Guerrilla Marking for Job Hunters 2.0 Part 37

Yes, it worked. So well in fact that Tom has continued to use this mix as his approach. He's even updated his web site to give it a fresh look. This time instead of spending weeks building it from scratch, he bought a template from Templatemonster.com and modified it. Tom's new web site is a good example of how to build a web site specifically for job-hunting purposes. and modified it. Tom's new web site is a good example of how to build a web site specifically for job-hunting purposes.

The Key to His Success

Tom used a variety of weapons to get a prospective employer's attention. In the final a.n.a.lysis, the key to getting the interview and closing on an offer was calling early in the morning to follow up and step the employer through his web site.

EXAMPLE 2: ALLAN PLACE

* FME mix: FME mix: Extreme Resume, personal letter, follow-up call Extreme Resume, personal letter, follow-up call* Target job: Sales The economic downturn in the tech sector in 2001 affected most companies. In 2000, if you interviewed in jeans, a blue Mohawk, and a T-s.h.i.+rt while extolling the virtues of anarchy, you very likely would have received a job offer. Not so just 2 years later. It was soon an employers' market, with viable companies cherry picking from the large and growing base of newly laid off, talented people.

Allan launched his campaign with an aggressive mix of the traditional methods that had always worked for him in the past-cold calling and traditional networking.

Allan started with some basic a.s.sumptions: * Difficult job markets still produce perfect "fits."* Finding a job is a job. Spending only 4 hours a day would not produce results.* He could rely only on himself to find work.* He would not rely on headhunters, job boards, web sites, newspapers, or friends.- Most job seekers see headhunters, job boards, web sites, newspapers, or friends as primary lead sources. Here's why: they are easy to access; they are the path of least resistance. "Too many dogs sniffing at the same gopher hole." Most job seekers see headhunters, job boards, web sites, newspapers, or friends as primary lead sources. Here's why: they are easy to access; they are the path of least resistance. "Too many dogs sniffing at the same gopher hole."- The best positions never get advertised. The best positions never get advertised.* His best chance was to target specific companies, determine the right contact, get that person's attention, and develop a position. He chose this route because:- Fewer people would be willing to spend the time required. Fewer people would be willing to spend the time required.- The best positions are either created or not advertised. The best positions are either created or not advertised.- Where no position existed and one could not be created, he would at least have created some level of rapport with the decision makers that he could draw on if a position developed. Where no position existed and one could not be created, he would at least have created some level of rapport with the decision makers that he could draw on if a position developed.- It is easier to position yourself for a job when the job doesn't exist. It is easier to position yourself for a job when the job doesn't exist.

Allan's Force Multiplier Effect in more detail: * Develop database of potential employers in selected industries.* Conduct research.* Discard companies that did not represent a good fit.* Contact selected companies.* Arrange interviews.* Register on job bulletin boards.* Contact headhunters.* Respond to posted advertis.e.m.e.nts.

Develop Database of Potential Employers in Selected Industries

This database of 134 companies came from the Ottawa Business Journal Ottawa Business Journal in the following sectors: in the following sectors: * Aeros.p.a.ce, defense, and security technology* Electro-optical/photonics* Internet technology and e-commerce* Semiconductor* Software* Telecommunications, satellite, and mobile communications

Conduct Research

This took between a half-hour and 1 hour for each company: * Industry* Product* Company* Position* Growth path

Discard Companies That Did Not Represent a Good Fit

* Fifty companies were discarded for the following reasons:- They were struggling in the marketplace. They were struggling in the marketplace.- Allan's background was not appropriate for the product/ business model. Allan's background was not appropriate for the product/ business model.- Other indefinable reasons disqualified them. Other indefinable reasons disqualified them.

Contact Selected Companies

* Each selected company was contacted for the names of the vice president of sales and human resources.* Broadcast letters were sent to each of these vice presidents.* Follow-up calls were made to determine and explore current or antic.i.p.ated employee requirements. In almost all cases, they were not filling immediate opportunities. Allan would engage with the vice president to determine and explore company growth and future directions.* Current points of pain:- Poorly performing sales representatives Poorly performing sales representatives- Limited success in challenging geographic or vertical markets Limited success in challenging geographic or vertical markets- Insufficient sales bandwidth Insufficient sales bandwidth- Evolving business model (e.g., geographic to vertical) Evolving business model (e.g., geographic to vertical)- Resumes forwarded if appropriate Resumes forwarded if appropriate

Arrange Interviews

* If he sent a resume, he did additional research as preparation for the follow-up call. It also allowed him to further qualify the company for fit. In a few instances, he discarded the company from the prospect list.* If he was still interested in working for the company, he would follow up and try to set up an interview. People do not hire resumes; they hire people. The only purpose of his resume was to elicit interest and prompt a meeting in front of decision makers.* It was a.s.sumed that no immediate openings were available. However, companies are always looking for good talent. "Even though you may not be hungry, there is nothing wrong with looking at the menu." Simply put, even if he knew there was no immediate career opportunity, he would try to arrange an interview. Spending 30 minutes with a prospective employer benefited both parties:- Sales opportunities could appear quickly. Sales opportunities could appear quickly.- The vice president of sales/human resources might be able to refer him to someone in their network who was looking. The vice president of sales/human resources might be able to refer him to someone in their network who was looking.- It provided interviewing practice. It provided interviewing practice.- It was an opportunity to establish a rapport that might be valuable over time. It was an opportunity to establish a rapport that might be valuable over time.* Interview preparation averaged about 5 hours per company.- Product Product- Industry Industry- Compet.i.tors Compet.i.tors- Position Position

Register on Job Boards and Respond to Posted Advertis.e.m.e.nts

* Monster* Careerbuilder* Various others He searched the web sites and responded to a limited number of opportunities. Typically, they were being handled through headhunters.

Contact Headhunters

* Allan only contacted a few headhunters. If a headhunter believed Allan was trying to work with too many compet.i.tors, there would be less interest in trying to place him.

Results

Initially, his results were dismal. Job boards, recruiters, and traditional networking were a complete bust. There were plenty of lunches and kind advice but no offers. After many months, he decided to try a targeted approach to marketing himself. He designed a 1-page Extreme Resume based on the qualities employers look for, as outlined in Table 2.1 Table 2.1. He sent his resume with a customized letter to just 2 employers that he had closely researched. Both employers made offers.

When I asked him why this approach worked for him, his answer, which may surprise you, was:

I forwarded the letter I wrote using the techniques laid out in your book. I called when I indicated I would. They [the employer] requested my full resume. I forwarded a full functional version that summarized my background under select headings, as suggested in your book. At our first meeting, the employer indicated several things during our discussion: * * He received literally dozens of resumes and phone calls weekly. He responded to none-ever! He received literally dozens of resumes and phone calls weekly. He responded to none-ever! * * He had all his calls screened to reduce the number of job seekers who got through. He had all his calls screened to reduce the number of job seekers who got through. * * He told me that the main reason he took my call when I followed up was that my approach was unique. I did not throw a resume at him hoping he liked what he saw. Neither did I call repeatedly. He told me that the main reason he took my call when I followed up was that my approach was unique. I did not throw a resume at him hoping he liked what he saw. Neither did I call repeatedly.

Allan created his own job where none had previously existed by triggering the value requirement in each company. He did that by focusing on the prospective employer, not himself. He made heavy use of the employer's needs as described in Table 2.1 Table 2.1.

Summary of Activities

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The Key to His Success

Initially, Allan used a variety of weapons to no effect. s.h.i.+fting his approach, rather than doing more of the same, changed Allan's results. The key to securing interviews with both of his targeted employers was following up his Extreme Resume, which had been designed specifically to target each employer's needs.

GUERRILLA INTELLIGENCE.

Surviving beyond Hopelessness Deanna J. Williams

I knew a young woman whose husband had left her 1 month before she had her lungs burned with hydrofluoric acid at work. She had been laid up for a year and had 2 children to support by herself. She could no longer work around acids per her doctor's orders, so she had to start all over. She had no formal education other than a high school diploma but she did have a strong will to survive. She tried desperately to find work, but when asked if she had ever had an industrial injury she admitted that she did, although it was through no fault of her own but rather that of a faulty vent that was not properly working. The interviews seemed to stop immediately after she disclosed her injury and she never heard from the companies again.

After many months of this, she decided she needed to try something new. The young woman decided that with her experience in the semiconductor industry, she could use this experience to become a recruiter and hire people to do the work that she could no longer perform. She went to a temporary agency that was looking for a nonexempt recruiter with a couple of years of experience. Although she did not have the required experience, she did her research on the agency and looked at their want ads and acquired a couple of resumes from people she knew whose backgrounds fit the job descriptions. When she arrived at the agency she told the manager that she knew what kind of people they were seeking to hire and produced the resumes she had collected.

The manager listened intently but wasn't totally convinced yet, so the young woman told him she would work for free for 1 month and if she couldn't meet his hiring expectations during that period, she would leave and he would not have to pay her for her services. However, if she did produce what he wanted he would have to pay her for the time she had worked with a bonus at the end of the month for achieving her goals and a full-time position with the company. The manager thought about it and took her up on her challenge. She not only succeeded in producing what the manager had given her but she also went beyond what he expected. After 5 years with the company, she went on to receive several promotions and was eventually offered a position as a manager. That woman has been in the recruiting industry for 35 years and earns a 6-figure income annually.

Deanna J. Williams, www.linkedin.com/in/deannajwilliams/.

EXAMPLE 3: CHELSEA TEGAN

* FME mix: FME mix: Networking, compet.i.tive a.n.a.lysis, functional resume, personal letter, market research with a white paper Networking, compet.i.tive a.n.a.lysis, functional resume, personal letter, market research with a white paper* Target job: Target job: Technical lead Technical lead In Chelsea's own words:

I also started to research, not just companies to work for, but their businesses. When I chose a company that I thought I should pursue, I asked for an introduction. Before that meeting, I completed two or three days of research on their business, compet.i.tors, and general issues. The day before the meeting, I summarized this in an e-mail to my contact (generally the CEO) with the comment that this is what I understood about their business and that there were questions about their business I would like to explore. The conversations I had were good ones, where we were discussing topics of mutual interest (the contact's business is always of interest to that contact). In every case, I left the meeting with someone who had a future interest in my whereabouts.

Other notes:

I quickly found a company I wanted to work for. I realized it by the way the CEO responded to my questions. Essentially after about 15 minutes of discussion, he looked at me and opened up, "This is what we are really lacking, and if you can do this, we are interested." He talked for 45 minutes. Now, this company was bound by commitment to the board not to hire anyone in this position until next budget round, about a year away. I had researched the company and heard only good things about the business and the management. So I was intent on joining.

* I asked the CEO if I could have several business contacts phone in to him as references, which he agreed to. I asked the CEO if I could have several business contacts phone in to him as references, which he agreed to. * * I continued to research the business and tried to find ways to provide service even though none had been required. I continued to research the business and tried to find ways to provide service even though none had been required. * * I made sure to be friendly, never expecting them to "get back to me right away." Having been in a leaders.h.i.+p position myself helped. I knew that 2 weeks for an answer is okay sometimes. I made sure to be friendly, never expecting them to "get back to me right away." Having been in a leaders.h.i.+p position myself helped. I knew that 2 weeks for an answer is okay sometimes. I realized that making things easy for people was important, but positioning was important, too. A junior person usually communicates by e-mail, a senior person is generally confident enough to pick up the phone and call. However, e-mail is easier to answer. And I knew it was my job to sell into this account. So over the summer, I ensured that I phoned both senior contacts roughly once a month with something that I felt might be of value to them. If I reached voice mail, I mentioned at the end of the message that I'd send the information in an e-mail for their convenience. And then I immediately followed up with an e-mail with the subject line "follow-up to phone call." (This worked not only with the target company but with several "plan B" companies. It was a combination of establis.h.i.+ng a relations.h.i.+p, while offering the contact convenience of response. It was a simple approach that focused on making it easier for them, not for me.) I realized that making things easy for people was important, but positioning was important, too. A junior person usually communicates by e-mail, a senior person is generally confident enough to pick up the phone and call. However, e-mail is easier to answer. And I knew it was my job to sell into this account. So over the summer, I ensured that I phoned both senior contacts roughly once a month with something that I felt might be of value to them. If I reached voice mail, I mentioned at the end of the message that I'd send the information in an e-mail for their convenience. And then I immediately followed up with an e-mail with the subject line "follow-up to phone call." (This worked not only with the target company but with several "plan B" companies. It was a combination of establis.h.i.+ng a relations.h.i.+p, while offering the contact convenience of response. It was a simple approach that focused on making it easier for them, not for me.) After a particularly long conversation with two senior individuals, I took it upon myself to summarize what we had discussed and also to add input from my own experience about the challenges they might face in accomplis.h.i.+ng their aims. In this case, the company was successful with customers in an old structured industry, but this industry was not growing and they needed to open up new markets. Because I believe strongly in giving value before asking for value, I went over several cases where I had seen this before and simply offered some ideas about how others had handled it.