Did you know that only one job in ten is ever advertised? And only one in ten of those is any good! That nets out to about one percent of job postings that are worthwhile.
Ford R. Myers, Career Coach, Speaker and Author of “Get The Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring,” (John Wiley & Sons, 2009,www.GetTheJobBook.com), offers the following suggestion to job seekers: Don’t answer ALL the job postings that seem even remotely related to your background and qualifications. Answer only a select few – and follow these six simple guidelines:
1. Give yourself a limit of two hours per week (5% of your time) to read and respond to job postings, and pick out the top five or ten.
2. Really go after just those five or ten listings.
3. Find someone through your network of friends, family and colleagues who works/used to work at the company, or at least knows a lot about it.
4. Ask probing questions about the company, and determine if it would be a good fit for your background and preferences.
5. If it is, network yourself to the appropriate hiring manager (not Human Retargets), and try to schedule an appointment.
6. In the meeting, focus on the company’s needs and challenges, and explain how your related accomplishments could be of direct help.
“Try to view the online job postings merely as indicators or ‘hints’ of where the opportunities may be, and then concentrate on actively leveraging your network to help get you inside those companies for a meeting with the decision makers,” said Myers in a recent interview.
Reprinted by permission of Ford R. Myers, a nationally-known Career Coach and author of “Get The Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring.” Download your Free Special Report, “10 Vital Strategies to Maximize Your Career Success” athttp://www.careerspecialreport.com.