Job-Hunt Intelligence - Find Jobs by Targeting Employers

Published: Tue, 07/11/17

Job-Hunt Intelligence
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By By Susan P. Joyce

Who has the job opportunity you want? An employer. All you have to do (all!) is find that employer. Be choosy. You don't want to be job hunting again very soon, and focusing on specific ("target") employers will make your job search more effective and, hopefully, shorter.

An I'll-take-any-job-any-where approach is useless now because too many jobs are visible.

  • You will waste time applying for everything (and not be effective)!
  • A generic resume/application won't contain the right keywords for you to be found in applicant tracking systems, LinkedIn, or search engines.

Consequently, you waste time and energy applying without a list of target employers -- places where you think you'd like to work.

You MUST be focused to be found, and you MUST be found to be hired!

First, Find and Choose Your Target Employers

Based on your work experience, you probably have a good idea of employers you want to avoid. Try to determine why you want to avoid them, and what kind of employers would make you happier and more successful in your work. Use that information to develop your criteria for the best employer for your next job:

 

By Susan P. Joyce

Many -- if not most -- employers and recruiters think that job seekers have become very lazy, submitting their application for every job they see. So, learn as much as you can about an employer, both to impress the employer and also to avoid bad employers and scams.

Use the information you've found on the employer's website to differentiate yourself from the large crowd of seemingly lazy job seekers. The state of the website also offers insight into how technically cognizant they are or can afford to be.

No website for the Employer?

Be VERY careful! If there isn’t a website for the employer, the lack may mean that the employer doesn’t really exist (although I have found websites for fake employers, too). Scammers target job seekers frequently, so, if there isn't a decent looking website for the employer, be wary that you may have discovered a scam job.  For more information, read Avoiding Job Scams.

Using the Information on Employer Websites for Your Job Search

Assuming that you find the employer's website, explore it thoroughly! It provides a window into their world  -- or what they want the world to think about them. You'll be able to customize your resume and cover letter or job application based on what you learn. Customization will make you stand out from the crowd.

READ MORE

 
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LinkedIn Expert Laura Smith Proulx offers detailed advice for using LinkedIn when unemployed. Laura's advice: When you are unemployed, focus on your goal, not your temporary unemployed status. For example, adding a Job Title similar to what you’d use for a Headline ("Sales Rep Pursuing Dealer Sales & Distribution Opportunities") will help employers realize why you’re adding the job. 
What you do during a job interview is viewed as a "sample" of your work. Everything you do is being judged because they don't know you (unless you are one of the lucky referred candidates). So, demonstrate the quality of your work by avoiding making these mistakes, a list collected by Job-Hunt Editor Susan P. Joyce based on her interviews with recruiters and employers.
 

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