Sometimes you need to be unique

With the increasing numbers of individuals looking for work in Australia, and the constant media onslaught about job losses and company restructures, looking at how you can do things a little bit differently may be the answer to your job search woes.   Each of us has a unique approach to communication and making contact with people, and for some it can be quite innovative. We all heard about the graduate in the US who’s cover letter went viral and resulted in him receiving numerous job offers because of this? Well, it was only through his innovation; and matching his job search strategy to his personality that he achieved the result that he did.

So what can you do?

Little things can make a difference in your job search. If you are doing the same thing over and over again and not achieving a result, then have a think about what would make you respond if you were a prospective employer. Ideas that people have taken to include:

• Picking up the phone with your network of old work colleagues. Offer to buy them a coffee instead for a change and see if they know anyone that might be interested in your skills.
• Contact the organisations that you have worked for previously, or those that require your skill set, and ask them what their hiring process is. This is best done on the phone but sometimes emails can also achieve a result.
• Contact an old manager (that you got along with!) and ask for their support in your job search.
• Contact all the individuals that you have had interviews with. Ask for feedback and ask them if they know of any up and coming positions that might suit them Again shout them a coffee for a change!

Some people have gone outside of the box in their job search and although we do not recommend copying these without having a plan in place, it might help you to think about other ideas that could work for you.

• Creating a Facebook/LinkedIn page inviting others to join with you on these pages and provide some information on the positions that you are applying for.
• Write a job search blog; you never know who might be interested in following such a thing.
• Attend a networking group with a business card where your position is “Available for all work opportunities” plus the industry or role that you are targeting.

Direct letters to organisations and phone calls are great; but if they are not reaping the rewards then it might be beneficial to change your approach.   Have a think about being a little creative, yet professional, in your job search to build a network of opportunities. Remember however that what ever you do you need to have a plan, it needs to remain professional and it needs to reflect your personality type completely. Copying the way someone else approached the job search will not reap rewards if it does not reflect in anyway who you are as a professional.   For many advertised positions there will be hundreds of applicants if not more. This number does increase for industries that are currently suffering downturns and restructures. For this reason you need to ensure not only do you have a great marketing document but also a great and innovative approach to your job search strategy.