Picking the company that I want to work for? Are you crazy? It is possible, but first a quick story about a zoo suffering from a lot of prank phone calls. All that heavy breathing was taking its toll on the Zookeepers. One finally screamed out in frustration. There was a shriek on the other end of and they realized who'd been making the calls-an 11-year-old Chimpanzee. He'd picked up a cell phone that a Zookeeper had dropped in his cage and kept hitting the redial button.
Too many people handle their job search just like that chimp; they keep hitting the redial button with the want ads. I've listed a series of steps below to help you dial in a great job by focusing on the companies you want to work for. For more, check out Robbie Miller Kaplan's book, "How to Say It In Your Job Search" (Prentice Hall, 2002).
DO find a name of a hiring manager. Generic letters tend to get generic results. Have a direct target in mind before you send out any correspondence. This is easier to do than it first appears, given the amount of web directories and the treasure trove of info on most company web sites. If you are still stuck-try the old fashioned way-call the company. You don't have to signal that you're a job seeker, just be pleasant and ask lots of questions of whoever you talk to.
DO grab their attention right away. Whether you are writing a letter, corresponding by email or calling them, it's important to always use the correct name of the person to contact. But don't stop there, you've got to grab their attention too. I've found it's always a good idea to focus on what's cause them pain. It can be as simple as, "Are you frustrated by..." And of course, some managers won't appreciate your efforts to contact them directly. But my theory is no pain, no gain.
DO a short overview. Most people are burned out today. So don't go on and on, just give them a brief summary of their problem and how you can fix them. Wet their whistle and hopefully they'll ask for more.
DON’T forget to describe the outcome you want. Far too many people leave their communication with no clearly defined next step. I'm a big believer in closing strong-for example, "I'll contact you in the next two weeks." Show them that you are action oriented. Oh, yeah, if you say you are going to contact them-contact them.
Follow these tips and you won't monkey around in your job search; you'll find a new zoo where you can get back to business.
911 Pulse: What is your most important tool when you're looking for a job?
• Alcohol or sweets, 8.3%
• The phone book, 11%
• My rolodex, 28.7%
• The want ads, 51.9%