Key Messages
How To Launch Your Job Search: A Guide For The 21st Century Job Seeker
Discovering work in the twenty-first century can be a difficult and tedious process.
But, with the right tips and tricks, you can put yourself one step ahead of the competition!
In The 2 Hour Job Search, you’ll find practical advice to help streamline your job search.
From understanding how technology has complicated the process to strategically zeroing in on obtainable goals, to forming connections within LinkedIn Groups, this book provides useful information so that you can be well equipped for success!
This book will show you how to be concise when making contacts and demonstrate why having an advocate within a company is so important.
With these tools of guidance, anyone can arm themselves with the skills needed to find work in today’s world.
The Internet Doesn’t Always Deliver Efficiency In Job Searches – Put In The Time And Effort To Find Real Opportunities
Going about job-hunting the traditional way, by reading job postings in newspapers or going out and delivering resumés, is often too time consuming for the average person.
This has led to many people turning to the internet as an easier and more convenient way to find a job.
But, unfortunately, simply applying to job postings online won’t necessarily lead to getting a job.
Companies are often swamped with applications from unsuitable applicants who are desperate for any work and don’t have enough time to respond to every single one.
In fact, most positions will often go to someone who works at the company already.
This means that if you want your application to stand out amongst the thousands of others, you need take a more measured approach than blindly sending off applications online.
That’s why it’s valuable to do your research on the employer beforehand so they know you’re suited for their vacancies, as well as personalizing each application you send out – this gives employers confidence in your skills and dedication towards their role.
Set Limits For Your Job Search And Collect A List Of Forty Possible Employers
When you’re undertaking a job search, it can be easy to get bogged down by the endless number of possibilities available.
With so many potential employers and positions out there, it’s hard to know where to start or how to narrow the options.
That’s why The 2 Hour Job-Search Book suggests that you begin your search by making a list of 40 potential employers.
By creating a finite list of 40 prospective employers, it brings structure and focus to your job search journey allowing for greater progress and productivity in less time as opposed to drifting through an infinite list of potential jobs.
Furthermore, this strategy encourages you to stretch yourself outside of your ‘usual suspects’, meaning that you will broaden your horizons in your hunt for work or consider companies which might not have been front of mind before.
The tip is broken down into four sets of 10: Firstly make a list of ten dream employers – this may sound overly ambitious but still write them down!
Secondly conduct some research and make a further ten organisations who regularly employ people with backgrounds similar to yours via alumni network sites like LinkedIn (or join corresponding industry groups).
Thirdly check job websites such as Indeed and then make 10 more note worthy organisations.
Lastly look out for ‘trending employers’; companies who are currently making waves with their activities on news and industry websites – just write down their names now rather than any more detail at this stage!.
So when beginning your job search journey remember the advice from The 2 Hour Job-Search Book: create a manageable but finite 40 organisation list to bring structure & focus with hopefully great results!
Knowing How To Find Internal Advocates Is Key To Success In The Job Market
If you want to stand a chance in the job market today, you’ll need to find an internal advocate for any potential employers on your list.
This is someone who already works at the company, and who will vouch for you and put in a good word with the hiring managers.
Research shows that 12 times as many people get hired through internal referrals compared to those hired through online applications alone.
You can start your search by focusing on the 40 potential employers listed earlier.
Your best bet is to look for alumni of your alma mater or people from another affinity group like the military who work there.
You can even use LinkedIn’s search feature to quickly narrow down your list of possible contacts, which makes it much easier to stay organized while finding Advocates.
Finally, don’t forget family or good friends – they could be valuable allies when it comes time to put in a good word with HR!
It’S Time For A Reality Check: Evaluate Your Level Of Motivation Before Applying For Jobs
When deciding whether or not to apply for a job, it is of utmost importance to ensure you are sufficiently motivated to work at the company.
That’s because enthusiasm and drive can be seen through how you present yourself in your correspondence with them.
It’s essential that this motivation comes naturally and realistically, instead of just going through the motions and hoping for the best.
The 2-Hour Job Search book suggests implementing a simple three-tier rating system to measure your motivation levels for each potential employer on your list of 40 candidates.
For each one, rank from 1 to 3, depending on how enthusiastic you are about it – 1 being least motivated and 3 being super motivated – by taking into account all that makes you excited about working there, from brand name and location, to growth opportunities and benefits.
Through this comparative rating system, it’ll be much easier to distinguish which companies stand out in terms of their appeal to you.
If a company’s score isn’t high enough, let it go – don’t waste all your energy on something you’re ultimately not interested in!
Motivation is key when finding the right job for you; aiming low will only result in disappointment down the line.
Prioritize Your Applying Efforts: Keep An Eye On Job Websites And Focus On The Highest-Ranked Employers
When you’re searching for a job, it’s important to keep an eye on job websites to see if your favorite employers are hiring.
That way, you can track down potential advocates who could help you stay ahead and get one step closer to landing the role.
At Natures Nutrition The 2-Hour Job Search book suggests that you list 40 of your favorite employers, potential contacts at each and your motivation ratings in hand so that you can focus your energy on the right opportunities.
You also need to pay attention to any jobs listings that pop up on Indeed and other job search websites.
It’s easy to get sidetracked when looking through them because there will be some postings that don’t match what you’re looking for – but even then, it gives useful insight into what employers are searching for and what roles they’re currently hiring for.
When reviewing each listing, assess them based on relevance and assign a rating score out of 3 – 3 for directly relevant roles, 2 for semi-relevant ones and 1 for those where the position isn’t right.
Taking all scores into account will let you see which of your listed employers has postings worth pursuing or if they have any potential advocates inside who could push your resume towards the top of the pile.
Keep assessing these listings and prioritizing opportunities so you know where to put most of your efforts in this exhaustive process!
Find Key Contacts To Help You Land Your Dream Job By Utilizing A Precise, Categorized Method
When seeking internal advocates, it’s important that you have a precise method.
And following the steps as outlined by Scott Dinsmore in his book The 2-Hour Job Search is an excellent way to ensure success.
The first step is to identify the organizations that you are most enthusiastic about and that are currently hiring.
Then you want to find potential contacts within these companies.
To do this, make use of LinkedIn or other social media profiles.
Doing a bit of amateur detective work here can be helpful too!
From there, your goal is to locate two contacts from each company on your list.
This will help increase your chances that someone will reply as not everyone replies to strangers in their inboxes.
You then need to organize your research into action items, which means sorting through your potential contacts and categorizing them into four types: those functionally relevant to the job, alumni or members of shared affinity groups, those who hold positions one or two levels above what you’re applying for, and people who’ve recently been promoted.
When done correctly, these steps should set you up for getting an internal advocate at the organization you’re pursuing employment with!
The Secret To Crafting The Perfect Introductory Message: Keep It Concise And Focused On Your Contact
Finding the right job isn’t just about knowing where to look.
It’s also about making sure that your job-seeking message is concise and effective.
In any outreach communication – be it by email, phone, or letter – you want it to fit on someone’s screen and catch their attention.
That doesn’t mean skimping on the details; rather, you need to be aware of how people interact with websites (for example).
Often times, we subconsciously screen out much of the information, choosing only what we deem most important.
Make sure your message follows suit!
Write a note that is under 75 words so it can fit on someone’s phone screen.
Make your connection clear and don’t mention job-hunting yet.
Focus primarily on the other person’s work and credentials instead of your own achievements — they need more stock in you before caring too much about those!
Ask them an open-ended question related to their work and make a direct request for conversation at the end of your message.
Writing like this will help get contacts who could one day vouch for you!
How To Prepare For An Informational Interview And Make A Great Impression
You might have sent out a few emails to prospective employers, and now you’ve received a response!
One person is willing to talk with you, and this conversation is called an informational interview.
It’s your chance to get closer to that job you want.
That said, it’s important to be prepared for this vital moment.
Start by learning as much as possible about the company you’re interested in.
Look up recent advancements and news stories on their website so that when your contact inquires about them, you won’t be taken by surprise.
Then do some digging into the person who will be interviewing you: Learn all they can from their LinkedIn profile and any professional articles they may appear in.
You don’t want to look like a stalker though – remember: only focus on professional information!
The goal of an informational interview is not just to simply let the employer know who you are and why you’re qualified for the job; it’s also about forming a human connection with your contact and making sure that they want YOU to work at the company.
Do this by being friendly and engaging without trying too hard to make yourself look “suitable”.
Once the conversation gets started, feel free to ask relevant questions pertaining to corporate culture, trends going on, or even advice if needed.
Don’t try too hard either with complex or technical questions – odds are your contact doesn’t exactly enjoy getting baffled like that!
Overall, go in there enjoying it instead of feeling nervous all throughout the time – take things one step at a time until you eventually get closer to that dream job of yours!
Good luck!
Wrap Up
The 2-Hour Job Search book offers a comprehensive approach to job hunting, and the key takeaway is that it’s important to be selective and focus only on the job targets that are most likely to be of interest.
To connect successfully with advocates at target companies, the author suggests writing concise notes with open-ended questions that demand an answer.
Additionally, they suggest learning how to use Microsoft Excel in order to more efficiently sort through potential options.
By following this advice, you can find a new job quickly, or at least start making strides in the right direction.
With careful consideration and planning, who knows what opportunities lie ahead?
