From what I’ve seen, there are typically two categories that job seekers fall into when it comes to the methods they use:  active and passive. 

Those that are passive go after jobs that are presented to them, whether by a contact or a job advertisement. They often end conversations with, “Let me know if you hear of any openings.”

Those that are active apply to companies whether they have an advertised opening or not. They continuously seek out new networking contacts. They begin conversations with the question, “Who should I talk to at XYZ company?”

Judging by the above statements, you would assume that the “active” job searchers are using the best way, right?

Well, yes and no. Yes, if you have to choose one method, the active style will statistically lead to greater success. However, one of the biggest reasons for this is because the vast majority of people exclusively conduct passive searches. With so many applying to all those open positions, the active job hunters will have much less competition when proactively searching.

So, why do I say “no”? Job boards exist for a reason because they work (approximately 10% of the time). Your best bet would be to combine the best of both passive and active job search strategies. To maximize your time, association leaders looking for a new opportunity can use the below “recipe” as a start:

1) Attend two networking events per month that focus on your industry or associations in general (such as ASAE and the Center for Association Leadership or the Association Forum of Chicagoland). (ACTIVE)

2) Spend one hour every other day searching for open jobs through an aggregator like Indeed.com (PASSIVE)

3) Identify associations you would like to work for and see if they have openings on their site. (ACTIVE AND PASSIVE)

4) Create a list of associations you would like to work for and send a highly-targeted cover letter and resume by mail–whether they have advertised openings or not. (ACTIVE)

5) Use a reputable recruiter distribution service and have your resume sent to those that source for associations and non-profits. (ACTIVE AND PASSIVE).

This brief list is just to get you started. It can be revised for what works best for you.

For those of you who don’t know her, Peggy McKee is a leader in the medical sales career field. For more about Peggy, see: http://www.phcconsulting.com/WordPress/  I had a chance to interview Peggy recently. The following is that interview – brief – but to the point: the basics you need to know to land your desired position in medical sales. What I want to point out for the reader is the reality that we are entering the most competitive marketplace in our lifetimes – you have to invest in your ongoing education and improvement or you will be left behind. Those who don’t have a sense of urgency about this will be those who “almost” get the job. That money you “saved” not investing in your improvement translates into extra weeks – and months – in your job search.

Q: How does the career future of medical sales (devices/equipment) compare with the career future of pharmaceutical sales?

A:  I see the career future as very bright – high growth; unlimited, high growth, no doubt impacted by regulation. I don’t see pharmaceutical  sales as high growth – it’s too diluted. If you are in pharma, I suggest you develop a specialty call point – then transition over to medical sales.

Q. What are some the biggest mistakes people make in their job search efforts – trying to get into medical sales (what should we avoid doing)?

A: They don’t prepare enough! You need to have the complete package: know how to sell in the interview, have an excellent resume that speaks to accomplishments. People often don’t do enough homework about the company they are interviewing with. You need to go to tradeshows – you need to go on a (medical-sales) preceptorship. When I ask “How many hiring managers have you contacted this week?” the phone line goes silent.  And some people get into an emotional rut – they get discouraged; they don’t realize the employer is picking up on that. You have to be enthusiastic and positive.

Q: What are the top “hot buttons” I need to know an employer wants to hear when I interview for a medical sales role?

A: There are 4: Do you understand the role?; Can you do the role?; Will you do the role? And, lastly, do you pose a risk to my continued employment with this organization if I hire you?

Q: Are there particular segments of the medical devices/equipment industry where I should target my efforts, e.g. capital equipment, surgical equipment, DME, MRI.

A: I think people get hung up on this –  they probably should not be targeting. Consider medical jobs as a whole – the industry is evolving so quickly you will find excellent opportunities in areas you may have not considered.

Q: As a pharmaceutical sales rep – trying to get into medical sales, what are some good points to know? (for the job search, for the resume, for my interview skills).

A: Yes – for the resume: be sure to list numbers, dollars and percentages. For the job search – prepare and reach out to a number of hiring managers. For the interview – be sure to role play. What I’ve learned over the years: it is Interesting how very little it takes to fix a problem with interview skills; the small things count – and can be deal makers or deal breakers. There is that “ah-ha” moment in my training of clients when we realize what has been thwarting our success.  

In conclusion: I think Peggy’s interview training for medical sales careers is something readers should seriously consider. There is a mindset that any investment in career-improvement (be that interview skills training or any other service) is a “cost” to you – and, yes, we’re obviously in a cost-conscious economy now. But from a purely ROI standpoint – the question becomes simple: would you invest 1-3% of your new salary in your career advancement? That’s about a 100:1 ROI. If you can find a better ROI than that – let me know. I know gold stocks are doing well – but not that well. . .

A visitor to my SalaryNegotiations.com website asked this question:  When looking on salary.com and other websites, they don’t have the specific job I’m looking for.  How do I give them a salary range without going over or under, but still getting the highest salary they can afford?:
My answer… and I welcome others’ comments.
TWO strategies.

First, let them go first and reply by adding 25% to their offer.  It’s unlikely that will leave money on the table, and you can come down from there to what you think is your best offer.

Second:  There’s also glassdoor.com, vault.com, payscale.com, jobstar.org, and many other sites to find a competitive salary on.

Age is relative and the definition of an “older worker” is expanding. The labour market is dramatically shifting into a new phase, with the percentage of Canadians in the workplace who are over 50 doubling every decade. If you are an older worker, you are quickly becoming a valuable commodity in a market that needs your expertise.

Older workers have much to offer the current Canadian marketplace. This is very meaningful for you, as it indicates that qualified workers are already highly in demand, and the need for experience is only becoming more prevalent.

Consider yourself as a product and your next employer as the purchaser. In the past, older job seekers often reported that employers sometimes seemed discriminatory, in that they appeared to favour younger candidates over more mature ones. But this is all changing.

There are two key forces in action that are shifting employers’ perception of older candidates:

1. The supply of experienced workers is decreasing. As boomers retire from the workforce in greater numbers, we are creating a talent drain within our labour market.
2. The demand for experience in the labour market is increasing. The talent drain is creating an unprecedented need for people who have applied knowledge and expertise.

As the pool of knowledgeable workers is dwindling, if you are skilled and qualified through actual work experience, you are quickly becoming indispensable. According to a labour force projection study published this year in Statistics Canada’s Canadian Economic Observer, although many baby boomers will retire from the workforce by the year 2021, we can expect the proportion of people in the labour force who are 55 and older to double what it was during the mid-1990’s, to up to 20% of the workforce. This dramatic increase will predicate your future potential within the Canadian job market.

The laws of supply and demand tell us that if there is a shortage of highly experienced employees, then you, as a mature candidate, are worth more to employers than less experienced workers. You are now heading from a buyer’s market into a seller’s market where you maintain quite a bit of power. The excess of demand over supply in the coming years will work to your favour.

Employers want to hire older workers because older workers often have many qualities that younger workers cannot offer. There is great value that comes from maturity. You bring:

1. Experience from a lifetime of work.
2. Adaptability coming from the transitions in your career.
3. Expertise with a deep understanding of your industry.
4. Professionalism to present a favourable first impression.
5. Maturity to deal effectively with tough business issues.
6. Leadership to mentor other employees.
7. Integrity that is displayed through your values.
8. Dedication shown through your reliability.
9. Commitment to remain loyal to your job and employer.
10. Vitality that comes from loving the career you are in.

The laws of supply and demand naturally put you in a better position to negotiate your employment terms, compensation, and benefits. You offer an excellent return on your employers’ investment. By hiring you, employers will decrease the costs associated with recruitment, training, and turnaround. Plus, you will be able to create almost immediate results in increased productivity and profitability because you know the job so well. You have a powerful voice. Start taking advantage of this great opportunity right away – you won’t be sorry.

Outlook 2010, a national survey conducted by Graham Management Group determined that agism is considered a primary barrier for six-figure Canadians. Sharon Graham is Canada’s Career Strategist. For a summary report and analysis of the Outlook 2010: Competitive Career Intelligence Survey email info@grahammanagement.com

When I first entered the careers field as an executive talent agent a decade ago, I asked those with expertise and experience for their words of wisdom and advice. Universally, at some point in the conversation, the colleague offering advice about executive careers would say that the candidate’s resume could make or break their campaign. I carefully researched and discussed differing resume writing styles with experts and soon found out what made some writers better resources, in my opinion, for my executive clients. Along the way, I learned to recognize different stylistic preferences and grew to respect, even revere, various approaches.

During the intervening years, the world of executive career management including recruiting, and in turn the role the resume plays in a job search has been changing. I think it is not an exaggeration to remark that we are living a revolution. Dramatic changes in communications, technology and the economy all have shifted the relationship between prospective employee and potential employer which in turn, are forcing career industry professionals to adapt. The Career Thought Leaders Consortium is one fine example of this trend

Many in our profession have recognized this sea change and have polished their skills, updated their knowledge, added new services and transformed their businesses.  They  continue to push our field forward and provide the high quality  services that more sophisticated clients demand. Executive clients today are more knowledgeable.  They can get information via Internet search, through virtual communities and online discussions.  Unfortunately for some,  they master this arena by spending their own time in the job market while in transition.

What I am getting around to is that today we are light years away from the olden days of paper resumes and are living with a complexity beyond the days of broadcast faxes and mass emails. Today, a candidate’s competitive advantage is not just a great (but static) resume documenting a fantastic track record of accomplishments. Their future career success stems from how an individual communicates and distributes and makes available their reputation and unique problem-solving capabilities to those who can hire them and offer them additional opportunities to learn and grow their success.  Sounds like a networking process doesn’t it?  Sure, the individual has to have the goods, but just putting it in writing is not enough, just communicating this in one well-crafted document is too little and just sharing this when asked is usually not enough to ensure  a career.

The best possible resume is a good starting point for discussion; a better strategy is not only to build a strong reputation (good resume content,) but to also be visible.  Achievements have always been necessary and still are necessary, but are not sufficient for success.  How an individual communicates their value has broadened from just a “dam good resume” occasionally distributed when the candidate was actively looking or asked to submit their credentials to being a full time, non-stop personalized PR campaign.  This means being visible and searchable online.

We’ve been learning that having a personal website or online portfolio or Linkedin profile alone seldom attracts enough attention or generates enough desired contacts from prospective recruiters or hiring managers. These online pieces are major parts of a larger effort that includes an online resume, a marketing presence that is vibrant, updated regularly and contains relevant data differentiate those who get noticed. Think: what did you do today, what will you be doing tomorrow that demonstrates your abilities. It is said that past performance is no guarantee for the future. To be competitive, executives have to prove themselves, visibly speaking, in real time. In addition to producing results, they engage others.  They develop new connections. They interact. They give to others. And when the timing is right, they learn about a new position and make a move. In other words, the resume is now an important part of the overall marketing plan implementation process.  There is an intention to attract attention and pull opportunities towards the candidate.  Contrast this to when all career marketing/job searching efforts were designed to push the candidate to potential employers.

Today’s environment means game-changing strategy and a new style for executing an effective search for candidates and the modern career industry professionals who support them.  The best solution is for every employee to always have the mindset and behaviors of a potential candidate:  maintain their visibility with up to date information and messaging. There’s no worry about anyone discovering they are looking for a new job because they are always open to new opportunities that are able to find them even when they are not actively looking for leads to a new job. They never are out of “job search mode” but their standard MO is inviting connections, sharing  ideas and being approachable.

When you have decided to make a career move at the executive or $100,000 plus job level, issues impacting your search may be different than other jobseekers especially if you are still currently in an executive position. You must know the special issues that surround this kind of search. Some of these tips were published on The Ladders as their lead story on March 1, 2010.

Here are three tips that should not be ignored in an Executive Confidential Search:

1. Watch Yourself – Know Who You Can Trust - Not all contacts, recruiters or friends may have your best interests in mind. Be very careful who you tell that you are interested in making a transition. A recent example comes to mind. A senior executive talked to some neighbors and acquaintances at a party in his home about several area companies. Weeks later a friend said “I heard you were looking – what’s up?” That shocked my executive contact. He said to me: “I didn’t think I had to watch myself.” You do.

2. No Sloppy Posts or Fishing Expeditions – Many executives and more than you might believe throw out some bait on websites, blogs and search engines. One example I have found through the years is that executives in transition try to disguise their resume and put it on Monster, Career Builder, The Ladders, and other sites. Most recruiters can tell by reading your content where you work. Good work. Your company can find out. Other executives create new patterns and really dust up digital footprints that can be tracked and followed…by people who don’t need to know but may want to know.

3. Watch Big Changes in Your Schedule (Others Are) – Nothing tips off people more than clear or radical schedule or behavioral changes. One executive I coached wanted to immediately reduce time at work and start networking in groups he hadn’t been active in for years. He said: “If I am ready I am ready.” We had to invest a couple of hours in convincing him to ease into his new networking schedule so as not to alert others who, for now, didn’t need to know.

If you are looking for your next move and you are an executive don’t incur unnecessary suspicion. As an executive career coach and outplacement partner to many executives, we advise a carefully thought out, intentional process so that you can remain confidential in your pursuit of your next meaningful work.

Lots of folks have sought advice from me and other Career Thought Leaders at this blog on topics ranging from cold calling, search techniques, bad bosses, jumping ship, jumping fences, compelling resumes, coaching references, and building networks. I have seen or heard the good bad and the downright ugly. Consistently what strikes me as I look back is the lack of knowing or understanding “the art of doing well by doing good.” I am talking about paying it back and paying it forward.

While it may be a generalization, so many of the “gainfully employed” are woefully ignorant of the nature of the job search and the incredible frustration endured by job seekers as they pursue the hunt. Sometimes it bears remembering that the shoe can be on the other foot. With this in mind here are a few do’s for those working stiffs who may be contacted by people looking to get out of the unemployment queue.

If you are seeking a job, please feel free to send it to those in your network who are working. If you are employed, please memorize and share with your friends and colleagues.

1. Respond to your friends’ requests for advice, connections or referrals! Sure you are busy. But take some time to consider helping a friend and even someone who could be a potential friend or colleague.

2. Remember and heed the past! Consider those times when you were in the job hunt. Do you recall how disappointing it was to get no response from anyone? Why not shave 15 minutes off your lunch hour to make a couple of calls or emails to help folks connect.

3. Return the favor! Are there folks who have helped you in your job or during your career that are facing bleak career prospects? How about the supplier who saved your skin at the last minute or the client that kept you in business with more business? Reciprocity is a two way street. Get busy helping!

4. Be proactive? In the course of your day, have you received a call from a recruiter looking for referrals? How much time could it take to provide names of friends and/or colleagues that might fit the job description? Are there jobs going begging in your own company? Why not reach out to friends that could be a good fit and get them into your firm for interviews?

5. Say a good word! If you have friends, colleagues or acquaintances looking for new opportunities, consider endorsing their capabilities. Web sites such as www.linkedin.com are a great platform to sing the praises of folks that have done a particularly spectacular job for you either as boss, employee, supplier, mentor or even nemesis.

6. Students are people too! Get involved in helping young people. Did you ever have a mentor that showed you the ropes or gave you disaster-avoiding advice? Sure you did. Take some time and be a mentor. Help others avoid pitfalls that may have challenged you. Spread your wings and take a couple people under them.

Paying it back and paying it forward is just the moral thing to do. In this economy, or any economy, helping people always pays dividends. Please share this post with your network.