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