The Wall Street Journal recently published an article on the curious and compelling subject of reverse recruitment. Now, this isn’t to be confused with the kind of reverse recruitment more closely associated with being fired, but rather the type that involves making yourself irresistible to employers.
According to the experts at www.activerecruit.co.uk there are two options available when it comes to targeting and ideally snaring your dream post with your dream employer. Option one tends to be the option chosen by about 99.99% of jobseekers and essentially involves fighting with the pack for the scraps made available and begging businesses to give you a break. Less than dignified to say the least and unlikely to result in the desired outcome for most, but still the most commonly-chosen option across the board.
As for the second option, this is the slightly less commonly explored path which to a large extent flips the whole thing around 180 degrees. Or in other words, rather than having to fight and beg to get so much as a foot in the door anywhere, you make yourself an employment prospect the likes of which they simply cannot say no to – basically an irresistible human asset that they see being included in the company.
This is of course the point in the piece where many readers will have tuned out after saying “All well and good, but how on Earth can I become an irresistible employment prospect when I’m not yet in the job I want to be in?” It’s not as anybody is born with the kind of super talent that makes them shine brightly for all employers to see. Admittedly, it’s a tricky act to pull off and those expecting an easy ride can forget it, but if you’re willing to put in the effort and manage to make it work, you might just end up one of the few whose doors are practically knocked down by a tidal wave of employer interest. Here are a few tips that will at least make you head in the right direction:
Live it, Breathe it
So as far as the geniuses at the WSJ are concerned, what can the average jobseeker realistically do to begin standing out as an unmissable prospect?
Well, the way they see it there’s really only one thing that needs to be done – show your dream employers how you will fit in and benefit them. And in terms of how you can do this before being employed by them, it’s a case of living and breathing their brand/corporate culture and industry area not as a job-seeking prospect, but as a lifestyle. Unsurprisingly, before making any attempts to accomplish that, you need to know in detail what the brand’s corporate culture is all about, understand their philosophy and be aware of what they might be up against.
These days, there are so many channels via which you can create your own personal brand that shows them you mean business before getting into business. If you’re not already a fully-fledged expert, make the effort to become one. If you haven’t already built a following and a reputation, start a blog and work on that. If you haven’t overhauled your social media pages in accordance with your long-term career aims, do it right now. The channels you approach this strategy and literally endless and can be a real goldmine for anyone who has the dedication to really pursue their dream job.
Headhunting is one thing, but what you are basically looking to reach is a stage where you’re in prime position to reach out to those you’d like to work for and make them an offer they can’t refuse. Instead of waiting for the jobs to be posted…which oftentimes they aren’t…you’re essentially saying “Check this out!” in regard to yourself and putting them in a position where they just have to hire you.
Yes, it will take time and yes, it takes quite some effort, but given the fact that 99.9% of jobseekers don’t ever bother exploring this avenue, you can bet your bottom dollar it’ll pay off in the long-term.