College Student and Recent College Grad Job Hunting Strategy Guide

1. Get a Job in Any Economy
Content developed by Carl Nielson, Executive Coach and Creator of Career Coaching for Students™
Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved

2. What we‟ll cover
 The challenge(s)
 Two Different
Economies
 Effective vs. Ineffective
Job Search Methods
 What You Can Do
 Networking Skills
 Follow-up

3. What are the challenges
 No Jobs
 No one hiring
 Not getting calls for interviews
 Economy is bad
 Jobs going to more experienced
candidates
 Too many applying, lost in the crowd
 Jobs aren‟t paying

4. Impact of being unemployed
 No money
 No fun
 Worry and fear
 Lose sleep
 Can‟t pay bills
 Can‟t look for work (paralyzed)

5. I Can‟t Get a Job
Because…
 Not enough experience
 Not the right skills
 Lack the knowledge required
 No one calls me

6. BREAKING NEWS – Maybe It‟s Not
You!it‟s the way you job hunt
Maybe

7. It‟s the Economy – or is it?
Good Economy Bad Economy
Unemployment rate below 5% Unemployment rate 8%+
Employers can‟t find people Many qualified people unemployed
Fast food paying $10/hour Too much competition
New employee sign-on bonus Good people at a bargain
Any Economy
Employment rate above 90%
Employers always looking for high potential
candidates
Starting pay not nearly as important as the right job in
the right company
Sourcing high performing candidates a challenge for
employers

8. Job Hunting in the Good „Ol Days
See Ad • Newspapers
Apply • In-person
Interview • Face-to-face
Get Job • Start next week

9. Job Hunting Today
• Job boards
Research • LinkedIn
• Networking Groups
Phone/Go • Industry-related professional associations
• One-on-one
Meet People • Starbucks
• Handwritten Note by postal mail
Follow-up • Email, Phone call
• Phone interview  wait  Phone interview  wait
Interview • “Fit Assessment”  wait  In-Office Panel Interviews
• Handwritten Note by postal mail to Hiring Authority and HR Rep
Follow-up
• Email, Phone call to Hiring Authority and HR Rep
• Start date set for two weeks out or tomorrow
Offer • Onboarding process begins online

10. Least Effective Job Hunting
Methods
 Applying online
 Filling out applications
 Dropping off resumes
 Temp Agencies/Recruiters
 Government
UnEmployment Services

11. Is There a Common Thread
Here?
 To think:
 Someone else will care about my job hunt
 Someone else will find me a job
 Employers are waiting to meet me
 Someone else will do this

12. Time to DO Something
Different!
 You CAN do this
yourself!
 You MUST do this
yourself!
 If someone can help
you, LET THEM!
 Has anyone done
the job hunt for you?
Probably not.

13. Taking Personal Accountability
for Your Job Hunt
Contacts
Research
Me Networking
Following
Up

14. Most Effective Methods
You must generate
interviews!
No interviews, no
offers!

15. Networking
Contact Development
Follow-up

16. Elements of Networking
The only way to become a good networker is to “just do it”!
 Knowing what you
want
 Knowing how to
convey your value
 Knowing how to
listen for what the
other person wants
Do you have a business card? If not, why not?

17. Networking is NOT Selling

18. Networking
 Put the word out – really!
 Leverage friends, family and any people you know
 Develop a list of everyone you know
 Call or email and use social media
 Go and See them
 Join and Participate in online (LinkedIn) and
local networking groups
 Attend professional/industry and alumni
associations - attend meetings and events –
volunteer!
 Become active in non-career-related clubs and
social groups – volunteer!
 Bring your positive!
 Don‟t bring your problems!

19. Your Purpose at Networking
Events
 Meet other people
 Introduce yourself
 Find out who they are
and what they do
 Tell them a little about
who you are and what
you do
 Introduce them to
others as the
opportunity arises
 Refer them to people
you know

20. Get the Most Out of Networking
Events
 Eight questions to answer before attending
any networking event
1. Which events should I consider attending?
2. Where will it be held?
3. Who will be attending?
4. Whom do I want to meet?
5. Whom must I meet?
6. What do I want to learn?
7. How many people do I want to meet?
8. What criteria can I measure to determine if it
was a successful meeting?

21. Become a Brilliant Conversationalist
 Let the other person
talk
 Nobody ever
terminates a
conversation when
he/she is the one
speaking (unless
you are yawning)
Tip: He who asks
questions controls
the conversation!

22. Guaranteed Ice-Breakers
 Are you a member of
______________?
 How long have you
been involved with
______________?
 How did you hear
about this
organization/this
meeting?
 What do you know
about the speaker?
Have you heard
him/her speak before?
 Where are you from?

23. As the Conversation Warms Up
 What type of work do
you do?
 What‟s your position
with the company
 What does your
company do?
 How long have you
been there?
 How did you get into
this line of work?
 What do you like most
about your job, the
company

24. Going Deeper in the
Conversation
 What are the greatest
challenges you are
facing right now?
 What kind of change
is happening in your
company?
 What trends are you
seeing for your
company?
 If I can refer anyone to
you, how would I
know if they are a
good prospect for
you?

25. Active Listening and the Follow-Up
Question
 Brilliant
conversationalists
ask great follow-up
questions
 Ask a second, third
and fourth question
– be curious!
 Relax

26. Go Beyond Being a
Member
 If you really want to get to know all the important
decision makers in your business or industry, go
beyond being a member of an organization
 Get involved – volunteer
 Be visible – all the time
 Let others meet you so they know who you are and what
you do
 Hold a position in the organization
 Volunteer to be on a committee or chair a
project/committee
 Attend regional and national meetings
 Stay at the end of meetings to say goodbyes and
socialize – even help with the clean-up

27. Contact Development
 LinkedIn
 Cold calls
 Warm calls
 In-Person, Phone, Email
 Follow-up
 Maintain a contacts database or
spreadsheet

28. Job Hunting Today
• Job boards
Research • LinkedIn
• Networking Groups
Phone/Go • Industry-related professional associations
• One-on-one
Meet People • Starbucks
• Handwritten Note by postal mail
Follow-up • Email, Phone call
• Phone interview  wait  Phone interview  wait
Interview • “Fit Assessment”  wait  In-Office Panel Interviews
• Handwritten Note by postal mail to Hiring Authority and HR Rep
Follow-up
• Email, Phone call to Hiring Authority and HR Rep
• Start date set for two weeks out or tomorrow
Offer • Onboarding process begins online

29. Do NOT Ask If They Are
Hiring
 They all say “No”

30. I Know You Aren‟t Hiring, But…
 When might you be hiring?
 Is my background and career objective a
good fit for your company?
 What critical skills and background do
your most successful employees have?
 Would you mind if I followed up
periodically?
 Do you have any suggestions for me?

31. Contacts: The Goal
Build the
relationship!

32. Networking/Contact Skills
 Be early
 Look nice
 Smell nice
 Act positive
 Talk positive
 Leave your negative
at home
 Do your
homework!

33. Networking/Contact Skills
 Start off with a 30 second
pitch
 Sometimes called an elevator
speech
 Establish focus around your
interest
 Summarize your experience
and education and the skills
that make you unique
 Describe your personality traits
– the one they‟ll see and value
on a daily basis at work
 Relate everything to the
position of interest

34. Powerful Networking Questions
 What do you look for in a top candidate?
 What skills do your top performers have?
 Describe the culture
 What behavioral traits are important?
 How many are employed here?
 How often do you hire?
 Are you expecting to grow?
 What is the salary range for the position?
 Can you recommend others as knowledgeable as you
that I can talk with?
 Based on my credentials, what
recommendations do you have?

35. The Follow-Up
 Immediately send
email (with resume
and video cover
letter)
 Send short thank
you letter or card in
the mail
 Check back by
phone
 Never accept “we
will call you”

36. Keep Going!
 Set daily goals
based on weekly
goals
 Don‟t quit
 Don‟t slow down
 Keep trying
 One day at a time
 One step at a time
 One thing at a time

37. Measure what you want
What? Per Day Per Week
# of Job Leads – Goal
# of Job Leads – Actual
Achievable
# of Contacts by Email – Goal
Stretch
# of Contacts by Email – Actual Goals!
# of Contacts by Phone – Goal
# of Contacts by Phone – Actual Adjust your
# of Resumes mailed – Goal strategy
# of Resumes mailed – Actual
# of Networking Meetings – Goal
Track Your
Efforts Daily,
# of Networking Meetings – Actual
Audit Weekly
# of Job Interviews – Goal
# of Job Interviews - Actual
# of Views of my Online Resume – Goal
# of Views of my Online Resume - Actual

38. Think Differently!
 My Dream Job
What I
Love
Poor Unlikely
What I What
am Boring Pays
Good At Well

39. Good Luck! You CAN do
this!

40. Got a Career Plan?
http://www.careercoachingforstudents.net
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