Companies sometimes hire people on a short-term or part-time basis and later create permanent positions for them. Although looking for employment in this fashion isn't a job-search strategy per se, you should be aware of its possibilities.
This approach is often effective for secretaries, bookkeepers, and individuals who perform general office tasks. There are many employment agencies that specialize in temporary positions for these kinds of job-seekers, and they are listed in the Yellow Pages under "Employment Contractors Temporary Help."
This short-term approach can also be of use to the senior-level job-seeker who wishes to work for a company on a consulting basis. Today, due to the emphasis on cost reduction and downsizing, more and more companies are hiring managers and executives for interim assignments.
The best way to secure such a position is through personal contacts. There are recruiting firms, however, that specialize in short-term assignments, and they usually concentrate in specific industries or fields.
The Long-Distance Campaign
The discussion on the job-search strategies has always pointed out when an approach would be effective for relocating to a particular part of the country. This objective, however, presents a certain obstacle: it will be expensive for companies to meet you, so fewer will arrange interviews.
There's a way to eliminate this financial concern. First, identify the potential employers in the geographic area of your choice. Next, obtain the names and titles of the hiring managers. Then send each person a broadcast letter that concludes by stating: "I will be in (the location) the week of (month, date) to conduct interviews. If you would like to arrange an appointment, please contact me at your earliest convenience." With the elimination of the expense factor, a greater number of companies will contact you for interviews.
Two weeks after you have sent the letters, you'll have the results of the mailing. On the basis of the interviews that have been arranged, you'll decide whether or not to take the trip. If you decide against it, advise the companies that have scheduled appointments with you that the trip must be postponed. A company might be so interested in meeting you that it will fly you out at its own expense at your earliest convenience.
When there are a small number of potential employers, conclude the letter as follows: "I will be in (the location) the week of (month, date) to conduct interviews. I will call you in a few days to see if we can arrange a time to meet." Since you'll be sending out only a few letters, you can afford the time and expense of this call. Not only will it increase your number of interviews; it will also provide the opportunity to develop leads and referrals.
The Telephone Interview
Many interviewers like to discuss applicants' backgrounds on the phone before arranging personal meetings with them. This is frequently the case with senior-level and technical positions and always when applicants are located out of town. You must therefore be prepared to receive a phone call at any time.
This way, you'll be prepared for a call when it comes and will be able to take notes. Make sure you get the correct pronunciation and spelling of the name of the individual who's calling you along with his correct title.
If you find that you need a moment to collect your thoughts and refocus your attention at the time that a call comes, ask the interviewer to excuse you for a moment while you shut the door.
When you return, the interviewer will most likely tell you something about the position he has to fill. Before he starts to ask you questions, try to find out more about the job. Ask the interviewer to elaborate on one or two points he's already made, or ask him to describe the position's most important responsibilities and duties. The more information you can get, the more knowledge able you'll be about the position and, in turn, the better equipped you'll be to bring forth those parts of your background that are the most pertinent to the company's needs. Your goal, of course, is for this telephone interview to lead to a face-to-face meeting.
Telephone Service
When looking for professional help with your job search, you'll most likely meet individuals who are called "career counselors" and "career consultants." Here's the difference between the two:
Career counselors have advanced degrees in fields such as psychology, counseling, or social work. Their focus is often on establishing job and career goals through administering tests and exercises to identify a client's strengths, weaknesses, personality characteristics, and interests. They often have less expertise in the details of job-hunting, although they'll be able to give you useful direction in this area. Some of these individuals may even be licensed by a state agency or certified by a state or national organization, such as the National Board for Certified Counselors or the National Career Development Association. If you write these organizations, they'll send you a list of their members in your geographic area.
Career counselors usually cost between $30 and $75 an hour; however, in major metropolitan areas their fees can be in the $100-an-hour range. Often these counselors work for colleges, universities, and community mental health centers; some, though, are self-employed. They seldom work for retail outplacement firms. Career counselors can be found in the under "Career & Vocational Counseling."
Career consultants, on the other hand, will usually lack related academic training and will place less emphasis on testing, assessment, and goal-setting. Their strength and focus will be on showing you how to set up interviews and get offers, the crux of job-hunting. Most of these individuals will have gained their expertise through working in the employment agency business, in the executive search field, or in the personnel departments of companies. Their lack of related education and a certification should not be interpreted to mean that they're less qualified than career counselors. In fact, the opposite is often the case, especially when it comes to developing and implementing highly creative and effective job-hunting campaigns. Individuals and firms can be found in the Yellow Pages under "Outplacement Consultants" and "Personnel Consultants." A few may also advertise under "Career & Vocational Counseling."
