Call Human Resources
I know this sounds like heresy but there’s method in my madness. Call the personnel department of the companies on your target list. Ask their manager or recruiter what outside agency or third party recruiting firm they use. Why? For two strategic reasons, First, any personnel person will immediately ask why you want to know. To which you answer, “I’ve been to your web site and I understand that you’re not looking for someone with my skill set right now but the agency you use may be dealing with other firms who could use my skill set --- so I guess I’m looking for a recommendation from you.” After they get over the compliment they will likely ask you about your skill set etc., in which case you should tell them that, “I didn’t call you looking for a back door into your company but if you want to have a cup of coffee sometime I’d be happy to share my accomplishments with you.” If they push you be prepared to sell yourself shamelessly. Second, if they don’t press you for an interview, insist on knowing whom they use and why.
Personnel Managers love saving money on fees, so they may try to hire you directly.
Personnel Managers tend to group together by industry and make referrals to each other.
Getting a referral from one of their customers will insure the agency treats you with kid gloves.
Always ask for the name of a specific person and their direct dial number.
Get permission to use the Personnel Manager’s name as a reference.
Ask if they personally know of any other companies that could make appropriate use of your skills.
Send them a thank you note with a copy of your resume to keep on file for their future requirements.
Compliments of David Perry and Kevin Donlin
Grab your Free Guerrilla Job Search Audio here.
Your Job Search: The Little Things
Big things are important, little things have the power to distract from, or reinforce, your message.
Little things, like your shoelace untied.
Or your hair messed up.
Or a stain on your shirt.
Or a resume that is folded in half, or a business card that is dog-earred, or facial hair that just seems out of place, or …
The list can go on and on. I’m not saying that people can’t be unusual, or be independent, or go against any grain, etc.
I’m not saying it’s right for people to judge us for little indiscretions, although they do it anyway (so do you).
What I’m saying is, pay attention to the little things and perhaps you’ll come across as more professional, or the better candidate, or a strong networker, or something similar.
Don’t solely focus on the big things – make sure you pay attention to the little things.
My Global Career: Eight Steps to Make Communication a Vital Skill
The art of everyday communications should be every executive’s number one priority. Every statement and every communication must contain the elements connected to company success, including its values, motivation, goals and objectives. However, successful communication is not just about idea, it’s also about how it is said.
These eight steps will help you turn communication into a hot skill, pivotal to advancing both your career and your company’s agenda:
The first step for leaders is to constantly keep internal and external communication lines open. Quick and responsive replies to all queries will ensure that everybody is on top of the game and keeping evolving situations transparent.
The second step for leaders is to be their staff’s most valuable resource. This is done by having a constant open door so staff can feel comfortable to ask for help, share issues and problems and get advice in relation to their personalized tasks and roles.
The second step is about leaders being able to respond to all communications without interfering in their daily responsibilities. This can be done by prioritizing situations expressed in communications and practicing effective time management through vetting each communication on its individual merits.
The third step is enforcing corporate values and acceptable behaviors. This powerful tool cannot only address concerns but recognize the value of the communication and the person communicating it. It’s also a means of expressing appreciation and confidence in staff.
The fourth step is to remain focused on company/client communications through the feedback loop. This works by maintaning constant and open communications with each and every client. This level of communication accounts for the individual differences between clients. Its personalized nature improves retention and sustains the company’s advantage over competitors.
The fifth step is for companies to support their leaders in learning to communicate effectively. Not all leaders have fine-tuned communication skills. Some may need a coach or specialized training. Others may not feel comfortable making presentations, therefore requiring help in overcoming stage fright. However, if company leaders are not given the support they need, then the messages from the top can be lost or not communicated clearly to other staff.
The sixth step is overcoming resistance to communications improvement. It’s fundamental that every leader hones hiss/her skills in effective communications. Failure to do so will result in miscommunications, missed opportunitiies, customer/client/staff dissatisfaction and failure to meet objectives. If a leader refuses to cooperate, it may be become necessary to replace this leader with a new one.
The seventh step is providing communications training. Varied levels can be made available beyond the basics. This can include motivational speaking, public speakikng, media relations and effective listening/persuasion/influence. It mahy also be necessary to hire a communications specialist who will evaluate presentations and all other types of communications to see where the strengths and weaknesses lie. In turn, this person can advise, mentor and propose both changes and needed training.
The eighth step is to have a tam of communicators that can represent that company. They should be actively involved within the company and visible to others at all times.
Monster.com’s and Eons’ founder and CEO Jeff Taylor is very much aware of art daily communications. He accepted that communicating clearly so that all staff undersand the purpose and vision are critical to company success and continued profitability. Most improtantly, he recognized that the only way to pass on company messages is through all company leaders learning to communicate properly. In fact his understanding of my eight important steps in the art ofcommunications has helped him and his satff insure that this business clearly succeed.
Communications with any company is not only critical to the company’s success but an art form that cannot be ignored. Communicating daily is a top priority. Statements and other forms of communications must be directly linked to company objectives, goal, staff motivation and company values.
However, successful communications cannot be achieved simply by expressing an idea. How ideas are communicated can make or break a company. Open lines of communications must exist between leaders, staff, clients and customers. Leaders must also act as a resource for all staff, and enforce acceptable behaviors and transmit company values, and focusing on feedback from within and without the company must be maintained.
Most critically, companies must support leaders and staff in developing their communication skills. Such support has to include training, confidence in their abilities, effective communications and clearing out communications resistance. However, the best stratewgy is to create a confident team of well-trained communicators who can act as positive representatives for the company, both publicly and within company walls. With all these elements in place, success and communications become permanently linked.
Suzanne Bates, CEO of Bates Communications, is author of “Motivate Like a CEO: Communicate Your Stategic Vision and Inspire People to Act!” (McGraw Hill 2009) and the best-seller “Speak Like a CEO: Secrets for Commanding Attention and Getting Results.” She also writes The Power Speaker Blog.
Secrets of the Job Hunt: Why CVs online are more trustworthy
Do you know that many written CVs are fake or have been changed?
On your CV is everything true?
Your on-line CV is much more accurate than your written CV. Why?
Because on Linkedin or Viadeo, you are in touch with your ex colleagues, ex bosses or ex clients…and they know your position and what you were doing. So you can’t pretend being a marketing director
whereas you were working as a Marketing manager. When connecting with
you, they will look at your profile.People would spot you are cheating on your CV straight away…what kind of credibility or trust would you have?
CVs online are ruled by peer pressure which means CVs are under the eye of your ex colleagues and you can’t lie too much. Your lies could be seen by everybody.
Especially if you google your name, your linkedin/viadeo profile appears in the first page!
In that context, CVs online tend to be more accurate than the written ones which are only seen by the recruiter or the hiring manager.
Written CVs can be slightly changed or even faked…as long as only one person looks at it…but if it is a whole bunch of people, the risk of being uncovered is much larger.
Conclusion: recruiters use more and more Linkedin and Viadeo to find candidates as it is a free and trustworthy source of candidates.
What do you wait for?
Distribute a Booklet
Do a booklet relevant to your industry with helpful information and give it away. Everyone loves a freebie so give away something that demonstrates your expertise. In my case, for example, I designed, wrote and distributed a free booklet on how to do a reference check correctly, called Don’t Hire a Liar. The booklet subtly points out the benefits of using a professional – like myself – to do their hiring. The booklet hot-links to a supplemental software program for reference checking which my firm sells. You could embed a hot link to your web site, resume or bio.
Give the booklet away everywhere you can.
If you send a printed version to someone make sure you indicate where they can get extra copies for their colleagues.
Ideally give a web site address people can pass on to others.
Advertise it on your web site and through those newsgroups frequented that hiring mangers in your target market and their recruiters frequent.
If you print your own business cards, put the URL for link to the booklet on the back.
A War Story
A methodical strategy paid off for this ExecuNet member who was very active in her local human resources groups. She contacted the national headquarters for the names of local chapter presidents, and mounted a campaign of contacting each one every two months. Her persistence paid off when she received an offer.
Compliments of Lauryn Franzoni, ExecuNet www.execunet.com
Compliments of David Perry and Kevin Donlin
Interviews: How to Answer the Job References Question
Your job references are important to your job search success. They’re the last step in the interview process, and you have to take just as much care with them as you do with anything else–like your resume, your interview skills, your brag book, or your 30/60/90-day plan. A great reference could easily be what convinces a hiring manager who’s on the fence about you to go ahead and hire you. And a bad one can knock you out of the running faster than you can blink. Recommendations carry a lot of weight.
When you are asked in a job interview about your references, don’t lead off your answer with a list of names. Get to the meat of what the hiring manager or recruiter wants to know by talking about what kind of references you have: titles, positions, and so on. Which references are the best ones? Former managers are always at the top of the list of desirable references for any job seeker. If your last job situation was less-than-ideal, you might have to get a little more creative to get a good reference. For instance, you could ask a high-level client, a colleague, or a manager you didn’t directly work for but who knows your work.
But it’s not just job titles that come into play when choosing a reference that will make you look good. You have to choose someone you know thinks a lot of you, someone who knows about the job you’re going for so that they can speak to your strengths, and someone who can express himself or herself well.
If you’ve got a lineup of good references, you need to know some job-reference etiquette: (1) Keep your references updated with regular e-mails about your career and pass on things that might be helpful to them, just like you do with the rest of your network; (2) give them a heads-up when they are about to be called for a reference, and use that time to tell them about the job and what skills they might focus on; and (3) be sure to thank them for helping you out.
