Career Search Engines - How to Get a Job Interview Without Looking at the Newspaper Ad

There are many ways to do an effective career search . Many people search for their next career through newspaper ad. We do not advise that you do that as the only way to search for your next career.

The reason for that is simple. Doing a career search through newspaper ad is the thing that most people do. The next more popular method is to register with a career search agency. You may even need to pay a sum for such a service, but most career search agency charge the potential employer. Either method, you are competing with hundreds of potential candidate for the post.

There are more ways to get a job interview.

Career Networking

Survey shown that more than 70% of the most wanted career in the United States of America was not advertised in the daily newspaper. They were offered to the candidates through networking. That is how another great career opening was taken up, without the employer having to pay for advertisement and the hassle of interviewing hundreds of potential candidate.

So, what if you do not have a network that is able to get you to the career that you want? In fact, all of us have our networking. What about your friends, relatives or family members? Are they able to help you?

Let people in your contact list know that you wanted to make a career move. Ask them for references. Tell them what type of career or industry that you will be interested to get involved in. You will be surprised at the results that come in. Most people are willing to help, only if you allow them and provide them with the right information.

However, even though people are willing to help, not all opportunity appears at the same time. Leave them a copy of your resume. When you meet new friends, tell them of your intention of making a career move. Through consistent effort, you will soon realise that more and more people will act as your agent for your career search. And it’s for free too!

Making Cold Calls

Making cold calls are likely not to get you much respond, as not many people are willing to receive cold calls. However there is another method which is similar but is less intrusive in your career search exercise.

Write letters directly to a potential employer to express your interest to make a career with them, whether he is employing or not. Many potential employer would likely just scan through your letter, and you should make your letter as concise as possible.

In your letter you should give a brief introduction of yourself and mention how you are able to contribute to the company’s growth. Summarise the achievements that you’ve made so far in your previous career. Use key words, such as “achieved”, “successfully implemented,” etc. Write assertively.

Finally end the letter with a suggestion to meet up at a time convenient to your potential employer, to further discuss how you can start career with them. Your potential employer is not obligated to meet you, but since he has nothing to lose, he will be interested to meet you to see what you have to offer.

You can find a sample of the "Cold Call" Letter for Job Interview" here.

Attach a copy of your most-updated resume.

To make it even easier for your potential employer to respond to you, you should prepare a self-addressed envelop with a pre-formatted reply. This reply should be brief and include checkboxes for quick reply. Your pre-formatted reply should consists of options of either to ask that you call to arrange for an interview, or referencing you to other career opening, or just a flat refusal.

As it takes no more than 5 minutes for your potential employer to reply, there is a high likelihood that they will reply. Even though the company you are writing to do not have any career opening, your potential employer may recommend you to other company that may have an opening.

If you were asked to call to arrange for an interview, do it promptly. This shows that you are genuine and honest to start a career with them. If the company referenced you to another company or flatly refused to meet up, you should at least appreciate that they have taken the trouble to respond. Tell them so. Write a letter to them to thank them for taking the trouble to reply to you.

If you have dealt with the entire process in a professional manner, chances are that your potential employer are impressed. If there are no openings at the moment, they will likely keep your resume for reference. If you are indeed called up for an interview, you have already made a head start in your career search, compared to other potential candidates who are searching for a career opening.