The first step to landing your dream job is to be proactive in your job search. In the current job market, you need to market yourself as if you were a sales professional pitching to a new client. The initial phase involves making targeted companies aware of your existence. A well-crafted cover letter and resume that underscore your value to the company can significantly increase your chances of getting noticed. However, it's crucial to remember that these documents alone won't secure you a job. Surprisingly, only about 2% of job seekers take the initiative to follow up their resume with a phone call to the hiring manager.
A well-prepared resume is merely a stepping stone to the next phase of your job search. As a sales professional, I understand that if I send out 100 sales letters outlining my product's benefits without following up, I'm unlikely to receive any responses. It would be akin to scattering those letters from a helicopter over the city center. Contrary to popular belief, sales letters are not effective sales tools on their own unless they are distributed in massive quantities.
A client recently informed me that someone had recommended he register with an online placement company that would mass email his resume to thousands of companies in his field. However, this approach removes you from the driver's seat in your job search by eliminating your choice of potential employers. Moreover, it's highly unlikely that you'll secure a quality position through this method.
In contrast, a targeted job search that follows up 20-30 well-crafted resumes with phone calls to key decision-makers within each company should typically yield 3 to 4 interviews within a month. For step-by-step instructions on conducting a targeted job search, visit Career Calling!
The follow-up process is a critical yet often overlooked aspect of job hunting. It not only shows your interest in the position but also sets you apart from other candidates who may not have taken this extra step. According to a CareerBuilder survey, 22% of employers are less likely to hire a candidate if they don't send a follow-up note after an interview.
In conclusion, while a well-crafted resume and cover letter are essential, they are just the beginning. The real key to job search success lies in the follow-up. So, don't just send out your resume and wait. Take the initiative, make that call, and increase your chances of landing your dream job.
Do What You Love!
... as I drove back from ... I listened to an ... on the Dave Ramsey Show between Dave and ... ... author Frank Peretti. With over 15 million of his ... novels
Creative Income From Your Hobby
"Work and Play are words used to describe the same thing under ... ... - Mark TwainOur work really should be an ... of ... we enjoy. You have probably thought this many
Don't Fear Failure
What a great admonition - Don't Fear Failure! It sounds so simple and so easy to achieve when you see it like that, but when it comes to life changing decisions that we all face, we often get sweaty palms, weak knees, and panic attacks at the thought of failing. But, unfortunately, failure is unavoidable. All successful people have failures in their past, and many will tell you that their failures have led them to the success they have today. It is hard to believe sometimes, though, when you see people that seem to have it all, that they have ever failed. Imagine if Thomas Edison had quit after he failed the 9,999th time in his attempt to invent the incandescent light bulb! Or what if Ray Charles had listened to the advice of one of his teachers..."You can't play the piano, and God knows you can't sing. You'd better learn to weave chairs so you can support yourself." Or what if Mary Kay Ash had listened to her attorney just weeks before she opened her first store..."Liquidate the business right now and recoup whatever cash you can. If you don't, you'll end up penniless."
