The document provides guidance on best practices for conducting an effective job search. It recommends taking an active, bidirectional approach where job seekers make themselves visible to potential employers rather than just applying to posted jobs. Specific tips include automating parts of the search, building an online expert brand, focusing on strategic networking over passive activities, and proofreading materials thoroughly to avoid easy mistakes. An effective search is presented as a marathon that requires sprinting from the start through discipline and holding oneself accountable to daily goals.

1. The Top Do’s and Don’ts When Conducting a Job Search Anthony Kripas, M.B.A. Principal – Sr. Marketing Strategist Associated Business Consultants

2. Tell that to 10-15% of the US job force that are laid off and land quickly. With multiple offers. Let others believe that. You need to learn the “secrets” of navigating the job market. People are getting hired all the time. It might as well be you. If you want to get there, you need to change your beliefs, thoughts, ideas, words, actions, strategies, and habits.

3. Most people in search mode experience death by a million SMALL cuts. They endure more pain and suffer longer not because of the market, but because of the poor choices they make. They lengthen their search timelines and create their own obstacles.

4. Focus on easy activities. Focus on highly competitive activities. Spend most of their time at home. Don’t spend money on their search. Don’t have a financial budget. Don’t measure their failure and success. Don’t “study” for success. Don’t have timelines, goals, and deadlines. Become more flexible as they get more desperate. Put limitations on their search. Focus on being busy instead of getting results. Don’t hold themselves accountable. Don’t create meaningful change daily, weekly, etc.

5. Although it is a marathon, YOU NEED TO SPRINT. DO NOT PACE YOURSELF. How you begin your search is critical to the overall success of your job search. Most people put limits on their search, do not get all the cylinders going at once, and ease their way into it. This guarantees a long painful search.

6. Every day that you do not learn something that you will later learn adds days, weeks, months to your search. There is no such thing as ‘ramping up’ or ‘pacing yourself’. Job seekers who hold their own feet to the fire, expect more of themselves daily, and get to the finish line faster.

7. DO: DON’T: Prepare written goals on all activity items. Read daily on topics in a job search. Invest $ in your search. Avoid ALL negativity. Work 10 hours a day minimum. Memorize Powerpoints attached to my LINKEDIN profile. Procrastinate and ease into your search. Put limits on your search in any way. Make search firms and job boards your main diet. “ Strangle the baby” or kill your network. Do what you have done in the past in job search mode.

8. Do not place any limitations on your search. You do not know where the next job offer will come from. Within reason, interview for any job, anywhere, anytime—no exceptions. Over 30% of job offers come from a connection made during a previous opportunity pursued.

9. Exercise will allow you to: Burn off stress and frustration. Have more energy. Increase your self-esteem and personal confidence. Feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally. Outperform other candidates. Look better. Sleep better and stay healthier. Develop greater discipline that carries over. Avoid “knee-jerking”.

10. Physical fitness is 60% what you eat, and 40% physical activity. Research how your food choices directly impact the success of your job search and later, your long term health. Learn to eat things that make you feel better, think better, be happier, and look better. GIGO: Garbage in, Garbage out. Your choice!

12. In a unidirectional search , candidates throw as much as they can against the wall, hoping it sticks. They blame the job market, corporate America, recruiters, competition, off-shoring, outsourcing, politicians, and more. The reality is they choose to use an outdated process instead of adapting to the new marketplace. It is this process and zone that delays their job search and makes it less rewarding. They prefer the pain of unemployment to the pain of conducting a successful search. An “old style” job search is unidirectional meaning that candidates chase jobs. This is an outdated, irrelevant type of search that takes a very long time, and is very painful.

13. Sending resumes out to search firms manually. Searching the job boards manually. Using job search engines manually. Sending resumes out to corporations manually. Going to networking events to find a job. Spending most of your time at home. Spending most of your time on a computer. Spending most of your time not in business dress. Spending most of your time looking for jobs to apply for.

14. Emailing or calling to keep your name in front of recruiters or companies. Applying online makes up most activity. Building a ‘network’ that consists of mostly people from your industry. Trying to tell others who you are when you feel you fit their need. Trying to change your experience to fit their need. Emailing, mailing, calling, writing to get noticed.

15. A unidirectional job search is activity focused outward from the job seeker to the marketplace in an effort to get noticed through emails, applying on-line, random sending of resumes, make believe electronic networking, and self centered instant gratification that yields little measurable positive return for time invested.

16. Fifth challenge : Doing a BIDIRECTIONAL job search.

17. A bidirectional job search is one that focuses on doing SURGICAL and STRATEGIC activities that allow others to find you. It is proactive, and covers all bases. The key to a bidirectional job search is making it easy for others to find YOU, often when they do not advertise a job that you fit. To do this successfully, you must do things very differently.

18. What you know is not important if no one knows who you are. Your experience and knowledge is irrelevant. Who you know is equally not important. This is dated thinking. People used to say that it is not what you know, it is who you know. People who say and believe that show they are dated and irrelevant. Consider this : You can have 100% of the most influential people in your industry in your cell phone address book. But if you are not in theirs, AND they do not think of you when they have a need, AND they do not take specific action to contact YOU, then it does not matter.

19. Relevant and current thinking is: Who knows YOU ? Who knows you exist? A bidirectional job search is one that focuses very early energy & activity on penetrating proprietary databases with your information, on building a “brand” and identity for others to find you, and on continuing to do this on an ongoing basis (daily, weekly, monthly). A bidirectional search is what should occupy most of each day, and it radically shortens time in the market.

20. Makes a job search more fun. Makes a job search faster. Allows you greater control over your results. Makes a job search less competitive. Makes a job search easier. Taps you into a market that most job seekers do not venture into unless by accident. Makes you more attractive to recruiters and hiring organizations. Shows you are a more relevant, intelligent, savvy, and desirable job seeker.

21. Use an automated tool to distribute resumes to search firms and hiring organizations. Create your brand & identity on public sites. Make it easy for those with needs to find YOU! http://www.resumespider.com/?dcode=914902 This link provides you a 10% discount!

22. Create search agents to automate finding jobs you fit: Major job boards (Monster, DICE, CareerBuilder, etc). www.indeed.com & www.simplyhired.com www.linkup.com & www.plaxo.com www.twitter.com & www.myspace.com www.youtube.com & www.namyz.com Author Powerpoints and whitepapers and put on Internet. Volunteer time to speak at event panels. Volunteer time to be a guest speaker or lecturer. Be known as a Subject Matter Expert.

23. Automating your job search means that these “job agents” run by themselves daily, and your email box is populated automatically each day. This frees you up to spend time on other things, and therein the power lies. Others will be toiling and doing low return work as their “core focus” and this will give you a substantial competitive edge. They will be busy ‘chasing jobs’ where they are competing with hundreds and thousands of other candidates. You will be able to focus on surgical and strategic activity. Laugh all the way to the finish line!

25. Do have your contact information on every page. Do NOT put your contact info in the header or footer of resume. Do NOT send resume out as a PDF. Do NOT have graphics, borders, pictures in resume. Do have your resume written by a professional. Do NOT use your middle name or initial in resume. Do NOT use initials in a resume (i.e. G.D.Smith).

26. Do NOT have certifications or degrees included with your name. Do NOT use same resume for all positions. Do NOT have a summary or objective. Do NOT hide your address or contact info. Do NOT write a third party resume. Do NOT use ONLY a chronological resume.

27. Most resumes have typos. Don’t be a Sh*t Supervisor . Don’t rely on spell check. Don’t rely on just your eyes. Never proof read a resume or email on the screen. Print it. You will catch more errors. Over capitalization is a typo, and you will be ruled out.

28. Do use OUTLOOK. This is critical. Do use Xobni.com. Do set up your email account using your first and last name with no initials or abbreviations. Do use Plaxo.com. Do use LINKEDIN.com. Do use Gwabbit.com. Do have a COMPLETE signature in ALL emails (even replies) including a title that describes you. Do have a work type email ONLY (i.e. [email_address] ).

29. Do NOT use your middle initial or name in your email signature or in your electronic business card. Do NOT become a “RESUME SPAMMER”. Only apply for jobs that you fit. Do NOT play “RESUME HORSESHOES” and apply because you are close. Do NOT use certifications or degrees in signature or contact info. Do NOT send your resume blindly. Do NOT keep emailing your resume or sending empty follow up emails just to keep your name in front of them.

30. Do NOT use EARTHLINK or Yahoo or SBCglobal or AOL for email. Do NOT allow anyone from your business life to ‘friend’ you on Facebook. Do NOT have your Facebook photo be anything under than 100% professional. Use a professional or generic photo for LINKEDIN. Do back up your computer and your address book online with a backup service. Do use ACT! or an online contact manager like salesforce.com. Do have at least 10 recommendations on LINKEDIN, with most from past supervisors or people above you.

31. Do get a cell phone with email and Internet access and use ONLY that phone number on ALL correspondence. Do NOT write anything negative anywhere on the Internet, even in private groups, or on Facebook.

32. Sit , don’t stand. Smile into a mirror in front of you. Have paper and several pens for info gathering . Listen to the question and answer the question quickly, using facts & figures . Ask if you answered the question or if they would like more information. Avoid background noise (i.e. kids, pets, TV, music, etc). ONLY use land lines for a phone interview. No cell phones!

33. Do research (Role, company, industry, pain points, individuals, trends, history, etc). Be prepared (Behavioral, group, panel, psychological, aptitude, dining, video conferencing, itineraries, examples of work, etc). Be timely (Don’t be late, but don’t be too early. 15 minutes is perfect).

34. Know your body language ---Practice in front of mirror and/or video tape yourself while responding to 50 interview questions you can prepare for. Know your voice quality ---Audio record your phone interviews and conversations with recruiters to ‘self evaluate’ your performance later ( note: recording others without their permission is illegal and in violation of certain state, federal laws ).

35. Have printed information ---Firm, job description, history, trends, ‘pain points’, interviewers profiles on LinkedIn, etc). Have pre-written questions ----They need to be intelligent, well thought out, and make a positive impression on the interviewer. Have examples of work ---Make it relevant. You can also create examples of what you have done from memory if you do not have this now.

36. How do I compare to the other people that you are interviewing? How do I compare to your “ideal” candidate? How do I compare to the person that was in the role last? What weaknesses do you perceive in my background or experience? What strengths do you perceive in my background or experience? What may I do to strengthen my candidacy for employment with your organization?

37. Never bring up money, benefits, title, perks, etc. Never play hard to get, brag, or put a gun to their head. Never try to control, or speed up the process. Never hold them accountable to timetable. Never go off on tangents. Never say anything negative, even if it is true. Never comment poorly on a company, person, issue, etc. NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

38. Never “step on their heels” with follow up. Never say “NO” until you have an offer, and even then, suggest alternatives instead of rejecting an offer. Never share where you are interviewing with anyone! Don’t allow family to share either! Never tell anyone why you are researching a particular firm when preparing. NEVER!

39. Why do you want to work here ? Why do you want this job? Why should we consider you ? Why are you unemployed? Still unemployed? Why are you here today ? Why do you want to work in this industry ? Why do you stand out versus all the other candidates?

40. Don’t hold them to their commitments. Don’t hold them to their earlier interest level. Don’t become part of the problem. Don’t “choke the baby” by hugging too much or too strongly. Don’t try to control the situation or process. Don’t blindly follow up or check on status. Don’t take it personally.

41. Who can you help? Who can you mentor? Who can you team up with (different skills)? What VALUE do you offer? Who cares? Why should others partner with you? Make them heroes! Make them love you! Help them connect to others! Choose your network wisely. Be choosy!

42. LinkedIn and similar tools: Do NOT link to anyone and everyone. You will devalue your network. Don’t blindly recommend people for openings. Most of the time you will be wrong and will damage organizations and search firms you want to help you. If you really want to help, give them all the names of people you know who fit. It takes 100 names to find 4 qualified people.

43. Find your past bosses and peers and have their current contact info prepared to leave behind. Get their permission to give their info out. Understand peers may be hired instead of you. Don’t offer unless asked. Don’t include with resume. Know what they will say. They must be credible. Many references are not favorable.

44. Follow up must ENHANCE their perception of you. MOST FOLLOW UPS DO THE OPPOSITE! Send well written thank you notes. Must not be fluff. Include specifics from interview. Follow ups must include white papers, articles to share, examples of work, testimonials, etc. Emails must be well written. Spell check will NOT catch all errors.

45. The average job seeker gets a job offer they accept after making 500 new meaningful employment contacts. The length of time it takes you to make these contacts is up to you. Most delay the timetable and lengthen their job search. It is all up to you! Get back to work faster!

46. Have an accountability partner! Have metrics and do daily, weekly, monthly reporting. This should cause you to make small changes and implement new ideas on an ongoing basis---something most job seekers do little of.

47. What type of role? Why? What type of co? Why? What industry? Why? What size co? Why? What culture? Why? Your strengths? Your weaknesses? Successes? Why? Failures? Why? Dream companies? Why? Type of boss? Why? What challenges you? What do you enjoy? Hobbies? Last book read? Favorite TV programs? Favorite movies? Favorite classes in school?

48. Resume Online application Paper application Receptionist Meeting HR Inexperienced people Parking lot people Elevator people Hallway people Other candidates Psychological profile Final interview Driving to interview Driving home Meeting with realtor Meeting benefits people Meeting subordinates Meeting peers

49. Networking : Do you focus on yourself or others? Job Clubs : Do you focus on yourself or others? Volunteer initiatives : Why are you not involved? Faith based groups : Why are you not involved? Children’s groups : Why are you not involved? Hospital : Why are you not involved? Retirement home : Why are you not involved? Political causes : Why are you not involved? Town or village efforts : Why are you not involved?

50. In addition to the obstacles and issues covered today, there is one larger issue and obstacle that is 100% self created. Implement change as soon as you learn about it. Don’t delay. Don’t procrastinate. Do it now. This type of behavior is contagious and magical. It leads to a ‘snowball effect’ where good things begin happening all around you. It takes on a life of it’s own. But you have to start TODAY and create that spark!

52. Anthony Kripas, M.B.A. Principal – Sr. Marketing Strategist Associated Business Consultants