In my experience as a executive resume coach, with the objective of casting as wide job search net as possible, jobseekers are not inclined to create a list of companies to target.
Although the practice of creating customised resume, LinkedIn profile & cover is the most acceptable starting point of job search, I have always advised jobseekers to treat job search as they would do to sell a product or service- creating a sales funnel. Building a prospects funnel ( in your case companies) to target will help you identify the companies which are not a right fit for your skills, competencies & goals.
Equally important is to understand that how you “knock the door of the list of companies you have developed- who you know & who you need to know” is similar to how sales representatives target customers/prospects to pitch their product/service.
The below game plan will help you develop a pipeline of companies & leverage it to your advantage:
- Focus: Most of the professionals believe that the perfect recipe to land up their dream job is to get their resume & career documents done by a professional resume writer & creating a wide funnel of target companies. The best strategy is to narrow down the list of target companies/funnel to 1 to 2 cites, job functions &/or industries.
- Identify & shortlist companies: Best /your dream companies list can be easily accessible on the internet & lot of online publications which you can use to shortlist & identify the companies based on the focus strategy defined in the first step. If you have a good number of experience in a particular sector/industry, it is advisable to include your company’s competitor in the prospects list.
- Research about the prospects: Get the scoop about the companies you have shortlisted/identified from their history to financial stature. It is also important to learn about products & services specifically those which are market leaders/have cutting edge & those who have earned negative media publicity. The best way to get intel about the shortlisted companies would be to set up an informational interview to chat with folks working in those companies to learn about what it is like to be working there & if you could imagine yourself working for them. Check out companies reviews on websites such as Glassdoor. Besides also check the “ about us” page of companies that details their core values & mission. Last but not the least, you should also explore feeds, comments & shares of public social media profiles of the companies, genuine display of employee recognitions, CSR, efforts towards diversity & employee engagement.
- Leverage your network: Writing your executive resume is just half the battle won. More important is the exploring & leveraging your network. Your network can include friends, ex-colleagues, someone who graduated from the same school or friend of someone close to you. Search for companies pages on LinkedIn to find out if there are any first or second degree connections who work there & reach out to them.
- Expand your network horizons: Once you have identified personal connections,the next step would be to figure out what you need to know & do that can help you know the door. Search on platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook & Twitter. Facebook is known for its private & public groups created & organised by those who have worked for certain companies or industries. Twitter profiles of many include the name of the company they have worked for in their bio. Besides, the alumni database of your college & universities can provide you with a wealth of information. The best way would be to reach out to career services of your alma mater or do a LinkedIn research of alum.
- Be clear on what you want to ask: It is important to be direct when reaching to those you know-what you are asking & what you are targeting. If required, you should be open to mention that you are trying to learn about the company & its culture. Some of the questions/help you must be asking include:
- If they can connect you to hiring manager
- If they can share name of 2 to 3 people that would be helpful to speak with
- If they can submit your resume through their company’s online portal.
Are you looking for some career advice, guidance about how to write an executive resume or rebranded LinkedIn. As the founder & executive resume coach at Sushant Kumar Ventures, we offer executive resume writing & LinkedIn profile writing services for modern day job seekers. I would be happy to chat to help you meet your career goals; Sign up here.
