Three critical elements of a successful job search

Any marketing guru will tell you, the success of a product launch depends on the quality of its advertising message, its exposure to a targeted audience and the skill of its sales representatives. If any one of those critical elements is missing, revenues fall short of corporate goals. Likewise, a successful job search requires:

• A clear marketing message (resume and cover letter)
  
• Ample exposure to targeted employers
  
• Polished interview skills to secure the job offer

Fall short on any of the three, and you may have an extended, lengthy job search.

The first step to a successful job search is a resume that communicates a strong marketing message. Just like a print ad entices the reader toward purchase, your resume has one job: to entice employers to call you for an interview.

How can you transform a boring, historical document into a marketing message that sells?

• Focus on benefits rather than features
  
• Use accomplishments to illustrate marketable skills
• Give examples of how you can positively affect the bottom line

Once you've transformed your work history into a marketing message, you'll want to give it as much quality exposure as possible. Marketing professionals use various media to get their message out. New athletic shoes may be promoted through print, television or online ads. Likewise, get maximum exposure of your job-search marketing message with several strategies, both proactive and reactive.

One of the most common complaints I hear from job seekers is that they get no response from their resume. When asked how they use their resume, it's usually in response to posted job listings. Securing an interview from a job posting is like trying to catch a fish in a pond that is ringed with elbow-to-elbow fishermen. To make matters worse, there's a sign posted at the pond that reads, "Due to budgetary cuts, the pond wasn't stocked this year."

To get maximum exposure and more interviews, you'll want to pursue some of the following strategies:

• Network with professionals who may provide job lead information
  
• Conduct your own marketing campaign to selected employers
  
• Distribute your resume to a large, yet select group of qualified headhunters

All the exposure in the world will not get you closer to your next career position if your interview skills are not sharper than your competition. Just like a salesperson whose rent money depends on his or her ability to outsell the competition, so must the job seeker hone his or her interview skills in order to win the offer. Second choice still means "unemployed."

Some jobseekers cringe at the thought of conducting a job interview as a sales presentation. Natural salespeople are rare. The most effective and highly paid sales professionals had to learn and practice their skills. Jobseekers of any background and personality style can adapt sales skills to perfect their interview skills. Minimally, those skills should include:

• Pre-interview research of the prospective employer
  
• Anticipation of and answers to relevant questions
  
• Questions to uncover unstated concerns
  
• Closing skills that lead to the next stage or the offer
  

Jobseekers in a lengthy job search may benefit from analyzing which of the three critical elements is not working for them. Start by asking these questions:

• Am I sending out enough resumes?
  
• Am I finding enough job leads? Maybe it's time to implement proactive strategies for better exposure.
  
• Do I consistently end up "second choice" in job interviews? Perhaps I should sharpen my interview skills.

Make sure your skills are their sharpest in all three critical elements of the job search, and you'll gain your career objective in the shortest amount of time with the least amount of stress.

By Deborah Walker, CCMC, resume writer and career coach
E-mail: Deb@AlphaAdvantage.com, Phone: 888-828-0814
www.AlphaAdvantage.com