Only by being very specific with a targeted marketing search can a job seeker network effectively.
For years I’ve been coaching job seekers to organize their job search around target companies that fit their geographic, size and industry preferences.
Great advice, right? Of course it is.
Job search is marketing on a very personal level. You have to get up close and personal with the right people in your target companies to build the relationships necessary to open up opportunities in your target businesses.
Do I do that myself? Of course not. I rely on social media marketing, the equivalent of submitting job ads, to find clients. What am I thinking?!$?
Growing a business is marketing on a very personal level, just like job search. So why am I not taking my own advice? I have no earthly idea. But it is time to do just that!
Identify the target
I outlined my target market in my target geography, Northeast Ohio. Then I went to ReferenceUSA to find businesses. I entered some criteria matching my geography and size, pressed “Search” and ZAPPO WHAMMO I have a list of businesses. 238 pages of businesses with 5,942 results. Wow, who knew?
That is too many so I narrowed my criteria to reduce to a manageable number of businesses. I reduced the geography and company size which reduced the results to 708 businesses that match my needs. I can start with that.
I sorted the businesses by SIC and NAICS codes that describe the businesses’ major and minor business categories. This reduced the number to 393 business in my focus areas of manufacturing, paper, plastics and wholesale distribution in my geography of Northeast Ohio. Could I focus on other business or geographic areas? Sure but for now I need to be very, very specific.
Implement a marketing plan
I propose to target 10 to 15 companies per week. I will see who I know in the company by researching in LinkedIn then connect with the business leader. Then I can start communicating in a way to build relationships.
Job search is marketing. Someone once called it a project plan without an end date. But as a project we can create steps and set regular goals for action. The regular contact with target companies and people will lead to conversation, more relationships and more opportunities.
How have you targeted your geography, companies and people? What resources have you used? How are you reaching out to make connections and build relationships with people in target companies? What impact has this activity had on your job search?
How is job search marketing similar or different than other project plans you’ve worked on in your business life?
Share with others and we can all grow!