|
|
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Last days to have your gift added to...
Thursday, April 10, 2014
The Silver Bullet of the Job Search
5,647 was the number of
applications I had submitted online, or at least that is how many it felt like.
Fresh out of college and ready to start my career, I was in a new city and felt
like I was banging my head against the wall searching for a job. Surely my
spray and pray application method would pay off eventually, right? I did have a
college degree after all. After several months of job searching without much
traction, I stumbled upon the silver bullet of the job search: the
informational interview. Whether you are just starting your career, like I was,
are considering a new field, or are just seeking out a job, the informational
interview is a great step to succeeding in your search.
My strategy
for conducting the informational interview was four-fold. First, have a
compelling reason for meeting with the person you contact. I was a recent
college graduate who had just moved to the area and was interested in learning
more about the local nonprofit sector. Your situation may be different than
mine, but that does not mean you do not have a unique reason as to why someone
should sit down with you. Maybe you are interested in learning more about a
specific field or want to find out what it takes to be in your new contact’s
position. Whatever it is, do not make it about the fact that you are job
searching. Let that fact come out naturally. Mentioning it before you have even
sat down will tie the person’s hands and make it tough to get appointments with
people.
Second,
keep it short. Only ask for 15 to 20 minutes of their time and was sure to keep
that promise during the meeting. If the meeting goes longer, make sure it is on
their terms and not because you forgot to keep an eye on the time. People are
busy, so asking for only 15 to 20 minutes of their time makes it more
manageable for them and more likely that they will meet with you.
Third, ask
questions about them. Do not make it about yourself. You are there to find out
more about them, their background, and the field they are in. Listening is an
excellent skill to develop and communicates that you are genuinely interested
in the person across from you. Plus, most people love to talk about themselves.
Your ability to ask the right questions and actually listen to the answers will
speak volumes about yourself without saying a word.
Finally, do
not get out of that chair until the person you are meeting with has given you 2
to 3 more people with which to meet. In order to keep the ball rolling, you
need to continually meet new people. In addition, with their permission, you
can use their name as your compelling reason for meeting with your next
contact, saying, “I recently met with John to learn more about the field, and
he recommended I meet with you. Can I have 15 to 20 minutes of your time this
week?”
Conducting
informational interviews will expand your network and help you to learn about
the community and industry you are pursuing. Not to mention getting out and
meeting new people will boost your morale tremendously after sitting on the
couch endlessly churning out applications to no avail. But how does it help you
find a job? The people you meet with will have a pulse on the local job market
and will likely know of openings in the field. If not, they will know somebody
who does. Even though your meetings are not about the fact that you are job
searching, it will likely come up organically. Even if it does not, you can
reach out to your contacts later if you see they are connected to a position
you are interested in for a reference or advice on your application.
If you are stuck
in your job search, connect with people through the informational interview.
Consider it a useful tool to add to your toolbox of job search skills. In my
experience, limited as it may be, landing the right job really is all about who
you know. The informational interview is a great way to quickly expand your
network and gain some traction in what can be a difficult and discouraging job
search.
-Chris Burke
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)