How to Get a Job in 60 Days or less
Getting a job is much easier than you think, but it requires a lot more time and effort than clicking the ‘apply’ button on a job ad. I have been asked by hundreds of people to help find them a job. After successfully placing a few hundred people, I am happy to share the best practices on networking to get a job. Here it is…a 10 step guide on How to Get a Job in 60 Days or Less.
Step 1:
Target an industry that you are looking to get into and research the internet (trade and association websites, social media and the like) and target 50 companies you would like to work for within a certain location. Try to focus on one location when looking companies to work for; nationwide is too big of a place to start.
Idea: Google: “Top 100 _________________ companies in Chicago”, insert the industry you desire and you will find all the leading companies. If that does not work, keep on researching utilizing Google, manta.com, Crain’s Publications, Linkedin, etc.
Step 2:
Determine the company department that would hire an individual like yourself based on your experience and degree and research the titles of the professionals that would be on the director, sr. level manager or Executive level within a given department. For instance, if you are looking to work in a marketing, a Director of Marketing or Chief Marketing Officer, or VP of Digital Marketing would be the ideal professionals that would be hiring individuals for the marketing department.
Step 3:
Find every Sr. Manager, Director or VP that is employed by the 50 ‘Target Companies’ within the departments you would be interested in working with.
Idea: Log onto LinkedIn (If you do not have a LinkedIn account, make a profile, add a normal profile picture, and if you are clueless to LinkedIn, watch YouTube videos on to use it- YOU NEED A LINKEDIN PROFILE), search LinkedIn for the individual with the targeted title at the company you are searching for. Make sure to use the advanced search features on LinkedIn. Click on profiles to view name, if the full name does not appear (usually last name will not appear if you are not somehow connected with the executive), go onto Google and type in: “Daniel Miller” “Empowered Staffing” “VP of Sales” Chicago (Make sure to add in the quotation marks “ ” in order to group words together when searching. If you cannot find enough people on LinkedIn try searching Google like this “Empowered Staffing” “VP of Sales” and see what names come up in the search results. Search Google and make sure each executive you find is legit, do not waste your time contacting people at a company that the individual no longer works at. It will be embarrassing to call and find out they retired from the company 12 years ago!
Goal: Get 3-5 people at each Targeted Company and type out the names on an organized excel spreadsheet. Using MS Excel is very helpful for keeping up a job search activity sheet. Create columns on the excel sheet and keep organized. Columns should include: Name, Company, Title, Phone, Email, City/State, and Last Activity.
Step 4:
Google each target company and get a company phone number. Make sure to keep in an organized excel sheet.
Idea: If you want more job hunt targeting strategy, Google each possible contact at each company and see if there is an email or phone number listed on a separate website. Google search string: “Daniel Miller” “Empowered Staffing” AND (Phone OR email). This will make it easier to contact someone directly.
Step 5:
Create a bullet pointed script containing the message you want to get across with any potential hiring authority.
· Never ask anyone directly for a job, hiring authorities hate being put on the spot. These calls are all for the purpose of networking.
· Never sound unprepared, know everything you want to say, how you want to sound, and stay positive. Do not ever show lack of effort or lack of positive energy when contacting potential employees.
· Executives and Directors are very nice individuals, do not fear!
o Especially if you are a new grad, Executives love chatting up a storm with energetic and positive graduates.
Professional Intro: “ Hi __Daniel______________, this is Ronald Jacobs and I have been within the X industry for over 10 years and I was wondering if you know anyone I can network with or speak to about getting a job within t he local chicagoland area.”
Step 6:
Start making your calls….with a list of 50 companies, and getting 3+ names from each company, you should have at least 150 calls to make. Spread those calls over a week, about 20+ calls a day. The more you do, the faster you will network yourself. Get at it!
Big Chance they will refer you to someone that is looking to hire, ask for your resume or want to set up an interview … so get ready to have an interview or referral. Get your resume ready (If your resume is not done before reading this article- seriously stop everything and go make it. Search Google for resume templates…explore the template you like and make the best resume ever. Do not make it look like crap – or else you will be treated like a crap resume. Have a pen and paper handy – the hiring authorities may just start rambling off a bunch of information- do not be unprepared for the conversation.
When making the phone calls, if a receptionist asks who you are just say something like… “I am a marketing manager within the X industry and I am looking to chat with X” or “I am a recent graduate from the Marketing program at Purdue University and I wanted to connect with Daniel Miller”…
Once conversation takes place: Refer to your bullet point information on the information you would like to discuss about yourself or questions you would like to ask- be kind as respectful when asking questions and speaking about your background.
ACT A LITTLE BIT MORE EXCITED- DO NOT SOUND ANNOYED, SCARED, DEPRESSED…PUT ON A HAPPY FACE
BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANY CALLS. PEOPLE CAN FEEL FOR THE PERSONALITY OVER THE PHONE LINE…FIRST
IMPRESSIONS ARE EVERYTHING.
Idea: Get contact information, follow up with these professionals and do not be lazy about organizing activity and noting what has happened over the phone call in the excel sheet. Document everything - keep your information neat. If they ask you to follow up in a week, email and/or call them in a week. Set a calendar reminder. NEVER FORGET ACTIVITY DOCUMENTING AND FOLLOW UP!
Idea: Go to indeed.com and similar job search websites and see if the companies you are targeting are hiring for the position you would want to apply to. If so, keep that in mind when calling and try to tailor the conversation accordingly.
STAY ON TOP OF MAKING THESE CALLS. ONLY LEAVE VOICE MESSAGES AFTER THE 3RD ATTEMPT AND IF YOU DO NOT GET ANYONE TO ANSWER AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS (WITHIN THE SAME WEEK, BUT SEPARATE DAYS), THEN ASK THE RECEPTIONIST FOR THEIR EMAIL ADDRESS. IF STILL NO LUCK, GO BACK TO STEP 3
AND GET MORE PEOPLE TO CONTACT AT THE COMPANY.
Step 7:
Ready for the interview?
Research the company before meeting with them. Know as much as possible- Google search everything and anything you can find. Dress for success – stay conservative unless otherwise advised. Wear very little cologne/perfume. Be prepared for crazy random interview questions. Go online and research sample interview questions to look out for. Google anything you don’t know! If it is a phone interview, make sure to shine on that phone call, it’s all about the chemistry.
Pointer 1: Ask the hiring authority, “What exactly are you looking for in this XYZ role”, then based on the things the hiring authority mentions, explain how you could be a good fit. Ask questions like, “if I do a great job in this role, where can I be in 5 & 10 years from today”, long-term questions are awesome and hiring authorities love it.
Pointer 2: Make sure to cover concerns in the interview, you never want to leave an interview wondering if they were concerned about you as a potential hire. Ask the hiring authority “Do you have any concerns about me being a good fit for this role?”
Pointer 3: Never discuss money, if the hiring authority brings up money reply as follows:
Current Graduate: I am looking for an opportunity with an innovative company like yours, it’s not about the money for me, it’s about the opportunity & culture, I am sure if you decide to hire me, you will make me a fair offer, I understand this is an entry level position.
Unemployed or have a job: I am currently making (was making) X amount. I am sure if this comes together, your company will make me a fair offer, but I want you to know it is not all about money”. Then discuss with the hiring authority what it is all about. Do not talk about what kind of money, benefits or vacation you want; if there are two candidates and one only talks about health insurance, benefits, and base salary and the other wants to know where he or she can be in 5 or 6 years…The second candidate will always be the one that will get the job.
Pointer 4:
ALWAYS CLOSE FOR THE NEXT STEP…Do not leave any interview or conversation without knowing exactly what the next step is. If you are at the end of interview ask, “Based on our conversation today, how do you see me fitting into your organization? When you get a reply say, “Great, where do we go from here”, etc. etc. etc…Get it? Always know where you are with every company. Ask for a business card after every in-person meeting/interview.
Step 8:
Follow up please…don’t be rude! Send a Thank You email within the same business day. Tailor the Thank You letter towards the meeting- show how professional and detailed you are.
Step 9:
Do not ever stop calling your other potential contacts even when you have an interview, you need to be proactive and line up as many interviews as possible. Stay on top of follow up, after a week of having an interview, call and email and ask the hiring authority very politely for an update. If it has been over a week, chances are the interview process got delayed or you are no longer a candidate for this role. Get over it- move on, make more calls. You will find a job- but it will come through sustaining motivation to make those calls!
Step 10:
Offer stages…enjoy, this is the best part. Do not be penny wise and pound foolish. If the offer is a few thousand less than you wanted, weigh out the opportunity and see if it is worth it. If you feel like it is really too much below what you are looking for, be open and honest and make sure to explain that you really can’t go below $$ amount. Be smart about it- do not be greedy. You can go to Glassdoor.com to get an idea of what positions pay.
REMEMBER:
Stay Positive
Never Give Up
Network: Go to any type of events when available, there is always a possibility to meet someone who may be able to help you out. Create Networking cards from VistaPrint.com, great if you are going to lots of events or meeting lots of new people.
