Out of the Box

Job Hunting in a Recession

By Menachem Lubinsky on December 22 2008

It is certainly a sign of the times when a number of phone calls and e-mails that I received had nothing to do with marketing of a business, product or institution. Instead, these were people that were looking for advice on how to pitch themselves to a prospective employer. I suspect that with the number of layoffs in all industries expected to rise dramatically, that I will be receiving many more such calls, which is why I decided to go “Out of the Box” and tackle this subject head-on.

I suspect that it is not necessary to remind prospective job hunters of the importance of a well constructed resume. The resume should be able to give a prospective employer a good idea of the background of the applicant. It should be as specific as possible without being too drawn out in listing the skills that may be of interest to a potential employer. I have seen resumes that overstate their abilities by discussing accomplishments that have no bearing on possible job performance. For example, I recently read a resume where the applicant writes extensively about helping his shul move into its new building. This paragraph was far longer than the one that itemized his computer skills.

The challenge of being hired at a time when layoffs are rampant can be a daunting task. That is why it is absolutely essential that the applicant do as much due diligence on the targeted company as possible. If there is a way to research the company’s hiring trends, it can be extremely helpful. But even assuming that there is a real job opening, it is extremely important to know as much about the company as possible, which brings me to the letter and the interview.

Many employers tell me that they put a great deal of weight into the accompanying letter—that is the letter that should go along with the resume. They say that the short two or three paragraphs can give them a quick glimpse into the prospective candidate. What that would seem to say is that the letter must be well-written and should, of course, be well constructed using good vocabulary.

Here’s where the research can be put to good use. A sentence that shows that the due diligence was done can go a long way in increasing the chances for an interview. A letter I received for a job opening at my firm included the following sentence: “As a strategic thinker, I am sure that I will be able to contribute to your firm’s focus on strategic marketing.” It gave me a bit of an indication that the applicant did his homework and understood the strength of the company.

The applicant followed through with this theme at the interview as well. He seemed to know a great deal about the company’s history, its clients, and successes, all of which he was able to secure though research. He also went a step further by suggesting a way in which he might help secure new business. This is an extremely important point in this lingering recession. If an applicant can somehow make the case that he can help the company make money, the chances for employment increase.

This is advice that can also be helpful to companies contemplating layoffs to meet a slowdown in business. If an employee can somehow be creative enough to suggest that they might help pay their salary, it will give the employer pause before pushing the eject button for that employee. This is, of course, not for every job and not for every circumstance, but good to keep in mind if you are able to somehow fit within this mold of helping a company make money (at least helping pay for your own salary).

Like in all marketing, the more evidence of the quality of the product or business, the greater the chance for success. If a job applicant can produce reference letters or any other evidence that spells quality, the chances for employment are dramatically increased.

Another takeoff from marketing is researching the target market. Some people have a habit of sending out their resume to a large number of companies and then wait by the phone for a response. A better strategy is to research the companies that you might like to work for (where your skills and background seem to fit), to do the research, and then to follow-up with a quality letter. Employers can instantly sense a mass produced letter and ultimately treat it the same way.

Marketers know that over-exaggerating the capability of a product can lead to customer mistrust and ultimately rejection. Being boastful in a letter that you can turn the company around or that you can make it at least $10 million is usually a prescription for a quick trip to the garbage can.

Creativity is extremely important in this process. This not only applies to the all-important letter and behavior at an interview, but also in networking. For example, a young man recently told me that he got a job from his father’s banker. He had asked his father to introduce him to the bank vice president. After an exchange of correspondence, the bank VP remembered a client who had applied for a loan and included in his business plan that he would be hiring several young associates. Bingo!

Out of the Box is a collection of strategic marketing articles that Lubicom has published on various topics, trends and ideas in the marketing world. The articles have been published in the Hamodia weekly newspaper circulated on three continents to a readership of well over 100,000.

The name, "Out of the Box" is a term used frequently in business nowadays to describe creative thinking that is not the norm. It is meant to help a business pull away from the pack or separate oneself from the competition. It is to some extent fraught with risk, simply because it is not the run of the mill thinking, but it is at the same time the key to reaching the next opportunity.