The Job Search Series #2

​So now, you’ve got your own website(or are working diligently to complete it), and you are anxious to seek out some avenues of exposure. (See “The Job Search Series #1: The New Digital Resume” to learn about personal websites)

Sure, it’s good to include your website on your resume, as well as optimize your site to make it search engine friendly. It is likewise a good idea to broadcast your site on your LinkedIn account, and likewise backlink that account to your website.

​Done. What’s next?

​I love job search sites like Indeed and CareerBuilder, and I am on them all day long searching for jobs on behalf of clients on my case load. However, once a job is posted it becomes fair game for every wandering eye that comes across it. The pool of candidates becomes enormous. If you’re on Indeed, and have applied for any job before, you’ve likely come across an application status page that indicates exactly how many people have applied for the same position. It is usually in the hundreds. That’s why you designed your website, right? To be noticed. And sure, with a bit of luck you will be noticed, and called in for a grateful interview along with perhaps six or seven other applicants who might likewise have a website, and a blog, and a friend who currently works there who has been whispering in the hiring manager’s ear. You never know. It’s a dog eat dog world, right?

​So go for it! Apply on Indeed and CareerBuilder, Dice.com and Monster. Apply on Snagajob and Craigslist, Adzuna and ApplyHere. Apply to your heart’s content. But take note of every employer. Of course, you’ve done your research in the midst of each application and can identify the mission statement, founding date, headquarters and target demographic of every company you’ve applied to. That’s child’s play. Of course you’ve done your best in your cover letter to attempt to tell the hiring manager something about their company they might not know. Not in a cocky way, but humbly, as if you’re so well informed you’ve obviously done your homework. I’ll get into writing cover letters in later on, as I’m sure most of you have enough experience when it comes to crafting an effective introduction. But what’s next?

​Do you really want the job? Are you willing to go the extra lengths to get it? Then go online to Vistaprint and order 100 personal business cards. You may well already have a professional card issued by your current company that has your pertinent information on it. It doesn’t matter. Order your own set of personal cards to distribute to employers. On the card, somewhere, list your job title, telephone number, email address, and WEBSITE. Your job title is up to you to decide. If you’re currently employed, you can use your current title. If you’re not, something along the lines of “Future Employee”, or even using the job title of your ideal position would also be just fine. You’re marketing yourself. It’s ok to be optimistic, and to introduce yourself in a light that looks to redefine your current state.

​Once you’ve got your business cards, or while you’re waiting for them to arrive, take the time to craft a unique cover letter for every company you applied to. You should do some research to discover the name of the hiring manager, if at all possible, and address them specifically. What a difference a small detail like this will make. Not only will they be impressed, but they will wonder how you got your information, immediately recognizing you as resourceful and on your game. It only takes a simple phone call or two to nail down this information. Or maybe a visit to the company website will give you a name. It’s far better to use a name than “Dear Hiring Manager” in your letter. Do your best to address all letters to an individual, if at all possible.

​Once you’ve crafted your original, articulate, informative letter that illustrates your experience, your education, the fact that you’ve applied, your strengths, your knowledge of the company, as well as your knowledge of the individual, staple your business card to the top of the letter and send it out. Side note: It might impress the hiring manager if you checked out their LinkedIn profile and found they went to UC-Berkeley and majored in Political Science. Maybe you have a connection to Berkeley. Maybe you likewise studied Poli Sci. Don’t go all stalker on them, but again let them know that you’ve done your homework.

​Address the envelope ATTN: “Their Name”, and underneath give the address. I know, it’s been awhile since you’ve addressed an envelope. Don’t forget the zip code. Post offices still exist, and they still sell stamps in bulk. You’re gonna need some.

​Mail out your letters to the hiring managers of the companies you’ve applied for. If you’re unable to find the name of the hiring manager, address the letter to the name of an individual you’ve discovered along the way, someone high up, perhaps even the CEO. It’s ok. The CEO is a person too, and at one time he may have worked in the mail room, had ambitions, and gone the exact route you’re taking to find a job. At the very worst, his secretary will read it and be amused. She’ll forward it to HR and…pay dirt. At the very best, the CEO will take the time to look you up, visit your website, and make a casual yet sterling recommendation to the hiring manager to call you in for an interview.

​You really want the job, right? You are willing to go to any lengths? This is your money shot. Rinse and repeat regularly for maximum results. So long as your website is stylish, informative, and accessible, and your cover letter is poignant, professional and dotted with signs you’ve done your homework, this is a winning formula for distancing yourself from the pack of hundreds who have simply applied online using more traditional routes. Imagine sending out letters of inquiry like this to companies that HAVEN’T posted a job opening? Again, worst case scenario, they throw your letter in the trash. Best case scenario, you’ve just become a top candidate for an as of yet unposted positon, or their first call when something does become available. The cost? The price of a stamp.

​Again, it’s just marketing. You may fail at receiving a response far more often than you succeed. But that single response can open the right door, at the right time, within the right company. Happy job hunting!