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