Submitted by: Stef Parks
Searching online is one of the best ways to find jobs today. Companies post their open positions on their websites and on job boards. They sometimes post them on their social networking pages, too. However, offline job searching is still a valuable tool applicants may forget in their efforts to find employment.
Networking
One of the most important components of offline job searching is networking. With the advent of LinkedIn and other social media, you can supplement your offline networking by letting your online contacts know you re looking for a job. You can also share information about jobs you know through messages and status updates. However, if you don t have solid relationships with your contacts in person, you may miss out on potential job opportunities.
People want to refer colleagues they know in the flesh for jobs. They can vouch for their experience level and education. They also have first-hand experience of how well a person works and what kind of employee he is.
Develop solid relationships offline in your workplace, through conferences or perhaps through regular meetings of your local professional association or chamber of commerce. You can then ask the contacts you make to be on the look-out for a position that would match your interests and skills. You can do the same for them as well.
Hitting the Pavement
The phrase hitting the pavement refers to looking for a job with your resume in-hand and going to different employers places of business, asking if they have any openings. Although this might not be the best way for executive-level employees to find a job, entry-level workers can often find employment this way.
When employers can see you face-to-face from the start, they are more likely to want to interview you. They can also better remember who you are when they later read your resume. That you took the initiative to come directly to them in person is out of the ordinary and a positive reflection of your drive to find a job and work.
Cold Calls
When you send a cover letter and resume to an employer without the employer advertising an open job, you are sending an unsolicited application. When you call an employer on the phone and ask if she has any open positions, you are cold-calling. Sometimes, having the courage to send in your application materials or to pick up the phone and ask pays off. You may contact an employer at the exact moment he is looking to hire.
Before you make a cold call, prepare a very short speech that includes an introduction, your specific career objective and a concise summary of your experience and education. Also, research the company you are calling to find out the name of the hiring manager to whom you should speak instead of just speaking with the receptionist in the human resources department. Use the hiring manager s name in your cover letter as well instead of just writing, Dear Hiring Manager.
Networking, hitting the pavement and cold calling are excellent ways to find a job. Add them to your job search arsenal. Employing them in addition to your online job search methods will help you find a position more quickly.
About the Author: ZoomInterviews provides premium job interview videos and preparation. We offer video examples of job interviews, video guidance for answering the most challenging interview questions and serve as a complete source for all your interview preparation needs.
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Source:
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