Job Search Tip #3: Be Proactive in your Job Search!
Did you know that you only have a 4-7% chance of success in finding opportunity online through sites like monster.com or careerbuilder.com etc.?
Do you realize you have an 80% chance of landing a new opportunity by being proactive in your job search?
What does that mean? You seek out opportunity and avoid waiting for that perfect job to surface via a job fair, recruiter, or online.
How do you begin a proactive search? Research companies of interest, visit their corporate sites, outreach to a company after you have acquired their mailing address and key contacts (i.e. Director of Human Resources) as a result of your research. Investigate new start-ups, and companies coming into your area or expanding.
Good companies are always looking for good people! Your resume may land on the desk of that decisionmaker when one of the following may occur:
An employee:
- Retires
- Relocates
- Exits workforce for personal reasons, i.e. pregnancy, sick parent, goes back to school, career change, health concerns
- Starts their own business
- Quits
- Recruited
- Transfers to another Department
- Released from Company
Tell everyone and anyone you know you are looking for opportunity. You never know who may know whom and that could translate into a potential lead.
A job search is a full-time job; and it is a full-time job looking for a job. So don’t make the mistake of jumping in and heading for the “help wanted” sign, seek out opportunity, ask for opportunity and control your search.
