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时尚门户 - Guerrilla-Style Search |
In 1984, Jay Conrad Levinson introduced a new concept called "guerrilla marketing," which is using unconventional methods to achieve conventional goals. Since then, the use of guerrilla marketing in the business world has skyrocketed. Today, countless books offer companies advice on how to gain maximum impact with customers.
The concepts used by guerrilla marketers can also be used by job seekers. In fact, one of the most important aspects of guerrilla marketing is how the business or product is presented -- something that should be important for you too, when you become "the product."
"In guerrilla marketing, we believe that marketing oneself is every contact you have with another person," says Mitch Meyerson, a personal and business coach, consultant and author of four books (www.mitchmeyerson.com). Here are five tips from Meyerson to help you take a guerrilla approach to your job search.
1. Remember that you are always "On."
"A large part of selling yourself is how you deliver yourself," says Meyerson. Most people are unaware of how they come across to others. They pay attention to their résumé, but do not think about how they greet people or how they interact when another person is talking. To take a guerrilla approach, think about your professional image in every contact you make. Never turn your professionalism to "off." It will not matter to the executive who is calling you at 7:30 a.m. that you are tired. All that will matter is that you sounded rude and unenthusiastic when you answered the phone.
2. Pick up on subtle details.
Meyerson says that you can do as much with a sense of the other person in an interview as you can with carefully practiced answers. He says people need to "pay attention to the business details, but also the human details." Does the hiring manager have something in his office indicating that he is a college basketball fan? If so, try to strike up a conversation on the subject. You can go far by building rapport with influential people.
3. Pay attention to all of your correspondence.
Guerrilla marketers do a lot with little. They aim to gain maximum impact with minimum financial investment, so every correspondence they send counts. Remember this in your job search. If you are sending an e-mail to confirm an interview, don’t skimp on the editing. If your notes contain typos, they send the message that you are careless. If every correspondence you send is sharp and professional, your image will be the same.
4. Think about "You Marketing."
Meyerson says job seekers need to forget their agendas and "30-second elevator speeches." Instead, he says, pay attention to the other person and to their business needs. This means researching the company before your interview. "It’s not about ‘me’ marketing, but about ‘you’ marketing," Meyerson says. Understanding your prospective employer shows you are interested and gives you invaluable content that enables you to speak to the company’s needs. "The essence of good marketing is not saying ‘we’re great,’ but is saying ‘this is what your problem is and this is how we can help you,’" says Meyerson.
5. Remember that all contact with a company is important.
Are you working hard to impress the CEO, but acting impatient with his or her assistant? Remember, Meyerson says that marketing is the contact you have with everyone, from the very top to the very bottom. If you are professional and gracious to the company gatekeeper, that person might remember your name and pass along a compliment to the hiring manager. Remember that your reputation is not just what the head honchos think of you -- it’s what everyone thinks of you.
There are many other tactics and tools used by guerrilla marketers that can be applied to your job search. For example, positive testimonials are extremely important to businesses trying to sell products, and should be just as important to your job search. But in the end, says Meyerson, it all comes down to partnerships, relationships, attitudes and enthusiasm. "These intangibles," he says, "are actually extremely tangible when you close a sale." For a job seeker, paying attention to these intangibles is just as important.
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