Reading time: 5 min

 

If you know me then you know I have a pretty extensive resume, I am proud of the positions I have listed because it shows that I am working closer to the goals I have and that I have pretty much mastered the art of the interview. I want to help put together the technique I use to land the jobs I want whenever I job search.

The first thing to do is plan out where do you want to work. Basically, this is doing research on the company to try and sell yourself and why you belong there. What I do is create a list of at least 3 companies that I would love to invest my time into. It’s better to have a list of at least 3 because you never know what could happen. There are different reasons but the most psychological reason is that you don’t want to set yourself up for failure if you only have 1 job that you go for during your job search and don’t get the position.

It can put your mind thru stress that is not needed when going thru this process. Other reasons can be showing more value of yourself and to be able to negotiate more pay/benefits because you have multiple places giving you offers, also it gives you the chance to compare benefits and what the daily tasks would look like. So make sure you do your homework and understand what your options are while doing your job search.

A second thing you want to do is make sure you have your resume organized. It doesn’t need to be the fanciest resume ever, just something stating your experience and your contact info.

Now that you have that all put together now you can start the main part of this process.

job search

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

Time To Job Search

There are so many different ways of going about looking for the ideal position that you want. The most common way I see people job search is by using online resources to look for open positions at different companies and they usually let you see a small glimpse of what the company is about. There is nothing wrong with this but most likely you will probably end up quitting after some time to find yourself right back on that same site looking for the next job. The best technique for getting your next job is thru the power of networking.

There is a saying that your network is the same as your net worth. Over the time I will get into different sub-topics about networking but I will show you how networking can help you get your dream role. Most likely you can get in contact with someone who has the same position as you want or is a leader over the position you want, there are different ways of doing it but it can be done. With today’s technology everyone should have at least one way they can be communicated, whether that is a cell phone, email, address for mailing, etc. It’s up to you to find which way will work best by contacting them.

You can usually use social media to find someone who to connect with. Websites like LinkedIn and Facebook are a good place to look. The way I do it is by going to the company employee directory which you can usually find at the bottom of their website and search for the position there and see who currently has the position. You can go thru your contact book and reach out to friends who might know someone who to connect with. These are just a few ways you can really get results during your job search.

How should you go about contacting this person?

Whenever I network I Iike to find things out about others before talking about myself. The best technique for me is either thru face to face or over the phone. Here is an outline of what I that usually looks like.

Hello, my name is Darius. I was doing some research and I found out that you work at ABC company and that you have a role that I am looking to get into. I am reaching out to see if there is a time when I can get 5-10 minutes of your time to ask you some questions about your position and to see if you can give me some guidance on what I should do.” (Find the wording that fits your character)

This shows people that you respect their time and that you want to know more about them. Then from there, they may either ask who you are and agree to chat with you another time that works best for them. If they ask who you are, keep it brief and make sure to explain how your research had lead you to them. They usually appreciate that you went that extra mile to reach out to them personally. If they don’t respond or they don’t want to answer your questions, that’s fine. Thank them for responding, if they did. In a few months, you can reach out again and see if they are open at that time to speak.

Time To Connect

Once you figure out a time to meet or chat with them, you need to get ready by having your list of questions ready before you chat. I usually write the questions the day before or even 1-2 hours before the meeting. There are a bunch of different questions you can ask especially for all the different industries and niches out there the list is endless. Here are some main questions you should be sure to go over during your confrontation:

  • When did they start their current role?
  • How did they get the role? Or who did they know who helped get their current role?
  • What they enjoy most about the role?
  • What kind of tasks are done on the daily? Are there timelines or due dates for the tasks?
  • What don’t they like about their role?
  • Things they have learned about the role over the course of the time they have been there?
  • What are their thoughts about the company?

These questions should help start putting some perspective on what the company is about because you are speaking with someone who actually works there. If this company sounds like a fit for you, you can start asking more questions about how you can get involved. Here are some questions that can help start using to plant the idea that you would like to end your job search and become part of the company as well.

  • What is the process of getting more info about the position?
  • Is your company currently hiring?
  • Who is the person that handles the hiring process?
  • Are there incentives for them for referring you as an employee?

Conclusion

Basically, you want to figure out who is the gatekeeper for the role that you want and figure out how to set up an interview. After you are done chatting, be sure to thank them for their time and let them know you will follow up with them on how the process is going. This is key if you do find interest in the company because this is now going to be your way into the company and following up with them will get them chatting to their peers and supervisors about you and now you will have a better chance of getting the dream role that you want. Let’s review what you should do:

  1. Research Different Companies
  2. Create Resume
  3. Find People Who Have Or Manages The Position You Want
  4. Connect With Them (Ask Questions)
  5. Find Gatekeeper
  6. Follow Up