The Essential Tips to Snag a job

There are million ways to snag a job. The most "common" place people try is online at cragslist or monster, etc. However, that's where all the competition is, which is the hardest way to find a career job. (depending on your field, contract jobs are a different story).

I've had 6 full-time jobs in my career in addition to different contract work in a 10 year span. So, I have nailed down a process that worked well for me.

So, here's the absolute basic "10 step snag a job" checklist:

Tell all your friends and family you are looking for a job. Tell your neighbors, previous employers/employees, post it on Facebook, your blog if appropriate.
If unemployed, then join a job club. They will offer ideas and assistance and help you "get out of the house" and network.
Write your Resume and Cover Letter.
Send resume and cover letter to companies.
After a week or so, follow up with each prospective employer asking for an interview if you haven't heard from them.
Setup an interview time, if asked.
Research company and prepare for interview.
After nailing interview, send a follow-up note immediately
If an offer is made you can accept, negotiate or reject offer.
If offer is rejected, follow up with a thank you letter.

Networking

I'm sure you've heard of it, about 75% of the BEST jobs are filled is by networking. The good news is you already have a huge network untapped. The average person knows about 250 people. So, if you know 250 people and they know 250 people, that's already 62,500 people!

That was just a number on the low end to help you realize networking power. You can go much wider using internet and go deeper. We are living in exciting times!

However, it's likely you haven't been taught how to network. So, the first rule is to network NOW! Ideally you should be networking BEFORE you lose your job.
You are already networking, by talking to friends and family, but now you have a purpose in mind. Here's a list of ideas to get you started on getting a job.

Enlist your army - Write down your list of 250 people or more to help you find your job.
Leverage the 'net - Use networking sites such as linkedin.com, myspace.com, facebook.com, and ryze.com to expand your network.
Ask everybody THIS question - Regarding your job search, you should constantly be asking, "who else do you know i should talk to?"
Use your college career office - if you are an alumni, check to see if they have a career office. They can offer great connections to get you the job you want. That's their job.
Ask the Pros - Ask lawyers, real estate agents, accountants, etc. They usually work with lots of companies and have good "insider knowledge" of those companies.
Go where the action is - Attend industry trade events (in your field) they are usually more targeted. I did attend general "job fairs", but it's usually far more competitive and not as targeted. However, I liked attending them to brush up my elevator pitch and networking skills.
Meet the heavy hitters - Wealthy people usually have contacts or their own companies. Don't forget religous leaders, or leaders in business organizations, such as rotary, toastmasters, etc. Volunteer something you enjoy doing and build your contact base.

In addition to networking, there are other cool tips you should use to snag a job.

Work for Free - This works well especially if you are changing careers. Do projects for free and you can use it for your portfolio or that company may hire you. Also, depending on the field, start a blog and/or microblog (via twitter). It builds credibility and visibility.

Perfect elevator pitch - Have a good 20-30 second elevator pitch ready on what you do and what you're looking for. The number 1 rule is to be extremely CLEAR.

Lower standards, temporarliy - When I moved back to colorado, I accepted a job that I knew I didn't want for too long. I kept looking and found the job I had in mind. So, if you're short on cash or changing careers, it's okay to temporarily lower expectations to snag a job.

Work WAY ahead of schedule - Find out what your employer needs either before the interview or immediately afterwards. Then impress your employer by completing that project. One of the companies I worked for hired a graphic guy with no college education, he just created a flash based site and was offered the job.

Accept Rejection with grace - When an employer doesn't hire you, send them a nice letter thanking them for their time. You never know, the other people may have moved or rejected their offer. I did this and a few months later they offered me a contract position. So, keep in touch with everybody who turns you down.

Don't forget the Past - It is perfectly okay to ask your former employers for a job. A number of my friends have done this with much success. With that in mind, avoid burning bridges, you just never know.

HUSTLE! - When you act fast on each lead, it separates you from the pack. For the jobs I really wanted, I mailed thank you letters by "next day air". Yes it costs more, but the employer now knows who I am.

Attack from all angles - In this job hunt game (or war), the more tactical angles you use, the more likely you will end up getting the job. So, give 'em all you got!

Remember it's just a game. You can't choose when or exactly how you will snag a job, but you can choose your attitude! So, choose wisely, it sends non-verbal cues.

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