| The new realities of securing employment | | | | firms) |
| in today's changing world require a new | | | | Headhunters are also recruiters. The |
| belief. Finding a new job is not always | | | | difference, however, is that headhunters |
| easy, whether you are an executive or | | | | are much more specific in their |
| just starting out in your career. | | | | recruitment. Rather than simply finding |
| Designing and planning your career, and | | | | a pool of the most talented people, they |
| taking a proactive, self-directed | | | | focus on finding candidates who exactly |
| approach is the success formula. | | | | match the qualifications specified by |
| Making the wrong move can cost you time | | | | their clients. To this end, headhunters |
| and money. With the stakes so high, | | | | select candidates whether they are in |
| before finding or looking for a new job, | | | | the job market or not. If you are at a |
| you should clarify your career path to | | | | senior level in your career, you have |
| ensure you are headed in the right | | | | probably already received calls from |
| direction. Once you have completed the | | | | headhunters. As you look at the many |
| preliminary work such as identifying | | | | paths available to you to attain your |
| your career path, creating a | | | | ideal position, getting an interview |
| well-constructed resume and detailed | | | | with a headhunter is the least likely to |
| cover letter; how do you find your ideal | | | | get you closer to your goal. Headhunters |
| job? | | | | fill many of the world's most |
| Here are some ideas: | | | | prestigious positions. |
| 1. Networking | | | | 5. Cold Calling |
| Networking is the most powerful way of | | | | Cold calling means initiating an |
| finding a job. Many jobs are never | | | | approach to companies; telling them |
| advertised because they have gone to | | | | about your skills and interest in |
| someone's friend or colleague. 62% of | | | | working for them. Research shows a 69% |
| hiring managers found word of mouth | | | | success rate - even better than |
| referrals to be the most effective. | | | | networking! Surveyed job hunters spent |
| Contact people and let them know you are | | | | 24% of their time making these kinds of |
| in the job market. Attend professional | | | | cold calls, which yielded 27% of their |
| association events where you can meet as | | | | meetings. In contrast, the 45% of their |
| many new people as possible. | | | | time spent networking produced only 35% |
| 2. Internet Jobsites | | | | of their meetings (as reported by the |
| The internet is a very useful job search | | | | Five O'Clock Club, a career-counselling |
| tool, but not an effective | | | | network based in New York City). Why is |
| self-marketing tool. Although you will | | | | cold calling so effective? Because it |
| find job sites (monster.com, | | | | gives you the opportunity to make |
| careerbuilder.com, workopolis.com, etc.) | | | | contact and penetrate the marketplace |
| where you can post your resume, you must | | | | before positions are advertised to the |
| update your posting daily. New job | | | | general public. |
| hunters post their resume every day, | | | | 6. Newspaper |
| pushing your resume down the list. | | | | Answering ads in local newspaper has a |
| Surveys have shown only a 4% success | | | | 5%- 24% success rate. The higher the |
| rate for being contacted for a job from | | | | salary, the smaller the chance of |
| an Internet posting. | | | | finding a job using that method. Trying |
| 3. Recruitment Agencies | | | | to find a job requires the same |
| Recruitment agencies serve as | | | | dedicated time, energy, and effort to |
| intermediaries between worker and | | | | succeed as you put into the position you |
| applicant to ensure a match between the | | | | eventually find through your |
| company's needs and the applicant's | | | | perseverance. Staying focused, and |
| skills and interests. While this may get | | | | finding ways to deal with rejection (and |
| you an interview, you are often one of | | | | use the information gained to help move |
| many applicants the agency has recruited | | | | you forward) will help you to be |
| for the same position, so you need to be | | | | successful. |
| even more prepared to sell yourself. | | | | Copyright 2006, Cecile Peterkin. |
| 4. Headhunters (search and selection | | | | |