THE DREAM IN ACTION

We all know this is one of the worst economies in US history, and with this terrible economy comes heavy unemployment rates. Those unemployment rates have brought some really tough times for people in every market. This economy is challenging people in their goals to put their dreams into action. A few people very close to me have lost their jobs in the last 6 months and I wanted to share the advice I gave them with any one of you who may find it useful. My friend Steffan highlighted this man who has taken to the streets to find a job. You could do that, but there’s a better way.

The How To Get A Job Case Study

Recently, 37 Signals, the business software/design company hired Jason, a web designer and wrote about his hire on their blog Signal vs. Noise. They wrote about his work and the process by which he landed the job. This case study is of significant value for anyone hoping to learn the right way to land a job, even if there aren’t many available. Jason employed the following 5 tips very well in his pursuit of employment at 37S. I want to highlight some of his work and the process here. Disclaimer: I do not know Jason Zimdars but have a great deal of respect for how he landed a job at 37signals.

5 Tips For Finding A Job In This Economy… that worked!

1 – Treat Finding A Job Like A Job

When you have a job you have only one choice, to go or not to go, this is your question. However, when you don’t have a job you have so many choices. You have free time and it’s your choice how to use that time. Its all priorities and how badly you want to get back to work. If getting a full time job again is your #1 priority than you need to act as though you have a job. Then your decision simplifies again, to go or not to go.

Normally, you’d work for roughly 8-10 hours per day; your time spent without a job should be no different. For that “full-time” work period, you should be researching companies, contacting hiring personnel, and learning more about your chosen industry. Having a large gap of unemployment on your CV won’t help you, so use the time wisely and have something to show for it. There are so many options how you spend your time:

• Take a class that will get you a helpful certification.
• Write a white paper on a very specific (high demand) topic in your industry.
• Do consulting work to build your resume and keep dollars in your pocket.

2 – Be The Brightest Crayon In The Box

Use any method you can to set yourself apart. Your best bet is to contact the hiring managers or appropriate individuals at your chosen company by using the least crowded channel. If their email box is flooded, don’t use email. Try to connect with them during a networking event or even a happy hour (but don’t stalk them). If there is an enormous crowd at a job fair, you may have better luck with a well timed phone call.

If the job posting only calls for a resume, make sure you provide a cover letter, or better yet your blog, to give an explanation of why you want to work at their company. Make sure the way you stand out is supportive of your cause, getting drunk at a party probably won’t cut it, but stellar work and a good attitude will.

3 – Master Your Elevator Pitch

An elevator pitch is only designed to get the conversation started, not be the conversation. So, be short and be interesting. If you prove yourself and make the person curious about you then you’ve succeeded. Start out with a proud fact about yourself, it doesn’t have to be professionally related. This usually works best if it’s in the context of your existing conversation. For example, in a conversation about travel, or vacation, I may say, “During my time in Africa I was able to volunteer at a refuge camp and go on a week long safari!” Who’s not going to ask a question about that?

Remember Jason? Here is his online elevator pitch to 37Signals…convincing, short, and sweet.

The main key points to get into your elevator pitch are:

• Your interesting fact, something they’ll remember you by
• Your name (duh)
• Your objective or goal
• What value you have/can/will add
• Ask for a follow up opportunity

4 – Follow Up And Be Positive

Nobody wants to date, or to work with, someone who is needy. If you’re not confident it will show and it’s a huge turn off for a potential girl friend or boss. So remember to follow up but don’t beg and respect the individual’s time. When you do follow up, do so in a relatively timely fashion. The next day is usually best for a call or email depending on what you said you’d do (see tip 3).

When you do make contact again make sure you’re positive and excited about the opportunity to meet or talk again. If your down on your lucky and sound like Eeyore from Winnie The Pooh you’ll never land a gig. You have to be confident in yourself and your ability to get this job. People want to hire individuals who are confident they can get a job done, not people who question their ability to contribute. If you’re studying the industry and company like you should be (see tip 1) then you’ll have no problem being naturally confident about your potential role.

5 – Do damn good work.

You need to show them that you have the ability and desire to deliver damn good work. If this means doing some work for free and going the extra mile to prove this fact then so be it. In Jason’s case he wrote up a detailed example of how he works & how he would work on a 37Signals product. This allowed the 37signals crew to get a true insight to not only his output but also how he approached and analyzed his work.

Giving the company an idea of not only what kind of work you can deliver but also what kind of person you are is also very important. People don’t want to bring in zombies just because they can perform. Work is stressful enough when economic walls are falling down all around us and people are being laid off. They want fun people who improve the work environment with not only their output but also their personality. Do damn good work, but also be a damn good addition to the team.

How My Sister Lost Her Job, Then Upgraded

A few months ago, I got a call from my mom saying that my sister was laid off. She was only 5 months out of college and this was her first brutal wake-up call from the real world. It sucked and at first she was scared. She had recently bought a car, rented a new apt, and her roommates were counting on her share of the rent. She was finally out on her own, then faced with a very challenging situation at one of the worst times in history to be faced with this challenge. The big bad world delivered a sucker punch that honestly, she wasn’t ready for.

Having a network before you need it is one of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received. Building your network before something terrible, like losing your job, happens can be more valuable than any insurance policy. Taylor used this advice to her advantage, she got back on her feet, hit the pavement talking to people, blogging about her industry and developing a web presence.  I helped coach her through the process as much as I could, often using many of the tips above and in the end Taylor not only found a job, she made an upgrade.

After about 3.5 weeks she got a lead on a role to be the entire PR department for a local radio talent/wealth management adviser. She used her existing network to find out exactly what the position called for and went to work on an “if I get this job, this is what I’ll do” proposal. She came to the first interview not empty handed with questions, but with solutions, ideas, and passion for the opportunity.

Before she was an associate at a small PR firm in San Diego, she enjoyed the work but there is always room for improvement from the first job. Taylor leveraged social media like Twitter and her blog to get interviews at multiple companies and used her existing network to capitalize on those opportunities. She was probably even under qualified for the position but her preparation and passion for the role landed her the job. Only months later she was on a plane to DC to meet Ben Stein and organize a press event for her company. A phenomenal success story on all accounts.

Taylor’s story just goes to show that with the right focus, implementing a few of these tips, and a little bit of luck, not only can you find a job, but you will! You can even make an upgrade! Now get to work.