Going to the Source to Get Job Opportunities

Despite the fact that we are now well into the time of year which traditionally offers the greatest job opportunities, it's tough out there right now for those seeking employment. The recession stubbornly persists, causing many business managers and owners to plan their year very conservatively. As a result, jobseekers who previously had little difficulty finding work are being frustrated in their efforts this time around. As a result, it's especially important to tap all available job search resources.

A little research can pay big dividends.

These include: advertised openings, recruiters, direct company contacts, networking, special opportunities. Last week we looked at recruiters; this week we'll consider the merits of directly contacting potential employers as part of an overall job search effort. Why, you may ask, should I contact a company that is not advertising a job opening? The simple answer is that according to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 80 to 85 percent of all job openings are not filled through employment advertising.

In addition, since just about anyone has access to the want ads, you stand to have the most competition from other job seekers when you simply answer job advertisements. Taking these two factors into account, our outplacement clients find:

However, you can do even more to increase your odds of success than simply contacting area employers at random. A little research can pay big dividends. If you can identify potential employers that are in industries, of a size and in locations such that they should be interested in your work history, and which conform to your current career objectives, you can increase the likelihood of your obtaining a job interview significantly.

There are basically two ways to accomplish this task. First, you can conduct the research yourself the old fashioned way. For example, the Alameda County Business & Government Library in Oakland contains a wealth of information on Bay Area employers. By digging through these materials you can find the companies that you would benefit most from contacting. However, this can be an extremely time-consuming and unpleasant task.

Fortunately, in this age of electronic communications and instant information retrieval there is a second, and I believe better, approach. Research firms exist, which have either created in-house databases or which access external databases, that can readily identify those employers you wish to contact. Moreover, they can give you their addresses, phone numbers and the names of employment decision-makers to contact in these firms. Of course, you must pay for this information, but having it can increase the effectiveness of your campaign substantially. By shortening your job search, obtaining this "corporate intelligence" can really pay for itself.

Increasingly, outplacement firms and career counselors are making this information available to their clients as part of their offered services. Some firms will also assist you administratively in making the first contact with these firms by letter. This leaves you free to invest your time in making the telephone follow-ups and, of course, in interviewing with those employers who agree to see you.

While no database is perfect, our experience has demonstrated that the outside databases, maintained and updated constantly by firms whose sole business is to provide such information, are the best. Generally, the information they provide will be 95 percent accurate and timely.

Since a jobseeker's goal is to find an employer, this approach allows you to go directly to the source - cutting out the middle men. Try it. It works.