Day 3: The Best Book to Learn About Job Searching
If I can recommend only one book on job searching, it would be Knock 'em Dead: The Ultimate Job Search Guide by Martin Yate.
It was the first book I ever read about the topic, and it’s the most comprehensive one.
In this book, I learned:
- Your Job Search is a sales campaign. Applying to one job at a time is the most common - and most ineffective - way to get a job. Plan to regularly get in conversations with people who are looking to hire people like you, or people who might know those people. I’ve operationalized this to “Project 100”, i.e. set a goal to talk to 100 people in the next 3 months. 100 people seems like a lot, but 10 people per week over 12 weeks is already 120 people. He writes, “Two contacts a week is the behavior of the long-term unemployed.”
- Use job ads to figure out what you need to get promoted or change careers. This is the most direct way to learn what hiring managers look for when hiring for this role. Compare the list of required skills and experience with yours. Start filling the gap. Is the gap too big? Maybe the change you are making for the time you have available to make it is too big.
- You can apply to multiple roles, but have a primary target job, one in which you can succeed based on the skills you already possess. We evaluate people based on their credentials, not their potential. This is especially true in a tight job market where there are many qualified candidates available. Acquire new skills and experiences while you have a job, not when you’re looking for one.
Have you read any books on job searching or managing your career? Let me know your recommendations!