New Year, New You, New Job!

It's a brand new year so get moving! A job search started in January is already behind the competition a little so get your act together now. Look at what worked for you last year and what didn't. Always learn from your mistakes and ask for advice at every turn. Re-tool your resume, apply to jobs that you are qualified for (not just interested in or would like to do) and get some interviews!

Now is the time to get your resumes out there and to create some interview action for yourself. Hiring managers are back at their desks and ready to hire. (Probably because their boss is saying "Have you filled that job yet?") Right now they are getting budgets approved and you must have your resume in front of them in case they need to "create a new position" just for you or their "add to staff" request has been approved.

Get out there and be persistent. Keep calling those managers or HR people until they give you an interview time or give you the boot. Either way you know what's going on and aren't in limbo. Getting the "We'll call you" line will not work for you this year and will not pay the bills. Get them to fess up on what is going on, ask them "Do you see a reason why my skills and experience are lacking for this position or why I may be perceived as not qualified for this job?" Don't be afraid to hit them with the hard questions.

Till next time. Good luck!
Scott

Don't apply!

Every day I receive tons of resumes from individuals with no qualifications related to the job I have posted. It is useless to send resumes blindly to HR professionals in response to an ad for a job which you have no qualifications to perform. Candidates often question why they do not get responses to their resumes. It is because you are applying for a job that you are not qualified for.

You are wasting valuable time if you are sending resumes in response to an engineering position and you are an accountant. If you do not match the required qualifications listed in a job posting do not respond to it. If you are close to the position described, it is not a big stretch for you or you have done the job recently... then certainly apply. Hiring managers are looking for specific people for specific jobs with very specific skills. Don't apply to jobs that you would "like" to do all day long. You have to find jobs for which you are qualified.

Better Tactic: Do send your resume to anyone you can find... though send it to them directly. Simply state that you are a great ____ and are searching for a great new position and to keep you in mind. If you see a posting by a recruiter online, find that person's direct email and send them a resume with a nice short cover letter. If the posting lists no contact person or email, find the company's website and apply online or send it to their general HR email box. Or, mail them a copy though the mail! Physically mailed resumes always get priority since they have to handle the resume and at least look at it.

Good luck!

The job market is up and down... as usual.

The job market these days is up and down, all over the place, great in some areas and bad in others. Overall, most people are working, unemployment remains low and there are a lot of new jobs being created.

Over the last three months my recruiting firm has picked up many new clients who are investing in new companies, growing their operations and expanding their workforce. The trick when finding a new job is to make good connections in your city and finding contacts that can help you market your skills.

Get your resume together, make new contacts each day, get out of the house and be realistic. If you need to take a cut in pay to accept a new job, think about what you have lost already by being unemployed. If you're out of work and used to make $100k per year, you're loosing over $8,000 each month by staying unemployed. Positions with lower salaries are fine, get in there, prove your worth and make your own way. You will succeed!

Till next time, good luck! Scott

Get Outside!

Too often I talk with people asking tons of questions, revising their resume 500 times, stressing about their interview or stuck for new ideas.

Get outside! Go roam around your local community, find some local networking events to attend or go to a chamber of commerce luncheon. If you are inside all day, your competition is going to beat you every time. You are competing for a job against some pretty smart people out there. Get out and make some personal contacts.

The old saying: "It's not what you know it's who you know" is partly true. People will refer you into their company and help you get a job if they know you. It's your major advantage! Who do you know? Go out and have lunch with them today.

Till next time. Good luck! Scott.

The Waiting Game

I get lots of questions on how long to wait for a response after a resume submission, after an interview or a second interview etc. Here are some good guidelines to help you time your communications:

Submitting a resume: Submit your resume the instant you see a new posting. Do not wait one more second, you want to be first in line and consideration.

Confirming receipt of your resume: After you submit your resume, wait two days then start calling HR or the hiring manager to confirm receipt. Try the first day and if you get someone, or leave a message, sneak in a short commercial about yourself. "Hello, This is ___ and I submitted my resume two days ago regarding the x position. I have 5 years of ___ experience and believe I would be a great fit for you position. I would love to discuss this opportunity with you, please give me a call at your earliest convenience."

Leaving more messages: Leave a message with your contacts every three to four days until they call you back or give you a time line for follow up. 80% of the time you will get the "brush off" by them saying "We'll call you." Be polite and courteous though keep calling about every 4-5 days anyway after the brush off. You will get a more concrete answer sooner if you keep yourself in their minds.

After your First interview: Send a mailed or e-mailed thank you letter early the next morning and follow up with a call after two days. Simply ask for the progress on the position/other interviews/feedback and when you might be able to come in to meet more people for a second interview.

After the Second Interview: Call every 3-4 days to check in and to stress your interest plus to reinforce your fit for the position.

HR vs. Recruiters: HR folks are trained to get you off the phone quickly while Recruiters may give you a straighter answer and may tolerate more follow up calls from you.

Stay positive, courteous and respect everyone's time though be persistent and you will not fall through the cracks. Candidates who consistently follow up get to the finish line faster and more often.

Till next time. Good luck! Scott

Networking - Using your contacts

Networking to find a new job is one of your best tools. You have tons of friends, former work colleagues and contacts in the local community that want to help you succeed. You need to start making a list of all those people then call each and every one. Tell everyone that you are looking for a great new position and be specific. You will trigger 1,000% more leads if you say "I am looking for a new Sales Manager job in Industrial Products" other than "I'm looking for something maybe in sales, not sure what I want to do."

Develop a short script if you like to get into the practice of calling people, catching up and then asking them if they know of any great companies or other people in your field that you can network with. Ask them who they know is great around town and a great networking source as well. Your goal is to find all the good companies in town, not necessarily just the ones that your friends think are hiring at this time. Your call and lead list should mushroom quickly.

Call your friends, take them out for lunch one on one and ask them for some advice and LEADS.

Till next time. Good Luck! Scott

New Website Updates

Check out all the new updates to FreeJobSearchHelp.com! I have added hundreds of real work from home job opportunities (Under the "Work From Home" section), links to the most popular online job boards and resume services right on the home page plus more answers to tough questions (Under "Your Career Questions Answered").

Check back weekly for more updates and click all around!

Till next time. Good luck! Scott