Short video about job search strategies. For more detailed discussion and information on job search join “Measurability on Facebook” or “Measurability Careers & Jobs Club on LinkedIn”.

I presented at www.careerzoo.ie on Sunday 16th January. The event was extremely busy and my presentation was attended by about 150 people. My presentation was “How to get a job without a CV”.

The key objectives of the talk were:

• To emphasis the importance of recording job search activity. This feedback is essential to help job seekers navigate to achieve career/job search goals.
• To encourage job seekers to stop hiding behind their CVs. The CV still has an important role in job search BUT it doesn’t (or shouldn’t) always have to be the focal point. A CV only tells part of the information required to make a hiring decision.
• To outline some strategies for targeting advertised jobs. Options outlined included audio tools, video tools, social media, creative use of cover letters, using your network, and a simple phone call.
• To outline some strategies for targeting the hidden job market. Strategies included real world networking, social media networking, speculative applications, and voluntary assignments.
• To communicate examples about how others successfully landed a job without using a CV. For many of us “seeing is believing”. I hope that the examples throughout the presentation help your believe that this is possible!!

For ongoing support – join my career group on LinkedIn “Measurability Careers & Jobs Club”, become a fan on FaceBook “Measurability”, or follow me on Twitter @paulmullan74.

Please post your feedback and comments …..

Below are a few ideas to give your job search a boost in January….

80/20 rule for job search – Ensure you are spending 80% of your time targeting unadvertised jobs and 20% of your time targeting advertised jobs. Attack the job market with proactive strategies like networking, social media networking, speculative applications, and volunteering.

Stop hiding behind your CV – A CV offers a fraction of the information required to make a hiring decision. Develop and implement strategies to take the focus away from your CV.

Ask your way to success – Start asking more questions!! Start asking for feedback!!

Learn how to sell – If you can’t sell yourself then no one else will do it for you.

Set targets/Monitor performance – Don’t float along in your job search with no idea about what is working for you or with no tangible targets. Start planning your activity and setting challenging targets. Start recording your results.

Avoid “Doom & Gloom” –With all the talk about the economy, the banks, volcano ash, and snow it would be a reasonable request for permission to stay in your bed. You need to switch off from the negativity and set up a selective information filter that only digests positive news stories.

Become Social Media savvy – Social Media has changed how we job search and how we manage our careers. Embrace tools like LinkedIn, Twitter, and FaceBook.

Upskill - Add to your armory to increase our attractiveness to potential employers. Use out of work time to up-skill or retrain.

Revisit old leads/contacts –It is essential to stay on the radar because out of sight means out of mind. Revisit companies you have previously targeted as circumstances change. You may have been pipped at the post for a job BUT the selected candidate may not have worked out.

Be polite/Help others – Go out of your way to help people during your job search. Start sending email or posted thank you notes to interviewers, recruiters, people you meet at networking events. Send a Happy New Year note to family and friends.

Go get the “feel good” factor – Volunteer for a “not for profit” or worthwhile cause offering your professional skills or general support.

Feel free to join my interactive group for jobseekers on LinkedIn “Measurability Careers & Jobs Club”. You can also follow me on Twitter – Paul Mullan.

Do you know what I mean by the 80/20 rule for job hunting?

Comments below ….

(All correct answers put in a hat – winner gets a small prize)

(All funny answers put in a hat – winner gets a small prize)

I heard about this story recently but I only saw the actual video today. Get yourself a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy. 

Remember!!!

Activity + Creativity = Increased Visibility .. AND .. Increased Visibility = Increased Opportunities

Would love to hear your comments ……

I didn’t watch much of this year’s Dragons Den but did catch the very last show on the 15/04 which featured the successful online Hurley venture pitched by Daithi O’Regan. This was an inspirational story how Daithi turned the low of redundancy into a positive and bright opportunity.

When watching these shows we must accept that they can be staged for TV to attract higher viewer numbers and don’t always reflect reality. Having said this when you look beyond the unreality and harsh put-downs there can be very valuable lessons to take away especially for jobseekers.

People hire people not ideas, skills or qualifications

You may remember the Dragons stating a number of occasions that they liked an idea but not the individual or they liked the individual but not the idea. There is much more to success on the show than having a good idea and the person behind the idea is probably more important. If we bring this back to job hunting. I often preach that there is more to landing a new job than skills and qualifications. Skills and qualifications improve your chances of getting to the interview table but it takes more than this to land the job. The person behind the skills and qualifications is more essential. It is important to remember this when you are meeting potential employers at networking events or at interview.

Energy & Passion – If you don’t bring energy and passion to the table you will struggle. This doesn’t always mean extrovert and Daithi O’Regan highlights this on the show. He wasn’t jumping around the room but you could still see his passion and energy through his eyes and tremble in the voice.

Sales & Presentation Skills – Some of the pitches received over the top TV put-downs but they were weak. The weakness can be attributed to my previous point (lack of energy and passion) but also to a lack of understanding/knowledge about the product/service or unique selling points.

Lesson for jobseekers

When engaging with potential employer’s wether at networking events or at interview you cannot rely on qualifications and experience alone. You must understand yourself (strengths, skills and competencies), you must be able to sell yourself and you must present your message with conviction, energy and passion.

Final point

I was interested to read an article in the Irish Independent yesterday with the heading – “Interview Techniques should be taught at third level”. The general gist of the article was that college students should be taught interview techniques to bridge the “major gap” between academic qualifications and their ability to get a job. Talk about stating the obvious!!