Passive or Proactive Job Search?

The challenges job seekers face who want to find a job are difficult whether they are going it alone, using career services resource from their school or if they have sought other help. There is a lot to consider. While no one really wants to hear why they have a problem, understanding the cause helps to see what the solution is to the problem.


The competition for positions is very high. Not only does every job seekers compete with the other 35 million unemployed, they compete with all the graduating students coming out of every community college, every four-year college and university. I addition, there are those who are employed who are looking for a new position.

The practice of create a resume, send a resume, and wait for a response only compounds the difficulties. Regardless of how good the resume it has to be noticed in a group of hundreds if not thousands in some instances. The odds of receiving a response, let alone a positive response are very slim. The practice has failed those using it. That practice does not require any skills other than the ability to electronically send out a resume.

It is a very passive practice that places the company that received the resume in charge of the job seekers search.

Another source of frustration for any job seeker is that the number of positions that are advertised in some manner is about one third of the total available. Most individuals are not aware of unadvertised positions and if they are have been poor and ineffective information about how to identify them. The majority of the networking information available has little effect and becomes another passive activity.

Success in a job search requires a proactive, hands-on approach. It requires specific skills executed in a sequence that provides progress and success in each step.

Here is what the outline of the steps should look like:

1st Series of Steps: Pre-Interview Practices, Skills Self-Assessment • Create presentation materials • Develop references • Research the industries that you know • Research other industries that you want to consider your qualifications • Create a script for initial contacts • Develop responses to objections • Social Networking Best Practices (Face Book, LinkedIn, Etc.) • Plan your call performance plan

2nd Series of Steps: Creating Interviews Execute Your Calls • Establish rapport • Set appointments to follow up • Develop insights • Create assessments • Refine contacts network • Interacting with 3rd party recruiters • Perform follow up calls • Re-assess contacts • Establish meetings/interviews

3rd Series of Steps: Preparation for Interviews • Pre-Interview Actions • Determining your “Candidate Valuation” • Working with recruiters to prepare for the interview • Interview techniques and tactics • Discovering leverage points and overcoming objections

4th Series of Steps: Post Interview Action Steps. The Follow Up Plan • Researching position location and needs • Continued action calls to contact network • Dealing with alternative interviews and recruiters • Seizing secondary interviews • Follow up procedures • Early negotiation techniques • Pre-offer research steps

5th Series of Steps: Gaining the Offer & Opportunity You Deserve, Negotiation Technique Application • Managing acceptance/rejection of an offer • Post offer follow through • Resignation process management • Post resignation techniques and procedures • Starting your new position with your new employer

The Career Matrix - A Powerful Credential Presentation – While most employers are looking for a resume, they take immediate notice of the candidate that also presents the Career Matrix. For a total of 50 years hiring managers have made decisions on whether to interview a candidate or not using this tool. It has provided them with immediate information about how you can help them in the position you are considering.

These are all actionable steps that put the job seeker in charge of their search continually moving forward toward the sustainable job they want.

Please go to: www.CareerTalkGuys.com for more information how you can learn the right skills for a proactive, in-charge job search.