I was reminded this morning that loosing weight and keeping it off is a very tedious process. I have fought a propensity towards obesity my whole life. Recently, I am winning the battle! It is due to a lot of hard work including meticulously filling out daily food logs with all calorie, protein and fiber intakes. Additionally, I need to record all exercise for the day. This takes a lot of work, which I often do not enjoy.
The same is true for performing well on your interviews and ultimately landing your next job. I recommend a similar process for job seekers including logging all daily activities and results. Many feel that they are very productive during the day. However, there is often a disconnect between work and outcomes. Working hard does not equate to results. Instead you need to plan and work smart.
One suggestion is to keep a daily log that includes:
1. A list of viable contacts in your field.
2. Contacts you have reached.
3. Networking events for that day.
4. Networking events that you attended that day.
5. Number of people you have met and shared your background with.
6. Analysis of your efforts including: a) results and b) areas for improvement.
As you noticed I did not mention resumes sent! This is because resumes do not get you hired. Instead, they often get you screened out. Therefore, I recommend networking as a more viable strategy.
There are two types of networking: 1) traditional and 2) the new, electronic networking. Traditional networking includes: a) telling everyone you know that you are looking for a job including friends and family and b) business networking including joining associations in your field and meeting key decision makers. A valuable tool to help you network is the 30-second elevator pitch. During this pitch, you want to quickly and concisely share three things: 1) Who you are? 2) What you are looking for? And 3) Your 2-3 greatest strengths that set you apart from others in your field. You should practice this repeatedly in the mirror, in a tape recorder or on videotape until you perfect it. Then share it with everyone you know and meet.
The second type is electronic networking. This is using social media sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook to exponentially ramp you your network. These sites can be used to uncover jobs, additional information about the company and hiring manager you wish to work for and future networking events. You should also share a form of your 30-second elevator pitch with those you meet. Also, start discussions to uncover key people who can help you.
Whichever networking method you choose, it is important to log your daily results. As I mentioned previously, there is a big difference between working hard (e.g. sending out 100+ resumes per day) and working smart (e.g. meeting a key decision maker at a networking event or online on Twitter who sets up an interview for you). Working smart by networking and meeting key decision makers is the preferred method to land your next interview and ultimately your next job. Remember, there is no simple fix in today’s 9.7% national unemployment!
