If you’re looking of a job, you probably don’t want to leave any rock unturned. In your attempts to pull all the stops, you may be wondering about some of the less frequently used tactics and job-searching paths — like recruitment fairs, cold-calling, mass emailing, etc. Are these worth a try or you better focus your attention on true-and-tried ways such as job classifieds and online boards?
The answer isn’t a straight yes or no. It mostly depends on where you’re in your career, how sensitive your situation is and what you want to achieve in your next job. It also depends on the industry and its perception of some of the techniques involved in such practices.
Although some industries may perceive aggressive job-hunters as determined and persistent, others may see it as a sign of desperation and insecurity in their current jobs. That is why it is important to think twice and weigh the pros and cons of some of the job-searching methods that are less confidential in their nature.
Here are few points to keep in mind:
Your employer
If you begin visiting career fairs, calling competitors for a job or emailing your resume indiscriminately, you’re running the risk of having your efforts known by your employer. What’s the risk? Do you think your employer will understand about how you’re looking — like many others — for a new challenge?
Some employers do and some don’t. If your employer falls in the latter category you may be jeopardising your current job. In this case, you need to put the benefits of these open job-searching tactics into perspective and the same for their potential yield in terms of actual job opportunities.
Remember until you’ve a job offer in hand, you should hold onto your current job. It is known — and proven — that it is easier to get another job when you’re employed.
Your career phase
Related, if you’re not employed or you’re in an early stage of your employment, it is typically more acceptable and, in fact, expected that you will be looking for opportunities that meet your growing ambition — assuming you’ve accomplished your goals in your job and hit a ceiling.
The situation is different, however, if you’re a more established professionals with many years of experience. In this case, you may be damaging your image by going after employers. Many may wonder if you’re sensing a potential to be laid off or fired.
If you still fancy working for a particular rival of your employer, you can still communicate this desire but more discreetly. Keep in mind that the more time and effort you invest in networking and communicating within professional circles, the easier it will be to get closer to your desired employer and drop a word that you’re considering a change.
By doing so, you’re positioning yourself to be headhunted without looking desperate or in need for a new job. This also position in a better professional situation to negotiate title, salary, etc.
Rewards
As mentioned, before you pick up the phone and call a desired employer or hit a recruitment fair, you should consider the potential jobs that are there. Do you think just reaching out can bring you back a job? Although this is something that you can hardly know until you do, the long and short answer is: probably no.
Employment fairs are typically about marketing rather than hiring. Although they are great for connecting with potential employers and trying to build rapport, they are not typically an immediate answer for unemployment or job search. At the best-case scenario, you can strike a relationship with a decision maker who remembers you when an opening is available. But that, by no means, that you will be guaranteed a job.
Cold calling or emailing is a complete different story. If you’re not aware of who is exactly picking up the phone or the email, you may be running of a confidentiality risk. Not sure? Here is a question for you: Do you know where your boss’s spouse works?
This isn’t to say that you should never call or email without seeing a job ad posted. The point is do some research first and make sure that your effort is worthwhile. Dropping emails and making phone calls indiscriminately can cause more damage than benefit.
Rania Oteify, a former Gulf News Business Features Editor, is currently a Seattle-based editor.
