Part 36 (1/2)

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 .

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 interns.h.i.+ps. 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).