Posted: 17 Jan 2011 04:23 AM PST

Q As an experienced 47-year-old manager, frustration is eating me alive in my search for employment. Job boards don't seem to be paying off for me, and networking is a slow process. I need to do something that'll revive my search. How much faith do you put in taking the initiative and reaching out with e-mail letters to land a job? And what is the difference between a "broadcast letter" and a "letter of interest? — B.Q.S.

AWord games. Career advisers use varying terms for self-marketing, unsolicited direct mail, whether it is presented via e-mail or on paper. The big differences between broadcast and interest letters are merely time and terminology.

Self-marketing direct mail in the 20th century was almost always called "broadcast letters," while the same breed today is often referred to as "letters of interest" or "inquiry letters." By any name, you send these letters to big numbers of potential employers with whom you have no connection. Or you may send them to recruiters who specialize in your function, industry or career level.

•Competent campaign To stack the odds in your favor, you have to do more than write a wimpy "I-I-I" letter (I discovered your company, I'm looking for this, I want that — and other expressions reflecting your hiring hopes from your perspective). Instead, switch mentalities with the busy individuals who read your letter by remembering this five-word formula: TELL THEM WHY THEY CARE. You may be a whiz at finance, office management, whatever — but so what? Make the profit connection for readers — tell them why they care.

After writing a powerhouse letter, your next task is to get it to the right computers. Compiling a list of leads is a real time buster. A company called Custom Databanks can help. Custom Databanks is the premier distribution vendor, long used by professional résumé writers and career coaches. Now the company is expanding to serve individual job seekers.

For $9.99 each, you can download an e-book directory that lists hundreds of search firms in your field or locale; each listing includes the data you need — firm name, key contacts, e-mail and postal address, phone number, description, industry and position specialties, whether retained or contingent, and minimum salary of assignments.

The e-book directories are available on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. They are designed to be read on Kindle or Nook e-readers. If you don't have an e-reader, both Amazon and Barnes & Noble offer free apps that allow you to use your computer, tablet or smart phone to read the directories. You can sample before you buy. For more information on saving time, money and sanity to proactively distribute your résumé, you can pay a visit to customdatabanks.com/e-book-direct-ories-2.

•Multiple versions Customizing your résumé for the job you seek is infinitely more effective than relying on a one-size-fits-all generic résumé. But there's a technical hiccup: Many search firm databases do not permit you to store more than one résumé version, making it impossible to customize resumes. What to do? Systems often store by phone number, so use different phone numbers for résumé A and résumé B.

But when you're completely in the dark about how the search firm stores résumés, consider the advice of ace John Lucht (ritesite.com): "The best you can do is make your success in different roles and functions shine from the pages of the single résumé those search firms will keep on file."

•Reality check Having seen stunning success resulting from a campaign of intelligent distribution of well-crafted inquiry (or broadcast) letters, I definitely would add a direct e-mail component to my search, whether homegrown or professionally done.

As upscale direct mail expert Bob Bronstein (profileresearch.com) says: "If you have good credentials and employers are hiring your bundle of skills, they're going to call you."

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4 tactics to find the human in your job search

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 02:43 AM PST

I'm out to prove this point - again: Most job hunters ultimately find their next position by connecting with live humans.

Yes, even in the year 2011 where there's Craigslist, social sites and job search engines galore, an interaction with a living, breathing human gets the ball rolling and seals the job deal for most people.

There is not enough room here to tell you all the ways this happens. But here are four tactics for connecting with people who may be interested in your services when the time is right.

1. Being Out There approach.

Create ways to keep yourself known. You may be on a board, a volunteer for an organization or simply attend meetings where you speak up.

What better way to get noticed among people who work in and own companies by adding an intelligent comment to a discussion or volunteering for a committee? People now notice you and your value - the first step.

You can also hold a workshop and share expertise where people will see you in action and remember you.

That's how Cheryl Pope got her new position at the Neighborhood Service Organization in Detroit. She is a children's author and was playing host to a Mommy and Me at the Movies event. A supervisor of a division at this agency, Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY), had attended several of her events.

When Pope was looking for part-time work, she came across a job posting for a HIPPY visitor - someone who visits the homes of parents with young children and instructs them preparing their kids for kindergarten.

She applied, and "When my name came across the supervisor's desk, she definitely wanted to interview me," Pope says.

2. Remember Me? approach.

Be a nice pest. Manny Otiko had interviewed with the president of Desmond & Louis, a California public relations firm, for an entry-level job he learned of on Craigslist.

He was told he was overqualified. So he searched job boards, reached out to old business partners, attended job fairs and applied at a temporary agency.

"I never received one call," Otiko says.

For four months, he also e-mailed and called that president. He didn't hear back until the day his "Remember Me?" approach paid off.

"I got a phone call out of the blue from the president," who did indeed remember him when the right opening came up. Today, Otiko is vice president of social and new media for this firm.

3. I Know You Don't Know Me, But ... approach.

Approach someone you don't know because you have a plan to help them see you're worth knowing. One woman told me she became the director of public relations for a New York dance company, "by stalking the owner" - not something I'd recommend.

A less extreme way to apply this tactic is to attend an event where you know the person you want to impress will be.

Look for your moment and have a 15-second well-rehearsed spiel ready to deliver that gets to the heart of why they would want to talk to you again. A well-crafted, personalized e-mail or letter that speaks from the heart also can go far.

4. Old-fashioned Referral approach.

Jean Feingold got her freelance writing job at the University of Florida when her friend's neighbor referred her to the right person at the university. What started out as a three-month "we'll see how it goes" experiment is now a weekly gig.

I'm not saying you won't get a job other ways. But you can get a lot more traction and will be more memorable when you're upfront and personal.

Andrea Kay is the author of "Life's a Bitch and Then You Change Careers: 9 Steps to Get Out of Your Funk & On to Your Future." Send questions to her at 2692 Madison Road, #133, Cincinnati, Ohio 45208; www.andreakay.com or www.lifesabitchchangecareers.com. E-mail her at andrea@andreakay.com.

Job search needs the personal touch

Posted: 14 Jan 2011 04:42 PM PST

By DIANE STAFFORD

The Kansas City Star

Unemployment remains high. Millions of mid-career workers continue in a long-term job search. Yet employer surveys reveal "trouble" filling job openings.

What gives?

There's a disconnect between what employers seek and who the job hunters are.

Employers, particularly in large companies, typically want perfect candidates to fill niche jobs. They want experienced (but not expensive) talent who are techno-savvy, flexible, energetic and ready to do specialized work.

Given the applicant screening systems in many large organizations, it's hard for mature applicants to make a case that their skills are adaptable and, most important, current.

Older workers have to convince hirers that they're willing, if not eager, to work for less money and that they're fine with downscaling their titles or responsibilities.

Because that's not easy, these two job-hunting tips need to be sent again and again:

•People you know — not formal application processes — provide your best chance for re-employment.

•Small and midsize employers are likely to be more receptive to hiring you.

Any job posting you find is going to be found by hundreds, if not thousands, of other applicants. Your application needs an advocate to pluck it from the pile.

You need to go to association meetings, use LinkedIn and send e-mails to former co-workers and other people you know to let them know the nature of your job search.

Through personal contacts, you're more likely to learn about opportunities in small and midsize companies. They may not have the Web presence or name recognition of big firms. They don't staff tables at job fairs. But they have hiring needs.

And because there aren't as many job definitions in small organizations, they're more likely to want workers who have broader experience and a mature work ethic.

Bottom line: Personal contact is likely to be more productive than sending out resumes or filling in application blanks.

@ Read "How I Got The Job" at economy.kansascity.com.

To reach Diane Stafford, call 816-234-4359 or send e-mail to stafford@kcstar.com. Read her recent columns at economy.kansascity.com.

Job Search

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

“Inquiry letters can pump up job search” plus 2 more

“Inquiry letters can pump up job search” plus 2 more

By DIANE STAFFORD

The Kansas City Star

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