PArt 2
Marketing You, Pt. 2: Identifying Your Dream Companies
Have a Strategy, Control Your Career
Strategic Job Searching:
- Get proactive (and tackle your own invisible scripts to keep them from holding you back). ← Done in Pt. 1
- Build a system. ← Started in Pt. 1
- Front-load the work. ← Started in Pt. 1
- Think about what others want. ← Started in Pt. 1
- Use triggers to signal your mastery. ← Started in Pt. 1
Remember: Avoid RANT (Random Acts of Non-Productive Tasks)
Beware the Black Hole! There are lots of reasons not to use job boards: heavy competition, poor quality jobs, the Spiral of Doom. But that spiral feels good, because it feels like you did SOMETHING, and research feels like you're doing nothing. Break that mindset. Research is doing something 90% of people won't do, which can have huge results for you.
Your Job Search System, cont.
You should already have your Top 3 Job Titles from Pt. 1. So we've completed the parts of this process which are crossed out here and in this step we'll complete the highlighted ones as well:
① Select your potential Dream Job.... look it up.... still interested? If yes → ② Do some deeper research into the title and the company... still interested? If yes → ③ Do some natural networking (where you'll find out even more)... still interested? If yes → ④ Test the market and see if you're getting results... still interested? If yes → ⑤ Get your Dream Job! (If you answer No at any stage, restart from the top!!)
Your Dream Company
The Shadow Market
Searching internet ads is the most common method used by job hunters — often the only method. But there's a game being played around them they don't even realize. Most jobs — as many as 80% — are snatched up before they're ever advertised. If you rely only on job boards, you're essentially hunting for scraps.
⬇
The Job Board Market: 80% of competition / 20% of jobs
The Shadow Market: 20% of competition / 80% of jobs
Which would you rather compete in?
⬆
How to access the 'Shadow Market'
- Have a strong network of people who want to help you (we'll talk about building a network soon)
- Go Direct (get in touch with employers you want to work for and pitch them yourself, whether they are advertising or not)
Where do you want to work?
You might already have a few companies in mind — maybe Google, Pixar, or Goldman Sachs. But you can't stop at just one or two companies. That's what rookies do. You need to build a pipeline, so we can...
... avoid One-itis. This is where we're obsessed with one company to the point of ruining things, very easy to do. Top performers never put all their eggs in one basket, and always have other options — which makes employers want them that much more.
... have the room to practice! Most people don't consider job hunting a skill, which is weird, it obviously involves many skills. And skills can be practiced. So if you want a Dream Job at a Dream Company.... you should definitely practice, not just show up.
Tier 1 vs. Tier 2 Companies
There's bound to be some companies that you're really interested in (Tier 1), and some that you're just sort of interested in (Tier 2). The key is to start with your Tier 2 companies, and save your Tier 1 companies for later. That way, you get to practice without worrying about messing up. You expect failure — then you accept it, learn from it and get better. So you're going to need to find lots of companies to fill your pipeline with.
Bonus: That Tier 2 company might end up being your real Dream Company.
Step 4: Identify five 'Tier 2' Companies
Goal: Identify at least 5 'Tier 2' Companies
Again, is this method perfect? No. When you use any filtering process, you're bound to have a few good companies "slip through the cracks." But that's okay. It's more important that you move quickly, keep it simple, and pick something — and most critically, something that exists in real life!
HELPFUL HINT: For LinkedIn searches you can get around the annoying "Staci M. (upgrade to LInkedIn Pro to see Staci's full name!) usually by googling the person's first name, title and the company - their LinkedIn profile (with full name) should show up right at the top of the search results.
Step 5: Do More Research
Spend 30 minutes on each company, for a total of about 2.5 hours of work.
- Read their LinkedIn pages, browse their websites, and look for them in the news.
- What exactly do they do?
- What are their challenges?
- And where do YOU (and your target job role) fit in?
Dream Company Strategy Summary
- The Shadow Market: The majority of jobs, and often the best ones, are taken before they're ever advertised.
- To tap into the Shadow Market, you need to generate companies on your own and apply to them directly.
- Avoid One-itis: Don't make the mistake of putting all your eggs in one basket. Create a pipeline of prospects and keep it filled.
- The process for discovering your Dream Company is simple: Start with a big list, narrow it down, and explore your options one by one.
By now, you've gotten specific about the 2 things that matter most: job roles and employers. Compare that to where most people are: Most people:"I want to do innovative work that adds value by leveraging my unique skills." You: "I'd like to work as an Inside Sales Associate at a social networking startup in San Francisco. For example..." Which do you think has a better chance of knowing their next steps? Of getting help from an expert? That's the power of getting specific.