1st Steps In The Hunt: Daily News For Job Hunters and Recruiters

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S P O N S O R S

RECRUITERS

EXECUTIVE
SEARCH FIRMS

Face to Face

July 26, 2001

Jobs are won or lost at the gut level, during the Interview.

It's the face to face contact that really matters to recruiters, hiring managers, and Employers. Unfortunately, most Jobhunters put most of their effort into resumes, either online or print. It's easy to understand why - selling yourself is easier done from a distance. When you don't have to watch someone reject you, you can lull yourself into the false belief that, "I'm trying as hard as I can to find a Job - I'm sending out resumes!"

The reality is much different.

Job Boards are not the best use of the Internet in Jobhunting. They are useful in locating Jobs, but they can only do so much in your search. Use the Net as a source of information about:

Your field of interest,

Companies that are involved in that field,

Relevant positions with those Companies and

Addresses, phone numbers, email contacts of people doing your desired Job.

Employers won't be 'wowed' by the mere fact that you found them on the web. What will impress them is your effort to gain knowledge about the Industry they are in, their relative place in that Industry, and the position itself. All this shows your desire and passion for the Job - something they can't train you to have. Everyone loves to be flattered and knowing a Company like the back of your hand gives an Employer that warm fuzzy feeling you want them to have during the Interview.

The Employer's gut level decision making process is less rational then you might think. Once you've made it into the 'accepatable candidate pool', getting the Job is a matter of striking the right chords with the Hiring Manager. And most of them will be looking you in the eye and asking, "Can you do the Job?", all the while wondering whether they can trust your answer - or you.

Half of your time Jobhunting should be devoted to researching (see the items above) and practicing your face to face Interview style. Not getting Interviewed is depressing, but even more depressing is getting rejected frequently at the Interview stage. This is where lack of research really shows.

-Mark Poppen