Putting on the Guerrilla Suit

I attended my first career fair today. I'm not normally claustrophobic, but the sheer amount of people, schmooze and desperation in the air was enough for me to make the event a search-and-employ mission. I scouted out a few companies, pitched myself, handed them my resume and walked out. I needed a latte.
Next time I'm developing an all-out battle strategy, which brings me to my next funemployment item.

GUERRILLA MARKETING FOR JOB HUNTERS 3.0 IS OUT! It's like finally getting an iPhone 3 when the 4 came out. But lest you be dismayed, here's the highlight reel for the rest of 2.0. It's still chock-full of fantastic tactics. Parts two through four of Guerrilla Marketing detail what you should overhaul in your job-hunting arsenal. If you have a non-specific resume that doesn't state keywords from the job you're applying for, you'll be eliminated from the resume stack. Your resume and cover letter are your sales pitch. Write them as such, (but truthfully!) and you'll have a better chance. Use testimonials, an attention-grabbing intro. This is your personal public relations campaign, and the biggest one you'll ever produce.
But your resume isn't your only weapon, according to Perry and Levinson. Use LinkedIn and ZoomInfo to your advantage. Keep a blog and develop an online portfolio. Use social networking for good (quit playing Farmville! -- okay, I added that). Reading about all this made me reassess my current strategy. I'm doing some, but not all of what Levinson and Perry suggest. I hadn't considered "warm calling" potential employers, or working with recruiters (I thought they were supposed to find me, right?). It can't hurt, I figure.

Conclusion: I want to read 3.0, since my quibble about passe information in 2.0 will be resolved, I think. I think Perry and Levinson give great advice and trigger ideas in 2.0, even if at times it's overwhelming. If you've been following my blog for a while, you've seen how long it took me to review it. This book won't become a doorstop, that's for sure.

Comments

  1. So if I have a list of employers I want to work for, but I don't know if any of them are hiring, is the best tactic to stalk their websites/job pages until something comes up, call/email/send my resume to them with an inquiry regarding openings, or something else? I'm desperate to get out of my crappy retail position! Help me, oh unemployment guru!

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  2. Basically, research the heck out of the company. Find the hiring manager -- and the people who oversee your potential job. Then write/call them and pitch your skill set. I'm a generally shy person around recruiters/potential bosses, but I've had to get over that a bit. You have to market yourself and be in their face (in a nice way).

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