David E. Perry's Blog, page 13

6 job-hunting tricks for a Web 2.0 world - Computerworld

Computerworld - If you're sitting in your office right now, take a glance at the co-worker on your left and then at the co-worker on your right. Chances are one of them is looking to leave the company. Or perhaps it's you.

via www.computerworld.com

this is a terrific article that really cuts through the clutter.

5 Email Rules for Job Hunters

Just like any other direct marketing piece, you only have 3 seconds to make an impression. Here are the rules for effective use of email:

      0. Direct your email to a specific person by name – sir, recruiter,  hiring manager, etc aren't acceptable. Bob Smith, Suzy Brown or David Perry are.

 

1. Use an inviting subject line – "To whom it may concern" needs to be replaced with – Ms. Brown [use the name of a colleague if you can] suggested we should meet and talk about [X].

2. Your opening paragraph must capture the reader's attention – Tell the reader what's in it for them. For example: "Dear Mr. Perry: I know that your firm handles searches for finance executives. My goal is a senior finance role with a broker/dealer, mutual fund company, or investment advisor. My background would also … "

3. Tell the reader how to get hold of you – give the reader instructions on how to get hold of you in the message. Don't make them look in your resume for it or open another document to get it. Make it easy.

4. Cut and paste your resume into your email message – Word documents and PDFs can get lost or deleted before they get to their intended designation so I suggest you embed a plain text copy of your resume in the body of the message and send a snail-mail version at the same time. If they get both versions there's no harm.

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

Guest blog- G-Man Takes On 3 Guerilla Headhunter Posts

EventsEye - has many thousands of events listed now and in the future, searchable by name, country, theme, date and keyword

ExpoWeb  - is the portal/trade association for conference/expo organizers, and articles like this  will give you tips on what organizers seek for conference content

ConferenceGuru  - lists a smorgasbord of industry events, and offers discount registration to attend them

 

You can find professional associations in places like: IPL's Associations on the Net

Yahoo's professional associations directoryand a list from the recruiting industry's own Peter Weddle , among many othersYou can also try a targeted search string like (association OR conference) "Your Industry Name" on your favorite search engine.

2) On Gautam Ghosh's Job Hunting - Considered India? , I fear that US job-seekers are going to be in for more than culture shock in applying for jobs there. You think your compensation will remain level or rise, and the cost of living will be cheap, so your savings will skyrocket during your tenure. Not likely, because most companies pay local rates. An engineer making around $60K in the US  gets under $6K in India . According to a recent article in eWeek , the wage inflation for IT jobs in  India is rapid (3x the rate of U.S. compensation rise) but it won't be until 2032 that the rates equalize. 

China is likely to become the next offshore powerhouse from a comp perspective, but Frank Mulligan deftly explained why landing a job there is no easy feat. However, other factors are pushing many companies to outsource to Russia  so maybe that's worth another look.

 

 

3) And finally, regarding David's Retiring Baby Boomers and job hunting I don't think the key jobs question is to figure out which jobs won't be offshored as the baby boomers retire yet the US economy continues growing. Even if you could get the seniors retrained, give them flex schedules, and/or let them consult at their old companies, that's not how most of the domestic jobs-reshuffling is going to be settled. The key is to figure out what new twists on current businesses will need to emerge in order to serve an economy with that demographic mix. Elder care, real estate and recruiting are just a few of many industries that will undergo enormous upheaval. The winners will be entrepreneurs who stake a claim in that space by testing models today with niche markets where the demographic shift is already demonstrating pain points. By starting pilot programs now to see what works and optimizing them, they'll be in a position to profit handsomely as the demographic trend goes full force in the years to come. And the rest of us can work for them without moving overseas!

Glenn Gutmacher is a Recruiting Researcher for Microsoft Corporation  and creator of Recruiting-Online.com one of the world's first online sourcing courses in 1997. His blog was voted the #2 recruiting research blog for 2005 in Recruiting.com's annual competition, which answers Internet sourcing questions submitted by real recruiters and researchers. Visit Glenn's blog to read the Q&A or submit your question for possible inclusion.

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

Interview Questions: Dissected

What are your greatest strengths?

ISSUE:  This question seems like a softball lob. Don't kid yourself - be prepared. Don't come across as egotistical or arrogant. Humble is out too. In America you're expected to "pitch" yourself.

 

Prior to any interview, you should have a list mentally prepared of your greatest strengths.

 

You should also have, a specific example or two, which illustrate each strength, an example chosen from your most recent and most impressive achievements are ideal.

These should be so well committed to memory that you can recite them cold after being shaken awake at 2:30AM.  You won't get a 2nd chance.  Nobody cares about you until after you're hired.

Then, once you uncover your interviewer's greatest wants and needs, you can choose those achievements from your list that best match up.

As a general guideline, the 10 most desirable traits that all employers love to see in their employees are:

1. A proven track record as an achiever...especially if your achievements match up with the employer's greatest wants and needs.

2. Intelligence...management "savvy".

3. Honesty...integrity...a decent human being.

4. Good fit with corporate culture...someone to feel comfortable with...a team player who meshes well with interviewer's team.

5. Likeability...positive attitude...sense of humor.

6. Good communication skills.

7. Dedication...willingness to walk the extra mile to achieve excellence.

8. Definiteness of purpose...clear goals.

9. Enthusiasm...high level of motivation.

10. Confident...healthy...a leader.

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

Free Agent: Job hunting for success

Want to be paid like basketball MVP Steve Nash? Then act like an MVP. The more you appear to be instrumental to a company's success the more bargaining power you have. 

 

Be forth coming with the details of your success which are relevant to the potential employer. Remain calm when they drill you for the details.  But here's the real kicker check your ego at the door - no one likes to work with a primadonna everyday. Credit your team where warranted – it makes you look twice as good.   

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

Force your children to get a summer job

And they'll love you for it when they're 30.  The biggest issue I have as a progfessional recruiter continues to be the work ethic - or lack there of - of most new graduates.  More and more of my friends like to

 

send their children my way for career advice as they near college graduation [you now know I'm really really old]. 

The difference in the expectations between those who have had summer jobs and those who haven't are simply stunning.  Thos who've had summer jobs understand the need to actually work instead of just expecting to show up and be the president on day 3.

The single best thing you can do for your children is to throw them out into the real world - if only for the summer - as fast as possible.  I guarantee you they'll learn what work really is AND it'll convince them to get a good education so they aren't stuck in some job they hate for the rest of their lives. Don't expect a thanks until you're too old to cash it though!

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

Interview questions: Tell me about yourself.

Tell me about yourself.
Focus on relevant skills and experience. Be on guard against the interviewer who gives you free rein. Don't spend too much time answering (1-2 minutes). Avoid details. Don't ramble. Touch on four areas: Born and Raised, Education/Military Background, Work Experience, Current Situation.

[That's it.  Now it goes without saying that how you sum your life should have something to do with why you're qualified to do the job they're interested interviewing you for.]

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

How to write a non-fiction book review on Amazon.

I have to admit this is an unusual post for me. It's not about you.  It's about me.  Or more precisely --- my book, "Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters".  Which, when I think about it is really about you and your job search.  

Quite a few people have asked me lately how to write a review for my book on Amazon, so today I'm going to walk you through the steps. 

The mechanics for posting a review are the same for ANY book you read on Amazon. 

As an author I'm telling you that there's nothing more gratifying than seeing a 5-Star book review on Amazon. Barnes and Noble or where ever.  It means I've connected and helped you. And that puts a huge smile on face!

So without further delay... here's what Amazon readers are looking for in terms of information and commentary to help thme decide if a particular book suits their interests. ( i.e. will they actually read and get value from your recommended books).

 

How to write an amazon book review

1st a few suggestions on what to write to get you thinking
2nd understand the mechanics for writing a review

Suggestions on what to write in a non-fiction book review

Think about the person reading your review.   Take my last book for example; the person reflecting on your review is very likely:

Looking for a job themselves;
Looking for information for a friend or relative that's in job hunting mode; and/or
A career or guidance counselor who's adding to their library of job hunting, resume writing and cover letter books.

The potential reader likely wants to discover a better way to write their resume, find job leads faster or network using social media tools like LinkedIn, Facebook and MySpace.  Perhaps they need to know how to build a blog for job hunting, use Twitter, or discover what the best creative new ways to get in front of a hiring manager are – without being blocked by gatekeepers or getting stuck in human resources. 

In short, they're seeking an edge. 

So with that in mind the first question you have to ask yourself is, "what where the "take-aways?" or the "Ah-Ha" moments in the book for you personally.  What did you learn?  What made you uncomfortable BUT you tried it anyway and were successful?  Next, would you recommend the book to your best friend if they were job hunting? 

Now, you just tell the reader.

Here are some possible ideas to start you off:

Did you like the book?  --- I liked this book because... 
Was it written in a style you liked?  --- I liked the way the author writes... 
If it was highly technical were there examples?  Were they good examples?  Were there references or links to additional information? 
Is the author credible?  Did they know the subject matter?  Did they bring anything new to the discussion or body of knowledge?

Example

For example, if you wanted to write a book review for "Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 2.0", here are some questions which you might reflect on in order to help you write a review which will be meaningful to those people who will read the review: 

What was your personal situation?  Where you employed and looking?  Unemployed? How long had you been looking?
Did the ideas in the book accelerate your progress? 
Did the ideas help you get interviews?
Did you find a job? How quickly?
Think about the type of job you were looking for – which of the 1001 tips, tricks and tactics worked best for you? 
Did it force/challenge you to change old habits?
How did you apply the personal branding section?
Did your Guerrilla Resume get an employers attention?
Did you engage in eXtreme Networking activities, create a LinkedIn profile or start a blog?
Did the chapter on interviewing {Hand to Hand Combat} help prepare you?  How?
Was there a chapter/vignette/antidote that struck a chord with you?
What was your favorite part of the book or what was the most useful section for you?
Did the book spark your creativity and led you to develop fresh ideas on your own which lead to interviews?
How did the book affect you?
Were any previous ideas you had on the subject changed, abandoned, or reinforced due to this book?
How well has the book achieved its goal?
How did you originally hear about the book: friend, networking event, or counselor?
Did you like the author and contributing co-author's styles?
Did you like the War Stories?  Anyone in particular? Why?

 

Another  suggestion

I suggest you write a first draft in your word processor and then when you're comfortable with it, cut and paste it in to the text box [step 5 below] BUT mostly I suggest you write it from the heart and not just your logical mind. 

 

The mechanics for writing an amazon book review

To create a book review please follow these exact steps:

First and most importantly, you have to have bought the book and read it. Don't write a review for a book you haven't read.  It does no good for anyone.
Find the book you want to review on Amazon and find the "Product Details" section.   This is the section that details how many pages the book has, who the publisher is and the average customer review.[For example - Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters-  http://amzn.to/gJx2wa ]
Click on the "Write a review" link located right next to the "Average Customer Review" information.
Rate the book on a scale from 1 to 5 stars, with 1 being worst and 5 being best.
Enter a title for your review.  That could be an overall statement about how you felt about the book.
Enter the full text of your review in the provided text box There are no length requirements or restrictions.
NOTE: If you're a friend of the author say so.  If you received the book from the author to review it - say so.  People don't mind those types of reviews but you need to tell the reader or your review has no credibility OR worse someone buys the book and feels "had", which destroys the review process Amazon has set up. 
Certify that you are over the age of 13 (and thereby allowed to contribute a review) by checking the appropriate box.

That's it.  If you followed these steps your review will appear within 24 hours on Amazon. 

David Perry

PS A lot of headhunters read Amazon reviews looking for possible candidates to recruit.  This is especially true for highly technical books that are written for a very focused audience for example in engineering, medicine or leadership.  Take advantage of that fact and also review books that will get you found by headhunters in your industry.

 

   

How to stay motivated during a prolonged job search

You must appear to be at your best during your job hunting no matter what.  Employers and recruiters will not understand if you're having an off day.  They won't care.  They'll be on to the next candidate.  Motivating your self to perform at peak levels aint easy, so let me give you a hand.  Actually let me refer a book.  I don't do this often but since it's one I read  every day - I thought I should share it.  Allan C. Elliot has written what I belive amounts to the best collection of short stories [1 page each] on the planet.  "A Daily Dose of the American Dream: Stories of Success, Triumph and inspirtaion", encapulates the lives of Kodak, Hewlett & Packard, Cross, Disney --- all people who have become hosuehold names or at least their companies have.  The true-to-life stories of Calvin Clien, Bob Hope, and Edison where filled with hardships most people would faint at hearing.  So if you need a shot in the arm every now and then I suggest you pick this gem up and read it cover to cover. 

366 inspirational readings that show how ordinary people from all walks of life have achieved extraordinary success.  Go make your dreams come true Guerrilla

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.

# 17. YOUR ANSWERING MACHINE

Your message must be professional – not cutesy. Forget about your dog doing the voiceovers. Keep it short and snappy. Make sure you keep a call sheet handy and teach

 

your family how to take a message if everyone is using the same phone. If you have a teenage daughter and just one line then you must get Call Answering because the line is likely to be busy and people will only call back so many times.

Consider giving out your e-mail and web site address as part of your message.
If you sound like a drone then have someone with a pleasant voice record your message.
Keep the tone of the message business-like.

Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.