HOW TO GET WHAT YOU WANT

The following three strategies have worked well for me in my business career. These are ways I used for improving my effectiveness. I highly recommend these strategies to achieve superior results.

Prioritize tasks for tomorrow: At the end of each business day, make a list of the five (5) most important things you have to accomplish the following day. Now rank these items in terms of their importance to you. When you arrive for work the following day, handle each listed item in the order of its importance. Begin with item number one on your list, and then go on to complete the remaining items on your list in the order of their priority. Make a new list of tasks for the following day, in the order of their priority, at the end of each day. You need to make it a habit to prepare this list before going home each day. It is very easy to validate the effectiveness of this approach. Just pursue this approach for two days, and I believe you will be amazed by how much you are able to accomplish by following the list of prioritized tasks.

Be fully prepared for each business meeting: This means preparing an agenda for what you want to accomplish in each meeting and putting together the resources to support your objective. Whenever you are in a meeting of any kind – a staff meeting or meeting with outside vendors, clients, or prospects – everyone else in the meeting room is trying to judge you. They judge you by the way you present your thoughts and yourself and how you interact with others. The kind of impression you create at the meeting depends on how well prepared you are, how attentively you listen to others, and whether you are able to build rapport with others attending the meeting. As an example, whenever I went for a meeting with a client or prospect to develop additional business, I always prepared a written statement of my objectives and how I was going to accomplish those objectives. I made it a practice to have enough copies of a prepared agenda with me and a written presentation to leave behind. When you approach a task well prepared, it is probable that you will be able to accomplish your objective.

Identify personal development needs: While most companies have training programs for their employees, and some use outside training courses and seminars, the ultimate responsibility for personal development rests with each individual employee. We live in an environment of on-going change. There are changes taking place all the time in our employer organizations, our industries, and the overall economy. We need to regularly ask ourselves the question: “How can I grow my career considering the changes taking place around me?” Your answer will help you identify your personal development needs, and open up new directions and opportunities for your career. You should take full advantage of training courses made available by your company, and also seek out seminars and professional meetings that will help you grow your knowledge. You will be able to advance your career rapidly when you follow this strategy.

TARGET COMPANIES FOR JOB SEARCH

Targeting companies of special interest to you is the most effective strategy for job search. This is particularly true when you are looking for a senior level position.

This strategy begins with research into your target industry, and leads to the identification of companies that interest you based on size, growth potential, location and other factors important to you.

You will need to regularly update your target list based on research and your contacts with these companies. This process will also yield information about the names and titles of persons you need to approach in each company. You can find the list of companies by going to the yellow pages of the local phone directories, business directories available in public libraries, as well as online directories. Once you have a list of potential employers, you can research them by going to the employer websites, reading employer’s annual reports, and searching for outside profiles of employers such as those available at www.hoovers.com. Some of the online business directories also include links to company websites. Another element in this research is to go to a search engine such as www.google.com  and find additional information about the company’s products, customers, and senior officers, which will enable you to network your way into those companies, or make direct contact with hiring managers. This approach requires a clear understanding of your skills and interests, and the ability to conduct extensive research of possible employers. It requires deciding what kind of companies to research, what to look for, and how to prioritize the companies you have picked.

When you have researched your target companies, you will know their operations, and the type of opportunities available with them that match your skills and experiences. You should send a personalized letter to the hiring manager at each company explaining how your background and experiences match the company’s requirements, and attach a copy of your resume. You should state in your letter when you will call the hiring manager to set up an appointment for interview. In addition to approaching target companies by mail, you could call the hiring manager on the phone, briefly describe your qualifications and job interest, and try to get an appointment for a face-to-face interview. Remember to prepare a written outline of what you are going to say before you make that phone call. You should be able to set up some job interviews using this approach. Another possible approach is to go to the employer location, and try to meet with the hiring manager without an appointment. If you are not able to see the hiring manager, try to get a date and time when you could come back for an interview. If you are told there are no job openings, express your interest in future vacancies, and still try to get an interview. A personal visit to the job location can help you to establish contacts. Also, this is an opportunity to pick up some literature about the employer that could help you when you come back for an interview.

While large companies remain excellent places to work, many small to medium size companies are offering wonderful career opportunities.

Small companies give you the opportunity to be a big fish in a small pond. You can have broader responsibility and more impact on the company’s operation in a short time. When preparing a list of your target companies, do not limit yourself to just large corporations. There is often big opportunity in small companies. If you are planning to target small companies, you can often find opportunities by contacting venture capital firms, private equity firms, small business services, and corporate attorneys who maintain a roster of small to medium sized clients. By going to people who work closely with smaller companies, you can often get a warm introduction into several companies at once. Many firms that work with small and medium businesses are happy to make introductions to senior management at their client companies because it demonstrates additional value that they provide to the small and medium business owner.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE JOB SEARCH

Social media is a new class of Internet sites, services, and applications that facilitate conversations between their users. The most popular and famous social network is Facebook, but there are hundreds of other social media websites that attract users based on their social affinity. Social media has transformed many ways that people interact including one of the most important interactions – connecting employers with current and potential employees.

Using Social Media in Your Job Search

Social media can be an invaluable asset in all steps of the job search process including networking, finding prospective employers, creating a strong resume, preparing for interviews, and cultivating strong references.

Social media can be your most valuable resource for networking.

In years passed, the only way to meet and make an impression on new people was through face-to-face forums such as networking receptions and conferences. Today, with the help of blogs, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media sites, it is possible to establish personal and professional relationships without ever meeting face-to-face. As a first step, consider starting a blog or a micro-blog. A well regarded and informative blog can be your most valuable networking asset. It is an ideal demonstration of your knowledge of a particular subject and your ability to communicate in writing, and it will be a catalyst to help you start conversations with your peers and leaders in your industry. A good blog has a purpose; so do not create a blog that is an unstructured journal of your thoughts. Instead, pick a topic for your blog that you are knowledgeable about and that others will find valuable. In order for your blog to be useful and gain popularity, you should plan to post at least once a week. If you do not have the time to make that much of a commitment to your blog, consider creating a micro-blog on a site like Twitter. As with a long-format blog, your Twitter or micro-blog account should have a primary purpose that is valuable to your peers and leaders in your industry.

Use your online network to find prospective employers.

There is an adage that the best jobs are taken before most people even know about them. This is because people turn to their personal network first when trying to fill a key job, and they feel much more confident hiring someone they know or someone that comes recommended from a trusted source. Start your job search by reaching out to your friends on Facebook and connections on LinkedIn. These resources will help you find positions that may not be listed yet or that are being recruited for using a closed process.

Your online presence is a critical component of your resume.

 Just as you must research companies online before submitting your application, hiring managers will often research a candidate online before extending an invitation for job interview. As a result, your online presence is a critical aspect of your candidacy and you must manage it with the same attention as your resume. Any information available online can and often will be used by recruiters in evaluating candidates. As part of the process of creating your resume, you should create a profile on LinkedIn that describes your experience accurately, effectively, and in sufficient detail. If you have a website or a blog, make sure your biographical information is up to date. If appropriate you may want to dedicate part of your site to your job search by including an online version of your resume or a portfolio of past projects and accomplishments. Be aware that employers may use any aspect of your online presence to evaluate your candidacy. Make sure that all aspects of your website and social networking profiles portray you in the best light.

Use your social network to prepare for interviews.

Before interviewing at a company, look on social media sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook to see if you know anyone that currently or previously worked at the company. You should consider reaching out to direct connections, and also to friends of friends. Most people are willing to discuss their experiences provided that you are respectful of their time and do not pry into subjects that may be governed by confidentiality. Before each of these conversations, prepare a short list of questions to make sure that you can get maximum benefit from the opportunity. In some cases, making a good impression on a current employee can have a positive impact on your candidacy.

Use LinkedIn to cultivate your references.

LinkedIn has an invaluable feature that allows people to post recommendations for you to your LinkedIn profile. Prospective employers may use these recommendations to gain insights into what your peers think of you and how they describe your positive traits. While these recommendations will not take the place of personal references, they do provide an important source of information for hiring managers. LinkedIn recommendations can be a great way for you to start the process of cultivating a strong set of references. Follow these steps to cultivate your references via LinkedIn.

1. Begin by setting up your LinkedIn profile.
2. Establish your LinkedIn network by reaching out to those you know.
3. Select LinkedIn connections who you feel would be willing to create a recommendation for your profile.
4. Reach out to the list of LinkedIn connections with something like this: “I am in the process of seeking job opportunities. You are a trusted colleague and I would value your recommendation on LinkedIn.” You may want to include some information to remind that person of projects that you worked on together and project accomplishments that you are particularly proud of.
5. Most often, only a subset of persons you approached will create recommendations for you. You will have the opportunity to accept or reject those recommendations.
6. Reach out to the people who took the time to create the best recommendations for you and ask them if they would be willing to act as a personal reference.

Making the Most of Social Media

Social media sites can be your biggest asset in finding and attaining your dream job. They provide an unprecedented way to strengthen your personal network and demonstrate the knowledge and skills that prospective employers are looking for. Creating a strong online presence takes time and dedication, but it is well worth the effort. Prospective employers and recruiters are increasingly relying on social media to find and research candidates. In the best case, you will find that the tables are turned – job opportunities will find you.

A Word of Caution

As with any powerful tool, using social media requires some caution. It is said that the Internet is written in ink, not pencil. Anything you do online is recorded, and you may not always have the ability to control the dissemination of that information. Take care to post only that information which you would not mind sharing with current and future employers. It can be impossible to retract an ill-advised comment or inappropriate photo. So if you wouldn’t do it at work, don’t do it on line.

CONTACTING HEADHUNTERS

Executive recruiters or headhunters as they are more commonly known, work from outside the hiring company to attract management talent.

Headhunters advertise jobs, interview candidates, and present suitable candidates for final decision to be made by the employer. They have access to senior management jobs around the world. They often determine which candidates are to be introduced to client organizations. The employers hire search firms to find special talent which is in short supply. Executive recruiters look for candidates who are currently employed, have a good growth record, and are making good compensation.

Headhunters can be very helpful to you at some time in your career. It is wise to cultivate relationships with some of them in your field. When you meet a search firm’s criteria, you get immediate attention. On the other hand, remember that search firms work for employers and get paid by them. When you do not get a response from a search firm, it means that you do not meet their criteria for positions they are trying to fill.

There are two types of executive search firms – retained search firms and contingency search firms. Retained search firms generally have an exclusive assignment to fill a specific position, and they get their fee even if they are not able to fill the position. Contingency search firms are paid a fee only when they fill a position.

The starting point for your approach to executive search firms is to realize that they are not under any obligation to talk to you. Their fees and expenses are paid by hiring companies, and their primary obligation is to the employers. However, they need suitable candidates to meet their obligation to client organizations. A recruiter from a search firm would be interested in talking to you only when you are a good match for a current search assignment, a possible match for a future assignment, or when you are referred by a good source known to the search firm.

The search firms receive hundreds of resumes for each job posting. They go through a quick screening to find possible candidates. As a recruiter, I was able to find only one or two candidates for phone interviews, out of every 100 resumes I received. The other applicants did not fit my area of recruiting specialization, lacked the required qualifications, or just did not generate any interest for further investigation.

Whenever sending your resume to a search firm, remember to include a cover note pointing out how you fit the job requirements for an advertised position or the search firm’s area of specialization.

When you are contacted by an executive search firm, you should expect to answer questions about your background, experience, and current compensation. The recruiter is trying to determine whether to consider you for referral to the client organization. Any attempt to withhold information or provide a vague answer is likely to disqualify you from further consideration.

When the headhunter thinks you are a possible match with the job requirements, you will probably have a phone interview to be followed by face-to-face interviews. And if the recruiter decides to refer you to the hiring company, you will be invited for interviews with the employer. Since the executive search firms are paid by hiring companies, they always try to satisfy the employer’s interest. The employers have to pay substantial search fees for recruiting candidates through executive search firms, and therefore, they use this resource mostly for senior management positions or those positions that are hard to fill. Reliance upon executive search firms is more useful for candidates for senior level positions and less effective for junior level jobs. 

COVER LETTER PREPARATION

You must review the job requirements before preparing a cover letter. Job requirements are usually included in job postings and newspaper ads. You should read this information a couple of times to be sure that your skills and qualifications match what the job requires. It is a good sign when you find that your qualifications match most of the requirements. This means, you are a strong candidate for the position. Next, you should underline the primary responsibilities indicated in the job posting, and write down the strongest qualifications you possess to match what the job requires. This is what you want to highlight in your cover letter. 

A cover letter should fit in one page with ample margins. It should contain three to four paragraphs. You should begin with a strong statement describing how you heard about the job opening and the reasons for your interest. This is also the place to explain any prior contacts with the company, such as a phone conversation, or if the candidate is being referred by someone known to the employer. The cover letter should explain what you know about the position and the company, and how your skills and experiences match what the employer needs. You should not say how the job will benefit you. Instead, the emphasis should always be on how you will benefit the company.

A cover letter should include the date, the recipient’s name, title, company name and address and a personalized salutation. The body of the letter should include a statement indicating your interest in the position (including any identifier mentioned in the job posting) and where you saw the posting. If you are sending your letter and resume as a follow-up on a phone conversation or as a referral from someone known to the employer, you should state that in the first paragraph. The second paragraph should describe how your qualifications match the job requirements. A possible approach is to create two columns in your letter, one column to highlight the job requirements and a second column next to it to show how you fit those requirements. Here you should make a reference to your resume for additional information. You can end the letter by thanking the reader, and indicating the next step.  You can say that you look forward to hearing from the employer, and be sure to include your phone number and e-mail address where you can be reached. As an alternative, you can mention your intent to follow-up with a phone call. This is a good way to show your enthusiasm and strong interest, and often gives you the opportunity to learn more about the position and the company when you make the follow-up call. 

Cover letter is an opportunity for you to differentiate yourself from other candidates. You can do so by highlighting how your skills and experiences will benefit the employer. A good cover letter will persuade the employer to call you for an interview. 

COVER LETTER TIPS

Here are some tips for preparing your cover letters.

·         Address the letter to a person: Your letter will be far more effective if it is addressed by name to the person doing the hiring. You should devote the needed time and effort to find out the name and title of the hiring manager or the recruiting manager. If this information is not included in the job posting, you can often find it on the Internet or by calling the company’s main office. Once you have this information, you should use a formal salutation such as Dr., Mr., or Ms. to address your cover letter. You should not begin a cover letter with Dear Sir or Madam, or address it To Whom It May Concern. The use of generic salutations in cover letters shows lack of real interest in the opportunity.

·         Mention prior contact: When you are following up on a phone conversation or a prior meeting, always mention that at the beginning of your cover letter to remind the reader.

·         Never use a form letter: Recruiters can quickly tell the difference between a form letter and the one designed specifically to meet the requirements of a job opening. Resumes attached to form letters are often ignored by recruiters. When you are really interested in the job opening, take the time to prepare a cover letter that highlights your skills and experiences as they are related to the job requirements.   

·         Keep it short: A cover letter should not be more than one page. It should be organized in just a few paragraphs to highlight your suitability for the job opening. Do not repeat what is already stated in the resume. A cover letter is intended to spark the reader’s interest to read your resume and should offer something more than what is contained in the resume.

·         Research the company: The quality of your cover letter will depend on how much you know about the company. You should visit the company’s website and review trade publications to find out about the company’s mission, values, history, current customers and operating results. This information will also help you when you interview with the company.  

·         Explain how you meet the job requirements: You need to highlight your understanding of the job requirements and how your skills and experiences match those requirements. You should include examples of your accomplishments in similar roles in prior positions.

·         State the next step: Remember to state what you plan to do as a follow up to sending the cover letter and resume. If it is your intention to call the employer in a week to request an interview, you should state that in the letter. And, make it a point to put that on your calendar and then do it.

·         Letter should appear professional: The letter should include your name and contact information as well as the name, title, company name and full address of the hiring manager. The letter should appear attractive, and make sure there are no typographical or grammatical errors. You should use a spell checker. In addition, proof-read several times and have someone else proof-read it for you. This is your first impression to the hiring company, and you certainly want to make it a good impression. 

The quality of the cover letter often determines whether or not it opens the door for an interview. You need to devote as much attention to preparing the cover letters as you do to preparing your resume. A cover letter is what the recruiter will see even before glancing at your resume. It is the first impression of a candidate to a prospective employer. If this impression is not favorable, the resume is likely to be discarded.

Your cover letter should be designed specifically for each position for which you are applying.  It is a mistake to design a form letter and include it with your resume each time you send it. A well prepared cover letter will generally pave the way for an interview.

JOB OFFER NEGOTIATIONS

It feels wonderful to get a job offer. This is what you were striving for when you started your job search.  But do not rush to say “yes”.

When you receive a job offer, the roles are suddenly reversed. Now you have become the buyer. The employer is now trying to sell you on the career opportunity, salary, and benefits. They definitely want you, and in most cases, would like you to join as soon as possible. You have to decide whether you want them, and if so, what changes are needed in the job offer before you make a commitment.

IS THIS THE RIGHT JOB?

Here are some questions you should try to answer to determine if this is the right job.

• Are you sure this job is a good match with your skills?
• Will this job put you on the career path you want?
• Do you feel you will have a good working relationship with your boss?
• What is this company’s reputation in the industry?
• Do you have a clear understanding of the job description?
• Are you convinced that you will succeed in this job?
• How does your family feel about this job?
• Will you enjoy working with people you met during the interview process?

When you receive a job offer, you have to make a decision that will have a long-range impact on your career path. Fortunately, most companies give you a few days to make your decision. You have probably determined, before a job offer is presented to you, that the company is a good place to work and you are satisfied with the position and advancement opportunities. If you have any concerns about the company or the position, this is the time to take another look at what you may be getting into. No amount of salary or benefits will make up for a bad career choice. Assuming you are satisfied with the company and the position, take a close look at the financial aspects.

Job offers are subject to negotiation.

You can negotiate the job responsibilities, base salary, bonuses, relocation package, benefits, stock compensation, severance terms and anything else included in the job offer. This is an opportunity for you to define what you want and what you can get, and then negotiate an employment package acceptable to you.

Timing is a critical factor in negotiating. The ideal time to negotiate is when you have received a verbal offer from the employer, or through an executive search firm. Prepare a logical explanation for every change you want to request. Remember, negotiating is a two-way process, where both you and the employer try to reach an agreement that will be beneficial to both sides. 

Preparation is the key to good negotiations.

You have to research, consider alternatives, plan and effectively communicate with the employer. You have to know how far you can go, and when to pull back. When the job being offered to you is hard to fill, the employer will be more accommodating. If other candidates are available to fill the position, the employer may be less inclined to negotiate the terms of the job offer. Smaller companies are more willing to negotiate as compared to larger organizations with standard policies and procedures.

There is a big difference in salaries for the same jobs in different parts of the country. 

You should look up cost of living data when researching salaries. Here are some websites for your research.

www.jobstar.org

This is a wonderful resource for help on salary information. It helps you connect to over 300 free online salary surveys. The surveys come from several kinds of sources including: General periodicals; local newspapers; Trade and professional journals; Trade and professional associations; and Recruiters or employment agencies. This website also offers helpful links to advice on salary negotiation strategies. 

www.salary.com

This is a leading provider of on-demand human resources software to help businesses and individuals manage pay and performance, and achieve greater results in the workplace. The website includes quick links to compensation-related information: Salary Wizard; Benefits Calculator; Executive Pay Wizard; Cost of Living Calculator; Premium Salary Report; Salary Wizard Canada; Performance Self-Test; and Salary Negotiation Advice.

www.salaryexpert.com

This website was launched in 2000 to provide reporting on salaries and cost of living. Tools available on this website help people make informed decisions when planning careers and searching for jobs. Following career tools are available: Search Jobs by Salary; Cost of Living Calculator; Education Planning Center; Job Search; Career Salary Potential Report; and Student Cost of Living Report.

www.payscale.com

Payscale is a market leader in global online compensation data. It has one of the largest databases of online employee salary data in the world. This website offers salary reports based on your job title, location, education, skills and experience.

www.bls.gov/oco

The Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH), 2010-11 issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics is revised every two years. It is a nationally recognized source of career information for hundreds of different types of jobs. For specific occupations, it tells you: the training and education needed; earnings; expected job prospects; what workers do on the job; and working conditions. In addition, it gives you job search tips, and links to job market in each state. Occupational Outlook Handbook is available online, and you can use the Search box to find out about a specific occupation or topic. Also you can go to the A-Z Index for a listing of all occupations in alphabetical order.

PREPARE YOUR RESUME TO GET INTERVIEWS

Here are some building blocks for your resume.

·         Personal Information: Full name, address, phone number and e-mail address should appear as header on the resume.

·         Career Summary: A statement of career summary should follow the personal information. This is just one or two sentences that state what you can do and how you can help your employer. You should write your career summary before you prepare the rest of your resume. This will help you to decide what should be highlighted on your resume. Do not use general statements such as “seeking a challenging opportunity with a growing company”. Such general statements are red flags that may cause recruiters to discard your resume. Your career summary should be related to the job for which you are submitting your resume. This is the first information on your resume following your name and address, and you need to make it highly effective.

·         Accomplishments: A good description of your achievements will make your resume stand out in the big stack of resumes recruiters review every day. You should translate your achievements in monetary terms whenever possible. For example, if you are in sales, you should state how much revenue you were able to bring to your company. If you are in operations, you can state how much money you were able to save for your employer. By stating several achievements that helped your previous employers to make or save money, you increase your chances of being invited for employment interviews.

·         Unique Strengths: You should think about your unique strengths and personal qualities, and develop a one sentence statement that describes the benefits you offer to prospective employers. This statement should be highlighted in your resume and cover letters.

·         Keywords:  Many companies now use keyword software to electronically scan resumes. That means you should make your resume scanner friendly by incorporating relevant keywords in your resume. To find the relevant keywords, you should study job postings for the positions of your interest. It is probable that the keywords in these postings are what the prospective employers will search for. Use those keywords that apply to the skills you possess. Sometimes, good candidates are overlooked because keywords in the job posting were not included in the resume. Job postings are often a great place to identify the keywords that are important to a particular employer. Before sending your resume and cover letter for a particular job, compare them against posting for that job to make sure the keywords in the job posting are used in your application materials.

·         Education and Training: You should state in reverse chronological order the names of educational institutions, dates attended, major subjects, and degrees received. Include any special training.

·         Academic Awards and Honors: Any awards, scholarships, honors, and special recognition you received as a student should be included here. Include any offices you held as a student and your contributions to sports, student publications, and other extra-curricular activities. This section is important for entry level positions.

·         Work Experience: Start with your current or most recent position and include prior work experience and accomplishments. Work experience should focus on the most recent jobs and describe the older jobs in lesser detail. You should include your position title, employer’s name, location, and the employment dates. The order in which you want to present the job titles or company names depends on whether you want to emphasize the names of companies you worked for, or the positions you held. In addition to full time positions, you should feel free to include part-time jobs and voluntary work. Focus on the skills you developed and your achievements in each assignment.

·         Skills: This section may contain information such as computer knowledge and languages spoken. Familiarity with computer systems and programs is essential for most jobs today. You should plan to acquire these skills and remember to include them in your resume. Knowledge of foreign languages is very important in today’s global economy. State the degree of your proficiency in reading, writing and speaking of any foreign language.

·         Country Specific Information: While it is a common practice in some countries to include date of birth and marital status, such information should not be included on a resume in the United States. It is illegal in the U.S. to discriminate in an employment decision based upon an applicant’s age, sex, race, national origin, ethnic group, religion, or a physical disability. It is important to research local customs if you are applying for a job in another country.

·         Awards and Commendations: If you have received awards or commendations from senior management of previous employers, be sure to include that information on your resume.

·         References: You should not include names of your references on the resume. You may include a general statement saying “References available upon request”

Resume should not be longer than two pages. A one page resume is quite appropriate for recent college graduates and to apply for entry level positions. On the other hand, persons with experience usually go to two pages. You should not staple a two-page resume. That makes it harder for the recipient to scan the resume or make photocopies. Remember to include your name and Page 2 on top of the second page of your resume.

A resume longer than two pages shows a lack of ability to communicate concisely; it does not demonstrate that a candidate has a significant amount of experience. As a result, such resumes often get rejected.

You should construct your resume from the viewpoint of employers. Respect the fact that resume reviewers typically review hundreds of resumes for each position, and do everything possible to answer the primary question in the reviewer’s mind: “How will this candidate match our requirements?” The more you can do to help answer that question, the closer you will be to getting that job.