| Job search seems to have many hurdles to | | | | and spending. A company in stable growth mode has |
| overcome - resume, interview technique, appearance, | | | | buying power - it can meet payroll and will be less |
| and networking are challenges that job seekers face. | | | | likely to lay off. Determining the buying power |
| These hurdles are surmountable with a strong job | | | | financial status of the target market (employers) is |
| search plan and dedicated execution. Job seekers | | | | vital to a successful job search. Many people have |
| need to apply traditional advertising and marketing | | | | not done this research, accepted a position, and |
| methods to their job search to achieve results. By | | | | found themselves laid off again in a month and a half |
| thinking of themselves as the "product" and the | | | | or so. |
| employer as the "buyer" job seekers can approach | | | | Career Branding |
| their career transitions from a sales aspect. | | | | Career branding is a hot term in the employment |
| Market Analysis | | | | industry these days. Technically, career branding is |
| Most job seekers have no clear concept of their | | | | simply building a great reputation in your career on |
| target market, the conditions of the market, and the | | | | purpose and then leveraging that reputation to |
| types of employers whom would hire them. They | | | | further build your career. In traditional business, |
| need to conduct a market analysis similar to what | | | | branding is a promise of an experience. If you see an |
| most business owners have developed as part of a | | | | advertisement for Coca-Cola, you automatically think |
| business plan. The business owner must conduct | | | | of a cool, refreshing beverage. Coke has worked |
| some sort of market analysis to determine to whom | | | | diligently over the years to establish their brand. To |
| they are going to be selling their products or | | | | some degree, job seekers can do the same thing |
| services, to create a profile of their target customer, | | | | with their careers by documenting their |
| to describe their competition, and to find out the | | | | achievements, working hard on their skills, and building |
| conditions of the current market. Job seekers should | | | | a good reputation within their industries. |
| go through the same process. | | | | Direct Marketing |
| Job seekers should educate themselves on the | | | | Direct marketing in a job search is getting your |
| conditions of the employment and economic markets | | | | message directly to the buyer. In this case, that |
| in their targeted geographic area. They must | | | | means getting your resume directly to the |
| research companies in either the industry or area to | | | | decision-maker. Most job seekers have difficulty with |
| create a profile that includes financial conditions, past | | | | this task. How do you identify the decision-maker? |
| activities, names of executives, products, services, | | | | Many job seekers are turning to resume blasting |
| financial forecasts, etc. for each company. By doing | | | | services that employ databases full of hiring |
| this, job seekers get a good picture of their target | | | | managers, recruiters, and other people in hiring |
| "buyer" - who they are, what they do, how much | | | | positions. Just as traditional business people purchase |
| money they can spend, and if they are planning on | | | | mailing lists, job seekers can purchase resume blasts |
| being around for awhile. | | | | that send their resumes to members of similar |
| Scoping out the competition is also important for job | | | | databases. Typical results for direct marketing is |
| seekers. The market is flush with very qualified, | | | | around 1-2% response rate. Resume blasts tend to |
| highly experienced professionals who are offering | | | | have similar results but they are relatively inexpensive |
| "buyers" (employers) skills and knowledge that are all | | | | and may be worth the effort. |
| very similar. Job seekers need to find out what kind | | | | Research companies can be hired to target specific |
| of competition they face - what they are offering | | | | industries, companies, or other sectors based on |
| employers, what salaries they are seeking, what | | | | specified parameters. These companies can gather |
| benefits they are seeking, and what type of skills | | | | very specific information, often mining down to the |
| experience combinations they are offering. One | | | | direct decision-maker, but their fees are higher than |
| method is to contact target companies and ask what | | | | resume blasting services. For the serious job seeker |
| skills/experience the employees they've hired in the | | | | who does not have the time or the abilities to do |
| past six months possess. Job seekers can also talk | | | | serious data mining for contact information, this can |
| with executive recruiters to find out what they see | | | | be an investment in career search that pays off. |
| in the market conditions and what they expect for | | | | Print Advertising |
| the next six months. | | | | Career print advertising is the resume and |
| Pricing is important in a market analysis. Salary levels | | | | accompanying documents such as cover letters, |
| can be researched through the Bureau of Labor | | | | project details, portfolios, and biographies. Most job |
| Statistics, Salary.com, and from scanning most recent | | | | seekers feel a self-written resume and supporting |
| job advertisements. In a buyers' market, prices go | | | | documents are fine but it is interesting to note that |
| down; therefore, salaries are going down. Salaries | | | | big companies rarely do their own print advertising |
| have fallen from a high in 2000 to levels last seen in | | | | in-house. They concentrate on doing what they do |
| 1998 and are continuing to slide. Many job seekers | | | | best - providing goods and services - and outsource |
| price themselves out of the market because they do | | | | advertising to experts in the field. In recent years, |
| not know what their skills are currently worth. Job | | | | more and more professionals, especially those who |
| seekers who find out what salaries they can expect | | | | are intent on career success, seek the services of |
| and market their skills with that salary in mind will | | | | professional resume writers and career coaches to |
| receive better job search results. | | | | assist them in effectively marketing their careers. |
| Target Market | | | | Word of Mouth Advertising |
| Location, buying power, motivation, industry - all are | | | | Simply put, word of mouth advertising is networking. |
| aspects of a target market. If Santa's chief elf gets | | | | Someone talking to another about the benefits of |
| downsized because suddenly Santa decides it's | | | | "buying" a "product". As any business owner can tell |
| cheaper to outsource to Thailand, Mr. Elf has very | | | | you, word of mouth advertising is the least |
| few alternatives at the North Pole for work. Toy | | | | expensive, most effective, and longest-lasting of all |
| makers are overseas or in the US, not the North | | | | forms of advertising. Unfortunately, most job |
| Pole. He can search for a job all he wishes at the | | | | seekers use this method least because it seems so |
| North Pole but if the work isn't there, he will not | | | | difficult. A good career coach can be invaluable in |
| have success. Location is a key factor in a job | | | | teaching job seekers networking and helping them |
| search. | | | | overcome their fears of talking to others concerning |
| Buying power is expressed through stock prices, | | | | their careers. |
| growth forecasts, quarterly reports, annual reports, | | | | |