Tired of searching endlessly through online job boards and employment Web sites hoping to find a position that matches your background and criteria? I think it’s time to take matters into your own hands. One of my colleagues was kind enough to pass along a YouTube video called The Google Job Experiment. I watched the one-minute video and thought it was ingenious! Here’s the link in case you haven’t seen it yet: .
Talk about “thinking outside the box” to get the job you want! I have a feeling it’s going to catch on; all of a sudden, we’re going to start seeing ads, springing up everywhere, targeted at well-positioned executives and hiring managers saying, “Hire me”. The concept itself to me is inspiring and creative, and had me thinking...
Well, for those of us who may not be as creative and “outside the box” as others, I’ve put together a list of tips on how to get started:
Step 1: Research – The easiest place to start is the company Web site. Check out the about us page or any other pages that would have information concerning those personnel in key leadership positions. This is the most logical place to start. Next, I would go to LinkedIn. Look up the company by name (assuming you know exactly where you want to work—just like this guy did), and then scroll through the results to find matches. Look for those people who are in positions with decision making abilities and who are most relevant to your industry. Can’t find them on LinkedIn or the company Web site? Then turn to Google. I use Google for everything (I probably earn millions for them every year). If I have a question, I Google it. Want to know who the “so-and-so” person is at Microsoft? Google it. I’ll bet you can find some information somewhere on which person does what. It’s just a matter of investing some time to conduct the research. When all else fails, pick up the phone and call the company. Tell them you’d like to mail a letter to the advertising director (or other head honcho of your choice) but need his or her name in order to address the letter. There’s no reason why they shouldn’t provide you with it. And be sure to ask for the correct address for your specific letter; the person to whom you are writing may prefer to receive mail at the office, but there is a possibility that he or she prefers the company’s post office box or e-mail correspondence. Don’t make any assumptions about this. If they aren’t willing to provide an address then back to your best friend Google. More about what to do with this information is included in step 2.
Step 2: Make Contact – The most obvious way to do this is to submit a LinkedIn connection request. This opens the lines of communication to some extent; and then you can begin to identify the areas that you have in common and potentially open a dialogue about employment opportunities. Outside of LinkedIn, you can find them on other social networks and contribute to discussions they’ve initiated, or you can reach out by sending a letter. If you made contact with the organization during step one, you will have the name of the person you need to reach out to, as well as the company’s address. I recommend sending your resume and cover letter in an envelope that doesn’t look like it would contain a resume/cover letter. I also recommend addressing the envelope by hand and, if possible, use a thank you- or greeting card-sized envelope. Who doesn’t love getting a thank you card in the mail unexpectedly? Plus, it’s guaranteed they’ll open it. Then your resume/cover letter will have about five seconds to make a great first impression (so insert awesome, professionally written, and branded resume here).
Step 3: Follow up – Take the time to make a call. And ask for the person by name. If he or she is not available, leave a voicemail indicating that you sent a copy of your resume last week and you are following up to ensure it was received. If you’re a connection on LinkedIn, you may be able to see the person’s work e-mail address on his or her profile (some users include it, but not all). I wouldn’t go overboard and e-mail daily, but one e-mail just to state your case or follow up once you’ve forwarded your information is acceptable in my book.
It’s not about stalking the person who has the decision making ability; it’s about making a connection, doing your research, and potentially opening a door that previously was closed. From here you can find all kinds of creative ways to get the person’s attention—much like the Google campaign that one creative job seeker used to land himself an interview—and a job. Your imagination is the limit. All I’m saying is, don’t be afraid to conduct your job search “outside the box”.
Author:
Jessica Holbrook is an expert resume writer, career and personal branding strategist, author, speaker and President/CEO of Great Resumes Fast. She creates high-impact, best-in-class, resumes and cover letters that win interviews. For a free resume analysis visit http://www.greatresumesfast.com/ or for a free phone consultation call 1.800.991.5187.
