It is no secret that jobs don’t fall in your lap these days. “A few years ago, one only needed 1 to 2 interviews to get a job. Now you need 5 or 6,” a PhD-level scientist commented after his recent job offer. If you want a job, you need to pursue your job search very assertively and confidently. The problem is that most graduate students are not trained in job searching and, in fact, many of them never had to write a resume or C.V. beforehand.
Newly minted Masters and Ph.D. students face a challenge in the job market for two reasons. First, there are fewer positions due to downsizing. Second, the laid off people are also looking for jobs, and they have more experience than recent graduates. Furthermore, if a position opens up in their own companies, they have priority as internal candidates. The pharmaceutical industry alone laid-off more than 100,000 people in the last few years. Imagine the competition for those few jobs that do open up.
Ideally, employers are looking to hire someone who can solve their problems tomorrow. Generic cover letters and resumes will no longer do the trick – they will probably end up in the recycling bin. Instead, you need a laser-focused application package where you highlight what you can do for the employers.
Not to worry, others have done the research for you. Jay Conrad Levinson and David Perry share their job-searching strategies in their recent book “Guerilla Marketing for Job Hunters.” For those of you who are newcomers to guerilla marketing, this unusual method relies on unexpected and creative ways of marketing yourself to potential employers. What does guerilla job marketing entail? Recruiters typically review hundreds of resumes a day. Standard resumes are typically tossed aside in favor of the unique ones that get employers to reach for the phone. In their book, Levinson and Perry show you how to draft outstanding resumes and cover letters specifically for each job.
Even if you become an expert at guerilla marketing yourself, resumes and cover letters alone are probably not be enough to secure a job. First, you will need to convince a reliable convince a reliable contact to get your resume to the right person. For this reason, establishing an online presence and networking in person and over the Internet are crucial elements of your job search. This book probably has more tips that can follow, and it is a great start to get into the mindset of joining the outside world. What I liked most about Guerilla Marketing for Job Hunters” was that it shows you not only how to pursue a job, but how to get (and even create) a position that will be a great fit for you.