You ever have one of those moments when you realize the obvious? I had one of those today. I was helping someone look for a gig in the manufacturing industry.
I suggested to them that they connect with people via LinkedIn and network and they were like, "No, Jim, I'd rather not." (Long story short, it's not a good idea to spam in general, and especially on LinkedIn.)
So, okay, they were kind of stuck, and looking at me for advice, of which I had... none. So I decided to stall.
"So who do you want to network with?" I asked.
"Facilities Managers," they replied.
So, I thought about it, and scratched my head. And thought about it some more, and scratched... Then, I finally came up with a solution. Certain companies hire Facilities Managers (in this case, manufacturing companies), and what do these companies have in common?
Well, among them, they all have "about us" pages in their websites. Such being the case, if I searched "About Us" pages for job titles, would I strike paydirt, and find the people my client wanted to network with? The short answer? Yes!
Check out these examples:
First, Google:
Then, Bing:
And, last but not least, Yahoo!:
The best thing about this technique is that it will work in any industry, and the company contact information is (almost) always posted. So, at the very least, you have a phone number you can use to reach out to that manager and (if you have a gift for gab, like my client had) talk your way into an opportunity.
Don't believe me? Here are a few more samples for your review (new browser window will open)...
The only thing that is negative, and I really can't say its terribly negative, but this technique works best with senior management types and sales personnel because they tend to be the ones featured on company websites. Get it? Got it! Good.
If this intrigues you, be sure to check out my video below -- "How to Find Hidden" Jobs where I share even more strategies. (And for extra credit, check out my new book. Although written for recruiters, its great for jobseekers as well.)
In this Video
00:26 - Thank you National Urban League
00:39 - Shout-outs to: Bernard Hodes Group
02:13 - Who is Jim Stroud?
04:14 - Where do companies hire from the most?
07:37 - Would a recruiter be able to find your resume by doing this?
11:26 - This is how I position myself to be found by recruiters
17:09 - Why you should be on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube
19:36 - LinkedIn Tips for Job Seekers
29:38 - Twitter Tips for Job Seekers
32:58 - Google Plus Tips for Job Seekers
35:25 - Facebook Tips for Job Seekers
42:33 - Tips for Managing Your Online Reputation
47:00 - How to manager your privacy settings on Facebook (OMG! Do this now.)
50:40 - Do this to make it easier for recruiters to find you.
53:01 - Cool Tool for managing your online reputation
57:47 - I suggest you search job boards you've never heard of. Here's how
01:02:05 - A VERY interesting website that I recommend job seekers check out.
01:04:48 - Want to chat with me?
Did you know that traditional job searches leave you at a disadvantage? Why? Simply put, there are a lot of unadvertised jobs that you are overlooking everyday. If you do not know about these hidden jobs. its because you have been looking in the wrong places. Its time to do something different!
Good luck with your job search!