Resources

A while ago I was asked to speak to a group of senior executives about job search and career management. Many of them were unemployed or at risk of becoming unemployed. It really bothered me. Not the fact that I was asked to speak. But the fact that a bunch of unemployed professionals were spending their time getting together to ‘network’ (read: commiserate).

In my parlance, I call that kind of gathering ‘notworking’ – notwithstanding the fact that there would be a speaker – me – who might share some helpful information. I decided to make the time worth their while by sharing some tough love; by telling them some things they needed to know, but probably didn’t want to hear.

What I told them – the title of my presentation – was, “Your Job Search is a Bare Knuckle Fight.” Afterwards, a number of the attendees confirmed what I had suspected, that this was the first time they’d heard the advice I gave them.

What really, really bothered me, and continues to, is that many of these men and women had been unemployed for months or years, had been through outplacement, had worked with coaches, had spoken with recruiters. And yet, this was the first time that someone had told them the truth about what they have to do to get a job in today’s unprecedentedly challenging workplace.

They had been following ‘rules’ that have developed in the digital age about how to use the Internet to get a job. As a recruiter who gets people jobs for a living, these ‘rules’ are just plain wrong. Here are a few:

• Email, don’t call.
• Spend time and money developing a great resume.
• Find positions you think you qualify for and apply online.

In the vast majority of cases this simply won’t work. Anyone who has emailed hundreds of resumes in response to online job postings – and still no job – knows this is true.

Here at FPC, we use a far different approach to connect our clients to the right talent. As part of my job as owner of an FPC executive recruiting franchise office, I train my recruiters in these techniques that earn them quite a good living. As Executive VP of our franchise entity, I train other FPC owners in the recruiting methodology that has worked successfully since the company was founded in 1959 and since we began franchising it in 1973.

Unfortunately, my fellow FPC recruiters and I cannot help many of the job candidates who come to us. It’s a sad irony that, for the most part, our clients in manufacturing and industry hire us to find passive candidates, i.e. those who are currently employed. The longer someone is out of work, the less probability that a recruiter can find them their next job.

So, I decided to flesh out my presentation to the executive group and turn it into an eBook that would not only share the tough realities of today’s job market, but that would empower job seekers to serve as their own recruiters. Today, we’re launching Part One of “Your Job Search is a Bare Knuckle Fight: The FPC Recruiters’ Guide to Winning!”

Bare Knuckle – as we affectionately call it – is pretty blunt, but we also had some fun with the boxing metaphor and hope that you’ll find it a good read, as well as good looking. Enjoy the vintage boxing images and other cool graphics. To further encourage you to download the Bare Knuckle Guide, Part One, here are some of the chapter titles:

• The Internet is killing you!
• Outplacement is often out of place in a bare knuckle job search
• The road to a job usually bypasses HR
• Your job search is a sales job, like it or not

In Part One, you’ll learn why you must accept that these things are true. You’ll also come away with a fight plan that, if you follow it, will get you to interviews with the right people. In Part Two, we’ll teach you how to take advantage of these opportunities and close the deal.

In this initial 27-page eBook, we bring the experience we’ve gotten placing thousands of executives. You bring the guts and get the glory! Get into training for your Bare Knuckle Job Search right now and go from contender to champ when you win that coveted new position!! Click the button below to download Part One of the ebook. We’re in your corner!!

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