I.
MAKE A LASTING IMPRESSION
This is one of the
secrets of a successful job hunting campaign. To illustrate the point: think
about the last time someone took a picture of you and used the camera flash.
What remained in sight long after the photo was taken? That little bright spot
from the flash, right? Even when you closed your eyes, the dot was there. It
just wouldn't go away. Why? It made a lasting impression. So, if YOU
make a lasting impression on someone who has the authority to hire you, you
will stand out in the person’s mind long after you have left his/her
presence. You will be a standout!
II.
SELL YOURSELF
This is another strategy for success because like it or not, job hunting
automatically transports you into The Selling Zone. Survival depends
on your ability to get the prospective employer to want to hire YOU and YOU
alone. Don’t overlook the fact that there may be hundreds, or even thousands
of contenders for the very same job. You’ve got to stand out in the herd.
You must sell yourself -- demonstrate that you are unique and that you are the
only person for this job. Do this by way of your resume,
cover letter, job application, interview, and follow-up.
III.
USE THE A.I.D.A. PRINCIPLE
Successful salespeople
implement a winning formula to generate results. With every word and deed,
they strive to gain four things from each prospective customer: Attention,
Interest, Desire, and Action (AIDA). Since job hunting requires salesmanship,
this formula is a valuable one for you, too. Using a little ingenuity, you can
capture the prospective employer’s attention, hold his interest, stir up a
desire to have you on his team, and encourage him to take action and hire you.
IV.
DON’T HAVE A LAZY BONE IN YOUR BODY
If you're serious about
finding employment, then you must treat the job search as if it were a
full-time job. In other words, please don't just spend a few minutes on
Tuesday looking for work and then try again for a couple of minutes on Friday.
You'll be disappointed because it will take a long time to achieve concrete
results. Plan to spend at least three hours a day doing something related to
the job search, whether it's research, organizing, writing, calling, mailing,
delivering, interviewing, following-up or evaluating.
Interestingly, a
glimpse into the life of the lowly ant teaches us quite a bit on this subject
of industriousness. Have you ever seen ants standing still? Aren't they always
running to and from the anthill, carrying things that weigh many times their
body weight? Also, what happens when an ant comes to an obstacle? Does it just
stop and turn around? No! It either plows right over it or goes around it. So,
then, to get a job, you need to be like an ant -- stay busy, work hard, and
don't let obstacles slow you down.
V. DEMONSTRATE
INITIATIVE
In other words, be the
one in charge, make the first moves. A well-known secret to skilled players of
Tic-Tac-Toe is this: you almost always win if you move first. Isn’t that
true? Your first move is usually smack dab in the middle of the grid, enabling
you to maintain control of the game. Job hunting is no different.
"X" marks the spot!
VI.
BE PREPARED
Please know that this
is a vital element in the job hunt. A common job hunting mistake is the
failure to take the time to research and investigate. The more you know about
the company and its goals, the better of an impression you will make on the
interviewer.
Company research
isn’t the only preparation you should make, however. You also need to
develop a strategy. The old saying rings true: "Fail to plan: plan to
fail." Assess your goals, needs, and wishes. Anticipate your next move.
Figure out what you will do if you have trouble finding a job in your field,
and so on.
VII.
BE ORGANIZED
Organization will help
you prevent unnecessary stress during your job search. With all the new
information you'll be collecting as you go along (phone numbers, names, dates
and times, addresses, etc.) you will soon be in a state of total chaos unless
you follow this advice. At the very least, you might want to get a pocket
calendar (to list appointments and deadlines), several file folders (to keep
copies of all correspondence) and a notebook (to maintain extensive notes on
conversations and leads).
VIII.
SHARPEN YOUR JOB HUNTING SKILLS
Here is a positive
thought to keep in mind: the best jobs don't have to go to the most qualified
people ... they often go to the people who are the best job hunters! Such a
skill improves with continued use, just like the more you practice playing a
musical instrument, the better you get at it. So take advantage of any
programs that will help fine-tune your skill, such as the workshops and
assistance offered by the state Jobs and Benefits Center, as well as books on
the subject of finding employment ... such as the book which contains these
"ten commandments" -- The
Job Seeker’s Guide to Success..
IX.
EXPAND YOUR HORIZONS
Being successful at the
job hunting game will require a change in the way you play it. If you have
only been using the help wanted ads in the newspaper, for instance, you will
definitely need to broaden your horizons and try some new methods. If you’re
a person who finds change too difficult, it may surprise you to know that
resisting change sometimes takes more energy than actually implementing the
changes! Moving beyond your "comfort zone" is the only way to insure
achieving the best possible results. Learn some new techniques, incorporating
them into your routine.
X.
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND YOUR
ABILITIES
It's a wonder what you
can accomplish if you have a little faith in yourself, truly believing that
you are the best person for the job. Remember, you have to sell yourself to
the individual who has the power to hire you. You’re going to have a weak
case if you lack conviction. A famous figure once said: "To get others to
believe in you, you must first believe in yourself." Then and only then
can you make some headway.
For example, have you
ever purchased a product from a salesman even though you couldn’t afford it?
I have. If he convinces me that I can’t live without the thingamajig, if he
convinces me that using it has changed his life, I can’t resist. I’m drawn
to it like a moth to a floodlight. Injecting some zeal and conviction into
your presentation could very well draw your prospective employer, too.
1998-2005 by Deborah M. McGeorge.
All rights reserved. Reproduction or publication of the contents of this
website
in any manner -- electronic or otherwise -- without written permission
is prohibited. Appropriate action will be taken.
These ten guidelines
will help you to conduct a fruitful job hunting campaign. But HOW can your
resume, cover letter, job application, interview, and follow-up methods be
used as powerful sales tools? What are some effective techniques to find
unadvertised jobs and eliminate the competition? What free sources on the
Internet can be tapped into? How do you convince an employer to hire you and
to pay you what you’re worth? How do you avoid falling face first into the
traps commonly set by interviewers? What will help alleviate the depression
that comes along with searching for a job?
For answers to these
and many more questions, send for The
Job Seeker’s Guide to Success -- a guidebook
packed with from-the-trenches advice of numerous experts and successful job
seekers. It will show you how to launch a job hunting campaign from start to
finish and will supply you with the tools you need to succeed ... delivered
right to your mailbox!
How to obtain your
personal copy
