Luck of the Draw - Some Tips to Get to the Top of the Pile

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Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://CareerAlley.com


  "Diligence is the mother of good luck." Benjamin Franklin

 While successful job hunting is all about planning and executing on your job search marketing plan, there is always a bit of luck in the process. "Luck?" you say? Yes, luck.

The best laid plan, a perfect match on job experience and a great resume won't matter if you are too late for the opportunity or your resume does not get seen. Let's face it, if your resume shows up the day after the job is filled it won't really matter how good of a match you are, will it?

While there is no foolproof plan for job search, there are some things you can do to help increase the odds in your job search quest. Networking (yet again): Yes, you've heard it a thousand times, and I'm sure you have included networking as part of your job search strategy.

But are you maximizing your network? You know the saying, "it's not who you know, it's how you use them" (okay, maybe that's not they way you remember it). But seriously, just having a network and "staying in touch" is not going to cut it. You need to leverage your network to help you find out about job opportunities before the interview process starts.

Make sure everyone in your network knows the types of jobs you are considering as well as the companies where you would like to work. Leverage LinkedIn to see who in your network works at a company you would like to work.

• 5 Tips for Leveraging you Social Network in Your Job Search
• How to leverage contacts in your network
• How to Leverage Social Networking to Get Your Next Job

"You will miss 100% of the shots you never take" - Wayne Gretzky: One of my favorite quotes and so appropriate for job search. The right people need to know you are looking for a job if you hope to get an advantage. Job search is not the time to be modest, it is the time to be "out there".

And, the "right people" don't necessarily need to be in your network (of course it helps if they are). Make you list of the people who could potentially hire you. Maybe it's the head of marketing at a well known manufacturer or perhaps the CFO at a financial institution. You need to let them know you exist. Send an email to them or, better yet, send your resume via snail mail.

• How to Get Noticed by Hiring Managers
• 12 Tips to Get Your Resume Noticed
• Five attention-grabbing ways to get hired in an overcrowded job market

Make the Job: Sometimes candidates create a job. Your credentials and experience can be so amazing that a role is created for you. It does happen, but not by itself. You can make yourself too good to pass up. How do you do this? Obviously you need the right experience and education, but if you are great at what you do, find a company that needs you. Maybe you really need to think "outside of the box" and actually create a job by leveraging what you do best. Take a look at some of these links.

• Break the Mold and Create Your Own Work
• Stop Job Hunting—Create Your Own Job
• Stop Crying That There Are No Jobs. Create One

Good luck in your search.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

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