Jobs @ Career Consulting Limited
Return to career-consulting-limited.com
People |
|
|
 |
Jobseekers! Look For Smoke, Not Fire
"If you always do what you've always done, you will always get what you've always received," said some wise person. This is certainly true when it comes to job-hunting, especially during a "sucky" economy. How many times have you applied to a job on Monster.com? Now ask yourself, "How many other people have applied for the same position?" The numbers are discouraging I assure you. Should this keep you from applying to jobs online? By no means, job boards are a necessary part of the process. However, if you limit your jobsearch to seeking only those jobs that you are qualified for then you are making a mistake. Am I suggesting that you do a "shotgun" effect with your resume and apply to as many jobs as you can hoping that by some miraculous twist of fate you catch a recruiter's eye? No... and yes, in a way. Let's put on our imagination cap for a minute and think of a horrific fire in a subdivision at the peak of rush-hour traffic. What is your immediate focus? The fire blazing bright? Sure... Are you concerned for the people in the subdivision? I hope so... "Now breathe deeply and concentrate," I say in my Yoda voice. "See more, you will, young Jedi." Could it be that you see smoke? Could it be that you hear a fire engine? Perhaps a helicopter with a reporter giving the TV viewers a scoop on what is happening? Perhaps there is another chopper for radio listeners? Perhaps in the distance are people who don't know about the fire yet and are honking their horns and cursing the 5 o'clock commute? Perhaps all of this and more and why are they all there? Well, duh... they are all there because of a fire. Now, I know what you're thinking, "What does all that have to do with my getting a job?" "Everything," I say smugly. Let's say that you are looking for a job as a network engineer. So what do you do? You look for Network Engineer jobs, which is a good start but not the finish. Consider the events and surroundings concerning your job and imagine what surrounds that job. Let's see... to network computers, there must be a group of unconnected computers somewhere. For a group of unconnected computers to be sitting somewhere, that would mean that some salesperson had to sell them to somebody else. So, who sells the computers that I am qualified to connect? Why "Computer Company A" sells the kind of computers I am qualified to connect. Why don't I call Computer Company A and ask for a friendly sales person? Perhaps with my powers of persuasion (and a little bribery of lunch), I can get him to tell me who his best customers are. I bet his best customers could use a network engineer to hook up all the machines they just bought. You like that? Let's go deeper... New computers being connected suggest new office space. If I was going to buy new office space, who would I go to? Maybe I can call the leasing office of some business complexes and ask who handles their leasing. Maybe they can refer me to someone? Maybe they lease their own space and will give me a tip on companies looking to move into their space. A possibility... Better yet, I could pick up a copy of "The Atlanta Business Chronicle" (assuming you are in Atlanta) and review their real estate announcements to see who bought what. Whoever is buying lots of office space is someone I would want to talk to. Do I have your wheels rotating yet? The trick is not to look only for the fire (in this case, a network engineering job), but the smoke (those people who operate on the periphery of that job). Let me go a step even further. What happens after a fire has been put out? There is water damage, smoke damage, medical issues on occasion and so on. There has to be someone or some group of some ones to clean up the mess left behind. All that to say, as soon as one person gets hired somewhere, there is a possibility of an opening behind them. So, when you read in the paper about Company X has just signed on a new CIO formerly of Company Z, my advice is to call Company Z for a job. This is an especially good technique if you are an Executive, because many senior management types foster a "cult following" and bring other execs with them. (Happens all the time...) Does this go for executives only? No, this would be a good heads up for techies and marketing types as well. Why? New leadership means new processes and new processes often demand people to adapt or stand aside for new personnel who can. "Now let's go deeper into the force," I say in a bad Darth Vader accent. And imagine that you cannot imagine other positions that are connected to the job you are qualified for. Imagine that you are just clueless on how to think along these lines. (Anybody can draw a blank?) For these folks I say, look for the recruiter jobs. If you see a company looking to hire Recruiters, Staffing Consultants, Internet Researchers (people who support recruiters by finding resumes online) or Online Sourcers (same thing as Internet Researcher), then that should sound like a cowbell at dinner time. If you are thinking to yourself, "Why should I care about HR jobs? That's not my background." I suggest that you slap yourself. Why would a company hire recruiters? They hire recruiters because they are about to load up on new employees! What kind of employees? Well, look at the kind of recruiter they want! Are they hiring technical recruiters? Sales recruiters? Executive recruiters? Ahh... I see the light bulb has just flashed over your head, you're with me now. (Glad to meet you-wink). There is an old joke by a comedian named Robin Harris that says, "If you cannot get to the man, get next to the man that is next to the man. And if you can't get him. Get next to the man that is next to the man that is next to the man and so on..." If you are feeling frustrated in your job-search, look beyond finding jobs that fit you, but rather seek out people connected to what you do. If you cannot connect with them, then connect with the person next to them and so on and so on and so on... About The Author Jim Stroud is a Recruitment Specialist and the author of "How Do I Find A Job When The Economy Sucks?" a collection of jobsearch strategies for people who need to work NOW! His book can be read from his website: http://jimstroud.com.
MORE RESOURCES: Employment opportunities Department of Taxation and Finance Search & Apply Lowe's Careers and Jobs at CRS Catholic Relief Services Jobs and careers | Veterans Affairs Veterans Affairs Governor Newsom releases new framework to create high-paying career pathways with and without four-year degrees Office of Governor Gavin Newsom Looking for work? These industries are expected to see major growth in Tennessee - Commercial Appeal Careers UNCO News Central Jobs- Legacy Energy.gov California nixes degree requirements for 30K state jobs Higher Ed Dive US Department of Labor announces latest actions to secure sustainability of Job Corps program US Department of Labor Careers | Career Opportunities West Virginia University Jobs, inflation, and the Fed: How they're all related Yahoo Finance Working for ICE U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Newsroom Careers at TWU Texas Woman's University Jobs City of Rochester (.gov) Calif. Master Plan for Education Includes Digital 'Career Passport' Government Technology Careers | Home USDA.gov Careers with the City of Palo Alto City of Palo Alto US Department of Labor awards $99.3M in grants to support training, job services to prepare young people to succeed in high-demand careers US Department of Labor Employment | Department of Corrections Governor Tom Wolf Jobs and Training at FDA FDA.gov Draw your own chart game: how well do you know the jobs market? Financial Times Start your career journey with Illinois, a top leader in research, teaching, and public engagement University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Aligning workforce development with changing industry needs World Economic Forum Jobs at Liberty University Liberty News Career Opportunities UMHB Careers at University of Missouri Health Care | University of Missouri Health Care jobs University of Missouri Health Care Careers BASF Careers at Union | Human Resources Union College Careers Washington State University Healthcare Jobs at Novant Health | Novant Health Novant Health Nursing jobs VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs Work At Chess.com Chess.com Our People: Associate Experiences and Paths to Opportunity Walmart Corporate Careers at Prairie View A&M University Prairie View A&M University Work for Us (U.S. National Park Service) National Park Service US added a strong 227,000 jobs in November in bounce-back from October slowdown The Associated Press UF Health Careers UF Health - University of Florida Health Working at Siemens Energy: Careers & Job Opportunities Siemens Energy Job Opportunities Bellevue School District Careers Medline Careers S&P Global Careers KPMG Careers Micron Internship Opportunities | BCG Boston Consulting Group India's job market projected to grow 9% in 2025 The Economic Times Careers at Bucknell Bucknell University Careers at Jacobs Jacobs California Jobs First: State Launches First-of-its-Kind Council to Create Thousands of More Jobs Across All Regions Office of Governor Gavin Newsom Careers at Air Liquide Air Liquide Jobs report on eve of election will be among the most muddled in years The Associated Press Job vacancies at the EUDA European Union Students and graduates JPMorgan Chase Constellation to Launch Crane Clean Energy Center, Restoring Jobs and Carbon-Free Power to The Grid Constellation Energy Tourism to see 61 lakh new jobs in 10 years Deccan Herald US employers added just 12,000 jobs last month as hurricanes and strikes sharply reduce payrolls The Associated Press Highest-Paying Engineering Careers in 2024 University of North Dakota How To Use AI To Find A Job Forbes Mental health at work World Health Organization Careers Gwinnett County Public Schools The secret to career success may well be off to the side The Economist JobFeed NSW Department of Education Statement by Acting Secretary of Labor Su on January jobs report US Department of Labor Careers City of Norfolk (.gov) Careers at King County King County Careers and jobs | Working at UWA The University of Western Australia ANU council members say Bell’s second job was never mentioned The Australian Financial Review KCMO Career Center | CITY OF KANSAS CITY | OFFICIAL WEBSITE City of Kansas City (.gov) Apply for a Job - The City of Vancouver, WA Careers City of Somerville Careers Penn State University IT sector to witness 15-20% growth in job opportunities in 2025: Report Business Standard Careers UTSA Today Careers City of Fort Worth Employment University of South Carolina Careers @ UO University of Oregon ADM Job Openings Unlocking Nature. Enriching Life. | ADM Careers at the ICR The Institute of Cancer Research Career Opportunities University of Houston Careers at Florida State | Office of Human Resources Florida State University Jobs | DCU People Dublin City University |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How to Walk Away from an Opportunity thats Wrong for You Q. I just finished a job interview. Overcome Interview Nerves: Be Better Prepared than Your Interviewer Although interview preparation is everything it's sad to say that perhaps as many as half of all interviewers you're going to meet will be unprepared or incompetent. It's not all their fault, it's just lack of interview preparation time or responsibility; some of them will be co-opted at the last minute to meet you and won't have had time to prepare. Recruiters for MSN or Data Miners? Is Kenexa recruiting for Microsoft or just mining for data?I had a chilling experience the other day. A man from Kenexa called me, ostensibly to recruit me for a job in New York as a Search Marketing Analyst for Microsoft's new MSN search engine. So, Your Made A Mistake Of course, mistakes are important. Two facts put those you make in perspective. Overwhelmed and Overworked: The Myth of American Productivity Employment finally seemed back on track during the first few months of 2004. Politicians crowed that "Our tax cuts are working. The Pros and Cons of Telecommuting - As Seen Through The Eyes of a Seasoned Telecommuter Janelle Delacorte has been happily answering calls for the Home Shopping Network and various infomercials since November 2004.Several nights out of the week she tucks the kids in to bed, turns around, takes 20 or so odd steps, and arrives at the office. Resume Software - The Hidden Pitfalls Disadvantages of Resume SoftwareFormatA large majority of software requires the use of their format; most commonly using the chronological resume style. While the chronological style is certainly the most traditional manner to write a resume, it is not always advantageous for everyone. What To Do When Your Boss Is a Butthead I've never worked for a boss I didn't like or respect. Sure, some were better than others, but I never considered quitting my job because of a bad boss. Finding Employees For Insurance Industry Jobs Finding the right employee for any job opening can be a challenge to say the least, and this is no truer than in the insurance industry. With considerations ranging from experience and education to their personal skills, the decisions faced by recruiters and employers can be of critical importance. Pebbles in Your Shoe Dont Only Hurt your Foot But Cause Back and Hip Problems! CIO Magazine ran an article entitled, "Ten Mistakes CIO's Too Often Make" written by Susan H. Cramm, former CIO and vice president of IT at Taco Bell and CFO and executive vice president at Chevys, a Taco Bell subsidiary. Ive Got the Big Bad B Word on My Job! That "B" word---B O R E D O M.How did I get this wearing word in my work?I got it because I don't have enough todo in my job! Yes, I have completed myassigned tasks, but I have time left over,which leads to boredom. The Right Way To Send Your Resume Having a great resume is the first critical step in a successful job search. Unfortunately, most people don't know the best ways to get that resume noticed. Resume Tips To Take You From SAHM to WAHM When looking for a telecommuting position, it is very important to have your resume in tip-top shape. This is often the only thing that a potential employer has to base a hiring decision on since they most likely will not be interviewing you in person, your resume has to make that great first impression for you. Thank-You Notes: An Integral Part of Your Career Design There is one little practice that is vital to generating the interest of potential employers. It is critical, but very few job seekers actually do it. Finally The First Online Job Agency in Mauritius Mauritius is a small island in the Indian Ocean with a population of 1.2 million inhabitants. Create A Rappin' Resume (Percussion sounds emanating from who knows where while you listen to the cadence of the words below.)It's time to sell yourself. How To Start Your Own House Cleaning Business If you are thinking about starting your own house cleaning business, begin by evaluating your present circumstances. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, but how you reply will affect what you do. Unemployment Blues: Staying Afloat The unemployment checks are running out and there is no potential job in sight. The wolf is knocking at the door and you need to survive. Negotiate Better Job Offers with This Twelve-Point Checklist You've been through an employer's interview process successfully and have now been extended a job offer. And you think the offer could be better. Travel Light to Work As a frequent traveler, my goal for each trip is to travel light. Despite thoughtful planning, sometimes that goal is shattered when I go to close the suitcase and realize I need a larger, or even second one.
|
|
|
| © Career Consulting Limited.com 2011
|