Here we are (finally) at Phase 3 of the Career Project, Pursue.  This phase is what everybody always thinks of as the actual job search because it includes all of the customary tasks, like creating a resume and cover letters/emails, networking, and interviewing.  If you've been following the Career Project model outlined over the past several months (if you haven't, you might want to go back and read the last few months' columns … or not), this is probably what you've been anticipating.  As usual, there's a bit more to this phase than the obvious, so we'll cover half this month, and the rest next month.

Resume Writing

So much has been written about resumes already, including a previous column of The Career Coach, entitled "Resume (Up to) Speed," that I don't want to spend a lot of time on it.  We'll just hit the high points for creating a resume:

• Brevity - less is more; the point of a resume is to get you an interview, not the job itself

• Outline - your capabilities and achievements (what you have done/can do); use metrics
• Target - focus the resume toward a particular job and/or industry

So many people try to create a one-size-fits-all resume.  One that they think would be usable for any job they might want.  This might have been a good strategy when you'd trot your typed copy down to the local print shop and have 50 copies offset printed.  Maybe. 

But today, with your trusty word processor, it's an absolute necessity to recraft that resume every time you send it out.  You might have several base resumes geared towards particular jobs or industries, but you'll tweak the right one to customize it for each opportunity.  After you've done your homework to see what will stimulate that employer, of course.

Cover Letters

Since you'll be making an effort to customize your resume for each job, don't blow it by sending out a generic cover letter/email.  This means no "To Whom it May Concern" salutation and vague statements about how much you respect the company's reputation. Part of doing your homework is to uncover specifics about the opportunity, or at least the company.

Pitch letters sent to the HR department aren't useless, but will slow your search.  You can count on a couple of weeks for your info to route to the person with hiring authority if you've approached a large enterprise; less time if it's a smaller firm.  There's no delay in approaching the HR department of a small start-up … but since the HR department is also likely to be the VP of Sales, the CFO and the janitor, you can expect the process here to be pretty disorganized. 

The best strategy is to identify the person who has the power to make you the offer. Then you address your letter/email directly to her/him.  If your research has been fruitful, you may have learned something about a recent success in the department or possibly a problem that the company may be having.  Use this information to leverage your potential value to the company.

Everybody responds well to praise, so long as it isn't overly excessive.  A comment in your cover letter relating to some success you've had with a similar problem is also likely to get you some notice.  But don't criticize actions that may have caused the problem.  Pointing out someone's mistakes is not the best way to get yourself hired.

Keep your communications short and to the point.  Nobody wants to read more than a one-page missive and even that's pretty long these days.  A standard letter has three paragraphs:

1. The Opening, where you explain how/why you came to approach this person/company;
2. The Description, where you tell a little (a very little) about yourself; and
3. The Closing, where you explain what the best way is to contact you and convey your sincere interest in having the opportunity to come in and interview.

The most critical thing you can do with this communication is to make sure that it is grammatically correct and all spelling is right.  Do not rely on the spell/grammar checker.  Many misspellings are words themselves and will not be caught.  If this isn't a strong point for you, find someone who is expert and have him/her review it before it goes out. (Obviously, this goes double for your resume.) Don't blow this off; it's a show-stopper for a lot of hiring managers.

Outreach Strategy

Sequentially, this doesn't really come after the resume and cover letter steps.  Maybe it would help to think of outreach strategy as a process that runs continuously in the background while you're doing the search project.  You'll keep it out of sight, but it will direct a lot of your more active processes.

Outreach strategy has a couple of different dimensions.  The primary dimension is the occupation and/or industry you're targeting.  This keeps you focused in a specific area and concentrates your efforts.

The second dimension is the means you use to uncover possible options.  This can include any combination of advertisements, job fairs, recruiters, Internet, headhunters, networking and blanket solicitations.  It's important to recognize that no one method is always effective and that there is no "best practice" methodology for combining tactics.

Despite the incredible amount of employment advertising to IT professionals, the rule of thumb is that only 10% of available openings are ever advertised.  This includes newspapers, Internet postings, magazine ads, etc.  Networking is still recognized as the most effective way to get your foot in the door. Talk to your friends, co-workers (always discreetly), neighbors, people in the local computer supply store, etc.  Find out who knows who's hiring.  Who knows who else.

Getting the information is the easy part.  Using it is the hard part.  If cold calling terrifies you, use email.  If not, pick up the phone and call.  Tell the person on the other end that insert name of your contact here referred you and you'd appreciate a half-hour to come talk about possible opportunities. 

Ask whether it would be better to schedule time before work starts, at lunchtime or later in the afternoon.  Then set a time rather than leaving it open.  This is called the assumptive close and it tends to be very effective.  Even if the person tries to avoid meeting because "we don't have anything available right now," push on for the time just to discuss future possibilities.  And to harvest other names of people who might be good employer contacts for you.

Douse Those Self-Defeating Thoughts

This is a little advice to keep you going.  Phase three is the hardest part of your job search project.  Most people start off with some enthusiasm and a sense of purpose.  At least on the outside, that is.  I know, from both the letters I get and my own experience with jobseekers, that many of you approach the whole thing with a fair amount of dread. 

"I'll never get what I want."  "I'm too old for this business, no one will hire me."  "I can't stand the thought of parading around and acting phony with interviewers."  "I get so nervous, I'll never be able to speak coherently."  " My skills are so limited."  "I don't know how to negotiate and I'll end up right where I started."  I could go on, but it would take up the whole column.

Let me tell you, I've heard them all.  And they're all true, too … so long as you believe them.  Be strong.  Be resolute.  Banish these from your mental vocabulary.  Easier said than done, so here are a few tricks:

1. Make a list.  For every negative thing you tell yourself, write down something positive about yourself.  If you can't think of anything, get help from a friend in the business.  Keep the list and look at it often.
2. Follow your project plan.  Don't let the enormity of the project get you down.  Be task-oriented when doubts arise.
3. Reward yourself for staying on task.

More

Next month in: (Not Trivial) Pursuit Part II, practice interviewing, real interviewing and handling the offer. Any questions?  Write to me at jamie@jobcircle.com

Enjoy this article?  Read more of JobCircle.com's Career Coach articles.

Jamie Fabian spent more than 15 years as a human resources executive before changing careers to become a senior project manager for a growing IT consulting company.  Now in management consulting for a large Pharma company, Jamie would like to be seen as a hybrid of Tom Peters, Tom Jackson, and Tom Wolfe, but spends too much time working, driving carpool and watching mindless TV to write more than this column.  You can contact Jamie with questions and comments at jamie@jobcircle.com.