Do these things and stand out from 90% of your competition

I’m seeing posts constantly on LinkedIn and other social media platforms about the brutal job search that exists today. 

Things like:

I applied for over 300 jobs.

I got ghosted by 11 hiring managers and recruiters.

I got a rejection EMAIL from the recruiter after six rounds of interviews…

My interviews were pushed out minutes before they were supposed to happen.

Here are some things that your competition is NOT doing that you easily can. 

Pre-Interview

• Find, Follow and Connect with the recruiters and hiring team for the position you want.

• Find common connections BEFORE applying - a referral goes a LONG way. And employees only get credit if they submit YOUR application or alert the team PRIOR to you applying. 

• Rather than apply for 100’s of jobs, button up your search to include the companies that you’re excited about, and go after them the way a sales rep goes after cold accounts. 

• Send an email about your application - why you applied and highlight your skills and values. 

Here’s an example of what that can look like - 

FIRST NAME - 

I just applied to your (NAME THE ROLE) position for COMPANY, and I’m flagging my application to you because I have (# OF YEARS) experience doing (NAME 2-3 SKILLSETS). 

I’m currently looking for an opportunity with a company that values (NAME THEIR VALUES) because (SAY WHY YOU VALUE THOSE TOO). 

Just sent you a LinkedIn request so you can put a face to the name. 

Looking forward to hearing back from you.

Is there anything else you need from me at this time? 

Respectfully, 
YOUR NAME

During-Interview

• Learn about what the company stands for…ask for examples of their values. 

  • For example, if one of their values is “Execute with Excellence”, ask them, “Can you share an example with me of how your team ensures they continuously execute with excellence?”

• What do you stand for? Get out your journal, people! If you’re not the ‘journaling’ kind, then take some regular notes and title it “My Values, My Goals”. Answer these questions:

  • What do you value in your personal life?

  • What do you value in your professional life?

  • Where do you see yourself in 1 year, 3 years, 5 years?

  • WHY are you interested in the types of roles you’re applying for?

  • How will roles like these help you reach your goals? 

• Close each interviewer: the gatekeepers and decision-makers. 

  • Peer Interview - do I have your support? 

  • Recruiter - next steps? 

  • Hiring Leaders - what concerns do you have, if any, about moving forward with me? 

Post-Interview

Send follow-up emails to everyone you meet with, ideally the same-day.

Don’t expect to hear back from everyone, but know that they will forward your emails internally, so say something different to each person.

Put some thought and care into it.

Here’s an example template:

FIRST NAME - it was great meeting you today! I especially enjoyed [the easy flow of our conversation, that we connected about Y, talking about X]. Appreciate you spending the time to discuss your team's [culture and goals]. I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to [GIVE THREE EXAMPLES: elevating your marketing strategy, implementing new client acquisition programs, and increasing your bottom line]. 

Please feel free to reach out if you have any other questions. I look forward to hearing back from the team on [DAY that they committed to following up]. 

Respectfully,
YOUR NAME

Remember to adhere to this rule of sales:
Find your champion within a prospect.

The same goes for your job search.

You may have found a referral, or connected with the recruiter well, or hit it off with the peer interviewer - ask them how they prefer to be followed up with.

And here’s one that no one does - offer to help THEM. 

“What can I do to make your day easier?”

“Let me know if there’s anyone in my network that I can introduce you to!”

People will be shocked.

They will remember you.

And most importantly for your job search, they will fight for you. 

That’s all for this week.
Happy Hunting!

How to Work With Me:

🚀 Learn: guides and courses for any stage of the job hunt that you’re in:

• Job Search: Strategize Your Job Search

  • Approach your job search systematically and strategically. Say goodbye to applying to submitting hundreds of applications 👋

• Interviewing: IMPROView

  • Learn to be unforgettable in interviews to land the job you want.

• Offer Negotiations: Culture Shock: Salary Negotiations

  • Check out this☝🏼 newsletter about negotiating your salary, and learn strategies to get recruiters to fight for you.

👩🏽‍💻1:1 coaching: I’ll work with you on interview prep, job search strategy, and interview role play. Book time with me here. 

⭐️ Audits: Tired of applying to jobs and want hiring teams to come to you? Grab your LinkedIn Audit here. 

❤️ Ashley

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