THE 21ST CENTURY JOB HUNT

PLAN FOR SUCCESSGeorge JanczukJune 18 2014; ACS PM SIG

gjanczuk@gmail.comhttp://au.linkedin.com/in/gjanczuk/

© 2014 G. Janczuk. Permission granted to ACS to redistribute.

Introduction

• IT professionals have historically focussed on an ever upward career journey, but…

• Post .COM crash and post-GFC IT world:– Rise in off-shoring– Ever increasing focus on driving commoditisation and

efficiency in IT– The days when IT professionals could write their own cheques

and pick-and-choose their jobs at will well and truly behind us.– IT jobs are no longer plentiful– Pay scales are stagnating & the competition is fierce.

Confluence of need

• Being good is not good enough• An employer needs to need what you have– and the need needs to be temporally aligned

with your availability• Supply and demand• Planets in alignment• It’s a numbers and visibility game

Stand out from the crowd

• Dress for success• CV• Get your name out there– SIGs (like this one;

attend or even present!)– Meetups– Build your network; including LinkedIN

Building your LinkedIN network• Build as you go;

not when you’re in need…it’s too late then!

• Job hunt is- network payback time - not building time

• Don’t be a LION(LinkedIN Open Networker) –the network must mean something

• But do use LinkedIN to make newconnections and re-kindle old ones– “People you may know”– Personalise the invitation

boilerplate– Shared Connections

Tara accepted my connection within half an hour!

Sales and Marketing

• PRODUCT = YOU!• BRAND = YOU!• You are your own BDM for product YOU• You need to fill a pipeline of potential opportunities

(it’s a marathon – not a sprint)• CV = just a tool to get to the Interview• Recruiter = gatekeeper (follow the $; when the buck

stops they serve the employer – not you.)– You are the product they sell…

Your CV• I don’t think anyone gets CVs quite right• …but less is more (2 pages is good if you can manage it)• Don’t present yourself as a generalist – even if you’re a good one

(employers have specific roles to fill)– Often an ‘excuse’ for not having a good idea about what you want to

do… (a whole other discussion)• Be specific and spruik your strengths• If you have broad skills – then customise the CV to each

opportunity– It’s OK to have more than one variation of your CV

• Don’t lie– Fake it till you make it can get you in trouble in a job hunt.

• Keep the target audience in mind.– You need to play buzzword Bingo!

When you’re out of work…• You’re not on a holiday!!!

Don’t be tempted to slack-off!• Your full-time job is to find work and fill your pipeline with

opportunities• Catch up with people – your network• Have lots of lunches with contacts• Wear a suit and tie – even if it’s a personal friend• Look at Seek and job ads too – but the social aspect is MORE

important.– Go to the jobs; don’t make the jobs come to you– MANY jobs are NEVER advertised

How do you prioritise who you contact when?

• The job hunt Quadrant (just like the Gartner quadrants – but different)

Ability to execute(have the right jobs

and vacancies)

Likelihood of execution(know you well, and have good rapport with you)

ABCZMy last job

came from this

quadrant

Categorise your contacts as per the two axes shown.

…then approach contacts in order:A, then B and then C

Contacts in Z are unlikely to be fruitful.

Making contact

• Usually this consists of emails initially– But you know the person; what is most meaningful – pick up

the phone if needed• Do *NOT* just use a boilerplate

– Google and LinkedIN are your friends for background info– Customise each email – Using a template for the starting point is OK; but BE CAREFUL

– it’s WAY too easy to slip up. • Lunches

– Often a prelude to an interview– Your contact will often be a broker or referrer; not the actual

hirer – you will need to build a new relationship.

KPIs to apply to your job hunt

• Emails out– Responses back

• Lunches• Interviews• LinkedIN metrics

LinkedIN metrics• LinkedIN views: • View Ranking:

Other LinkedIN aspects• Photo - professional• Reasonably complete profile• Some recommendations look good• Do look at jobs on LinkedIN (but still nascent)• Paid account?

– I never found InMail particularly useful– But a paid acct. looks more professional; & the jobseeker ‘suitcase’ makes your intent clear

(it’s GONE!: http://help.linkedin.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4357/~/changes-to-the-job-seeker-badge)– Just get the cheapest one

• Join groups; follow companies• Post status updates• Like, or even better -

comment on other status updates in your network• If someone views your profile – VIEW THEM BACK• Good tool for intel. on target company

– ‘People Also Viewed’ very useful for finding out org. structure– Google indexes LinkedIN pages; also a useful avenue

Know your LinkedIN networkInMaps: http://inmaps.linkedinlabs.com/

What to do when you get an interview?

• You can’t make a 2nd first impression• Use Google and LinkedIN– Knowledge is power

• Brush up!– Yes – I know we’re all awesome; but without

preparing anyone can fluff an interview– By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail

PLAN BWhat if the bills start piling up?

• Move to another vertical– E.g.: Been ‘stuck’ in Financial? Try Government!

• Short term consulting• Quadrant C• Think short to mid-term• Skill up to meet demand• The take away message is:

A long-term period of unemployment should be avoided – you’re more attractive to an employer if you’re currently in a job.

Priorities w.r.t. a fill-in job…(descending order)

– in your field for the right organisation is best; – in a related field for the right organisation; – in your field for any organisation; – in a course of study. So you're out of work, sign-up to a discounted

course of modules with the ACS; – in a related field; – pro-bono, community help, charity work; – anywhere (includes Maccas); – unemployed; – full time at her Majesty's discretion

• Overlaps (except for the last one) are even better. – The last two on their own don't get you into the interview pile

Survivorship BIAS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivorship_bias)

…or, why should you listen to me?

• You often get better insight from failure than success; so let’s look at failure:

• TWO CAUTIONARY TALES:

• ME!– Head hunted into an executive role. Seemed great at the time; but ultimately

was not a good fit.– Peter Principle (biting off more than you can chew: http://

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Principle)• A colleague of mine

– He left because of political situation at work. The winds changed after he left and the problem he was trying to escape has gone away. He does not like his new job, but he has been unable to return.

– The grass is NOT always greener (and apropos of the Beatles song – getting back to where you once belonged is not always achievable – be careful!)

Q & A

THANK YOU!