RECRUITERS AND YOUR RESUME

If you are thinking of enlisting the help of a recruiting firm, as part of your search for a new job, there are a few things that you need to know.  Recruiters and search firms respond in very specific ways to the resumes that they receive.  Some react with indifference to resumes that they receive from candidates who are not responding to a request for resumes associated with a position that the recruiter is trying to fill.

Recruiters generally fall into 2 groups.

The first are those who are recruiting for positions for which they have been retained by companies to fill.  These recruiters are working with specific requirements which the employer has said candidates must meet in terms of job experience, location and education.

The second are recruiters who help individuals find jobs by marketing them to potential employers.  These recruiters, sometimes called placement firms, match a candidate’s background, professional experience and education with possible employers.  Then they contact those companies to see if they have an opportunity for someone with the candidate’s background and experience.

When dealing with recruiters taking either approach, it is important that your resume be as detailed as possible.  By detailed, I mean that you need to include as many details about your education, the companies you worked for, and your accomplishments with each employer.  This is critical for 2 major reasons:  1) Recruiters will rely on the details of your background to assess your match to a given opportunity.  2) If a recruiter is going to market you, he is actually marketing your background and experience as well as you as a person.

The bottom line is that you need to look at your resume as an introduction.  It introduces you to the reader, providing enough personal information to help the reader get a general impression of you as a professional.  It is an introduction, as well, to you as someone with a set of skills and accomplishments.  This combination should be written to give recruiters and potential employers a “snapshot” that they can use to make a quick initial decision to talk with you.

Your resume need not have your entire life history.  As a matter of fact, this will not serve you well at all.  Include a summary of your skills, background and professional objectives in a short paragraph at the beginning of your resume.

Provide information about each job you have had in the last 10 years (you need not go farther back than that with detailed descriptions).  Describe each company and its business, and then, using bullet points, list 3-5 of your most significant accomplishments for each position you have held.

One mistake candidates often make is to include too much minutia about each job.  More than your 3-5 greatest accomplishments will not impress the reader.  Use statistics, as well, because results mean everything.

Your resume should be written so that a recruiter or prospective employer can review your resume in 10-15 seconds, and decide if your background and experience is what he/she is looking for.  Any longer, and your resume will likely be overlooked and even if you are the best candidate in the stack, you will not get a chance to get the job. 

So bottom line, when dealing with recruiters, make sure your choice of who you work with matches your job search strategy.  And, no matter who you choose to deal with, make sure your resume represents you well and serves you as the introduction it is meant to be.

NETWORKING WITH INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS, SOCIAL CLUBS, CHURCH AND NEIGHBORHOOD FRIENDS

I have discussed networking by using the writing of letters as a way of contacting managers who can assist you in your search for new employment or a job change. There is, however, another aspect of networking that has not been mentioned: associations, clubs, church and social occasions.

Along with a letter writing campaign, taking advantage of opportunities to join professional or industry associations can be an effective way of increasing your exposure and chances to come to the attention of companies who may be looking for professionals like you. Professional associations (such as ASHRAE, SOCMA, or ASME, among others) often have job listings on their websites. You can also join the local chapters of one or two associations. You can talk with local influential people in the industry and can also attend presentations that will give you useful information you may use in finding your next job.

Clubs can also be a source of contacts as well. If you know someone who is a member of Toastmasters, Rotary Club or Optimists, for example, you might ask if you can attend a lunch or dinner meeting as his/ her guest. You can then, in a relatively relaxed and/or informal setting, meet people who can assist you in your search.

Your church, synagogue or mosque can provide another opportunity to meet with contacts who can assist you in finding employment. If your church, synagogue or mosque does not have a group or groups to help people who are unemployed, you might want to start one yourself. Talk to your clergy or congregation leaders to see if you can get support to start a support group.

And don’t forget your neighbors and friends. They can be an excellent source of referrals to professionals, managers and other friends of theirs who might provide information that will be helpful in your search. Talk to friends about your search at Christmas parties, birthday parties, neighborhood get-togethers, etc.

In short, any opportunity you can have to meet new people, make contacts or get the chance to gather information will be helpful in your search.

Be creative. Think of any way that you can learn more about companies in your area that are hiring, or in an industry that might present opportunities. Talk to as many people as you can, and take notes. Every bit of information will get you that much closer to your next job or career.

NETWORKING WITH COMPANIES THAT YOU KNOW ARE HIRING

In a previous post, I discussed networking and how contacting companies who you know are hiring can be an effective part of your job-hunting program.  I told you that I would provide a sample letter that could be used to develop your own for this purpose.

Now understand, this is not a substitute for the networking that we have talked about before.  Contacting company executives to arrange information-gathering meeting and expanding your contacts in your target industry is a critical part of any effective job-hunting strategy.

In this case however, we are combining your review of published want-ads (in the newspaper, Wall Street Journal, or New York Times, among others) with the approach you take in developing your employment network of contacts.  This is a more targeted approach with keys on the content of the want-ad, and the indication that it holds that the company running the ad is indeed hiring.

If a company is advertising for a Marketing Manager, then there is a possibility that the company is also looking to fill other marketing or sales positions.  The same is true if a company is advertising for production managers, maintenance engineers, accountants, or research scientists.  There could well be other positions in the same general discipline that the company is trying to fill.  You, of course, cannot know that for a fact, but it is certainly worth the time it takes to write a letter to the department head or manager to see if other opportunities exist.

If not, you’ve added another name to your industry contact list.

Here is an example of a letter that you can use to contact a manager who might know if his company has openings it is trying to fill:

Mr. Harold P. Jackson

Director of Marketing

Eloquent Corporation

234 Carriage Path Road

Hudson Hills, Missouri  63009

Dear Mr. Jackson,

As a Regional Sales Manager for Megalith Corporation, I noted your ad for the Marketing Manager position that appeared in the January 13, 2010 issue of the Wall Street Journal. 

While my background in sales might not be exactly what you are looking for in candidates for this position, I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss my background with you and the possibility that there might be other positions at Megalith Corporation where my background and experience may be useful.

I have known Megalith Corporation as a leader in the chemical industry, and see employment with your company as an opportunity to contribute to its continued growth and leadership in the industry, as well as a opportunity for personal growth in my career.

I have enclosed a copy of my resume for your review.  I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you at a convenient time to discuss my background and possible opportunities in sales and marketing at Megalith Corporation.

With this in mind, I will plan on calling your early next week to arrange an appointment.

Sincerely,

Quentin Hollister

You can find the name of key people at the company by looking them up in various directories  or other sources (State Industrial Directories, materials in the research section of your public library, on line directories like ReferenceUSA, etc.).

You will want to include your resume with this letter, unlike the networking letter we discussed before.

Mail it…DO NOT E-MAIL IT!  This is a time to be as personal as possible.  You need to make sure that the manager you are writing to knows you care about working for his/her company, and that you are personally inquiring about available employment.

Try this.  I think you will find it effective, and yet another useful too as you seek your next employment opportunity or career change.

If you have any questions or comments, let me know at execmgmt.search@gmail.com.

YOUR JOB SEARCH WILL BE SUCCESSFUL...REALLY!

On thing that one needs to realize when looking for a new job is that a successful search requires effort.  You cannot wait for someone to offer you a job.  And you cannot assume that simply because you answer want-ads and respond to listings on job search websites, you have done enough to assure that you will get a job as soon as you would like.

The success of your job search will be in direct proportion to the amount of effort you put into it.  You need a strategy and appropriate tactics to go with it.  As has been discussed before, you need to decide what kind of a job you want, and in what industry and what kind of company. 

You need to decide what tools you will use in your job search.  Will you dedicate your time and effort to networking?  Will you mix it with answering ads and contacting companies you know are hiring?

You need to match your expectations to your strategy and tactics.  Remember, if you are unemployed, then looking for a new job is your job.  The conventional wisdom holds that if you make a good-faith, full time effort to find a new job, then the time it will take will be the number of months equal to your intended salary divided by $10,000.  For example, if you are making $100,000 then it will take you about 10 months to find a new job.

This time can be shorted, of course, because, as I said earlier in this post, your success will be in direct proportion to your efforts.  The more time you dedicate to your search, the shorter it will be.

Lastly, you should not get discouraged if you are making every effort you can in your job search.  If you use networking, answering ads posted on job search websites, contacting executive search firms and contact companies who are hiring, then you will find a new job sooner rather than later.

Believe me, you will feel like you are making significant progress, and will appreciate your efforts, if you note even your smallest achievements, and see success in your daily efforts.

And before you know it, you will be getting that offer you have been looking forward to!

CONTACTING COMPANIES THAT YOU KNOW ARE HIRING

In addition to networking to establish contacts with companies and managers who can assist you in building a contacts network, you can also contact companies that you know are hiring.

There is value in contacting companies that you know are hiring. They many not be hiring in your field or discipline, but the fact that they are hiring can increase the probability that they either have a job that might fit your background, or they may have one sooner that those companies who are not hiring at present.

How do you know which companies are hiring?

There are several sources of information that will give you that information. If you are looking for a job in your local area, look at the want ads in the Sunday paper. Make a list of the companies that are running ads that you might like to work for. Be sure to note the address, and any names that might appear in the ad.

If you are looking beyond your local area, then your choices multiply. Get a copy of the Wall Street Journal, particularly the Wednesday edition, which has the national want-ads in it. Again make a list of the companies that interest you and any names that might appear in the ads.

Also, go to the library and look at trade journals and magazines, such as Fortune Magazine, Business Week or Forbes. These will also have ads for jobs in the back of the magazines.

Once you have your list of companies, you will want to find the names of the key managers for those companies. If you do not already have the names on your networking list, go to the library and consult the State Industrial Directory, or find Annual Reports (libraries sometimes have annual reports for local companies). Ask the research librarian for additional references that will give you managers’ names.

Once you have the names and addresses, you will need to write a letter of introduction. I will cover that in the next post.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, write me a execmgmt.search@gmail.com.

LOOKING FOR A NEW JOB IF YOUR SPOUSE IS WORKING

I know that there are many of you who are looking for new jobs or are looking to change your career, but are concerned about your options because you are married.  Those looking for new employment are legitimately concerned about whether their spouse will be able to get a new job if relocation is required. 

So what is the best approach for the two income family, in which one spouse is looking for a new position and knows that relocation will be necessary? 

If you and your spouse have decided that your source of income is primary, and you are the one who is seeking a job, then it will be necessary to find your spouse a job near your new home.  Your spouse needs to do 3 things:  1)  Find out what kind of industries and/ or companies are located near your new home; 2) Contact as many of those companies as possible and 3) track the job listings for your new location in the on-line job boards and local newspapers. 

FIND AND CONTACT POSSIBLE EMPLOYERS 

 As you may have done (or are doing) during your search, your spouse should visit your local library and refer to the Industrial Directory for the state or states you are likely to relocate to.   He/she should then find out what companies are in nearby communities, get the names of key managers at each of those companies from the Directory, and begin writing networking letters, as we have discussed in earlier posts.

He/ she should then follow up to make appointments to visit those contacts.  These appointments can be arranged, if opportunity presents itself, to coincide with your in-person interviews with your prospective employer and/ or visits for follow up discussions and house hunting trips. 

PUBLISHED OPENINGS ARE ALSO A GREAT SOURCE OF LEADS 

In addition, your spouse should not ignore the on-line job sites and local newspapers.  Answer those ads and listings, as well, targeting opportunities near your likely home location. 

Your spouse can conduct his/her search in parallel to yours.  He/she will likely be starting later than you, so employment might come some time after you start your new job.  One thing is certain, however, with a targeted effort, your spouse will either get a job at the same time you do, or not long after you start your new job. 

Your spouse should not delay their own job search once you have decided that your next job will be located in one of a few places. 

I hope this is helpful.  If you have any questions, let me know if you have any questions at execmgmt.search@gmail.com.

A VERY GOOD NETWORKING QUESTION...

Dear Gordon,

I find some aspects of the letter writing/network approach difficult to accomplish – in particular, writing to a specific functional manager. 

I have searched company web sites and looked for articles, but I rarely ever find the names of personnel. For some very large public companies, there may be an investor site where they post annual reports, but that often does not help to find the right person at the right location. For some, I may find a name of a top executive at the corporate office, but not one name for the remote site where I am interested in working. 

So, how can one find out exactly who the managers are at the desired location in the organization? 

Appreciate any suggestions.

There are a number of resources other than the web for getting names of key management people at companies in the US.

I would start with a trip to your local library. Almost every library, and certainly those associated with colleges or universities, has a research section. There will be a number of directories there, as well as investors information about companies, the business they are in, their size, and the key management people.

There is no one source that will give you everything you might be looking for, but there are some resources that can give you most of what you might need.

I have found success using the State Industrial Directories These are indexes of companies with locations in each state, be they headquarters or plants or sales offices. Each is indexed by company name, location, and SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) Code. Also each company listing includes the phone number, street address, and the names of the key managers located at that office or plant.

Also, there is a website, ReferenceUSA (www.referenceusa.com), that lists all the companies in the US by SIC Code, number of employees, location, etc. This reference also lists key personnel at each location.

Ask the Research Librarian at your local library for assistance with these, and for ideas on other directories that can give you similar information.

Another approach, which is a bit more time consuming, but effective, is to call each company you are interested in sending a letter to and ask the receptionist who the VP of Marketing is, or who the Director of Operations is, or the name of the Plant Manager…or even the President.

Once you have one name, all it takes is a few more questions, asked of the person you get through to, to get additional names in the organization.

Networking can be a bit like detective work. But the results multiply themselves with time, and it is surprising sometimes how quickly you can generate a list of contacts useful in your job search.