33 Basic, Advanced & Super-Advanced Strategies For Your Job Search
by Angela Loëb
1. List your plan areas. Typical job search plan areas for most folks include:
- Postings
- Targeting Companies
- Networking with Friends
- Networking with Business Contacts
The following is a breakdown of each plan area into the basic, advanced and super-advanced strategies you can use with each.
Postings
Basic
2. Search and send resumes to online boards such as Craigslist, Monster, Careerbuilder, Jobing, etc.
Advanced
3. Call to make sure they received your resume, if you a) know who they are because it’s not a blind ad and b) they don’t prohibit you with the dreaded “no phone calls please” line in their ad.
4. Mail a hard-copy of your resume so you stand out from the pack (after you submit it the way they requested in the ad).
Super-Advanced
5. Ask around your network for referrals.
6. Make contact with their referrals.
7. Set up networking meetings with their referrals so you can build trust and relationship.
8. Ask if they’ll hand-carry your resume in once trust and relationship is established. Remember, you can’t take anything out of a relationship if you don’t put anything into it!
Targeting Companies
Basic
9. Periodically check websites of companies where you’d like to work.
Advanced
10. Identify a minimum of 20-30 companies you’d love to work for whether they have advertised postings or not. Research them, narrowing down the list if you must, but no less than 10-15.
11. Leverage your network to make acquaintances inside these companies.
12. Use internet research tools (such as LinkedIn) to find contacts inside these companies.
Super-Advanced
13. Build relationships for future opportunities - just because they can’t hired you now doesn’t mean you should let this new contact drop off the radar screen.
14. Invite them to coffee or lunch.
15. Invite them to connect with you on LinkedIn.
16. Send them articles of interest.
17. If you see good news about their company in the paper, send a congrats note.
In other words, find creative ways (without stalking them) to stay in touch.
Networking with Friends
Basic
18. Alert your friends that you’re looking for a job.
Advanced
19. Keep in touch with your friends – give updates on how you’re doing.
20. Ask for and take any suggestions with an open mind… even if you’d never do what he or she is suggesting in a million years. If you shut down the creative ideas your friend offers now, you might never get to hear his or her million dollar idea in the future.
Super-Advanced
21. Ask your friends if they know anyone in your targeted company list.
22. Send them thank you notes.
Networking with Business Contacts
Basic
23. Ask former managers and co-workers to be references.
24. Tell new people you meet at trade association meetings you’re looking for a job.
Advanced
25. Craft a compelling introduction statement.
26. Practice your intro statement on for size with those you know.
27. Use your intro statement with new people.
Super-Advanced
28. Ask former managers/co-workers for advice.
29. Send former managers/co-workers your resume.
30. Ask what they’ll say as your reference.
31. Ask for networking meetings.
32. Contact them about your target companies.
33. Invite them to connect with you on LinkedIn.