For Difficult Industries or
Locations
Stephen Davis
Employer Services Specialist
stdavis@csufresno.edu
“Being able to do the job well will
not necessarily get you hired; The
person who gets hired is often the
one who knows the most about
how to get hired.”
~ Richard N. Bolles, What Color is Your Parachute
Are You Prepared?
SelfKnowledge
Resources
Customized
Cover
Letters
Competitive
Advantage
High-impact
Resumes
Industry
Knowledge
 Read
Sunday job ads
 Submit a standard resume to as
many job boards as possible
 Call on a few friends
 Submit standard resume to either a
handful of opportunities each week
or submit to dozens of jobs with the
same resume as long as position
sounds remotely interesting
Strategy = Techniques for getting interviewed
1. Ads (5-10%)
2. Search Firms (5-10%)
3. Direct Contact (20%)
4. Networking (60-70%)
5. The Hidden Job Market
 What
skills do you have to offer and
what experience do you have to prove
it?
 What do you value in work (variety,
good income, flexible hours, etc.)?
 What makes you stand apart from other
applicants?
 What tasks interest you and why?
 Can you name some of your major
accomplishments?
Employment
Agencies
• Specialty
agencies
• Be cautious of
requests for
payment to help
• Read & understand contracts
before signing!
Career
Fairs
Job
Boards
e-Networking
• Best for those
with excellent
interpersonal
skills
• Gives illusion
of effectiveness
• Tips under
job boards apply
• Set up jobsearch agents
• Look for
specialty fairs
• Create worksearch email
• LinkedIn, Facebook, listservs,
newsgroups, etc.
• Get business
cards &
follow-up!
• Find specialty
Boards
•Protect privacy
• Info. interview
potential
•Jibberjobber.com
Free networking
mgt system
Networking
Direct Employer Contact
• Utilize association activities –
alumni, professional, trade,
industry and community
• Select employers whose needs
match yours - concentrate efforts
• 30-second elevator speech:
what you are doing, what you
want to do and why you would do
it well
• Be respectful – do not push or go
beyond reasonable boundaries;
thank and update those who help
• Listen carefully, do what you say
you will do, be honest and
remember to reciprocate
Just Do It!
• Contact via mail, phone or email;
always accompany resume with
cover letter
• Follow-up phone call one week
after letter/resume sent
• Attend information sessions,
conferences or presentations
• Always be polite and professional
with those with whom you interact
First Impressions (lasting & powerful)
What is seen =
Appearance (55%)
What is heard =
Tone/Expression (38%)
What you say =
Content (7%)
If there is a conflict between verbal & non-verbal,
non-verbal more credible
 Start
with plan to find right company
first, job second
 Focus on growth industries and
specializations (Computers/IT, Energy, Healthcare, Fed Govt,
Legal, Aerospace, Security, Education, Environmental, Science/R&D)
 Consider
different business
environments (non-profit, govt, start-ups, small and mid-size)
 Compete effectively with consultants
(convince prospective employers you’ll quickly get up-to-speed and deliver
results)
 Focus
on revenue (highlight work that directly improved
business development, up-selling and cross-selling activities, and business
process efficiencies that improved customer satisfaction)
 Try
to be perfect (“ideal” candidate = confident; genuinely
passionate about the job, company and industry; ready to elaborate in great
detail)
 Prepare
to be VERY flexible (including open to
relocation, willing to make upfront sacrifices, and flexible with scheduling)
 Participate
in Career Services activities
(OptimalResume, BulldogLink, Life After College series, mock interviews, career
assessments, etc.)
 Maintain
persistence and
depersonalize rejection
 "Measure
the effectiveness of your job hunt
by listing the number of people you are
currently in contact with on an ongoing
basis.“
 "If
you are ambivalent [about a job] ... you
will probably not get it. Someone else will do
what he or she needs to do to get it. ... Are
you willing to go through a brick wall to get
it?”
Kate Wendleton 5 O’Clock Club Founder
Quick Resources
Alberta Employment and Immigration publication
http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca/pdf/cshop/AdvancedTechniques.pdf
Fresno State Career Services
www.fresnostate.edu/careers
FREE web-based relationship-management system
www.jibberjobber.com
Google Sites - FREE and easy web page design
www.google.com (click on “more”, then “even more”)