Land That Job
Module 4: Market Yourself

Now you see it…

Let’s talk ‘visible’ first.

What papers, on what days, advertise the type of vacancies that interest you? Are there any professional journals that do so, too? If so, what are they and when are their publishing dates? What job websites are best suited to your needs? More and more employers are using these now, so make sure you have them on your resource list.

A tip: if you’re interested in a position being advertised, and you think you can do 70% of it – apply. Don’t just wait until you find adverts for jobs where you think you could do 100%.

Afterall, you want a job that’s stimulating and where there’s room for growth, don’t you? From an employer’s point of view the 70% you offer may be precisely the 70% they need to recruit…and what about all your other qualities, that go on top of that 70%?

If you see a job that you’d like to do but you definitely think you couldn’t do it now, at least send for details. The more you know about a job, the more you can properly assess your suitability to do it.

If ever you find yourself uttering those self-defeating words, ‘oh that looks really interesting, but they wouldn’t be interested in me’ – STOP. Right there. Don’t ever dismiss a job that you’re interested in – send for details. Maybe they wouldn’t be interested in you now, but what about 6 months, a year from now…when you’ve worked on the things you need to develop?

Making your application

When making your application, keep things simple. Do what the advert asks you to do. If it says send a CV, send your CV. If it says complete their application form, do that – using any ‘additional information’ sections to detail your particular strengths.

Take a copy of what you send so that when you get to interview you’re clear about what you’ve already said. Make sure you send in your application promptly too, in a well presented format – an A4 envelope is ideal, so you don’t have to fold anything. A few days after posting, telephone to confirm your application has safely arrived. The same with emailed applications. Applications do go astray, and if you find out after they’ve interviewed that yours was one of them, it’s too late by then.

Create your own system for monitoring your applications and fill it in faithfully every time you send a new one off.

Now you don’t…

What about that vast expanse out there of potential jobs that you don’t know about, though; the invisible job market?

Employers don’t advertise all their vacancies. If a job can be filled without being advertised, it can save huge amounts of time and money, so it’s a very attractive option. Resourceful employers look for short cuts. The question is, how do you get to know about these unadvertised vacancies, and how do you make sure that these employers know about you?

You need to do three things:

• register with recruitment agencies,
• send off speculative applications
• network

Here’s how….

1. Using recruitment agencies

More and more employers use agencies now to avoid the tedious task of separating the wheat from the chaff. Agencies search their books for suitable candidates and usually carry out initial interviews before presenting you to the employer. By the time you get to be interviewed by the employer therefore, you know you’ve successfully jumped the first hurdle and that you are amongst a select few being put forward.

So, a key task is to get yourself registered with a number of reputable recruitment agencies.

How do you know if they’re reputable? Do some research – see who is active in the press in placing adverts for candidates, check the financial pages to see who is doing well; ask around amongst people you know who have used agencies or who may know others who have.

If possible, select agencies that specialise in the types of jobs in which you’re interested. There are an abundance of agencies out there; find the ones that fit you. If you sign up and then have second thoughts, you can always choose an alternative agency.

Take care not to sign up with too many – it doesn’t necessarily create the right impression to have your CV appearing on an employer’s desk multiple times for the same vacancy.  And to avoid any potential embarrassment, ensure that each agency you choose has the technology to handle the fact you don’t want your details to be circulated to your current employer – or a past one, perhaps.

2. Speculative applications

The beauty of this is that you get to choose the employers you want to work for. So:

• what employers would you like to work for?
• Where geographically would you like to work?
• What sort of business sector do you prefer?
• What other factors are important to you?

Read professional magazines to get the low-down on which companies are going places or visit your local library to find listings of employers if you need inspiration. Once you’ve identified your targets, again, do your research. Most employers have web sites where you can find out useful background information. Get surfing and capture the relevant details that will help you tailor your CV and compose your covering letter.

Always find out the name of the person to send it to – preferably, the exact manager of the area you’d like to work for. When you send your CV, mark the envelope ‘Private and Confidential’ to increase the chances even more of it being read by the person you want it to be read by.

3. Network

Networking is about talking with people, helping people, or showing them what you could do to help them if they need it. It’s also about finding people who may be able to help you in return.

When you meet people, chat, ask questions, offer your own experiences and views. Be interested in them and when they ask you questions about you, rather than giving one-sentence answers, be ready to give real information about yourself. Think about your valuable and shareable qualities – who knows what help these talents could be to somebody else?

When the opportunity presents itself, let people know what you do and what you’re looking to do. You don’t need to be overt or pushy about it: in most conversations some exchange about work usually comes up, so prepare a few well-chosen and upbeat phrases about your career aspirations that you can toss in.

If the time’s right, be ready to pick their brains too: have the things you want to know prepared so you can ask questions smoothly and naturally. Who knows who they may know or what helpful information they may have for you?

Set out to add new people to the informal network of friends and acquaintances you have already and then systematically maintain and develop it. Keep in regular but unobtrusive contact, in whatever way suits you best. And keep a record of each contact you make – who they are, who they work for, what’s happening in their world at the moment.

This way when you next contact them you’ll to be able to pick up conversations as if you spoke only yesterday. And you’ll be in the right place to hear about jobs before they hit the ‘visible’ market.

Actions of the Week

1. Study the visible job market

Identify the key resources – newspapers, journals, websites – you’re going to use, and then make a new habit: set yourself a timetable each week when you will check what new jobs have been advertised and make your applications.

Remember the 70% rule. If a job interests you, you have nothing to lose in applying for it – and potentially heaps to gain.

2. Research recruitment agencies

Register with the ones that will best meet your needs. Get to know one of the consultants in each of the agencies you select and keep in touch with them regularly, so that whenever a good job appears on their books you can feel confident that you’ll be one of the first people they think about and contact.

3. Speculate to accumulate

Identify which employers you’d like to work for and send them a tailored CV. Then follow it up: telephone and ask to speak to the person you sent it to and once you’re through to them ask to come to see them to discuss your CV further.

Yes, ask.

If they like the look of your CV and they have a potential vacancy, you can bet they’ll say yes. If they like your CV and don’t have any vacancies, they may still say yes – or at least, they’ll say they will keep you in mind for anything that comes up in future. If they’re not interested, they’ll say no, it’s as simple as that. What have you got to lose?

4. Make networking a natural part of your life

Write down all the contacts you have already. All of them – there are bound to be more than you think. Meet new people, look up old acquaintances, deepen current ones.

If you haven’t already got a business card, have a simple one printed – when someone asks you how they can get hold of you, you don’t want to be scrabbling about for pen and paper.

Attend meetings for professional organisations connected to the work you want to do. Take every opportunity to extend your list of contacts. Talk, share, connect. Sow seeds. Make friends. Let people know what sort of job you’re looking for, what type of company you’re interested in. Do they know anyone who might be worth contacting? And if they do – follow it up. You could be taking the first step to exactly the place you want to go.

5. Appreciate that everything about you is now an advert

Pay close attention to your personal presentation, how you speak, what you say. Take responsibility for who you are and how you are perceived. Make sure that the impression you leave behind is the one you want to leave behind.

Tremendous.  That’s another stage of our journey completed. Well done!

Next week, we’re going to get even more personal in the self-marketing stakes: interviewing with confidence.

In the meantime, have fun making friends and enjoy your week!