The greatest tool for your job search is an enthusiastic desire to help, not the job title you want. Let me show you what I mean.
I was talking to a local TV station manager. He asked, “How would you like to stand in the middle of the biggest stadium in Pennsylvania and tell everyone there about your product? That’s what a 30 second ad on my station is like.” Later he added, “You’d plan your speech well, wouldn’t you?”
Have you been telling a lot of people how good you are and getting no response? Maybe you need to work on your speech. Turn it into your 30 second commercial.
The biggest mistake most job seekers make is they start by saying, “I really need a job. Can you help me?” Why would that make a manager want to hire you? You just asked him to give you money he needs for other things.
He’ll hire you if you can solve his problems, make his life easier, or earn him money.
He’ll hire you even if he doesn’t have an opening right now.
Sit down with a piece of paper and write each job type you are applying for. Leave lots of space between jobs. Under each job write what problems you can solve for the hiring manager. Next write how you can make his job easier. Finally put down how much money you can make him in new income or save him in expenses. Would you pay someone to do those things? Give examples of what you did in the past. Give real examples.
Did you only write what duties you want? I hope not. If you wrote, “I can take care of the computers,” that isn’t enough. Add, “I cut computer downtime in half at my last job.” In addition to, “Do help desk duties,” write, “As second level help desk technician I cleared up all incoming calls in an average of 20 minutes per call.”
Can you write down accomplishments instead of duties? What have you done? How have you helped in the past? Where have you saved money at your last job? Did you figure out how to save time for 20 other people? Did you bring in 20 new customers? Were you better than anyone else? Prove it with concrete examples.
For each job you need to write a 30 second personal commercial. It should not say what you want. It should say how you can help. It should show your enthusiasm and your “can do” attitude. Prove you can do it with examples. Use that commercial when you are talking to people about your job search. You’ll get a much better response.
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Something To Do Today
Make that list of jobs you are applying for. List what you can do for the hiring manager.