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Listen to the interview and please share your thoughts and networking advice for others below. I’d love to hear what you think!
2008 – 2010 (c) Career Attraction – All Rights Reserved

• Be Proactive: Don’t assume the reference and reference checker will connect. Find out who will be calling your reference and let your reference know. I would suggest taking the steps to help schedule it. Not only will this help make certain it happens, but your reference will be in a better state of mind and more prepared for the call. You want them focused on selling you, not multitasking by driving, checking emails, etc..
• Prepare Your Reference: Schedule a call with your reference to review your background and the position you are interviewing for. Send them a copy of your resume. You want them understanding why this is a great job for you. They need to both think and speak in terms of why your past accomplishments are an indicator of what you are going to do for your future employer. It is all about being specific, quantifying and qualifying why you are the best hire – period.
• You are Only Good at What You Check: Follow up with your reference afterwards to find to how the call went. Were there any stumbling points? Any red flags they think you might need to address or be aware of? This way you know if there are any points you need to go back and re-address or affirm with your future employer.

There reference check is so much more than verifying employment. By taking these steps, you will not only properly prepare your reference, but you might discover you need to replace one of the people on your list. Remember, knowing they are checking references doesn’t mean you have the job, but it does mean you are a finalist. This is the last leg of your journey, so it’s time to pull out all the stops. Make sure your references tip the scales in your favor!

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It’s not about resumes, job boards, recruiters or even networking. As Your Career Attraction Mentor, Kevin Kermes will show you how to stop chasing after jobs and start attracting opportunities. He believes you are at your best when you can be yourself. Sounds like a better approach, doesn’t it? You can get more free advice like this by visiting him at www.careerattraction.com

© 2008 – 2010 – Kevin Kermes Inc

For the past two years, I’ve been training on a new, more effective way to tackle the job search. You know how I feel about the status quo: job boards, recruiters, applying on-line and even what’s becoming the traditional take on using social media. It’s broken. For those who have been Bootcamp or Mastermind clients, you know exactly what I am talking about and have experienced how we have re-defined the job search.

Now it’s time to take it a step further…an evolution of sorts. One that encompasses career management over all – whether you are in the midst of the hunt for a new position, trying to map out a new career path or simply want more stability in your current track.

So, what is Career Attraction?

It’s a complete approach (philosophy, mindset and system) of positioning yourself in an authentic way to simply and naturally attract the opportunities that are the right fit for you. The traditional job search – even career management – schools of thought are largely “push” marketing. This is much more along the lines of “pull” marketing, where your audience self-selects and comes to you.

It’s not about what to write on your resume, redesigning cover letters, what to say to recruiters, how to navigate job boards or even the “hidden” job market…and it’s definitely not about standing out in a crowd.

It’s about getting out of the crowd, becoming a hub for information, being a beacon in your area of expertise (a concept we will redefine) and creating a new level of career security – all while being the most authentic version of you (and smoothing what can be the confusing line between your professional and personal persona).

Over the next few weeks, we are going to dive into some of these concepts head first through interviews, articles and some free training – into the breach style. If you’ve been a reader for some time, you are going to love where we are going…and feel free to bring along a friend or two by forwarding this post along. I appreciate you paying-it-forward!

If it’s your first time here, welcome! Your timing couldn’t be better. And, so you don’t miss a step on the journey, sign up below to get all the freebies I will be sharing moving forward.

I want you to think of LinkedIn like your personal White Pages. The more first degree connections you have, the larger your phonebook. I’ve written before about my philosophy that out of quantity, quality is born. The tool I highly recommend to all my clients for building a vast 1st level of likeminded networkers is OpenNetworker. After signing up with them, you will see your connections grow exponentially…as well as your ability to find the people with whom you want an audience. In my case, simply by signing up, my connections went from around 1000 about 18 months ago (which took me almost 4 years to build) to over 10,000 as of this blog…connecting me to over 17,000,000 LinkedIn users.

What I am going to walk you through today is only one of the techniques I teach in my Bootcamp.  Adopting this approach, I want to show you how you can get in front of more hiring managers and take control of what they are hearing and seeing about you:

1. Getting Started – Here are the basics that you need:
• The name of the company,
• The role (you can select more than one, if you are uncertain) to which you would be reporting. You are looking for decision makers here – not HR or recruiters. In the video, I walk through this step-by-step (there is more information on this below).

2. Searching on LinkedIn – Using this criteria, conduct a search on LinkedIn to find the right point of contact – who you would be reporting to in your ideal role. Write down their full name. If you are on the fence about who your ideal contact is, take down all the possible options you can find in LinkedIn.

Tip: I recommend starting your search as broad as possible. Run it by company only, and then start adding in criteria like location, title or keywords. It’s always better to cast a wide net to begin with and then narrow your search.

3. Googling the Email Format – Since you are going to be reaching out to this contact on your own, we are going to move from LinkedIn to Google. If you think you might have a good contact to use instead of making your own introduction, that’s fine. But, I recommend using my “Litmus Test” in the tip below before relying on someone else to get you in the door. You need to know exactly how good an advocate they are going to be.

Tip: When trying to decide whether you should use a connection for an introduction or go it alone, use this easy litmus test. Ask your connection if they are willing to make a call to the contact you are trying to reach. If they are reluctant to do so and only offer to email – or worse yet, put your resume in front of someone in HR – politely thank them and go it alone. Someone with a solid relationship that bears weight won’t hesitate to pick up the phone. Anything else is simply an introduction with no teeth and a missed opportunity to make a meaningful first impression.

Using Google, add the “@” sign in front of the URL of the company in the search box. In the video, I use the example of Applied Robotics. You can see below what that search looks like.

You may need to dig through a page or two of search results to find the format. I also share some secrets on uncovering hard-to-find email format in the video walking you through this technique. If you enter your name and email below, I will send you a link to the short video that includes more tips and walks you through this process step-by-step.

Once you have found the format, use the contact name you found through LinkedIn and apply the format to it. You can then reach out directly to this potential hiring manager without being concerned about HR, recruiters or any other gate keepers.

As always, share your comments below. I always want to hear that you think!

Click here to listen to my answers to your questions.

If you have a question about the program that wasn’t answered in the recording, feel free to leave a comment below and I will make sure to respond ASAP!

Let’s face it, if you have been networking you have probably asked for a lot. Leads on new opportunities, connecting with decision makers and the list goes on. And, I’m not here to tell you that you shouldn’t be networking and asking for these things – you absolutely should. But, there is balance…and the balance to receiving is giving. So, I’m going to share what I told my Career Attraction University members yesterday about how to do this and why you should be doing this (beyond the obvious reason that it’s simply the right thing to do. That should be enough, right?):

Your List – Start here. Take everyone you have spoken to or interacted with during your job search. From that trusted advisor and mentor who you touch base with weekly down to the recruiter who rubbed you the wrong way and you barely spoke to once. By the way, if you don’t have a list of everyone you have connected with this is a prime time to create one. This is your network. Some pieces may be stronger than others, but every interaction is an opportunity to strengthen that relationship and build new ones.

Pick up the Phone – This is about being interactive and dynamic. Email is static. Grab the phone and call the people on your list. You can make 1000 excuses why not to do it (my industry likes email, I don’t know some of these people that well, I don’t have their number, etc..). In order – if everyone is emailing, it’s easier to stand out via phone. If you don’t know the person well, what better way to get to know them better? Don’t have the number – Google the company and call the main switchboard.

Bottom line, you will get infinitely more out of a conversation and you can steer it more than a one dimensional email. Plus, you are going to be offering to help them – why wouldn’t they want to hear from you? If you get voicemail, you can send a short email following up…but make sure you lead with a call – it will make all the difference.

The Call – I’m not a fan of scripts, but here is the gist of what you should say in your call. Adjust the verbiage to fit your audience:

“Hi _________, it’s _________. You have been great about helping me in my job search and I simply wanted to return the favor. I’m wondering how I might be able to help you? What’s on your plate right now that you could use some help with resource-wise?”

Short and sweet.

Calling a peer or potential hiring contact? Maybe they are working on a project and need help locating some resources? This gives you a reason to call other people inside, or outside, your network…growing your network, demonstrating you are “plugged in” and calling for a reason other than looking to get something for yourself.

Calling a recruiter or someone in HR? Offer to help them with candidates for searches they are conducting. While I’ve never been in HR, I can tell you from my years as a headhunter that I knew the people who would always help me network and they were my first call. So, if you aren’t getting a call back from the search firms or internal recruiters as you would like – this is the easiest way to fix that. Create a reason for why they will always want to call you first.

Ask for Nothing – this is key to your success here. It’s not about immediate reciprocity. The benefits you will receive will become apparent in short order, like I shared in both examples…and more.

If they ask about your search, certainly tell them. If they ask if they can help, I’d simply ask who they know in (your field, industry, area of focus) that they hold in high regard with whom you can network. Reassure them that you are just looking to broaden your network and you aren’t going to hit them up for a job (listen to my interview with Michael Kerman – he does this beautifully). And, again, push to meet in person if physically possible. It’s all about getting face-to-face time with people. The phone is closer to that than email (which is why I am a big fan of it), but getting in front of someone is much more effective in working towards “know, like and trust.”

Going Viral and “Paying it Forward” – Finally, I’d like to leave you with this thought. Between my newsletter (21K readers), this blog (2K+ visitors daily) and the social networks I post on (1M+ potential readers), this could have an incredible, collective effect if every job seeker reading it took action. Imagine your call jogging the memory of someone in your network to call an unemployed friend. Maybe it makes them think of you for a certain position. Maybe you are that friend for someone else’s call. Who knows? What I do know is that this “pay it forward” effect will only be more exponential in its impact if everyone takes this step together.

So, make your list, pick up the phone and start asking what you can do for your network. Then come back here and share your comments and results below – I’d love to hear from you (and so would everyone else!).

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I interviewed a guy one time for an Art Director position at an Advertising Agency where I was the Creative Director. I had received about 200 resumes. This guy had some outstanding history of work, so I called him in. It started off rather rough when I called him. He seemed reluctant to come in and I finally coaxed him into telling me why. He “lied” that he was in Atlanta and that he was trying to move to town with a relative but had not done so. He was living three hours away. That didn’t bother me, so I made an appointment with him in the afternoon.

When he arrived, he looked a bit frazzled and I asked how his drive was. If I recall right, he had slept in too late and had to rush out the door to get to the interview on time. I like honesty, even when it hurts. So I let that go. I figured at least the guy won’t lie to me as to why he might miss work or will be late. As I looked over his portfolio I was very impressed with his art, style, and concepts. But, while I’m looking over his last few pieces, I realize he has his head down on the table. I asked if everything is alright. He didn’t even look up, but spoke to the table and said he’s fine, he’s “just a little nervous.”

I tell him I’m done looking at the portfolio and start asking him questions. He sits up and stares straight down at his shoes and answers the questions. I again tried to set him at ease. This time he says he has some nervous habits in interviews and apologizes. He can handle about two questions before he politely asks if I mind if he turns around. I said “Yes,” thinking he’d need a small break from the interview. Instead, after about a minute with his back to me (in a high back swivel chair), he waves his hand and says “you can continue with questions.”

I told him I’m on his side, I like his work and to not be so nervous. For the most part he has the job, but we just have to go through some formalities. He stayed facing the other way and says “Thank you.” I couldn’t resist and started asking him questions about his portfolio so he’d have to turn around and look at me. Instead he reaches his hand around behind him and asks me to hand him the piece in question. I did.

After about two pieces I couldn’t take it, I had to share this experience with someone else. I told him that the General Manager would likely want to talk to him before signing any paperwork. I went into the GM’s office and said “You won’t believe this.” The GM and I returned to the room where the interview was taking place and the guy had his head down on the desk. The GM introduced himself and he looks up slouched over the table and shakes the GM’s hand. Then promptly puts his head in his hands with his elbows on the table. The GM looked at me and had the biggest grin on his face. The GM then proceeded to ask him if he’s nervous and tries to get the guy to relax. The guy excuses himself to go to the bathroom. While he was out the GM and I had a good ‘ol laugh.

Upon his return the guy asks if there’d be more to the interview. I said yes. He sits down and turns around with his back to both me and the GM. Again, smiles between me and the GM. The GM asks a few questions that the guy answers. The GM while having fun decides he’s had his laugh for the day, stands up and walks in front of the guy and says, “well, you and Gary can work out the details but I thought you might like to see my face before I go.”

The guy confesses to me that he has some sort of fear of people. I told him his job is to interact with people. He asked if
there is a way around that. I said I can try, but I’m busy too and he’ll have to interact with the Account Execs pretty much on a daily basis. He politely tells me he may not be the guy for the job.

Do you have strange tales from the job search? If so, please share them with us at info@careerattraction.com. (note – I will never reprint your story without your express consent).

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• Reflection of Your Interest – the ease with which you can apply to jobs on-line is the exact reason that a cover letter is paramount. It is a strong indicator that you are serious about your candidacy, not just slinging your resume out thre to see where it sticks.
• Template versus Boilerplate – Having a standard cover letter is a starting point, not something to arbitrarily cut-and-paste each time you apply. Make sure the document reads like it is written for the reader and only the reader. Ask yourself this – aren’t you more apt to take the time to read a letter you can tell was written just for you versus one that is clearly generic? I know I am.
• It’s All About Standing Apart from the Crowd – as unemployment continues to increase, so does your pool of competition. Differentiating is the name of the game now more than ever. Your cover letter is the perfect platform to do just that.
• The Interview Before the Interview – Every C level executive I work with says the same thing. They use the cover letter as a barometer to gauge a candidate’s ability to effectively communicate. This is an ideal time to showcase your written communication skills.
• Recruiters Don’t Read Them – Yes and no. The good ones do and the others should. For all the reasons listed here plus it gives them pre-packaged selling points for their clients, should they consider you a candidate. They, after all, are another example of an interview before the interview.  Remember this though – for all the advice you might get from recruiters, they are never the one who hires you.

Are cover letter sometimes overlooked? Yes. On the other hand, they are quite often a deciding factor as to whether or not you will get an interview. So, take the time to put together a document that reflects you and why you should be considered over the other hundreds of applicants. This attention to detail could be the first step towards getting you the interview you want and the job you deserve.

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http://www.careerattraction.com/5-reasons/ http://www.careerattraction.com/5-reasons/#comments Tue, 30 Mar 2010 12:41:12 +0000 admin http://www.careerattraction.com/?p=4520 There’s a lot of static out there about Social Media and its place in the job search process. Many think it is a bit time drain with little return on investment. And, like anything else, without a “plan” it can be just that. But, properly implemented, it can be a more powerful catalyst to getting your job search engine off and running than just about any other single tool out there. This is largely because it embodies a collection of qualities that, combined, can streamline your search efforts while putting the maximum amount of pressure on a pinpoint area – your target position:

Visibility – These mediums allow you access to an unlimited amount of professionals within your targeted audience. What’s more, Social Media sites by definition allow for and promote the organization of niche “groups” which make finding your audience that much easier. LinkedIn is a prime example of this, but Facebook and YouTube as well.

Transparency – This is a bit of a mantra to your success in Social Media environments. I like to equate it to going to a party. Would you set up a table and starting pitching your product (i.e. “Here I am, looking for a job”) or begin by connecting on common ground? This is particularly true on Twitter – one of the more transparent tools out there. It is the first step in the process of “Know, Like, Trust,” which we all go through in determining what we are going to buy. Or, in this case, who they are going to hire.

“Pay it Forward” – Coupled with transparency, it is the second key to success in Social Media. Help others to not only get them to help you but, of equal importance, discover who will help you. And, by way of this assistance, you get a third party endorsement or recommendation. You can start doing it by simply asking others, “How can I help you?”

Nobodies are the New Somebodies – Borrowed from Guy Kawasaki, in the simplest of terms you don’t know who can help you nor do you know who knows who. Connecting with the big wigs in your industry through Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn can be fun, but it’s that avid networker who you have never met or heard of who is your better bet.

The Quality is in the Quantity – This is how you get to the “Nobody Somebodies.” By using tools like Opennetworker, you can build a network of likeminded, “give to get” individuals rapidly on a number of platforms (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc.). By having a large number of connections, you have more choices from which to drill down and develop deeper, more meaningful connections. Think of it like filling your own networking event: pack the hall with as many folks as possible and then work the room to see who can help you (and, of course, who you can help).

It’s clear that Social Media isn’t the fad some first claimed it to be. It is almost equally as pervasive off-line as it is on-line. By incorporating it on the front end of your job search efforts to “fill the funnel,” you will not only more effectively tie in with the opportunities you seek but also uncover that elusive “hidden job market.”

And, as always, let me know what you think my chiming in below!

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WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE, BLOG OR WEB SITE? You can as long as you include this blurb with it: Kevin Kermes publishes the ‘Build the Career Your Deserve’ e-zine with over 21,000+ subscribers. If you are ready to empower yourself with the vital tools and information necessary to find the job you want and build the successful career you deserve, visit him now www.careerattraction.com

2008 – 2010 © Kevin Kermes Inc. – All Rights Reserved

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