweep of all these sites with Indeed. It really is quite fabulous.

Next is where many jobseekers quit for the day, and I move into proactive job searching. Using tools like LinkedIn.com (another one to tattoo/remember), chamber of commerce websites, association websites (SHRM, etc), the Yellow Pages and actual face to face networking I target companies I’m interested in working for a jobs that aren’t made public. More than half of the jobs out there aren’t made public—so how do you find them? Like so:

Not sure which companies you want to work for? Do some Google and Yellowpages.com searches to find the companies in your area that would be of interest. If you have Microsoft Access or Excel create a database or spreadsheet of the companies, locations and contact names. Otherwise just write it all down. You will NOT remember everything so make sure to keep a record of your research. Start calling into companies and ask for human resources or the hiring manager, etc. Introduce yourself over the phone—keep it simple but sell yourself, and always get an email address to send a follow up email—regardless if they are hiring or not.  Should your search extend beyond a month, you’ll want to follow up with them again in a month. Also it’s always good to ask who their biggest competitors are to get more job leads.

Create a LinkedIn.com professional profile. Use all the emails you have collected from already calling into companies and invite these people to connect with you on LinkedIn. Use the search feature to look up the names of companies you want to work for. Find out who is the director of HR, or marketing, or graphics or whatever department you are interested in. Either connect with that person directly on LinkedIn, or find out the company’s phone number and call directly in for the person and introduce yourself. If you are more introverted, you can be introduced to other people through your established contacts. Also check out the LinkedIn job board and questions and answers section to make more connections and increase your visability.

Another way to search for local businesses and get contact information is to check out your local chamber of commerce website. Usually you can scroll through companies by industry, so you can target the industries you are looking to work for. Connect via email or call the contact person listed with companies on the chamber. Mention that even if they cannot help you with your job search, you’d appreciate any job referrals or industry connections. 

You can also use the local chamber as a means of face to face networking. Most chambers are more than welcoming of guests and visitors, so either get a current member to invite you to a networking event or just show up ready roll! I’ve made numerous connections this way! I even printed up some free business cards at www.vistaprint.com with my contact information and have passed them out at these events. Among a pull of decision makers and business owners, I am usually the only jobseeker—and thus I am received well for my efforts!

Apply the same to local associations related to your career—check out their website and make connections with members as well as try to attend some events.

An approach that might scare some is what I like to call “cold calling myself”. Having some experience in outside sales, I got used to scoping out buildings and going floor by floor stopping into offices and leaving information. If you are brave enough, you can do the same thing with your resume. Scout out buildings that look like places you could see yourself working, dress professionally and arm yourself with dozens of resumes. You might even get some really friendly results when it is realized you are not there to actually sell something (besides yourself, that is). Many employers might find this to be a daring and creative move as well. Other times, you may be asked to leave or met by a sour-faced gate keeper that hands you a business card and sends you on your way. It’s really luck of the draw.

Some other interesting and creative proactive ideas:

“Here in London a woman once released 100 balloons with her CV (resume) attached and a message that she’s looking for a new job. 

Someone found one of the balloons and offered her a job in an advertising agencies, as she proofed to be very creative.”

- Eugene Rembor, MBA,Senior Partner of Rembor & Partners Ltd.

“Looking to relocate back to the Bay Area from Seattle, I used the Silicon Valley Business Journal’s ‘Book of Lists’ to find perspective companies to work for. It was a wealth of knowledge. 

I went through the book page by page, sending out a zillion resumes and cover letters, followed by numerous phone calls and emails. 
One of the companies listed on the Top 100 Fastest Growing Companies List was a relatively unknown company called “UniDirect”, currently called Rainmaker Systems (RMKR). 
I got the interview, the job offer, moved back to California and the rest is history!”

-Heather Gardner, Recruiter

“When I was in college some enterprising lad about to graduate from the business school put on his best suit, made a nice sign touting his education and potential then went and stood at a prime intersection near the business district. 

I don’t recall if he got a job, but he got an interview and he made the local newspaper.”

- Mark Ernest, Florida Certified General Contractor; Developer; Entrepreneur

 

“The most successful strategy I’ve seen in the last couple years is where the candidate doesn’t send a resume, ever, because that’s what all the other candidates do. You must clearly differentiate yourself from the throngs. Instead, send a 2-page value proposition letter that outlines the 3 specifc ways you will bring value to the target firm. For example: new clients, new funding, new employees.”

-Gordon Miller, Executive Coach, Boomer Careers, Best-Selling Author, Keynote Speaker

“Examine every affinity group you are part of and join or start new ones. Sites such as www.corporatealumni.com, and www.classmates.com are great places to connect with people who already know and trust you. Supplement on-line networking with a strong in-person campaign that includes visibility in professional organizations, college alumni groups, and community affiliations. 

Add a mix of social and business on-line networking tools to your search and start blogging on your area of expertise or leave comments on blogs that are relevant to your profession or industry. 
Build professional profiles on Zoom Info, Ziggs, and Naymz. Do something for your network and professional network every day and make it fun so you stick to it.”

-Barbara Safani, President, Career Solvers. Certified Professional Resume Writer and Career Coach

 

“Find 5 companies you want to work for. Rank them from 1 – 5, 1 would of course be your top choice. Start at 5 and call the person who heads up the devision you want to work for. Give them 3 reasons why you want to work for them and 1 reason why they should hire you. 

By the time you get to the interview with company 3, 2 and 1 you should have the pick of the lot!!! 

Good Luck!!!”

- Rebecca Sargeant, Professional Placement Recruiter at Volt Information Science