Little known fact: the best jobs are never advertised. They aren’t found online or posted in the newspaper. No, on the contrary, the best job positions are filled before the general population even knows they existed. And the men and women that get those jobs get higher pay, better benefits, and more responsibility.
So, if they aren’t advertised how do YOU go about getting one of these cushy jobs? The trick is thinking outside of the box, but here’s a couple of more conventional tactics to get you started:
Network Like Your Life Depends On It
Technically, of course your life doesn’t depend on it… but in essence it very much does. Get a better job, live a better life. Keep a crappy job, live a miserable life. Sometimes the math in life is really that straightforward.
When you’re looking for opportunities that are off the radar, you have to learn to glad hand like you’re running for office. I’m not implying that you should put on the fake smiles and empty hugs… using the “kiss the baby” strategy that politicians are notorious for. What I am implying is that you must be aggressive in meeting as many new people in your industry as possible.
Go to trade meetings and seminars. Go to networking events like those held by the Chamber of Commerce and Toastmasters. Go to relevant groups posted on websites like Meetup.com. And, during these events, pass out business cards like you have a hole in your hand. And collect business cards like each one is a dollar.
Finally, make this your new motto: What challenges are you currently facing. Learn to ask this to every new contact you make and every old contact you reach out to.
As Zig Ziglar says, “you can have anything you want, as long as you help enough other people get what they want.” Look for ways to help your new contact and you will be remembered. Let it be known that you’re looking for new work opportunities, but keep this secondary to making a genuine connection and helping your network reach their goals.
Go Fishing
Not literally… but the strategy you should use as a resume builder is the same as a bass angler. Here’s how:
- The fisherman knows exactly what lakes they are going to fish. The resume builder knows exactly what industry they want to be in.
- The fisherman knows exactly what fish they want to catch. The resume builder knows what job responsibility they want to take on.
- The fisherman knows what bait to use and the expected weather forecast. The resume builder knows what format to use, and the general health of the targeted industry.
The parallel can be drawn out to ridiculousness, but I’m sure you get the point. Know what you are after and what you need to have or do to get it. This will lead you to where you need to look and who you need to know to get the job.
Go Hunting
The more aggressive cousin of fishing, the goal is the same. A true job hunter knows the exact employers they want to work with. With this information, you can craft a much more effective cover letter and resume than the casual job seeker.
So, keep a list of your target employers. Then, take the steps needed to get your resume in front of the right person (and you should know exactly who that is).
Then what?
These basic and conventional tactics should get you started in the right direction. If you want to improve your chances of striking oil even further, take the train of thought behind these tactic and mold you own strategies. With some focused effort and a little creativity, you will jump from the mail room to the corner office in no time.
Tags: Curriculum Vitae, resume, resume builder