Job Searching-Networking

Job Search Tip - Think & Act Like a Gourmet Chef
By http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=JT_O'Donnell JT O'Donnell

Last week, I had the chance to dine at a truly exquisite gourmet restaurant. Lucky for me, I didn't have to pick up the check! The meal was more than delicious - it was forever memorable. The presentation, the pace, and of course, the food itself were all amazing. Suddenly, as I sat there, I realized what many job seekers are failing to do these days could be compared to cooking techniques.

Let me explain...

Hiring Managers = Food Critics

For starters, hiring managers are like food critics. Their jobs are to identify talent capable of making meals that are tasty, one-of-a-kind and well-executed. They need to find the right candidate who A) has the skills, B) is a fit for their unique corporate culture, and C) is professional by their company's standards. Starting to see the connection?

Job Seekers = Chefs

Now, the job seeker is the chef. It is up to her to identify the right ingredients and cooking style (i.e. assess her professional strengths), put them together in a way that is tasty to the hiring manager (i.e. create strong introduction e-mail/cover letter/resume/social media profiles/etc. that connect with the company) and then present it in a way that leaves the hiring manager craving more (i.e. great interview skills and follow up). Make sense? Of course it does, because everyone can appreciate a well-cooked meal!

Are You a Fast-Food or Gourmet Cook?

And yet, I continue to hear stories of job seekers who act more like line cooks at fast-food restaurants than gourmet chefs. They blast their resumes out to job openings without the slightest bit of research on the companies they are sending them to. They don't bother to try to find a networking connection within the organization to see if they can learn the 'tastes' of the hiring manager. And they definitely don't spend time crafting compelling introduction letters and career stories that will get them recognized as top talent who should be granted an interview. In short, they don't bother to put the time and energy into the prep and presentation of themselves so vital to being chosen for consideration.

So, as a new day of job searching begins, I ask you: "Are you going to cook a gourmet meal with your talents, or are you going to go the fast-food route?" If you want to WOW hiring managers and be memorable (in a good way), I suggest you try investing in the gourmet chef approach.

What do you think readers? How else can job seekers approach the process like an accomplished cook? What are you doing to put your 'signature touches' on your job search efforts to help yourself stand out from the crowd?

J.T. O'Donnell is a nationally syndicated career expert, author and founder of CAREEREALISM.com. Her work has been noted by leading sources including, CareerBuilder.com and BusinessWeek.com for its timely, cutting-edge job search and career strategy advice for young professionals, ages 18-40. For more articles, visit her at http://www.CAREEREALISM.com today.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?Job-Search-Tip---Think-and-Act-Like-a-Gourmet-Chef&id=2331130 Job Search Tip - Think & Act Like a Gourmet Chef

Supercharge Your Job Search - Use Jack Bauer-Like Tactics to Find Your Ideal Position
By http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Stephen_Van_Vreede Stephen Van Vreede

If you have ever seen 24 on Fox, then you know who Jack Bauer is and what he is all about. If you have not seen this counterterrorist agent "on steroids" in action, just know that he is willing to do anything to get the bad guys. Whether you like Jack or not, or don't even know him, you may be asking, "What in the world does this have to do with my job search?" Well, read on and I will explain.

There are several basic principles involved in how the character of Jack Bauer operates during any investigation. Employing these principles, in a somewhat less extreme format, in your job search can lead to astounding results.

Gather Intelligence

The first step in the process, and the one that many skip entirely, is to conduct some research on the market you are interested in. This includes learning about the players involved, their financial status, the geographies they serve, and other information that will help you identify the organizations you can target during your search.

Furthermore, try to find the names of people within those organizations that may be a decision maker or influencer to the hiring process. You can also try to obtain the names and contact information for others within the organization that may be able to refer or introduce you to the hiring manager.

Leverage Your Resources

Like Jack Bauer, you want to use all the resources at your disposal to help you with your search. He doesn't save the world all by himself. He gets help from lots of people along the way. Some of these folks are those you would expect him to get help from, such as other personnel from other government agencies, while others are very unlikely sources of assistance. Consider all of your resources, and don't discount people from your arsenal just because they don't fit the typical mold of those you would expect help from.

Go On the Offensive

An all-out attack of these organizations is called for. Send them your resume by mail, post it to their website, email it to any contacts there, find recruiters that have relationships with them, and try cold calling the hiring manager directly to get an opportunity to explain what you have to offer them. Too many candidates are way too passive in this area of the search. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there and go outside your comfort level. This is your career we are talking about here. Can you really be satisfied with anything but the best?

Think of it as a life-and-death situation like Jack Bauer does. You must be willing to do whatever it takes to be successful in your search. The results will be most rewarding.

So who am I anyway? Why do I think my advice is so valuable?

My name is Stephen Van Vreede. My company is called No Stone Unturned, and I have spent 15 years on both sides of the corporate hiring experience. The short story is that I have an MBA in Marketing from Villanova University and a dual B.S. degree in Finance & Logistics from the University of Maryland. I am a certified professional résumé writer (CPRW) and a member of the Professional Association of Résumé Writers and Career Coaches (PARW/CC). As I mentioned, I paid my dues in the corporate world eventually running a large-scale call center for a major truck rental company, and I have spent the past 7 years with No Stone Unturned, assisting job seekers in achieving their goals.

In February 2009, I launched a new group job hunting networking site: NoddlePlace.com. It is absolutely FREE to join, and you have access to everything on the site. Come check it out at http://www.noddleplace.com NoddlePlace. You can also follow me on http://www.twitter.com/noddleplace Twitter.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?Supercharge-Your-Job-Search---Use-Jack-Bauer-Like-Tactics-to-Find-Your-Ideal-Position&id=2056270 Supercharge Your Job Search - Use Jack Bauer-Like Tactics to Find Your Ideal Position

Using Networking to Find Employment
By http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Tony_Jacowski Tony Jacowski

Looking at classified ads, whether online or in newspapers, is a great way to find employment. The only problem is that competition for positions that have been advertised online or offline can be quite tough. Nowadays, you may even compete with people who are based in other countries or states. According to experts, however, about 80% of job openings are actually hidden or not accessible to many people. Advertising one position in a newspaper classified can be expensive for companies so they just rely on the referral system to fill one or two vacancies in their office. So, how are you going to tap these hidden job openings? Read on to know how.

Expanding your network of friends and colleagues will surely increase your chances of getting job positions that are otherwise inaccessible to you. If you think that networking is only useful to people who are in sales, then you are definitely wrong. Growing your network is actually one of the best ways to generate employment leads. Probably, one of the reasons why a lot of people undermine the importance of networking is because they think that it is some kind of an organized meeting where you invite friends to join a multilevel marketing company. Although this MLM is networking, it is not the only form of growing your contacts.

The best time to start developing your network is while you are in school. Joining extracurricular activities, attending summer camps, participating in contests and competitions, and even joining religious celebrations (if you and your family are practicing a religion) are good ways to increase your network. If you are looking for employment, you can rely on the people from your different groups of friends to help you find job leads. Even after you graduate, it is quite important to still be active and join hobby clubs. However, it is also important that you genuinely like the activities and that you support the objectives of the clubs and organizations that you join. You do not want people to feel that you are only using the group to find the job that you want.

It is also important for you to remember that every individual you meet or come across should be viewed as a potential employment lead. In fact, engaging in smalltalk with your landlord, mail man, hair stylist, Spanish neighbor, or your cousins is important in expanding your circle of friends. But do not befriend people so that you can get something from them. You also need to know how to reach out and even provide leads to other people as well.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions - Six Sigma Online ( http://www.sixsigmaonline.org) offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?Using-Networking-to-Find-Employment&id=4456128 Using Networking to Find Employment