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WHAT'S 'IN' AND 'OUT' IN THE JOB HUNT?

Employment Expert Cites Strategies for Staying on the Fast Track

MENLO PARK, CA -- Searching for work in today's competitive market requires considerably more effort than in recent years, notes Tracey Turner, executive director of The Creative Group, a specialized staffing firm placing creative, advertising, marketing and web professionals. According to Turner, methods that may have worked in a robust economy should be replaced with more focused, aggressive strategies.

"As competition for employment intensifies, job seekers are branching out beyond obvious tools such as job-board postings and classified ads," says Turner. "They're networking harder and smarter, and using their resumes to paint vivid pictures of the value they can add to companies."

Adds Turner, "The most successful applicants thoroughly research prospective employers before initiating contact. They approach job interviews with a 'sales pitch' on how their skills and expertise can directly benefit the company."

Following are tactics that Turner says are "in" and "out" when it comes to landing a new position in 2002:

Out In
Working the want ads Working a room
Free time while job hunting Freelancing, volunteering or continuing your education while job hunting 
Mass mailing generic resumes E-mailing resumes tailored to specific companies and positions
Listing creative job titles (e.g., "innovation guru") on resumes Using creative job-search strategies to identify leads
Providing a laundry list of previous job duties on resumes Highlighting and quantifying specific achievements on resumes
Waiting by the phone Calling potential employers
Using business buzz words and jargon in application materials Using clear, simple and persuasive language in application materials
Including references with resumes Preparing references for phone calls
Cover letters addressed "To Whom It May Concern" Personalized cover letters that complement information on the resume and "sell" your skills
Telling people you're "between jobs" Asking everyone you know if they have job leads
Ending the interview by asking when they'll be contacting you Ending the interview by asking for the job

 

The Creative Group has offices in major markets across the United States and in Canada
and offers online job search services at www.creativegroup.com.


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