What good does THIS contact do for me?

“I’m an Electrical Engineer, I go to a job networking meeting and ask for contacts at one of my target companies, and someone gives me the name and contact information for an Accountant! What good is that???”

Or…

“I already know someone at ‘XYZ Company’, I don’t need anymore contacts there.”

Leading job networking groups and teaching job search classes, I get the same kinds of questions or comments all the time.

What good does a company contact do you if it’s not the hiring manager for the kind of job you want? And, why should you pursue multiple contacts at a company you are targeting? Because the more information you gain, and the more allies you develop, the better your chances of gaining an interview and a job!

When networking for contacts in your job search, any contact can be a great asset to you. Also, pursuing multiple contacts in the organization can boost your exposure when you need it. There is a great deal of value to those introductions and names. They can each be sources of company information, help in navigating the organization, guides to help you get to the best person, and resources in helping you assess the company’s fit for you.

If you are an “Electrical Engineer”, and connect with an “Accountant” at the company you are pursuing, you can ask any of those kinds of questions. Be concise, be professional, be upbeat, and be humble. Ask them things like:

“I realize you’re not involved with the type of role I’m pursuing at ‘XYZ Company’, however, I’m hoping you might be able to point me to the best person to talk to about the ‘Electrical Engineer’ position.”

“Knowing the company as you do, however, pursuing an opportunity like I am and hoping not to get lost in the sea of other applicants going through the normal HR process, how would you recommend I get noticed or find the right person to talk to for that position?”

“As I pursue opportunities in the organization, I’m hoping you can help me get a better understanding of the corporate culture and what priorities are for the company.”

“I have an interview scheduled in the next few days, and I’m hoping you may be able to help me be better prepared. I hope to go beyond what most others would do. Is there any general advice could you provide that would help me excel?”

”Could I ask for your consideration in sharing my resume with someone in the functional area I’m pursuing?”

“Even though I have connected with the ‘Engineering Manager’, I’m hoping to gain more knowledge and understanding of the organization from others as well. Could I ask you a few questions?”

Those questions and others can provide you a great deal of insight and help from any contact within the organization… and sometimes your best information comes from the least likely sources.

In today’s job market, you generally find that most people are willing to help in some way. If you ask in a professional and unassuming way, you will often get the guidance you seek.

Don’t regard any contact as not ‘valuable’ to you, and don’t get discouraged with some ‘dry wells’. Follow up with every contact you receive and your progress will accelerate.

What good does THIS contact do for me?

By Harry Urschel

Resume Objective Statements: Tell the Hiring Manager Why He Should Read the Rest of Your Resume

image by CharlotWest


Don’t be fooled by people who tell you that resume objective statements are optional, or that you shouldn’t have one at all. Their reasoning is usually that objective statements fence you in and limit your job-seeking focus.

I’m here to tell you that you need an objective statement on your resume. Why?

• An objective statement tells me why I should keep reading the rest of your resume.

It’s advertising, basically. It’s the teaser that will draw me in to reading the rest of your resume. (The cover letter won’t do it. Recruiters don’t generally have the time to read a cover letter–we go straight to the resume. So, make sure the first few lines of your resume make me want to read more.) Read about how to craft a compelling objective statement. At it’s core, it’s about creating a statement that fits your capabilities to fulfilling the needs of the organization. What are a few of your key qualities that will make you a good fit for this job? Be careful that you don’t make this too generic (boring).

• An objective statement makes it easier for me to figure out who you are and what you want.

Don’t be vague: Think of your resume objective as a Personal Branding Statement (thanks, Phil Rosenburg of reCareered). It’s not only saying what you want, but it’s also indicating what problems you can solve and how you can bring value to the organization. In that way, it’s tailored to the job you’re applying for. Jessica Holbrook’s article on Career Rocketeer agrees: Don’t start off by telling the hiring manager what you want, tell the hiring manager what you can do for the company.

Don’t worry: a well-crafted, tailored objective statement won’t stop you from being considered for other jobs. For instance, as a medical sales recruiter, I’m always looking for the best candidate to submit to my clients for consideration for jobs in medical sales, laboratory sales, medical device sales, health care IT, and more. If your objective statement has led me to read the rest of your resume to see what you can do (and what you have done), I’m going to think about you for any job you might be a good fit for because that’s what’s in the best interests of me and my client companies.

Original Post Resume Objective Statements: Tell the Hiring Manager Why He Should Read the Rest of Your Resume

No One Bats a 1000!

If you’re a baseball fan, you know that even the best hitters in Major League Baseball actually get a hit significantly less than 40% of the time they step up to the plate. That obviously means they try, and fail, over 60% of the time!
Over a 60% failure rate! However, anyone that’s close to ‘only’ a 60% failure rate earns several million dollars per season!
Everyone knows… NO ONE bats a 1000!
Joe Mauer, last years best batter in the Major Leagues, averaged .365. That’s considered an extraordinary year. However, it still means that 63.5% of the time he got an ‘at bat’, he failed!

Whether you’re a baseball player, a sales person, an investor, an engineer, or in a job search… the same thing is true! You will not be successful in every call, or in every effort you make. Unfortunately, that’s not how most people approach their search.
Job seekers regularly hear that the vast majority of jobs are filled through ‘networking’. That means you have to actually connect with real people, make an introduction, and ask for referrals. Applying to positions online or some other way, and just waiting for a call are not likely to get results in today’s job market.
However, too many people make a phone call or send an email to someone new, get no response or no results, and become convinced that “networking doesn’t work for me.”
Setting expectations properly goes a long way to being able to continue on toward results. You’re not going to get a job lead or another networking referral from each person you talk to, perhaps not even from every 5 people you talk to. However, you may get a great name or lead from the 3rd, 5th, 6th, or 8th person you connect with. You’ll never get that name or lead though without getting to that 8th person. Persistence pays, and with each contact you make, you get better at your approach and your numbers improve.
Don’t get discouraged, slow down, or give up after a few ‘strikes’. Keep swinging away. The more you do, the closer you get to a base hit or a home run!
Remember, no one bats 1000!

Original Post No One Bats a 1000!

Thank-You Notes: Not Just for Interviews! | Brand-Yourself.com Blog

by Meg Guiseppi • March 29, 2010 • Original Post Here

Here’s a piece of old-fashioned advice to build personal brand equity when you’re in the job search, and for overall successful networking and healthy career management:

Invest in some quality thank you notes and plenty of postage stamps, and start using them regularly.

That’s right. Remember snail mail? Get into the habit of sending hand-written thank you’s to just about anyone you interact with in your job search –not just interviewers!!! This can include people in your network who provide introductions or do favors for you, employers and colleagues who write recommendations, etc.

I recently heard that at most a mere 5% of job seekers send thank you’s after interviews. So imagine that number is closer to 1%, probably lower, for non-interview purposes. The impact for those who take advantage of this little-used strategy can be significant, as you will really stand out from the crowd.

Much more than a courtesy, a thank you note is your opportunity to re-sell yourself and once again position your brand and value proposition in front of hiring and business decision makers.

Clients of mine have told me that thank-you notes were the tipping point in their favor. The decision was down to the wire. My clients sent thank you’s, their competition didn’t. Hiring decision makers said they were so impressed by the thoughtfulness and effort, the thank you was the deciding factor.

That thoughtfulness will go a long way towards impressing your other contacts as well, and may make them inclined to want to do more business with you, or to do you another personal favor at some time in the future. Imagine yourself giving someone a gift for their birthday. If they thank you sincerely, and make it known how much your gift was appreciated, won’t you be more likely to give them a gift next year?

Emailed thank you messages are okay, and sometimes necessary to get something out quickly, but they just don’t impress the way a mailed one does (also consider hand-delivery through the office secretary for maximum effect!).

Here’s what a personalized, brand-reinforcing thank you note accomplishes so beautifully following an interview, or any other professional encounter:

• Conveys courtesy toward the contact for their time.
• Reminds the contact of you and puts you top of mind again.
• Mentions highlights of the conversation and reiterates your interest in the topic being discussed.
• Provides an opportunity to restate your value proposition and good fit for the company.
• Provides an opportunity to bring up information you poorly addressed or forgot in the discussion.
• Provides an opportunity to ask about the next step in the interview/sales/whatever process.

Send your thank you notes the day of the discussion, if at all possible. Get the full name, correct spelling, and title of each person you speak with before you leave. Ask for their business cards so you don’t have to fumble for paper and pen.

Take a few moments to jot down the following information as quickly after talking with them as possible, while everything is still fresh in your mind. This information will make writing your thank you notes much easier:

1. What key things did they ask you?

2. How did you answer?

3. What answers or info did you give that captured their attention and/or impressed them?

4. What did you tell them about yourself that they said represented important skills or personal attributes for the position’s requirements or organization’s challenges and needs?

5. What concerns did they voice about you?

6. What areas/things did you neglect to mention?

7. What little tidbits about the company did you learn that you can impress them with?

8. How can you reinforce your fit for the job or sale?

A few other points:

• Don’t send generic or canned thank you notes. They’re almost worse than sending nothing.
• Don’t hand a thank you letter to the employer at the end of the interview. You’ll clearly be giving her or him a canned note.
• Don’t forget to sign the letter.

Be generous in sending thank you’s. They can make all the difference in keeping you and your personal brand top of mind with the very people you want to leave a lasting, memorable impression with. Remember, the cost to overnight Fedex a letter to make sure it’s received promptly is a drop in the hat compared with the benefit you stand to gain if things go well.

Be sure to check out this post about different types of thank-you’s and when each might be appropriate. But remember to make each your own!

Related post:

Best Executive Job Interviewing Strategies

An Executive Personal Branding, Online Identity and Job Search Strategist, Meg is a 20-year careers industry professional and one of only a handful of people worldwide to hold the Reach Certified Personal Branding Strategist and Master Resume Writer credentials, both gold standards.

“I love my work collaborating with savvy senior executives and entrepreneurs who know where they’re going, but need help differentiating their unique promise of value in the new world of work and executive job search, and positioning themselves to work their passion. My clients are typically c-suite, senior-level executives and rising stars.”

Find out more about Meg at Executive Career Brand, and by viewing her LinkedIn profile andfollowing her on Twitter.

Add Context to Business Cards to Help Remember the Person

If you're great at taking business cards when they're handed to you but not so great at remembering who gave them to you, where, and what you were talking about, reader meep offers a simple but smart trick:

A friend told me about this excellent networking tip: when you get a business card, write where and when you met the person, along with important facts you may need later on the back. This way you can say, 'Oh, remember when we were [there] and you asked about [this]' as a conversation starter later on.

Despite what we may have expected, it turns out business card use is alive and well among Lifehacker readers, so this tip might come in particularly handy next time you're at an event where the business cards are flowing like wine. Got another method that helps you remember more about the person who handed you the card? Let's hear it in the comments.

'A friend told me about this excellent networking tip...'

How Long Have You Been Job Searching?

What many job seekers don’t realize from jobmob
When I ask job seekers how long it’s been since their job search began, a typical reply is “too long.”

Yeah, I know what you mean.

Sometimes people will say “well, I just started looking…” but almost NO ONE ever says “for the position I’m looking for, in today’s market, in this city, it takes 4-6 months on the average to find a new job. I’ve been looking for 3 months, so it’s still early…”

After I resigned from my job at Amazon in the summer of 2001, I thought it would take 1 month to find a new job. And that was just after I’d moved back to Jerusalem and had no idea how much (lack of) demand there was for my skillset there at the time. I was so clueless. I thought employers would be impressed by my Amazon achievements and I’d have my pick of offers.

Really.

Why did I think it would only take me just 1 month? Because my previous job had taken about that long to find. Having been my first full-time career job, I didn’t know any better.

Now I know better… but that’s a topic for an upcoming article.

How did you estimate how long your current job search should take?

[POLL] How Long Have You Been Job Searching? [JobMob]

Are you in control of your job search?

By Harry Urschel
Do you know where your resume has been presented?
Do you know who presented your resume?
Are you driving, or being taken for a ride?
Often, people think that the more their resume gets shown to a company, the better their chances of being considered. That can be true if done right, but often can backfire if handled poorly.
Unfortunately, many people handle it poorly. What should you, and what should you not do? Here are some points to consider.
Don’t submit more than once when a recruiter is involved! Although there may be times where it may make sense to submit a resume to a company multiple times for a position (more on that later), be careful when you’re using a recruiter.
Typically, a recruiter only collects a fee from their client company if they are able to present a candidate the company isn’t already aware of. Depending on the relationship the recruiter has with the client, there may be exceptions, however, as a rule they want to be sure they are the only one to present you. Sometimes, if a company receives a resume from two recruiters, they may reject you entirely because they don’t want to deal with a potential conflict as to which recruiter ought to receive the fee. Sometimes as well, the same result occurs if both you and a recruiter present your resume. The company doesn’t want to get into a debate as to whether they owe the recruiter a fee or not, so they’d rather simply throw it out.
Be sure when you speak to recruiters, that you specifically ask them not to present your resume to anyone else without your express permission. Unfortunately, there are some recruiters that will take a resume from their database and use it as bait with their clients to fish for potential interest, then call you only after they get a bite. That’s why it’s necessary to proactively ask them in advance to call you first. Then, it is imperative that you keep careful records of where your resume has gone and through whom. Also, if a recruiter calls you with an opportunity at a particular company, be sure to let them know if you’ve already presented your resume there yourself. Don’t double submit, or you may be the loser.
Don’t apply to too many jobs at one company! Over a period time, some companies may have several similar jobs posted that seem to somewhat fit your background. Particularly a very large company may have 10 or more related jobs posted at one time. If you apply to several of them, your resume may become tainted in their perception.
When I speak to internal recruiters or HR people at large companies, they regularly tell me they are turned off by a candidate when they see they applied to 10 or 12 different position over the last 6 months or so. Their perception is that the candidate has no real target as to what they want and simply continues to throw their resume at the wall hoping something will stick. That may or may not be true for any individual candidate, however, that perception that gets created will torpedo their chances of getting a call.
Choose the positions you apply to carefully, and limit the number of times you apply. It’s much more effective to pursue personal contacts within the organization and express your interest in particular positions to someone individually, than to keep clicking the ‘Apply’ button online.
Do present your resume multiple times through your own networking! There are times when getting your resume in front of a hiring manager multiple times can be a great asset.
Someone I know had targeted a particular company where he very much wanted to work. Over a period of weeks, he made a point to call, network, and get informational meetings with as many people as he could within the organization, whether they were related to the type of role he was pursuing or not. With each conversation, his knowledge of the organization grew. Each time, he went out of his way to present himself as professionally as possible. And each time, he worked at building a relationship with the people he met. When an appropriate opportunity did pop up at the company, five different people took his resume to the hiring manager, spoke well of him, and asked that he be considered. Although his resume didn’t seem to be an exact match to the position, the hiring manager did call him in for an interview because of the several referrals. He said “I don’t know if you’re a great fit for the role, but when I get five people encouraging me to talk to you, I certainly want to meet you.” Three weeks later he got the job!
Done well, presenting your resume multiple times can truly pay off.
Take control of your job search wheel! Make sure you know where your resume is going and where it’s been.

Are you in control of your job search?

13 Best Firefox Job Search Add-ons

Here are the job search add-ons that make Firefox the only browser for job seekers.

I’m not just saying that. Google Chrome only has a few extensions for searching job boards, while Internet Explorer has no specific job search add-ons at all.

How to use this guide

All the add-ons mentioned here can be found in the Best Job Search Add-ons collection I created on mozilla.org.

Search plugins

Search plugins add a specific search engine to your browser’s search box.

Indeed Job Search: search Indeed.com, one of the biggest job search engines in the USA.

Jobtweet.de – Twitter Job Search engine (English version): search Twitter for job openings from English-speaking countries. Other versions of this add-on search for jobs in Russian, French and German.

TwitterJobSearch: Search Twitter for job listings.

CharityJOB: search for fundraising jobs, charity jobs, and third sector jobs in the UK.

DoNanza Freelance Job Search: search the “world’s biggest search engine for online freelance jobs.”

oDesk Jobs: “from within your Firefox search bar, simply type a query and browse through matching oDesk assignments.” Another freelance job search add-on.

Curriculum for Professionals: “search directly from your browser the exact job post you are looking for.” (Brazil)

Jobexpress.pl : search job listings on this Polish job board. (Poland)

Zarplata.ru – instant search: search job offers from top Russian companies. (Russia)

Super add-on tip: use the terrific Add to Search Bar add-on so you can search any website directly from Firefox’s search box.

Toolbars

I try to avoid installing toolbars because they’re rarely worth the space they take up on your screen. Just remember you can hide each toolbar until you need it (right-click in the toolbar area, and then uncheck the name of the toolbar to hide).

Linkedin Companion for Firefox: Search for a job by seeing who in your network can connect you while browsing major online job sites. Most useful for the LinkedIn JobInsider sidebar panel that will show you contacts on LinkedIn from the company whose job listing you’re viewing.


Firefox Super Search – “over 160 of the best people search and web search engines in one handy add-on, including 67 searches that can be done right from the toolbar, without having to visit each site and retype the name or search term that you are searching.” Most useful for the built-in, US-based search engines and people searches, most of which I told you about in my 200+ Resources and Tips To Help Manage Your Reputation Online.

Other

JobSpeaker: helps you manage your job search by allowing you to save, rate and track jobs that interest you and also lets you forward or tweet jobs to your friends. A nice idea.

pBot, job applicant: “pBot was a project conceived out of frustration with the job application process; specifically the pseudoscientific ‘personality test’ that seems to tacked on the end of every application for even the lowest level jobs. Instead, pBot will fill out Unicru job application ‘personality tests’ for you.” More information at the add-on’s official site. I’m not recommending you use this tool, but it’s worth knowing that it’s out there.

If you liked this article, you’ll enjoy RSS: The Best Job Search Tool You’re Not Using Enough.
13 Best Firefox Job Search Add-ons [JobMob]

Send a letter stating you are over qualified.

Send your resume and a cover letter which states “It’ll appear obvious from my resume that I’m over-qualified for the job you advertised, so let me tell you why you should interview me and consider “super-sizing” your opportunity”.

Write a bulleted list of 3-5 benefits you think they might be interested in. Close the letter saying something to the effect that “I am old enough to have already learned from my mistakes – so my experience is more cost effective than a more junior person. In a few months, or years, you’ll need to send them on training to upgrade their knowledge, whereas I come fully equipped to do the next job too.”


Point out any certificates or advanced training which
you already have that someone in that job might be expected to acquire.

Show you are already qualified to do the next position
too.

Point out any retraining allowances or incentives
employers might be eligible for if they hire a more seasoned person.


Compliments
of David Perry and Kevin Donlin

Send a letter stating you are over qualified

Watch How Job Seekers Overcome Age Bias

by mandymooo

“Age Bias,” has become somewhat of a buzz word associated with job seekers over a given age, but let’s call it for what it is…Age Discrimination. There I feel better now.

When does it begin ?

It’s been my experience that age discrimination starts rearing its ugly head when one is over 40 years of age and not 50 as is widely believed.

Does age discrimination exist ? I know it does, at least to some degree.

In fact, as an Executive Search Professional, I once had a new client (a household corporate name you would know) who screamed obscenities into my phone and further threatened to fire my search firm; if in the future we sent them anyone 40 or older.

What was their (twisted) rationale ?

“People over 40 simply do not have enough (runway) left in their career to advance far in this company,” they were quoted as saying to me. By the way, this was the belief and a rigid mandate set forth by the company’s Regional President who ironically enough was closing in on 60 !

Did my firm get fired ?

No, I fired the client because it is both wrong and illegal. Now before anyone asks, when we took on this new client, they neglected to mention that they discriminated based on age. I can only assume that they were accustomed to working with recruiters who would look the other way; they must have assumed that my firm would do likewise.

Did I try to “educate” this Regional President as to the consequences of being convicted of Age Discrimination ?

Yes I did, and to no avail. His response was short and sweet, “That’s what our lawyers are for and that is the end of this discussion.” Oh well, that just goes to show that not “everyone” in a position of authority will modify their moral compass even if at their own peril.

So, how do the “more experienced” workers over 40 gain meaningful employment ?

First and foremost, even though you “feel” you may have been a victim of age discrimination it does not mean you in fact were. Let’s face it; on a national basis, this is likely the most competitive job market we have seen in our times. You may have been a casualty due to the sheer numbers of unemployed people you are competing with. Then again you may have been competing with a Guerrilla !

If you are a job seeker over 40 or over 50 for that matter, here are seven rock-solid proven points to seriously consider while looking for your next gig:

• Your resume and cover letter must quickly and clearly articulate your value in that it addresses an employers primary pain points; no great revelation here except for the fact that very few people can skillfully do it.
• Approach your search with an absolute goal in mind that goes above and beyond just getting “another” job.
• Remember that what YOU want is of no significance to a potential employer.
• Humanizing your job search is a cradle to grave undertaking, you must do so throughout the ENTIRE process.
• It is of the essence that you’re talking and meeting with “yes” people.
• Don’t be a nuisance, but be “imaginatively” persistent with potential new employers.
• Networking, be it direct or indirect is still the number one proven way to land a new job. Learning to socially engineer your way into a new position will pay off.

If I were to describe a “typical” Guerrilla Job Boot Camper,” they would be over 40 (or 50) and of course unemployed when they joined us; as a best guess I would have to say that less than 1% of our boot campers have been under 40 years of age.

Go here to WATCH several short videos and see what these people did to overcome (either) real or imaged Age Discrimination. You’ll note that not one of them is under 40 !

http://www.psychoape.com/recommendations.html#video

Have a Great Guerrilla Day !

Mark J. Haluska

http://www.psychoape.com

724-495-2733

Watch How Job Seekers Overcome Age Bias

Create a 30/60/90-Day Plan Now To Boost Your Job Search in the Future

image by Joe Lanman


A 30/60/90-day sales plan is a written outline for exactly what you’ll do in the first 3 months on a new job. It’s the goals you’ve set for yourself as a new employee for the first 30 days, the first 60 days, and the first 90 days. A 30/60/90-day sales plan is tremendously impressive to a hiring manager because it takes a lot of effort to write one, and requires that you research the company and the job very well in order to be specific in your goals. (It takes the idea of “doing your homework” to a whole new level.) 

Very few people put this kind of effort into a job they haven’t even gotten yet. When a hiring manager sees a candidate with one of these plans, they think at least two things: (1) “This person knows exactly what I need here, and he can hit the ground running…I can see him doing well in this job” and (2) “Wow. If this candidate will work this hard before she gets the job, imagine what a go-getter she’ll be on my team.” (Either one means great things for you.)

If you’ve got lots of experience, your 30/60/90-day plan will show the hiring manger your energy, enthusiasm, drive, determination, and knowledge, setting you apart from the pack.
If you have little experience, a 30/60/90-day plan will show the hiring manger that you do, in fact, know what it takes to be successful at this job, and it’s not going to be a risk to hire you. (Click here for more tools to help you get into medical sales.)

OK. I said all that to say this:

Don’t throw away your 30/60/90-day sales plan after you get the job.

First of all, you’ll need to use it on the job. If it’s a good 30/60/90-day plan, actually following it WILL make you more successful.

Second, unless you’re already flirting with retirement, the job you’ve got probably isn’t going to be your last stop….so job searching, interviewing, and 30/60/90-day plans will still be a part of your future.

With that in mind, here’s my big tip for the day: make notes on what worked for you in your 30/60/90-day plan and start a “Job Search” folder, where you keep notes on interesting companies, recruiter contacts, “attaboy” (or girl) emails, etc.–and put your 30/60/90-day sales plan in there for future job searches. Like a brag bookfolder, it’s going to be a personalized resource for you. You won’t need to start from scratch on your job search or your 30/60/90-day sales plan if you find yourself suddenly in the market for a new job. And, you can use what you’ve learned to improve your plan for each job you interview for….you’ll be more efficient, and you’ll become a better candidate.

Original Post Create a 30/60/90-Day Plan Now To Boost Your Job Search in the Future

4 Surefire Tactics to Keep Your $100K Executive Job Search Alive and Kicking | EmploymentDigest.net

“What do I need to do to be more effective and keep my job search alive?” In this article, I give you four sure-fire tactics to implement so that you can keep your job search campaign kicking!

Step #1 – Reach Out

Networking is more than just going to professional association meetings, eating lunch or dinner with strangers and collecting business cards. There are specific methods for getting a pay off in every networking activity that you engage in!

1. Be intentional. Even before you sign-up for an event, before you pick up the phone, or before you send a resume to anyone, you should have a plan, a goal and an expected outcome for each and every activity that you perform.

2. Categorize Your Contacts. Organizing and categorizing your contact database is key to understanding how to communicate with each contact and what to expect. I recommend that you classify your contacts into three types: power brokers, peers, and pay-it-forward individuals.

3. Customize Your Communications. Once you’ve classified your contacts appropriately, develop different messages for each. Power Brokers, who are one or two levels above you in their career, require valuable strategically positioned messages. Peers, those who are at the same level as you, are great sources for information about companies and contacts. Pay-it-forward groups, those who are one or two levels below you, need only brief and infrequent contact.

Step #2 – Build Trust

Building trust should be part of your continual networking efforts. Building trust is essential in getting others to give you leads and potential opportunities.

1. Intentional Volunteering. When you give, you get. But giving of your time, resources and expertise should be more than just “hoping something will happen.” To volunteer to give AND get results, you need to intentionally volunteer where you can be visible and valuable.

2. Attitude Determine Altitude. Your attitude to volunteering should be about providing value to the other person/group and that you are going to give your very best. This is not the time to “act as a volunteer.”

3. Insider Information. The goal of volunteering is that you should be of such value that you are brought into the “insider group” so that you are the first to know about any opportunities or job searches that companies are conducting BEFORE they post the job.

Step #3 – Develop Talking Points

It is what you SAY that gets you hired; not what you write. Finding opportunities are all part of the process of getting hired. Developing Oral Talking Points that are crisp, clear and memorable will set you apart from the pack.

1. Elevator Pitch. First impressions, as the saying goes, last forever. Yet most $100K+ executives develop their elevator pitch like a mini-resume and often they are boring! Market Your Potential, Not Your Past has a full chapter on the 7 rules for developing an elevator pitch that gets results, including real-life before and after examples!

2. Informational Interview. Why would you call anyone without writing out a script? Yet over and over again, people pick up the phone, dial the number of their contact and then freeze because they don’t know what to say. Write, re-write, and rehearse your introduction along with a closing that gets results.

3. Face-to-Face Meetings. Let’s say you get someone interested in you and invites you to meet with them even if they don’t have an opening at the time. What do you say? How can you make sure that it is a valuable two-way conversation about the business? What will you do to paint the picture in your listener’s mind where they “see” you working at their company? By now, you know the answer – script it out!

Step #4 – Use Low-Key Sales Tactics

Learning how to sell is vital to moving opportunities along – whether or not you are in sales or not. Asking for a job when you haven’t moved the relationship along is not appropriate and neither is it appropriate, if you are a top $100K+ Executive talent, to not “ask for the order.”

1. Prepare to close. Learn to develop and incorporate trial closes, which are open-ended questions (those that start with who, what, where, why, when and/or how,) to gain information and valuable insights along the way towards a final sale.

2. Use Resources Available. Your local library is filled with books about how to sell. Ask a business associate who is a sales professional to help you. Practice orally your trial closes and get comfortable using low-key sales tactics.

These four sure-fire tactics are necessary to get you moving today. However, these are just the beginning. For more tools and information about how to get better results in your executive-level job search, read my bio and click on the link to my website.

$100K+ Executive-Level Career Coach Karen Armon prepares leaders around the world for their next move. Her popular book , Market Your Potential, Not Your Past is a hit among executives who want a clear-cut, systematic game plan that drives careers forward. Now get her new FREE eBook, “Ten Micro-Trends that Impact Executive Careers Today” at http://www.marketoneexecutive.com/ebook.asp and take a critical look at today’s marketplace.

4 Surefire Tactics to Keep Your $100K Executive Job Search Alive and Kicking | EmploymentDigest.net