Technology today has provided an almost endless amount of platforms to get started on your job search. Still though, finding a job in this economy may seem next to impossible at times. Job boards usually turn out to be a bust for job seekers. In fact, a recent study found that only 7% of employees secured their job by applying via a job board. Classifieds, Craigslist, employment agencies, etc. don’t provide any better statistics.
So how in the world are you supposed to land a job anyway?
When times are tough on the job market front, sometimes you have to make your own job opportunities. This is actually a lot easier than it sounds. Before my current internship at Come Recommended, I’ve held 4 other positions with various companies. Two of these positions were for jobs that were not even listed as available in newspapers, job boards, etc. To be honest, the companies probably never had any intentions of creating the positions until I approached them.
Not sure how to “make your own job opportunities”? Here are three simple steps I took that ultimately helped me land some great jobs.
1. Search. What companies in your area do you think would be a good fit for you? Learn as much as you can about the companies that you are interested in working for.
2. Brainstorm. What could you do for these companies? When I sought out companies that were not hiring, I was still in school and looking to gain extra experience in my field with companies I saw a potential future with. Is there anyone you already know working for any of these companies? If so, use your network to your advantage. Ask them to put you in touch with someone with hiring authority.
3. Reach out. Come up with a pitch of some sort to let the company know you’re interested in working for them. Let them know about your skills and what you’d like to do. Starting out doing temporary or internship type work may be your best bet when using this approach as many companies probably won’t randomly create a full-time permanent position for you. Even if they don’t have any current opportunities, they will no doubt be flattered that you are interested and will keep you in mind for future openings.
Have you ever used a similar strategy in your job search? What were your results?
