When It’s Best NOT to Ask for a Job (from the Build the Career You Deserve e-zine)
When It’s Best NOT to Ask for a Job
This past week, one of my clients was asking me for advice on how best to network at an upcoming tradeshow for a new job. She is unemployed, but thought the event would be a prime opportunity to get in front of some people and get her name out there. Rightly so! She went on to say that while she knew she should go, the whole thing was making her uncomfortable. “I don’t want to be walking around with a stack of resumes asking people if they are hiring.” My advice: Don’t take your resume and don’t ask for a job. Here is what I told her to do:
The Introduction – You aren’t going to be the only one working a tradeshow or networking event in hopes of finding a job. So, how do you differentiate? Don’t ask who is hiring. In introducing yourself, you are going to say who you “were” with – stating you are not working and implying you are looking. There is no need to go beyond that. If you are at a tradeshow, chances are the person you are talking to is ecstatic that they still have a job. So, shift the conversation to them. What presentations or speakers are they going to hear? What new products or solutions are they rolling out? Talk about anything other than your job search. If they are looking to hire, they will drive it to you.
The Give to Get – Do your homework BEFORE the event. Who are the speakers and presenters? What topics are they covering? Research an article that is timely and pertinent to anyone who would be interested in those speakers. When you are “introducing” yourself, bring up the article. When you find out they didn’t read it or haven’t seen it, offer to email them a copy. They will give you their information, you have just made a new contact and you have established yourself as someone in the “know.” Again, don’t ask who is hiring.
The Follow up – After the event, email those contact you have made with the link to the article you discussed. This is when you can ask them to help you network. If you are interested in their company specifically, ask to be introduced to a hiring manager how covers that area in which you want to work (not HR). Otherwise, try asking them this: “Would you introduce me to the top 3 people you hold in the highest regard in your industry?” These can be former/current peers or bosses. Ideally, steer away from asking about who is hiring – it pigeon holes your networking and can keep you from the 2nd or 3rd degree of separation that will be your next job.
Differentiation is the key to standing out in what is becoming a very crowded job market. You need to take advantage of every opportunity when you can showcase your subject matter expertise in your field. Having conversations like these not only helps the person you are aiming to network with, but shows that you are on top of your game and the current events in your industry. This is all part of creating demand in the brand you want them to buy: You.
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Want to learn more about Your Solution and uncovering the “hidden job market?” Listen to a recording of my – “5 Secrets to the Perfect Job Search” webinar.
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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 complete blurb with it: Kevin Kermes publishes the ‘Build the Career Your Deserve’ e-zine with over 17,000+ 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 – 2009 (c) Kevin Kermes Inc. – All Rights Reserved
Focus on the “Now” (from the Build the Career You Deserve e-zine)
Focus on the “Now”
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
The quote is from Buddha. While I am not sure if he experienced the frustration that can come along with a job search, I think his advice is very fitting. Clients constantly tell me how they feel like their search is taking too long, they are lacking focus since they are looking at so many different things or they simply do not think they are making process. If you are experiencing any of this in your search, here is some advice to help you focus on the “now.”
The Push and The Pull – Every search has a Push and a Pull. The Push is the reason you are leaving (or have left) your current (or past) job. The Pull is what is attracting you to your new job. Too often, by dwelling in the past you end up focusing on the Push. This is a lot like talking about an “ex” on a first date. A little bit can go a long way (in a bad way). Focus on the moment, which is the company you are pursuing and why they are a good fit for you.
Work in Blocks – Most people are looking at multiple opportunities across a wide array of industries – particularly if you are looking to change fields. It is typical to be left feeling a little scattered and without focus when jostling all these different positions in various stages of progress. Try breaking down your time into blocks. You can organize the time blocks by specific industry or by activity type (follow up calls, check-in emails, etc.). This allows you to get into a groove and get the most out of a set of like tasks, versus constantly shifting gears.
The Interview – Simply put, your job at each phase of the interview is to get invited back for the next interview. Do not worry about how many steps are in the process. Do not worry about compensation. Keep focused on stating your track record of accomplishments and the ROI the company will get by hiring you. This will put you in a position to not only be invited back, but in doing so you can figure out if this is the right job for you.
Patience – It isn’t a virtue, it is a requirement. The average job search is taking 2 weeks per 10K (i.e. – 20 weeks/5 months for 100K in salary). Companies are taking their time to make the right hire which is resulting in a longer process than we have seen in years. Have a system to follow up and keep in touch with your prospective employer(s). Demonstrating patience will only help raise your stock, since so your competition is likely not playing it as cool as you will be.
Sucking the Marrow – Be in the “now” for every call, email or meeting. You need to be constantly expanding your network, so whenever you are in communication with someone get the most out of that conversation. Who else do they know? Who is hiring? Get everything you can out of each interaction. And, always remember “give to get.”
This process is a marathon, not a sprint – particularly in this economy. Keep that perspective and focus on making forward progress every day. That may be a positive conversation that leads to a new introduction can be just as valuable in the long run as an interview.
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Frustrated by your job search? Applying to jobs boards but never hearing back? Learn the secrets to uncovering the “hidden” job market, standout from the crowd and cut your job search time in half.
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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 complete blurb with it: Kevin Kermes publishes the ‘Build the Career Your Deserve’ e-zine with over 17,000+ 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 – 2009 (c) Kevin Kermes Inc. – All Rights Reserved
What Can I Do for You? (from the Build the Career You Deserve e-zine)
What Can I Do for You?
I appreciate you taking a minute (and that is all it takes) to complete this survey. I will be using the results to deliver some really BIG things for you this year. And my way of saying “thank you” is to give all the participants a free trial membership when I roll out the Career Mastermind Program.
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Kevin is the Founder of Build the Career You Deserve, a company devoted to empowering professionals with the vital tools and information necessary to find the job they want and build the successful career they deserve. Sign up for his free e-zine – Build the Career You Deserve – for insider tips on how to do just that!
2008 – 2009 (c) Kevin Kermes Inc. – All Rights Reserved
Kevin Kermes, Founder of Build the Career You Deserve, Interviewed by Industry Guru Bill Vick
I was pretty blown away when Bill Vick asked to interview me for his Employment Digest website. For those of you who arent familiar with Bill, he is a renowned guru in talent acquisition. In this short video we talk about the challenges in finding a job in the current ecomony, the hidden job market and my new program “How to Get the Job You Want.”
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Kevin is the Founder of Build the Career You Deserve a company devoted to empowering professionals with the vital tools and information necessary to find the job they want and build the successful career they deserve. Sign up for his free e-zine – Build the Career You Deserve – for insider tips on how to do just that!
Finding the “Open Door” in the Job Market – from the Build the Career You Deserve e-zine
Finding the “Open Door” in the Job Market
In last week’s article, we talked about turning rejection into opportunity. Given the current economic climate – Unemployment numbers at just over 7%, financial institutions and the auto makers are in crisis mode, the housing market is taking a beating – I thought discussing how the current job market looks opportunity-wise might be timely. My answer is likely going to surprise you. I see a lot of opportunity out there.
The reality is that there are a lot of examples of failure out there right now. The ability to shine when the economy is rolling – to be the king or queen of “low hanging fruit” – is rather easy. But challenging times require a different skill set – more leadership, more resourcefulness and more creativity – to shine. As I work with clients, these are some of the areas we focus on to develop opportunities:
· Leadership, leadership, leadership. Poor leadership is what got us into many of these messes and strong leadership is what is needed to correct the course. In the Infantry we used to say, “There are no bad soldiers, only bad leaders.”
· If you have a track record of success and can quantify and qualify those accomplishments (saving money, making money, creating efficiencies), wayward companies who realize they are in bad shape need your expertise.
· Along those same lines, experience with companies where you had to do more with less is key right now. Every company is aiming to be as efficient as possible. You can highlight your success (I refer to this as “Your Solution”) here with a small company and leverage it into a larger one where they need creative thinking.
· Consulting is a very attractive option. Many companies need change agents for the interim while they transition. This can be a very lucrative and rewarding avenue if you are unemployed and a senior executive. Keep your options open here.
No doubt, the economy has presented some unique challenges. But, in keeping with economics, the terms of supply and demand come to mind. And, for those with the skill sets outlined above, the demand is high but the supply (or your competition) is low. I am fond of the saying, “When one door closes, another one opens.” I think that is very fitting here.
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Avoid the job boards,
work around recruiters
and find the job you want in half the time.
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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 complete blurb with it: Kevin Kermes publishes the ‘Build the Career Your Deserve’ e-zine with over 17,000+ 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
2008-2009 © Kevin Kermes Inc. – All Rights Reserved
