In our last post we learned about Joan who left the workforce ten years ago to raise her son. Now she is ready to get back into the workforce.
She is most concerned about stability. She wants a company that will be around for many years where she can make a good living to finance her son’s college education and her own retirement.
Last time we asked what you thought. We got some really interesting responses. Most people completely sympathized with Joan’s dilemma. Some people had been in that same position before themselves.
The consensus was that Joan needs to figure out what she wants first then find a stable company where she can do it. I completely agree.
This is the beauty of sharing in social media. There is always someone out there who has had that experience who is willing to share what worked and what didn’t. We can learn from each other!!
Whether preparing chickens or eggs, we still need a recipe. We need a plan. In this case, Joan needs a Job Search Marketing Plan!
Here are some steps Joan can take to find the job she wants:
- Understand what exactly she wants. No one will help her find a job that makes her happy that uses her many skills if she doesn’t know what that is. Knowing what you want in very specific terms is the foundation of the Job Search Marketing Plan.
- Build job search materials around that ideal job. The more specific the better. Start with the resume, then the LinkedIn profile then the extra marketing materials. Use a scalpel to remove the unnecessary bits and leave the experiences and accomplishments that support the ideal job.
- Outline the dream company. What kind of people? What kind of products? What geography, size and structure?
- Identify which companies in your geography fit that profile. Prioritize them according to the ones that you like most. We start with the top priorities and work our way around.
- Research those companies.
- Identify people who work there.
- Now you can start networking. Reach out to people who work in those companies. Add them to your LinkedIn connections, start talking to them. Ask questions. Try to get coffee. Reach out in a way that makes them value you as a person because you value them. Talk professional to professional.
Joan started in the middle. She doesn’t know what she wants. She started reaching out blindly. That usually does not work.
As our readers know, Joan will be more successful if she does the planning first. Then she can reach out in a more methodical fashion to network her way to the job of her dreams. Or at least the job she can do in a stable company where she can achieve her personal financial goals.