Business networking sites

If you are looking for a job, and could not find a good one through the usual channels then business networking websites like LinkedIn and Ryze are the ones you should scan first. People often advertise jobs here, but to be successful in here, you will have to first make your presence felt by preparing a strong profile that should have some sound recommendation.

Job boards and forums

Believe it or not, forums also help people in getting hired. There are many job boards and forums where people ask and respond to various questions. You should also participate in such forums because it is the quality of your answers will increase your reputation, which will eventually land you in a decent job, as people are always on the look for a knowledgeable worker.

Blogging

Yes blogging can get you a full-time job as well. A blog does not only help you find a freelance gig, but it also helps you showcase the understanding of your field to the world. And it should not come to you as a surprise that employers love to have employees that are knowledgeable and astute. Your blog demonstrate both to the outside world.

Of the above three sources that we discussed above, blogging is the one which people do not take seriously as a job-search tool. Most of them are quite skeptic about the effectiveness of this tool, which makes it a very rarely used job-search tool. That is why I will suggest using this first.

So for starters, what is cold calling?  Well put simply it’s literally calling companies you would be interested in working for, to inquire about jobs.  Most of the time these companies don’t have any open positions listed, but that does not mean that there are no positions available.  A company doesn’t always get around to announcing a job opening straight away.  By calling before the position is announced, you put yourself into the running before anyone else is even considered.

Beware that in most cases your call may be met with negativity.  The person you are calling oftentimes has an unwillingness to comply with anything you have to say.  This is usually just because they are busy, and see your call as an inconvenience.  But don’t get down on yourself for this.  Stay positive and recognize that the negativity from them is not personal, and has nothing to do with you.  Continue your inquiry, stay polite and courteous, and if there really is no chance of an available job, just move to your next possibility.

Remember to stay positive, and keep trying.  Oftentimes you can end up on a call back list for potential employees when a position does become available.  It’s always good to have on file that you were interested in working for them before a job was vacant.

You need confidence in an IT interview, while this is true of any interview, for IT it’s especially important.  Information technology is a field that’s in constant flux, so your confidence in your ability to keep on top of that ever changing mountain is vital.  Part of IT is having very good organizational skills, so show that by having prepared questions with you at the interview.  Also, take a few notes about the important aspects of the job, and the answers to your questions.  This will show that you have a real interest in what’s going on, and the position available.

Be prepared for the questions you are going to be asked, and make sure you don’t fumble for an answer.  You should be expected to be asked basic questions about basic computer networking, as well as the more advanced.  So make sure you know your stuff, and that all of your knowledge is absolutely current.  Nothing will look worse than struggling to answer a question, or having an answer that’s out of date.

Finally, make sure you develop good informed questions, that are specific to the company to which you are applying.  Try a few challenging ones specific to the field, or discussing new technology, or techniques.  Anything that helps you look informed, as well as interested in the company.  You want to appear interested in working for this employer, and you want to showcase your knowledge and value.  Good questions do that better than you would believe.

Know that writing an article will give you an opportunity to showcase your expertise in your chosen industry.  This will allow you to gain recognition from sources that you otherwise may have been unavailable to, and it’s a fantastic way to get your name out there.  But make sure you know your stuff, because writing an article will also expose any lacking knowledge that you just don’t have.  Nothing looks worse than when you’re supposed to be writing an informative article when you’re not an expert in the points you’re trying to get across.

So first choose a concept that you want to focus on for an article.  Just one, so that you’ll find it easy to stay on topic and not get away from the point of the piece.  Then focus on writing an informative article, in your unique voice, displaying your unique expertise.  Remember that you have something worthwhile to say, that’s why you’re writing in the first place.  Carry through that confidence into your words and formulate something you would want to read.

From there, just use the typical writing guidelines to improve your article.  In editing ensure that all of your sentences are concise and make a good point.  Make sure you stay on topic, and make sure your article isn’t too long.  You want people to be able to take something from what you’ve written.  The only way to do that is to edit your piece successfully so that the end product is a concise informative article.

Is there a problem?

The best information product is never me-too and nor are the top-selling ones. The creator of these products first goes out in the market and then finds if there is any problem in their niches, which they can solve. If your product (information or otherwise) does not solve any real problem then why would anyone buy it? Have you ever bought something that did not meet any of your biological, social, psychological, financial, or security need?

Do many people have this problem?

To create a successful information product, you do not need to spot a problem only because there are many problems in everyone’s life that every one of us wants to get solved, but you need to spot a problem that is faced by many people. A market of 10 people is not at all a market.

Can you be remarkable?

There is a problem, and that problem is faced by many people, but can you solve this problem in a unique way? In order to get noticed, you do not need to be the best, but you absolutely need to be remarkable, as Seth Godin puts it. There is much wisdom in this thought. No one wants the same product packed in the new box. They want something really unique. Can you do this?

Can you show it?

Can you show the benefits of the solution you are providing? Can you showcase it? If you cannot demonstrate the features, you do not have customers.

Is it Simple?

No matter, how complex my problem is I want a simple solution. I do not want the solution to look like a complex problem. This is what every buyer of your product thinks. Can you deliver a simple solution?

These are the basic questions you need to ask before you start making a product. If you can do this, you can succeed, but if you cannot do this, you will never succeed.

So first off, research the company to which you are applying.  Know their practices inside and out, as this will offer plenty of opportunities for you to showcase your knowledge during the interview, and will also let you get a better feel for the company before you even enter the interview stage.  If you were going to attempt to sell someone a product, you’d want to know everything about your potential audience right?  Same concept for knowing the company you’re trying to earn employment from.

Make a list of your strengths and rehearse them so that you can flow throughout the interview with well prepared statements on why the company needs you.  Stay away from terms suggesting that you would be a “perfect fit”, or “perfect for the job”, as these are severe turn offs to any interviewer.  Implying that you are perfect for the position only implies that you are giving a form response that the interviewer has heard a thousand times over, and shows you didn’t put enough thought into your interview to come up with engaging original statements.

Ask probing industry related questions to demonstrate that you know what you are talking about, and to show you are taking a major interest in the job opportunity.  Showing that you are interested in doing the job before you even have the offer will make the interviewer realize that you genuinely want to perform at that company.  And nothing sells your ability and experience like appearing to have the energy and interest to succeed as much as possible.

You need a clear objective that you want to accomplish, and not something like getting the job, because that goes without saying, otherwise you wouldn’t be at the interview.  You want to have a clear example of what you want to come across in the interview, such as certain skills or experience that highlight why you’re right for the job.  Make sure those come across to the interviewer as fantastic examples of your past experience, or specially trained skill set and how it applies to them and the potential job.

Research the company to a decent degree, so that you know what they are about, how they conduct business, and their mission statement.  That way you can take control through relevant industry questions that apply to you and the job that you are hoping to get.  This way not only will you be able to show your knowledge of the company, but also the interest you have in doing the work necessary to learn about the position and better prepare yourself.

Finally, look for any opportunity to tell a relevant anecdote to showcase your experience, or skill set, showing you not only understand the company and the position, but also to highlight something worthwhile that you did at another job.  Proving your worth to the company you are interviewing for, and relaying the skills you can provide that they need.