Career Tips Tuesday: Why Snooping is Your Best Job Search Strategy
There is a lot of truth to the notion about what happens when preparation meets opportunity, the possibilities are endless… especially when it comes to your executive job search.
However, if your career background is highly specialized, your experience is in a niche industry or your job search is limited to a small geographic location, your strategy needs to be extremely tailored, precise and customized to yield the greatest response.
With extensive research, diligent review and consistent follow-up, you can unlock key information about your target companies, industry changes, market trends and top decision makers.
Set yourself apart from the competition, by incorporating this business knowledge and competitive intelligence into cover letters and networking resumes – the goal is to show that you understand the complexities of your field and can provide viable solutions to pressing business challenges.
Access to readily available sources of “competitive intelligence” that can boost your job search is closer than you think…here are a few places to get started.
- Company websites, annual reports, press releases – Hoovers, Glassdoor, Dun & Bradstreet, Nasdaq
- Daily newspapers, business journals and business periodicals – Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune, Inc
- Industry and trade association websites – Solar Energy Industries Association, Toy Industry Association, Telecommunications Industry Association
- Industry-specific newsletters and magazines – Hospitality magazine, PR Week, Resource World magazine, Fast Company ,
- Informational interviews with current or former employees and target company competitors
Position yourself as an insider before you get the job. What critical business/competitive intelligence can you leverage in your executive job search today?
(Photo credit: imagerymajestic)
