We all get used to doing things a certain way, but that way may not always be what’s best for us. It pays to step back now and then to get some perspective.  Ask yourself the Dr. Phil question, “How’s that working for you?”.

So often it’s when we drastically change our thinking about how we approach a problem that we get amazing results. Most people focus on the EFFORT they put into accomplishing a task instead of the RESULTS they are generating. By focusing on results, you can transform your job search in less than an hour.
Consider these ideas:

  1. Research is Required – Few job seekers spend much time researching employers until just before an interview. The more information you have about an employer BEFORE contacting them, the better your chances are of being considered. Look for non-public information by looking beyond a company’s website.
  2. Who Knows YOU! – Get ahead of your competition by identifying target companies and thinking of ways to get to know their hiring managers instead of just looking for posted openings.
    Your connections with insiders are most effective when you ask them about company problems and up-coming needs. Before you can demonstrate how you’ve already solved a company’s problems, you’ve got to know what a prospective company’s problems are and what’s important to a hiring manager.
  3. The Myth Of Job Postings – Job boards are great for research, but lousy for applying for positions.
    More often than not, they are “wish lists” or ways for companies and recruiters to pool candidates for future needs. Since board postings can be expensive, small companies (where most new jobs are created) rarely use this option to find candidates. Job boards attract your greatest competition and only about 11% of jobs are typically filled from them.
  4. It’s a “Rifle not a Shotgun Market” – It’s well known that individualized marketing is more effective than sending mass emails. Surprisingly most candidates rarely customize their resume– most job searchers just send the same resume to each employer.
    A customized resume strategy can make a significant difference because so few candidates actually do it and rarely does their resume address a specific company’s needs.
  5. The Magic of a Written Plan – Few job seekers have a written job search plan. Without a plan, your job search has no benchmarks and no feedback metrics to determine if your search is working.
    Your plan needs to include a marketing strategy, a to-do list, contract / position tracking and a measurable way to monitor the results you are getting from SPECIFIC efforts.
    You can’t manage a plan if you can’t measure its effectiveness.

The next time someone asks, “How’s that working for you?, pretend you are on National TV sitting next to Dr. Phil.  Hopefully your response will reflect the saying, “Chance favors the prepared mind”.