September - 2001 - issue > Cover

One: Don’t Ask for a Job

So you have taken stock of all your skills, got a great resume ready and started getting contact information together. As you start your networking process, do not call people and ask them for a job. Instead, ask them for advice, or a reference, or simply talk to them, and you will be amazed how efficiently you might actually get leads to other interesting people and companies, and of course, real jobs. This creates empathy, and people will be willing to help you. It is in these conversations that will happen the “Hey you should talk to so and so.” It is better to create empathy than it is to force people to say well, they cannot help you. In this market increasing the value of the network is key.

Two: Don’t Be a “Do Everything” Person

You know you are smart, educated, accomplished and think you can do anything. But, don’t try to do everything. Focus on things you can do in your sleep. The outer rings are things for which you have either less experience or skills or just an interest. This will allow you to be creative and guide the conversations to focus on what you really do. It will help you coordinate your search and your entire network in zeroing in on that job.

Three: It the Chemistry Stupid!

Focus on the chemistry, especially, in this market! If the chemistry between you and the interviewer works, then all other things will work out. This will enhance the value of your skills and raise you from an ordinary candidate to a star. The chemistry is your ability to understand their problem and your ability to then relate yourself as a catalyst in the solution. If you become, in his/her mind, integral to the solution because you have established great rapport then you have already created value. Now, in the process, sometimes you get something better than a job. You make a friend, and that, in my book, is equally important.

Four: Don’t Forget the Sequence

In the process of a getting a job, it is important to understand the value of sequencing. Start with “getting to know company/me,” to the tactic of “what can I do for our success” and only then the “how much”. A lot of people make the mistake of becoming tactical too quickly — inappropriately timing certain conversations, especially about money, benefits and so on, before establishing that an offer is ready to be made. Recruiters work for employers and more importantly try to filter out people. So they will try to ask you questions relating to compensation to gauge you. Don’t give in. Focus. Give a range that you are comfortable and tell them that you prefer to talk about compensation details once you have a better understanding of the job, the problems and the company. If you have great chemistry the employer/recuiter will understand that in order to get you he/she will have to be competitive. You must have done your homework on what is competitive. When it comes to details get to the stage where an offer is ready to be made, and only then talk about the specifics of compensation. Tell them that you are flexible and would like to understand what value they place on you.

Five: Be Flexible

This is a bit of a counter-point to the previous item. You have to carefully gauge when to be strategic and when to be tactical. Too often people become very rigid and aren’t flexible with their terms – losing the offer as a result. Sometimes, employers are trying to find ways to weave you in their culture, flexing the budget. In these situations, the most creative people win the job.

Finally, it is your passion that is really the key, as it will allow you to focus enough to take all that work to an interview and close the deal. If that does not work maybe hunger can be your motivator?

- With inputs from Valerie Germain, Managing Director of Jay Gaines & Co. in New York. Supreet can be reached at supreet@corp.siliconindia.com.