Job Search Tips
Elk Peaks Consulting Group, Ltd.
P. O. Box 841
Glenwood Springs, CO 81602
970.285.7482
Recruiter@ElkPeaks.com

Updating Your Job Search Techniques
...That was then!  This is now!  If you haven't been in the search mode for a while, things have changed.  Here are some tips and suggestions.  Finding a great position takes work but you'll be succussful if you use the right approach!
Conducting a Job Search:

Finding that perfect job isn’t easy!  Anyone who has journeyed down this path knows, that at its best, this is a “bumpy” road and that there are always a lot of detours.  Okay, so you say that “you’ve traveled this road before and it didn’t seem that difficult and, after all, you landed this job.  How hard can it really be?”  Well, that was “then” and this is “ now.”
Life as a job seeker has changed dramatically since the creation of the Internet.  Today job seekers can conduct their job search from the comforts of their own homes.  There are lots of jobs posted on the Internet and you can easily post your resume on the Internet where potential hiring authorities can find you.  So how hard can it really be?  “After all, recruiters call me pretty often now and I haven’t even really been looking.”  Yes, often this is absolutely true, provided that you are happy in “just finding another job.”  On the other hand, if you are looking to grow your career rather than to just land another job, more effort is required.  Frequently, job seekers underestimate the difficulty of this endeavor and they are not aware of how competitive the marketplace is.

Most of the experts say that success in finding that great job depends 70% on packaging and only 30% on the actual skills and ability of the candidate.  Judging from the resumes that I receive, either candidates don’t understand this simple fact or they don’t understand how to “package themselves.”  True, even the experts can’t agree upon what the “perfect” resume should look like, let alone what “top notch” marketing entails.  Although experts can’t agree on what “perfect packaging” is, they can agree that it requires a great deal of time and effort to create an effective marketing program. 

My approach to this marketing or packaging program is based on a long term and a short-term goal.  First, you need to know where you are trying to go.  In short, what will mean “success” to you?  You have to define it.  You have to understand what it is that will satisfy you.  Secondly, you must devise a strategy that will enable you to attain you goal.  Instead of looking at the “mountain” that you must scale in order to get to the top of your Everest, figure out what you need to do in order to climb to the top of the next ridge.  Once you have a plan for scaling the first ridge, develop your plan to reach the second ridge.  Before you know it, you’ll have a comprehensive plan that will achieve your overall long-term goal. 

I always tell candidates that their goal of “this stage” (whatever that stage is) should first and foremost be to get to the next stage.  Secondly, focus on what you can control rather than upon what you can’t control.  For example, you can control the look and feel of your resume.  You can control where your information goes.  You can show up for your interviews prepared.  You can recognize what your weaknesses are and develop strategies to over come them.  You can control how hard you are willing to work to attain your objective!  Remember that 70% of landing that great job depends on the packaging!

Resumes and Interviewing:

How do you get past the computer scan of your resume? At many companies the initial screening of resumes is done by computers. That's why it's important to read the job announcement carefully and to load up on the same key words that are emphasized in the text. Also cut out the colored paper and fancy fonts to keep your resume scanner friendly.
How do you survive the telephone interview?  One of the most important things to keep in mind while you are in a telephone interview is that the interviewer can only judge your skills, your enthusiasm and your willingness based upon what he or she "hears" in your voice.  He or she can't see the smile on your face or your body language.  In order to be chosen as the candidate that is "moving on to the next level" in the interview process you must convey your strengths with your voice.  Be clear and concise in what you say.  Be professional in how you present yourself.  Be enthusiastic and let the "real energy" that you have within you reflect in your voice!  Most importantly, don't try to be who you aren't.  Don't overstate.  Don't exaggerate.  Be yourself.  If you don't, eventually the truth will come out and you will have wasted, not just your time but also that of the interviewer and the hiring company.  Always present the best possible image that is consistent with the truth!  And, speaking of "truth" now is not the time to be shy or modest.  If you really are "the best" then it is okay to say that you are the best.  You can't just say that you are the best, though.  The interviewer is looking for meaningful (concrete) examples to support that you're the best.  Remember, too, that the interviewer can tell from a well-prepared resume what you've done.  A really superior resume will also show how well you've done it and during the telephone interview the interviewer will expect to learn more about how well you have completed each of your present and past job duties.  Usually this is best demonstrated by "mini-examples" that contain measurable facts.


Preparing for the In-Person Interview

When you've reached the point in your job search where you're starting to receive responses from Hiring Authorities at your target companies and have progressed through the telephone interview process you'll probably start to feel like a job is "just a matter of time NOW!"  Perhaps it is, but not necessarily.  True, you should feel optimistic about your progress but, in truth, your progress toward your goal can best be described as approximately equal to "getting to first base."  You still have to make it around the bases and on to home plate.  Despite the challenges ahead of you, I always recommend that candidates stay focused on getting to the next step rather than to focus on receiving and accepting the offer, or worse yet, thinking about the challenges beyond that...resigning from your present job, packing and moving, buying a house and, well the list goes on! 

"So, you ask, isn't it true that all that I can do right now is wait and hope that I get invited for an in-person interview?"  Yes, that is one thing that you normally will have to do, but there are things that you can do to help keep the process on track and maybe to even move it forward.
If you have completed a telephone interview, did you remember to send out a thank you note?  It is a really good idea to send a thank you note to the person or persons that interviewed you.  When it comes to thank you notes, timeliness is far more important than flash, so forget the hand written, U S Mail style note.  Send an email!  Perhaps you're thinking, I'd like to do that but my interviewer didn't give me his email address.  How do I get his / her email address?  Sometimes you have to be creative but usually a direct approach is successful.  If you are working with a recruiter, the recruiter usually can provide email addresses for you.  If you aren't working with a recruiter, try calling the company receptionist and explain that you interviewed for a position and ask for the email address.  If the direct approach doesn't work, or if you know that the company is conducting a "confidential search" then go to the company's website and look for the "company contact" email address.  Odds are, your interviewer's email address follows the same format.

When writing your thank you email, keep it short and to the point.  I recommend that you follow a four-point format. 

  • Greeting and Thank You
  • Affirmation of Interest
  • Key Points
  • Closing

In short, keep the thank you note short and simple.  Thank them for taking time to interview you, tell them that you are very interested in the position and mention any key points that stand out about the interview that you may feel makes you uniquely qualified or the part of your experience and background that was of special interest to your interviewer.  (It's your chance to reinforce that "strength" that the interviewer seemed to like about you.)  Finally, be gracious in your closing but not "flowery."

Now is the time to prepare for the next step: Your first face-to-face interview?  While you're waiting for an invitation for a face-to-face interview take advantage of this opportunity to prepare for it.  Your preparation should focus on two areas.  You have undoubtedly learned some new information from the telephone interview that helps you understand what the Hiring Authority is looking for.  It may be something that is specific to a skill that the Hiring Authority is seeking or it may be something about the culture of the company.  Or, it may be both.  If it is a skill that is needed, make sure that you know as much as possible about it; perhaps you will even want to attend a short course to freshen up on the skill.  If you have learned about a specific, predominant company cultural characteristic it usually means that the Hiring Authority will "want to see" certain candidate traits indicating the candidate is a "good fit" for the company culture.  Again, do some homework.  I'm not suggesting that you try to be someone that you aren't.  Instead, I am suggesting that you research the topic and get the latest information and make sure that you understand all of the "buzzwords."  You should understand this topic well enough so that you can recognize it "in the dark" and be able to speak intelligently about it if you are called upon to do so.  Most importantly, though, it is important for you to understand yourself well enough to know whether this is a company culture that you can operate within and be successful in.  In short, you need to understand what the culture is for your own benefit.  It might be the "deal breaker" for you and be the sole reason why you would want to pass on this opportunity and continue looking. 

Have you prepared your reference list?  This is also an opportunity for you to not just prepare your reference list but to prepare your references!   All to often candidates simply provide a list of the required number of references.  You really are selling yourself short if you provide a list of references and don't contact the references before hand.  I've heard it said that most attorneys don't ask their witnesses a question unless they have an idea of what the response will be.  I don't know if that is true but I am convinced that the more that you can share with your references about the company and the opportunity that you are pursuing, the better prepared they will be to provide open and honest answers about the contribution that you will be able to make at this company.

How do you survive your first face-to-face interview? Congratulations. You've actually got a human being sitting across the table from you. Since they're probably in human resources, chances are that they'll be mainly focused on how you meet the job's qualifications. It's fine to ask them general questions about the company and the job, but remember this is probably not the most knowledgeable person to grill about the job's day-to-day realities.

How do you get the person who you'll actually be working for to pick you? Chances are that the manager who will actually hire you is more concerned about your attitude and how you'll fit in than how you fit each of the job's qualifications. So remember at this stage that your intangibles are often as important as your resume and experience. Also most managers are more pressed for time than the Human Resources people that you've been talking to up until now. Get a feel for how rushed the manager is and adjust the length of your answers accordingly.

As always, the key to success is to Have a specific plan for each stage of the hiring process and you'll be safe in the driver's seat.


Our Jobs
Copyright  ©  2002 - 2011  Elk Peaks Consulting Group, Ltd.  All Rights Reserved
Website Designed by Elk Peaks Consulting Group, Ltd.
Call Us at 970.285.7482 and Explore How We Can Help You!
Elk Peaks Consulting Group, Ltd., P. O. Box 841, Glenwood Springs, CO 81602
Job Search Techniques Topics
Elk Peaks Consulting Group, Ltd.