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Demand Attention and Land the Job
With thousands
of workers nationwide actively seeking employment, there’s no denying
that today’s job market is tough. So what does it take to get noticed
by employers and land a job?
Some job seekers have found success through attention-getting
techniques such as sending fruit baskets to hiring managers,
delivering resumes in pizza boxes or showing up at interviews with a
box of Krispy Kreme donuts.
While these gimmicks have worked for some, it is not always the best
approach to landing a job. “If you know the HR manager or the person
who will be reviewing resumes, modify your approach based on what you
know about that person,” suggests Jeff Taylor, founder of Monster, the
leading global online careers resource. “Go the extra mile if you know
the decision maker favors those who show initiative. If not, then take
a more professional approach.”
A solid resume is, of course, a good way to get the attention of a
hiring manager. Because everyone these days -- whether already
employed or actively seeking work -- has a resume ready to show
prospective employers, job seekers must find ways to offer tangible
evidence of their skills in order to stand out from the crowd.
Providing potential employers with a portfolio of your best work is
just one example of how to differentiate yourself from the other
candidates. Showcasing materials produced for other jobs, internships,
classes and/or volunteer work, is a great way to illustrate your
skills and experience.
When you don’t know who is going to be reviewing resumes, you have no
way of knowing how the person might react. Commonly, the resumes
delivered in a pizza box are the first to be discarded. Of course,
there are the exceptions. If a company is making a concerted effort to
target someone with specific skills -- and there are a lot of other
job seekers with those same skills competing for the job -- a more
unorthodox approach might be necessary to stand out from the crowd and
get the company’s attention.
But, if the pizza box isn’t your style, here are a few tips on how to
get noticed, while keeping your professionalism intact:
* Apply to jobs that match your skills and experience: Write a
targeted cover letter and modify your resume so that it illustrates
how you are the best fit for the job. Convince the hiring manager why
you should be considered for the job.
* If you know the hiring manager's name, consider a voice mail or
e-mail: Your message should entice the hiring manager to take another
look at your resume. The goal is to have the hiring manager contact
you.
* Get to know the top recruitment agencies in your area: The majority
of these agencies post jobs on careers sites such as Monster on behalf
of their clients.
* Work your network: Do you know someone at the company who can make
an introduction? Do you know any of its customers? Suppliers? Former
employees? You won’t have a referral every time, but it is worth the
extra effort to try to find one.
When contacting employers, use an approach that reflects the reasons
why you think you should get the job. Whatever you do, be polite --
and don’t do anything to get attention that will affect your long-term
career. Today’s lean market calls for extraordinary methods and it is
increasingly important for job seekers to be more proactive and
thoughtful in their employment search.
However, even when deciding to use unconventional tactics to get the
attention of an employer, it’s important to remember the old standbys.
Tweaking resumes, brushing up on interviewing skills and regularly
attending networking events will always increase your chances of
landing a job.
Courtesy:
Google News
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