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Debra Feldman, Job Whiz

Put yourself in a recruiter's or even an executive headhunter's shoes. Better yet squeeze yourself behind those folks' eyeglasses to really experience life as lived by an employer representative and you begin to gain some perspective on what the other side of job search is all about. It isn't merely eliminating the oddballs and unsuitable applicants; it's about finding the gems, those with skills, knowledge, talent, and passion.

How do you accomplish this? The answer is easy … you must target your job search where it is most likely to quickly yield a positive outcome. This means getting interviews, face-to-face ideally or on the telephone, with a hiring manager who can appreciate your potential contribution and help usher you through the corporate labyrinth to get recognized. This will happen if you can market yourself to prospective employers who can relate to your abilities and needs your skills to solve a problem or address a need; in other words, an employer that has an issue that you are equipped to manage or overcome from the onset. In this economy, employers demand immediate involvement and are wary to risk a learning curve that may not be rapid. Matching a candidate to corporate culture (the "fit") is more important than ever before. Not only does it make for a more comfortable and faster alliance, but it also means that ramping up takes less time and the expense of bringing in a new hire is paid back sooner.

The key to getting attention is positioning. How a candidate positions himself and what they are marketing to prospective employers is critical to overall success and, in fact, precedes all the trust, skills, past achievements and personality issues that arise once a connection is established.

Networking is the key to job-search success. If a candidate knows someone inside an organization, a personal introduction paves the way for a smoother application or inquiry procedure. Researching news headlines, trade data, company websites, and financial filings are all great ways to find names of insiders and their responsibilities, even their outside interests and memberships.

A phone call directly to the contact can start the ball rolling. Oftentimes, befriending that individual's administrative assistant or a co-worker warms things up for a more welcoming greeting from the targeted contact. These associates are familiar with their colleague's schedule and work habits, and can provide invaluable insights into when and how to approach them for an informational phone call. Pose the discussion as a collaboration between peers to explore mutual interests. By presenting this contact as an inquiry for more information, the candidate is more apt to be cordially greeted and obtain more unsolicited, but critical information about the company.

If you can't get attention by telephone contact alone, consider writing, but don't just send a letter or resume. Instead, send a short email (all pertinent information fitting on one screen length with a very catching, compelling subject line) or compose a single-use letter that communicates that a great match you are for the particular opportunity.

A one-two punchy statement introducing your relevant background, related career highlights and specific career objectives combines the very best and unique qualities of a dynamic resume with the wow! impact generated by specific, directly relevant quantitative or measurably qualitative facts in a format with pizzazz. The person who will be reading your letter is looking for a capable individual who is prepared to come on board and start implementing a solution. Be certain to clearly demonstrate this capacity and willingness in a simply stated, focused letter of introduction. Don't waste a reader's time by attempting to impress him or her with information that doesn't matter at this point in the process.

How do you find a "hook" to get inside a company? How do you establish the right pitch to market yourself successfully? Careful and thorough research can reveal the weak links within an organization, identify industry trends, provide insights into corporate culture, and more. Showing a prospective employer that a candidate has invested in learning more about the company helps to build trust and shows initiative. Doing a competitive analysis among peer companies in the same or closely allied fields, keeping current with industry trends, and being familiar with the names of top players, helps to convince future employers of a candidate's seriousness and competence.

Develop a profile on prospective employers beyond the standard Dun and Bradstreet, Moody's, and Standard and Poor's - root out headlines, get trade association information, search for, comb for analysts' reports, interview executives at competitive companies, and more. All of these techniques are solid tools. All take considerable time, definitely some luck, and the ability to snake around, pull off the covers, and probe deeply.

Bottom line, job search is all about getting interviews and offers, and preparation is key to strong performance. Getting the invitation to interview necessitates an enormous amount of persistence to ensure that you'll connect well with your interviewer. A personal recommendation or introduction will afford a competitive edge over those who merely reply to posted openings. Statistical evidence proves that over 85% of new hires report finding their new jobs through networking.

Networking truly is the single, most-promising method for pursuing a new career opportunity. By focusing job hunting on prospective employers most likely to need you and your talents, the probability of a swifter career transition is assured!

Debra Feldman is the founder and president of Job Whiz. She is an internationally recognized, executive-level, job-search consultant with a specialization in identifying and introducing candidates to appropriate contacts at target companies, bypassing gatekeepers to achieve superior results over traditional campaign methods. Debra can be reached at DebraFeldman@JobWhiz.com.

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