David E. Perry's Blog, page 2
November 11, 2012
Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters « asuccessfulcareer
Why Use Blogging as a Job Search Tool?
via asuccessfulcareer.wordpress.com
Here are 3 great reasons to use blogging to help in your job search.
November 5, 2012
Walk Right In, Sit Right Down
Robbie Brawner Ouzts, Director of Career Services at Oglethorpe University, tells the story of a gung-ho job seeker who got hired after walking into a job interview meant for somebody else! “An administrative professional, we’ll call her, ‘Shirley,’ got so frustrated after sending out resumes with no response that she decided to call on companies in person.” At 10:00 one morning, she walked into the lobby of a local business. Unknown to her, the hiring manager was expecting another woman for a 10:00 job interview. “Shirley walked in and looked dressed for an interview, so the employer thought it was his 10:00 appointment. He started talking to her and thought she was wonderful,” says Ouzts. After 10 minutes, the hiring manager realized his mistake, but Shirley handed him her resume for review. The interview continued … and she got a job as an office manager. What about that candidate who was originally scheduled to interview at 10:00? “She never did show up,” says Ouzts. Action Step: Shirley’s stroke of good fortune seems pretty incredible, like winning the job lottery. But before you dismiss her tactic as something that could never happen to you, understand this critical point: Shirley created her this break all by herself. Put another way, this could have never happened to Shirley if she had spent that morning at home in front of the TV, sulking about her job search. You can literally make your own luck if you get proactive and seek out hiring managers in person. If you’re at all reluctant about calling on employers in person, you have company. The thought of cold calling can be intimidating. Yet, ask yourself this: if you go out to meet hiring managers, what’s the worst that could happen? They say no. Big deal. Dust yourself off, and try again. But what’s the worst that can happen if you sit idly at home and wait for the phone to ring with job offers? The bank could foreclose on your mortgage. Your landlord could evict you. Your significant other could leave you for someone else. Hmm. That’s an easy choice, isn’t it?
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.
October 29, 2012
When the Guru Smacks You on the Head, Take it Like a Man
Great advice is great advice no matter where it comes from and no matter who it was originally intended for.
Here's an article by one of my favorite business gurus - Perry Marshall - on coaching. Actually no, it's on learning and being open to being open to learn from the best even when people already think you're the best. the article is oh so very applicable to job hunters - especially all those stuck in the old ways of job hunting hunting and networking. When you're finished with the piece surf over to my web site and download our free audio CD on job hunting {Guerrilla Job Search Tips!}
Read Perry Marshall's article for yourself and listen to his advice on how to improve your performance - it's so applicable to job hunters. MORE
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.
October 22, 2012
Network Smarter, Not Harder
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again – networking is how 70-80% of the best jobs are filled. But in today’s economy, don’t expect a plum position to fall in your lap. You must network smartly and more creatively. “Try calling on vendors and suppliers who know of companies that might be hiring. These include your local banker, CPA, lawyer and real estate agent. These people all have a great deal of knowledge,” says Bob Picha, founder of San-Diego-based Ideas At Work, a company dedicated to the release of human potential in individuals and organizations. When you call or meet networking contacts, ask for names of growing companies who could use someone with your experience. Ask for a contact person at the target employer(s), but avoid the HR department, since they often act as gatekeepers and may shun you. Action Step: Call people who may owe you a favor for past business you’ve done with them. This makes them more likely to assist by helping you find companies that are hiring.
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.
October 15, 2012
Read The Paper, But Not The Want Ads
Here are 3 ways to locate job openings using free resources at your disposal.
I interviewed Bob Picha, founder of San-Diego-based Ideas At Work, a company dedicated to the release of human potential in individuals and organizations.
Based on 30 years of career-consulting experience, Bob’s insights are sure to surprise – and more importantly – help you find a job faster.
Research is your first step in ferreting out job openings. And since almost everyone gets a daily newspaper, why not start there? But don’t spend a lot of time on the want ads, advises Picha.
“I take an indirect approach in looking for companies that might be hiring. For example, I skimmed today’s Wall Street Journal and found these tidbits:
“Toyota now wants 15% of global market share, which means they’ll be expanding worldwide and perhaps hiring locally;
“China is buying $1.2 billion in telecom equipment from Lucent and Motorola, which points to both firms needing new personnel;
“Earnings for Cendant rose 19%, so they may be hiring …
“The list goes on,” says Picha.
Two more ways to use the newspaper to uncover expanding businesses are:
Monitor the business section for firms signing new commercial leases, a sure sign of a need for increased capacity, and
Look for companies receiving venture capital -- since it’s so difficult to get these days, such firms are likely to have a viable business model … and a need for new employees.
Action Step: With a little digging, you can uncover the employment clues that point you toward companies in need of new employees. And you’ll have almost NO competition, since 99% of job hunters look only to the help-wanted ads when they read the newspaper.
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.
October 9, 2012
Keep Detailed Records
One client, Rebecca, told me how she regretted not keeping detailed records in her job search.
Reason?
She got calls after submitting her resume to positions, but had forgotten all about what jobs and companies she had applied to! Needless to say, she didn’t get any interviews this way, and all her efforts in sending out resumes to those companies were wasted.
Don’t let this happen to you.
Action Step: Write down the following every time you send out a resume:
title of job you applied for,
company name,
name of person addressed in cover letter,
source of job lead,
date resume and cover letter were sent,
date of your intended follow-up, and
any other notes that will help you talk intelligently should that company call you for an interview.
You should also keep a copy of the classified ad or Internet job posting you applied to, if one is available. That way you’ll be able to discuss the job when you get called to interview.
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.
October 8, 2012
Network Using Your College Career Office
You already know that most of the best jobs are found through word of mouth, right? Co-workers, friends and acquaintances sharing information -- this is how 70-80% of all people get hired, according to many estimates.
I’ve regularly written here about how networking can help you gain access to this “hidden” job market and meet decision makers who can hire you.
But today I want to share a nifty twist on networking that worked during the last recession, and can give your job search a boost in this economy, too.
This week’s job search tip, from Faith Rothberg, Vice President for Strategic Development at CollegeRecruiter.com (www.collegerecruiter.com), will help anyone who went to college.
Kevin: “Let’s jump right in. What’s the networking ‘twist’ that worked so well for you and how can it help others find a job right now?”
Faith: “In a nutshell, I called the career office at the University of Michigan, where I got my MBA, and asked them for a list of Business School alumni here in Minnesota that I could contact for advice on getting a job. I made some phone calls, did a few interviews and got hired by a prominent bank in Minneapolis. And I did this during the last recession, in 1991, when there were threats of war, just like now.”
Kevin: “So, you networked your way to a new job by calling people you already had an affinity with -- they went to the same school as you. That must have made it easy to start a conversation, right? You already had something in common.”
Faith: “Yes. One week after I called my career office for help, a list of about 20 names arrived in the mail. I started calling them during my lunch hour or before work.”
Kevin: “What did you ask them and what happened?”
Faith: “I asked, ‘Can I meet you for coffee and a quick informational interview?’ I ended up with about two in-person interviews and three other people gave me names to call at other companies.”
Kevin: “Describe the informational interviews. What did you do?”
Faith: “I asked questions about their jobs and engaged them on why they liked what they did. I tried to let them talk about themselves, which puts anyone at east. Then I handed them my resume and asked, ‘Where would a person like me fit into your organization?’”
Kevin: “How long did it take to find a job?”
Faith: “About 90 days. I kept calling new names as I got them, saying, ‘So-and-so suggested I call you for an informational interview.’ Sometimes I was more direct and said, ‘I heard about your opening for a ____ from my interview with so-and-so and I’d like to discuss your needs. When can I come and see you?’”
Kevin: “What’s your final bit of advice to job hunters in this economy?”
Faith: “Talk to anybody you know. Friends, family, friends of friends -- anyone who will let you use their name when contacting companies you want to work for. Because you never know -- it could be your friend’s dad who makes the hiring decision.”
Action Step: No matter how long ago you graduated, put your college career office to work for you. When you network with other alumni, you instantly have something in common, which builds rapport and can smooth the way toward finding a decision maker who can hire you!
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.
October 5, 2012
10 raisons pourquoi acheter "Guerilla Marketing pour Trouver un emploi" ? | Altaïde
Depuis la sortie du livre « Guerilla Marketing pour Trouver un emploi« , dont j’ai assuré l’adaptation, journalistes et candidats me posent régulièrement la même question : pourquoi l’acheter ?
Alors voici 10 bonnes raisons de vous précipiter chez votre libraire préféré pour le réclamer ou le commander sur Amazon ici :
Recrutement 2.0
via www.altaide.com
French Guerrillas?
Now available in French in France. A French Guerrilla only has one 'r' though!
October 1, 2012
Use Temp Agencies To Get A Full-Time Job
Ever considered temporary work? For many job seekers, it’s the pathway to a full-time position with a dream employer. And it may be easier than you think.
To give you the inside scoop, I tracked down a veteran job seeker and an employment expert for their views.
According to Chad Deckard, CEO of InfoGeneratorPRO.com, an Internet marketing consulting firm, you can use temp agencies to uncover good jobs with top companies. He should know.
He first arrived in Atlanta, Ga., with no local contacts or job prospects, and went on to get hired for full-time positions at CNN, the advertising firm BBDO, and Time-Warner. All by using local temp agencies, with a twist that can work in any city, in any economy.
“After I arrived in town, I pulled out the Yellow Pages and started calling temporary employment agencies. I asked them: ‘Who are your biggest clients?’ With that knowledge, I was able to pick the right agencies to get me into the companies I wanted to work for,” says Deckard.
Of course, he didn’t strike gold right away. He first had to take on three short-term assignments with companies he didn’t care for. But because he completed every task with enthusiasm, he built up a record as a conscientious, hard-working employee. This led to his big break.
And how did he turn a temp assignment at CNN into a permanent position? He did something unusual. He asked!
“I did the obvious things, like showing up on time every day and doing everything that was asked of me. On top of that, I studied the company, its products/services, market, competitors -- everything -- thoroughly, until I knew more than most permanent employees. Then I just asked my supervisor for a full-time position. She hired me,” says Deckard.
He also turned a temp job into permanent work as an Advertising Rep at Time-Warner. “After building a solid track record, I called the same temp agency and asked them to place me directly at Time-Warner,” says Deckard.
By doing good work and having the right attitude, he was able to turn that temp assignment into another full-time job, again, by asking his supervisor.
Chad’s experience dovetails nicely with advice given by Bob Picha, founder of San-Diego-based Ideas At Work, a company dedicated to the release of human potential in individuals and organizations.
“Many savvy employers use temporary agencies as a screening device. It’s a chance to put temp workers through a trial period. And, if the employee is talented enough, a job can be created just for him or her,” says Picha.
Temporary agencies are all around you, too.
In addition to your Yellow Pages, you can visit www.google.com, search for “temporary employment,” and you’ll find a huge number of temp agency listings. You can refine your search by adding terms to locate agencies them by city/state, industry, etc.
Action Step: With a little hard work and the right attitude, you can turn a temp agency into your own personal headhunter, at no cost. Why not start today?
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.
September 24, 2012
Contact Employers Directly
In my ongoing series of interviews with job search experts, I tracked down Marky Stein, a career coach in San Jose, Calif., who’s perfected a strikingly innovative approach to finding a job fast – in any economy.
She’s the author of "Fearless Interviewing: What to Do Before, During and After an Interview" (iUniverse.com Press, 2001). Her Web site is http://www.markystein.com.
I questioned Marky to get her very best tips to help you access the “hidden job market,” where upwards of 70% of all jobs are filled. Here’s our conversation …
Kevin: “Let’s cut to the chase -- what’s the very best way people can uncover and apply for job openings right now, in this time of economic uncertainty?”
Marky: “Study after study and my own 10+ years of experience have proven that, hands down, cold calling employers is superior to all other methods.
“Now, before your readers say, ‘Yuck! I don’t want to cold call anyone – I’m not a sales person,’ read the following facts.
“The firm JIST Works, in Philadelphia, trained 1,000 job seekers in cold calling during the last recession, in 1990. These 1,000 people were trained to devote 25 hours per week to their job search and cold call employers to ask for a face-to-face meeting. As a result, 66% of them were employed within 2.3 weeks and 90% of the rest were employed within 90 days.
“In my own study, from 1992 to 1998, I trained over 700 disabled job seekers to spend at least 17.5 hours per week cold calling employers. Of those I counseled during those six years, 90% found jobs within 90 days.
Kevin: “OK. So what is cold calling? How is it done?”
Marky: “It’s simply direct contact to set up an interview. And it works for anyone, from entry-level job seekers to CEOs.
“To succeed, you must stop seeing yourself as a job seeker and think of yourself instead as a business person making a proposal. Instead of thinking ‘Please give me a job,’ think, ‘Here are all the good things I can do for you.’”
Kevin: “Who, specifically, should job seekers try to get on the phone?”
Marky: “Try to connect with a decision maker above your future boss. This is important.
“The person directly above you may, and often is, threatened by such a call. They may figure, “If this person is so assertive NOW, they may be after MY job in the future”.
“Also, a more senior person, such as your potential boss’ boss, has a more expansive view of the kinds of changes that could result in a new job being created or in someone being replaced.
“Third, executives often enjoy mentoring junior people, and those with a generous character can do wonders for job seekers, even if that means referring you to someone DOWN the ladder. If you get such a referral from an executive, other members of the team are likely to be open to meeting with you.”
Kevin: “Is there a script job seekers should use?”
Marky: “Yes, you can use the following example script to get started:
“Hello, my name is _________. I have _______ years’ experience as a ____________, specializing in _____________, ____________, and ______________. I have a (B.A., M.S., certificate) in _______________ and I recently completed (name a recent successful project with a measurable result). When may I come for an interview?"
Kevin: “What can job seekers expect when they start calling employers?”
Marky: “Cold calling has about 1 in 20 success ratio, in general. Of course, 19 ‘Nos’ on the phone may hurt more than 1,000 rejection letters, but you’ll hear it less often. Just make those calls until you connect!”
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Action Step: Cold calling can dramatically shorten your job search, by putting you in direct contact with employers who can hire you. You’ll have no competition, because 99% of job seekers would rather answer classified ads and complain about the economy than be assertive and proactive.
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.


