How People Find Jobs in All Markets

Jim...I keep sending resumes to companies but no one is calling me back. What else should I do? I really want to find a job doing what I like and I’m not getting the results I want.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:
· 5 percent of people find their next career through advertised positions – help-wanted ads, the internet, and other publications.
· 23 percent find jobs through search firms, head-hunters, and employment agencies.
· 24 percent find jobs through making a list of desired employers and contacting companies directly.
Are you ready for this?
· The remaining 48 PERCENT of all jobs are found through referrals – simple word-of-mouth networking.

But Jim...I don’t have a network. What do I do now?

Building Your Networking

If you build it, they will help. Who are “they”? “They”, are your siblings, relatives, friends, neighbors, current and former coworkers, bosses, clients, vendors, and everyone you can think of that will return your call. Make lists of all the people you know and start smiling and dialing…today!

Networking and Career networking aren’t about calling people that can hire you (although that sometimes happens). Career networking is about talking to people that are interested in you and helping you meet the right people during your career search. Career networking conversations give you an opportunity to learn opinions, experiences, insights, guidance, and perspective. Each grain of advice you collect will get you closer to the opportunity you seek.

One lesson learned while being “in transition” is that the majority people you speak with are empathetic and are more than willing to help…you just need to know how to ask.

Discovering Existing Networks

Beyond the simple ways to build your network, some of the strongest networks start with groups of people with whom you share a common bond or interest. Who are they? Here are my top three recommendations:
1. Alumni Associations – Call your high school, college, graduate alumni associations to see what programs are available for alum. Most colleges and universities have a Career Services office more than willing to help…for FREE! They can help connect you to alumni in your area.
2. LinkedIn and Twitter – Many professionals post their professional profile online. This allows you to search using different criteria to find other professionals in your field, within certain companies, or those that attended certain schools (maybe yours?). The benefit of these online sites is the majority of people have uploaded a profile because they want to meet other people.
3. Professional Organizations – There is an organization for almost every profession. Join yours. Attend meetings (please, do not just put it on your resume), get involved, volunteer, become an officer, and make a difference. Your involvement can prove to your prospective employer whether you are serious about your career, or you are just looking for another job.

Asking for Help

Step 1: Find someone.
Step 2: Pick up the phone and schedule a time to talk – DO NOT “network” on the first call.
Step 3: When you meet, make a human connection – don’t just ask the person for job leads! Find out what makes this person tick. Find out what they are working on, what challenges they face in their role, and how they are managing those challenges.
Step 4: Use positive language. Talk about your situation, what you are seeking, and the progress you are making.
Step 5: Discuss the ideal opportunity – the opportunity that you would enjoy so much you would almost do it for free.
Step 6: Have target companies in mind. Don’t just say, “I am looking for anything…PLEASE!” This sounds desperate. You are a professional with skills and value you can bring to any employer.

Final thoughts

Be persistent and never give up. The kind of job you want is something you look forward to doing every day. Something that you do well, but does not feel like it drains your energy, it energizes you. Lance Armstrong said it best. After pedaling over 1,700 miles all over France, the Alps and Pyrenees during a two week period, he called his 16th stage of the race a “no chain” day. Lance felt so strong; it seemed as if his bicycle had no chain. Make sure you don't just find a job. Find a career that makes you happy, keeps you energized, and feels like you are riding a bike on all terrain with no chain.

Good luck!


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Six Simple Steps to World-Class Service

Let's start by having you think about your job.
What is your job? Let's think about that for a
moment: I come to work every day, do my job,
and go home…right? WRONG! Maybe that is
how you used to look at your job. Now, we need to
change your viewpoint. What if we were to look
at your job through the eyes of your client?

“But…You say… I don't have clients, I work
on the inside.” WRONG AGAIN! Everyone that
depends on you for a service or solution is a client,
regardless of whether they are inside or outside of
Stanford. Changing the way you view your job is
the first step in ensuring you are consistently
delivering world-class service.

Here is a test. There is no right or wrong answer,
only the truth. I call it the “60 Minutes” test, but
it will take much less than an hour to complete.
Let's pretend that your boss has just hired Mike
Wallace from 60 Minutes to interview the last
five clients that depended on you for a service or
solution. What are your clients saying about you?
How can you make sure your clients are saying great
things about you…even when you are not in the room? What actions do you need to take RIGHT NOW to attract and retain loyal clients?

1. Develop a burning desire to find out what your clients need
2. Offer ways to help your clients achieve their goals and delight them with your help
3. Go beyond your clients' stated needs
4. Ask your clients how you can do better
5. Listen with sincerity and accept feedback openly
6. Be accountable for ensuring every client's experience is better than the last

The bottom line: Serve your clients well and make it a pleasure for everyone to work with you. Follow these simple steps and you won't just have clients, you will have created a group of dedicated fans.
What do you need to do right now? Now that you have read this far (and I thank you for that), challenge yourself to improve the quality of service you deliver to every client you interact with by just 1%.
Imagine what your clients will say about you when
Mike Wallace circles back for another interview!
Your 50th client won't even know what hit her because the quality of service you provide will be
50% better than the first client you touched.

Click here for a free consultation www.info@xpectresults.com to help YOU begin attracting and retaining loyal clients today!

Jim Molloy has helped many companies improve the quality of service delivered to clients. He is an expert on the topic and has delivered keynote addresses to help others learn what it takes to consistently deliver world-class service while developing loyal clients