Guerrilla Marking for Job Hunters 2.0 Part 36

TEMP TO PERM

The temporary help industry employs nearly 2 million Americans on any given day. "Temping" is a multibillion-dollar industry. This is a great way to break into a company through the backdoor. Remember, employers hire from within first, so it's to your advantage to already be there. Although there may not necessarily be a lot of firms hiring people on a full-time basis, there are probably a lot of firms that can afford to hire someone for 1 day a week. Try this: * Market yourself as a "Top gun for hire." A good rule of thumb on what to charge is 1.6 times your previous daily rate.* Try to get hired for full days not half days.* Ask the employer to provide parking.* Invoice people every week.

AUDITION

It worked well for the people on Survivor Survivor and and The Apprentice, The Apprentice, so why not you? Produce a video, burn it on a CD or DVD, and distribute it to potential employers. Keep it tasteful and highlight the results you achieved on 1 or 2 projects. Ask for an in-person interview. If you have video editing software, you can burn your own copies for less than $2, complete with the box. In addition, do the following: so why not you? Produce a video, burn it on a CD or DVD, and distribute it to potential employers. Keep it tasteful and highlight the results you achieved on 1 or 2 projects. Ask for an in-person interview. If you have video editing software, you can burn your own copies for less than $2, complete with the box. In addition, do the following: * Use a DVD box because you can tuck a resume inside the front cover.* At the beginning of each video, tell the employer why you're interested in working for the company.* Talk about the research you did to conclude the company is a good fit for your skills.* Highlight accomplishments that would be of interest to this employer.* Ask for an in-person interview.

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A WAR STORY.

Jim Moens

I had recruited a young guy (very early 20s) for a visual basic developer position at one of my clients. He had a 2-year computer science degree and had been working for a year and a half to 2 years as a sort of one-man IT department for a very small, rural manufacturer. He did it all: programming, networking, support, you name it. The day before the interview, he and I met for lunch. He brought along his laptop and proceeded to show me how he had developed an application for my client, based on information he had gleaned from me, their web site, and other sources. He had been working on it every evening for the past week, and it was most impressive. Good functionality, slick interface, intelligent use of technology . . . . . . simply awesome. The day of the interview came and went. He did well, just as I had expected, but we were a bit nervous. Another, more experienced programmer had applied on his own and interviewed as well. I spoke with the client just after he had made the decision to hire my candidate. He stated the deciding factor was (no surprise) the "home brew" application my candidate had developed. It proved, in one fell swoop, that he could, without a doubt, do the job, and perhaps most important-that he wanted it more. simply awesome. The day of the interview came and went. He did well, just as I had expected, but we were a bit nervous. Another, more experienced programmer had applied on his own and interviewed as well. I spoke with the client just after he had made the decision to hire my candidate. He stated the deciding factor was (no surprise) the "home brew" application my candidate had developed. It proved, in one fell swoop, that he could, without a doubt, do the job, and perhaps most important-that he wanted it more.

Compliments of Jim Moens, owner, SearchWorks at www.searchworkscareers.com.

DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME

There's an obvious benefit to out-of-the-box activities that bring you to the attention of employers. There is also a real danger of crossing the line and doing something in poor taste or that puts you or the employer at risk. Here is an example pulled from the pages of the Montreal Gazette: Montreal Gazette:

The job hunter hoped his resume would land him an interview. What he got was the attention of the bomb squad. The man was arrested after he included his CV in a ticking package left in a Montreal marketing firm's washroom last month. It was his way of drawing attention to the application, as he was among 400 contenders vying for six paid internships. The 24-year-old didn't get the job but he did get charged with public mischief. He had handed the receptionist an Arabic newspaper with a note alerting her to the ticking parcel in the men's washroom, police said. At a time of heightened concerns over terrorism, the package raised the specter of a bombing. Montreal police evacuated the company's building. Later, police discovered the package was harmless. It contained a metronome-a device used by musicians to help maintain rhythm and tempo-along with the candidate's CV.

GUERRILLA TACTICS.

* Be bold!* Be pa.s.sionate!* Be creative!* Be tasteful!* Be safety conscious.* Be image conscious.* Enlist a personal army of helpers.* Offer a reward to anyone who helps you secure an interview or job.* Don't do exactly what others have done recently.

Part IV

Your Guerrilla Job-Hunting Campaign

Chapter 11.

3 Sample Campaigns

The Force Multiplier Effect in Action

Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action has arrived, stop thinking and go.

-NAPOLEON BONAPARTE

As explained in this book, there are numerous weapons and tactics that you can use in job hunting. By opting to use multiple weapons and tactics in a unified plan of action, you will significantly enhance your prospects and probability of success. That is the power of the Force Multiplier Effect (FME).

The weapons and tactics you choose will be unique to your situation. The following 3 real-life examples may not be the best ones for you, so don't feel compelled to copy them. Instead, be inspired by these job hunters who had the courage to drop their old tired ways and try something new. They are my friends-and I know their stories-because like many of my other friends, I advised them.

EXAMPLE 1: TOM WEISHAAR

* FME mix: FME mix: E-mail, web site, chronological resume, Extreme Resume, Internet ads, networking, cold calling E-mail, web site, chronological resume, Extreme Resume, Internet ads, networking, cold calling* Target job: Target job: Executive, business development, or marketing Executive, business development, or marketing In his campaign, Tom combined multiple marketing weapons and multiple avenues of attack to enlist the aid of people in his network. Tom combined e-mail marketing with his personal web site and a follow-up call. Later Tom's campaign morphed to include an Extreme Resume and web advertising.

My first interaction with Tom was over coffee. One morning, while I was working on my first coffee, an e-mail popped up on my screen (Figure 11.1).

Figure 11.1 Tom Weishaar. Tom Weishaar.

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You have to love it. His tone was total chutzpa. Talk about attention getting. Wow! I immediately telephoned Tom. I was curious to know how he found me. This was, I learned, a cold call. I also learned that Tom was using a new software service from Protus IT Solutions (www.campaigner.com).

Tom had seen my advertis.e.m.e.nt on VentureWire and decided to contact me using the GotMarketing technology. We spoke on the phone for perhaps 15 minutes, and I was so impressed with him (exactly what he was counting on) that I discussed a few of my upcoming requirements. While Tom wasn't a fit for any of my current search a.s.signments, he managed to convince me that he was money in the bank for an aggressive recruiter like me. (Yes, I bought that.)

I asked his permission to do a 1-page Extreme makeover version of his resume so that I could market him properly (check www.weishaars.com). Tom also agreed to change the picture on his web site to one in which he was wearing a suit and tie. Image is important.

Tom made all the changes I requested. Before I could begin a marketing campaign, several clients called and booked all our time with searches. When I had time to speak with Tom, it was all over. I didn't have a chance!

Unbeknownst to me-and I should have known, shame on me-Tom is a true guerrilla marketer. He took my Extreme Resume idea and adapted it to his situation. Armed with the new resume, he launched an a.s.sault. He targeted CEOs across the United States with an innovative ad campaign, followed by a 1-2 punch with his resume and web site.

Using online magazines like VentureWire, Silicon Alley, TechWire, and PotomacWire to generate inquiries, Tom placed the "Resume" ad reproduced here:

RESUME: NEED TO CLOSE NEW BUSINESS NOW?.

VP Business Development-SALES CLOSER!

Tom Weishaar

Tom Weishaar is a Sales Closer and Start-Up Business Development executive who excels at rapid closure of high level, complex deals and new market penetration. Extensive Bus Dev, Direct and OEM Sales experience. Start-Up experience includes Internet, ECommerce, Security, Enterprise Software, and Handheld Mobile Computing with strong international exposure. Rapid engagement strategy, time compression, and closing in new markets without the advantage of brand or franchise are unique strengths. Review comprehensive history with full references at www.weishaars.com.

The ads were a lot less costly than being unemployed. Every ad was hyperlinked to his web site, allowing readers to instantly link to his web site and read his resume. He teased readers just enough to get them to his site and then pummeled them (subtly) with his accomplishments-a great strategy.

When interviewed for this book, Tom had this to say about his campaign:

The results were numerous and across the board. First, it instantly drove eyeb.a.l.l.s. Second, it kept me busy and engaged in networking with other executives who thought the idea was cool and wrote me with their thoughts. Some of them, more than a few in fact, followed my lead. Hundreds of phone calls and e-mails, many phone interviews, and several face-to-face interviews were directly attributable to the web site. The web site attracted at least three job offers that I would never have seen otherwise. Most importantly, the web site worked in concert with my CV. Together, they were a significant marketing force. The CV was strongly worded, and the web site allowed for the depth and granularity one can only take in that form. While talking to the recipient of my cold call, I would ask, "By the way, are you in front of a browser?"

. . . If you can walk a prospective employer through your web site, you're halfway there!