Personal Marketing Plans
Many job seekers make the mistake of investing all their time and energy seeking out open positions on the job boards and then trying to make their skill set match the job specification. The reality is that only a small percentage of job seekers find their jobs through the boards. A better strategy is to research companies that you have an interest in and market yourself to the decision makers in these companies whether there is an open position or not. Your goal is to get your foot in the door and create a relationship where none existed before. To make a marketing plan, analyze the following criteria: 1. What types of positions are you suited for? 2. What industries do you wish to target or which industries will derive the most value from your skill set? 3. What cities and states are you willing to work in? 4. What size company do you want to work for? Once you deterime your search parameters you can research specific companies that fall into your designated categories. For example, if you are a financial services professional in New York City, you can research firms that have a significant presence in Manhattan. Search engines, local newspapers, business magazines, and even the yellow pages can provide valuable information regarding companies that meet your search criteria. By incorporating a marketing plan into your search methodology you can increase your chances of meeting people in a position to hire and potentially decrease the amount of time you spend in search.