Pitney Bowes Shares A Dozen Tips for Job Searchers
Tools for Making the Best Connections
Tuesday February 24, 2009, 10:03 am EST
STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As unemployment soars, online job searches are both empowering and frustrating to job searchers. Pitney Bowes Inc. (NYSE:PBI - News) recommends blending offline tools with online searches for making connections that land jobs.
“The Web has been a powerful tool for recruiting and sharing job postings,” said Johnna Torsone, Pitney Bowes Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. “Online tools should not be relied upon exclusively in a job search; they should be combined with personal networking and correspondence.”
"In this economy, companies need to attract only the best performers in a field, so the ability to demonstrate excellence is paramount," said David Moyer, President of Moyer Sherwood Associates, Inc., a retained executive search firm specializing in corporate communications. "The tone, frequency and relevance of each communication have the power to either build winning connections or kill them."
Pitney Bowes suggests the following 12 tips for blending online job searches with offline networking for solid career results.
Resume for you and you and you…
Anyone can blast email a resume to everyone on their contact list. To really stand out, create a personal message to each and every contact. Once all the individual emails have been sent, follow up with the USPS mail version. The personalized note should be similar, but also personalized with your printed resume. Your colleagues, friends or relatives will appreciate hearing from you twice with thoughtful correspondence. Your resume is now far more likely to stay on a desktop, or better yet, on a desk.
Print your resume on a good paper stock appropriate to the position
Resumes printed on standard copier paper make a dull impression on a recruiter’s desk. A textured ivory or even a tasteful colored paper stands out in the pack. Select a standout look that fits the tone of the position available. A graphic artist may have a colorful background. An accountant may select an off white with an unusual texture. Whatever the new look, be certain that legibility is never compromised.
Please keep my resume on your desktop
What is your immediate call to action? Each recipient of your career networking communication needs to know the answer to one question – what do you need or want right now? By specifically writing “Please keep my resume on your desktop,” you are creating a simple, no-pressure activity that easily generates a positive response. A more direct plea of “Do you have any openings?’ may generate a negative response or none at all.
Who’s that manager?
Once in application mode, follow all of the steps that each firm requires in terms of online protocol. Register your resume on each firm’s Web site in the career section. Identify each job listing that interests you. Then, find all roads that lead to the hiring manager. First stop is your personal network, second stop is LinkedIn.com.
Mail call!
Once you identify a name in the organization that is hiring, mail your resume and compelling cover letter directly to the hiring manager. If it’s local, drop it off with the security guard or receptionist at the front desk. Use a large flat color envelope to make your piece of mail stand out. Which mail piece would you open first? The email or, the large green envelope on your desk?
Thank you for your…
Interest, your call, the interview, the opportunity to meet with you. How many thank you notes have appeared on your desk in the last six months? The thank you note is one of the most underutilized business tools. It is the most gracious and endearing form of communication in the business environment. In email, it has much less impact. Send two thank you notes. One via email and one in the mail with two distinct personalized messages.
Do you have a business card?
I hope so. They are so easy to create in a format that matches your resume and stationary letterhead. Hand out business cards at area networking events and family gatherings. There are often situations where a calling card or business card is more appropriate than handing someone a full resume.
Here are my references
On the first interview, always have a printed list of references – 3 to 5 references is the norm. No family members on this list, please. By sharing email and phone numbers on the first interview, this may differentiate you from a competing candidate who may be waiting for the formal request for references.
I thought you would be interested in this…
If you are being called back for a second interview or, better yet, waiting for an offer, find reasons to keep in touch. The HR process may take weeks. Emailing or mailing news articles, white papers or information that is truly helpful to your future employer, offers the impression that you are already contributing as a team member. Often, the HR process may be stalled, but don’t let your communications pause. This should occur no more than once per week.
Get it in writing
For the most prudent candidate, there is no job offer until it appears in paper in the form of a signed offer letter. There is a reason these important documents are usually sent via mail or overnight delivery. The negotiations are never final until that signed offer letter is in your hands.
Send out your new business cards…
After you land the plum new position, remember to keep in touch. Update your online social networking pages. Share your new email address and send an extra special USPS-delivered sincere thank you note to each and every person who helped you along the way. Karma rules when it comes to your career. Make sure you’re in touch during the good times as well as during the challenging ones.
Update that resume
Updating the resume at the beginning of a job search is a looming task that can feel isolating and frustrating. The best time to update that resume is at the start of a new job. You are confident and your optimism will translate well in your resume text.
For more information on how mail helps make business connections, visit www.pb.com. There’s a lot more here than you think.
About Pitney Bowes:
Pitney Bowes is a mailstream technology company that helps organizations manage the flow of information, mail, documents and packages. Our 35,000 employees deliver technology, service and innovation to more than two million customers worldwide. The company was founded in 1920 and annual revenues now total $6.3 billion. More information is available at www.pb.com.
Contact:
Pitney Bowes Inc.
Carol Wallace, 203-351-6974
carol.wallace@pb.com
