My sister-in-law is snowed in under a foot and a half of snow in Gloucester, Massachusetts; my friend on the eastern tip of Long Island won’t be back at work until she clears her driveway of the three feet of snow that buried her car; another friend is waiting for public transportation to be restored so he can get back to work.
What do these people have in common besides the weather and living on the east coast? They all used the extra time off from work to search for new jobs.
According to search data from Monster.com, New York job searches were up 40% from a week ago. In Philadelphia, they were up 45% over the same timeframe and in White Plains, a suburb of New York City, searches spiked by 72% over the weekend.
What do these stats tell us? They tell us that there are a lot of people looking to make a job change. But truth be told, they’re searching for a new job in one of the least productive ways. Working the job boards has a very low rate of return, yielding success in landing a job about 4% of the time. Yes, some people do find work through jobs boards, how else would they stay in business? However, studies show folks would find a better match, find it more quickly, and have a better chance of getting hired if they contact the company or hiring manager directly.
So next time it snows, (I think that may be Thursday) make yourself a cup of hot chocolate, use some chair glue, and compose a short email you can send to companies that you would like to work for, a company that could benefit from your talent and experience.
Let’s assume you work in marketing and already know the leading organizations in your field.
Your email might go something like this:
Are you looking for someone to take your marketing program in a new direction? Someone with ____ years of experience, is a dynamo with social media, and has done a string of successful campaigns for products like ____, ____ and ____?
Because if you are, I can help make a difference. Here’s why:
1).Successfully launched multiple product lines for companies such as ____, ____ and ______.
2).Specialize in corporate brand identity, including messaging and visual aspects for brands.
3).5+ years of project management experience in a Creative/Agency environment.
I have some great ideas for your company. Can we talk about them soon?
Thanks,
YOUR NAME
Three powerful bullets with keywords to grab the reader’s attention, stir their curiosity, and generate enough interest to invite you in for an interview. So, next time snow is headed your way (or a heavy rainfall if you’re in a warmer climate), compose a short, powerful E-Note that packs a punch; this one is just little over 100 words!
