SpearHEADED Job Search

"It is better to know the lay of the land before rushing out and making a bunch of mistakes."

One of the most critical areas in job searching is correctly identifying and understanding your potential target company or field to work, those who will be most apt to respond favorably to your applications. It's really a multistep due diligence process, from the start till you’ll get hired.

The initial step is really to identify and inventory as many local companies as possible that could be a potential fit, either because of their industry or those with potential compatibility based on our functional experience. Once you have the big list, you can then begin the research and selection process with your primary goal of trying to assess overall compatibility and potential fit.

Create a Target Company List

Knowing what type of position you want is really important, knowing the type of company for which you would like to work also is just as crucial when planning the next stop on your career journey. A target list gives you a starting point, a direction for your job search you might not have had before, as well as a clear message to others who could shed additional insight on their potential employers. Jobseekers seem to find that target lists give them clarity around their careers and the entire job search process.

Build a List Resources you Need

Most jobseekers mistakenly spend much of their time online looking for job postings listed by companies to which they can send their resumes, but those postings are better utilized to provide insights into who is hiring and for what positions. In addition to the job boards, It is been suggested to take a close look at the websites of potential companies to begin learning more about each one, its leaders, competitive position and culture. Reviewing potential openings that companies have posted may give you a clue as to their needs, their overall requirements as well as clues about other potential opportunities that may exist.

Of course, there are other online resources that can help expand the list of possibilities. Online research is certainly a great place to start, but experts agree that job hunters need to implement a multichannel approach to target and market themselves, especially if they want to find opportunities within local companies that perhaps may be lesser known in the marketplace. It is also suggested for jobseekers to spend less than 40 percent of their job search time online. Prior to the recession, many entry level, mid- to senior-level jobseekers achieved great career success not just due to their computer proficiency but their interpersonal skills. While the fastest growing demographic of users of Facebook and Twitter may be over 30, old-fashioned [face-to-face] networking still trumps the online job board as one of the quickest ways to get hired. Try also job searching blogsites sites.

Local Leads

Stepping away from the computer and conducting some face-to-face research through networking is critical in cultivating a target company list, and found combining referrals with research and head to head meetings builds the strongest foundation of networking contacts.

You may also read community newspapers and business journals and follow the websites of local organizations. This will not only help identify local companies, but understand what challenges they may be facing and how you could potentially become a solution for them. In assessing compatibility with an organization, learning about companies' history, business performance, product offerings, organizational structure, personality and culture and challenges they are facing.

An excellent way to identify local companies is to attend job fairs, held in nearly 50 markets every month and other networking meetings in your local area, as well as some unlikely venues. Don't ignore your local 'lifestyle' groups. Sometimes information can be found at your children's soccer game, your church group or any other gathering.

Time to Refocus

If you have not yet started building your target company list to gain a stronger focus on your job search, to tell you, you're not alone. Many jobseekers don't know how to recognize "backyard" opportunities, which requires skills you may not have utilized in weeks or even months. Where exactly should you begin _ before you are even officially in job search mode? It is been suggested you prepare on what is happening today about what companies do to find top talent.

You will be surprised by the "nuanced and intricate steps it takes to market and sell oneself as a top talent. There are many steps from point A to point Z. Today, the term 'top talent' is subjective and is based upon perceptions about what one brings to the table for their business. There are so many jobseekers who think that their past experience or education proves their worth, while most companies are seeking someone who can prove their worth today.

Nowadays, most people are unsure about how to approach their job search. Well, begin with strategy, and then move on to tactics. A critical component of your marketing strategy is identifying all relevant target companies, including those in your own backyard. Clear understanding of who you are and where you want to go must come before deciding how you want to get there.

Contributor: Carlo Till, Graphic Artist of Graphic All-in Store. He is a freelance graphic artist also. He designed logos, tarpaulins, brochures, cards, booklets, and book coversheets. He was inspired to provide this article while looking for a job. Within three weeks, he found job following this blog.

Source: Graduate Options and Development Seminar 2009 “Empowering Graduates Towards Global Competitiveness” La Salle University, Guidance center.