Job Counseling in Hard Times

Once your client has the solution article written and published on a Web site, it's time to drum up interest. This means targeting the right hiring managers and getting the article into their hands.

Identifying the Company

The first step involves developing a list of companies that fit your client's profile. Obviously, if the client can't relocate, the choices will be limited.

If your counseling operation focuses on local positions, you may wish to create your own contact list and offer that as part of your services.

One resource for developing a basic industry directory is Hoover's Handbook. It provides lists of companies by region, functional area, and size. Many times they include email contact information and managers for each department.

Other resources include the Thomas Register and the JobBank series by Adams Media Publishing.

If the department manager is mentioned, the path is clear for sending a contact note. If the contact is not listed, your client must use the information he/she does have to uncover a specific contact. Web sites, news indexes, and industry journals are good starting points.

The Contact Note

Armed with a list of target companies and contacts, your client's next task is to drop the hiring manager an email note that points to the article.

The contact note might read like:

Citing a recent quote by them is a very nice introduction:

Once your clients start a solution-oriented discussion with the hiring manager, the potential for getting hired leaps forward. If the article hits a high priority concern, they could be brought on to implement the solution immediately. In that case, mission accomplished!

At the least, by offering the hiring manager insight into his/her problems, your clients have started a bona fide professional relationship. They now have an inside contact within the company.

Post Contact Note

Positions will eventually surface in most companies. As someone with an inside contact, your client has a way to get out of the resume stack.

They now have the ability to drop a position related note. Again, the idea is to showcase skills. They shouldn't be asking for the position.

For example:

This gives the company contact a way to weave your client into the search gracefully. If the relationship is really solid, the discussion could turn into a recruiting pitch. And, if it isn't a good fit, that message will also come across. Either way, your client is actively connected to the search process.

The Legwork

Now comes the legwork. The higher the number of contacts, the better the chance that one will be fruitful. This means establishing up a regular, methodical contact system.

The good news is that the numbers add up. Your client doesn't need to write hundreds of contacts in one day. If they can persist in a disciplined way, the days, weeks, and months add up quickly.

Let's take a look at the numbers:

Remember, these contacts are creating relationships. Your clients are offering insight into managers' problems and are making their life easier.

One more:

Natural Expansion - Another Article

As your clients work through the directories, they may wish to put together a list for another market segment. This could double their contact potential.

The numbers:

The Next Level

Newsgroups offer a huge opportunity for contact. Your clients lose some personal contact, but their overall exposure soars.

With an average membership between 50 and 2,000 individuals, the contact potential gets into the hundreds of thousands.

Your client must identify newsgroups and public forums in their target industry. A list of forty is a reasonable starting point.

The next step uses 50 members as an average estimate of a newsgroup's size.

Newsgroup Discussions

Your client needs to follow the newsgroup's discussion. When the opportunity arises, they should add a comment and gently refer to their solution article.

The numbers:

For each newsgroup comment, let's say that fifty people check out the article. This is conservative; it could be in the thousands.

108,000 contacts...that's amazing!

Total upside tally: 28,800 + 108,000 = 136,800.

If your client's articles are any good, a following develops and the whole process will escalates. It's not unusual for popular sites to have over a million hits a day. Think big.

Additional Reading

Teach Yourself Web Publishing in 21 Days by Laura LeMay. Sams, 2001.
* Ms. LeMay leads the beginner through the Web publishing steps. Absolutely user friendly and at a pace that matches someone starting out.

Hoover's Handbook 2002, Hoover's, 2002.
* This is a bit pricey, but it will save you weeks of research time. Sometimes earlier editions can be found at a discount.

Thomas Register of American Manufacturers 2002, 92nd Edition, Thomas Publishing Company, 2002.
* Thirty-one volumes. You might need to take over the spare bedroom for this set. Usually available at the library.

The Metropolitan New York JobBank by Steven Graber (Editor). Adams Media, 2000.
* The pizza is great, but I'm not suggesting that you move to New York City. JobBank is an excellent series and covers the major metropolitan areas.