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• Classic-Fiction

• He would not rely on headhunters, job boards, web sites, newspapers, or friends.

— Most job seekers see headhunters, job boards, web sites, newspapers, or friends as primary lead sources. Here’s why: they are easy to access; they are the path of least resistance. “Too many dogs sniffing at the same gopher hole.”

— The best positions never get advertised.

• His best chance was to target specific companies, determine the right contact, get that person’s attention, and develop a position. He chose this route because:

— Fewer people would be willing to spend the time required.

— The best positions are either created or not advertised.

— Where no position existed and one could not be created, he would at least have created some level of rapport with the decision makers that he could draw on if a position developed.

— It is easier to position yourself for a job when the job doesn’t exist.

Allan’s Force Multiplier Effect in more detail:

• Develop database of potential employers in selected industries.

• Conduct research.

• Discard companies that did not represent a good fit.

• Contact selected companies.

• Arrange interviews.

• Register on job bulletin boards.

• Contact headhunters.

• Respond to posted advertisements.

➤ Develop Database of Potential Employers in Selected Industries

This database of 134 companies came from the Ottawa Business Journal in the following sectors:

• Aerospace, defense, and security technology

• Electro-optical/photonics

• Internet technology and e-commerce

• Semiconductor

• Software

• Telecommunications, satellite, and mobile communications

➤ Conduct Research

This took between a half-hour and 1 hour for each company:

• Industry

• Product

• Company

• Position

• Growth path

➤ Discard Companies That Did Not Represent a Good Fit

• Fifty companies were discarded for the following reasons:

— They were struggling in the marketplace.

— Allan’s background was not appropriate for the product/ business model.

— Other indefinable reasons disqualified them.

➤ Contact Selected Companies

• Each selected company was contacted for the names of the vice president of sales and human resources.

• Broadcast letters were sent to each of these vice presidents.

• Follow-up calls were made to determine and explore current or anticipated employee requirements. In almost all cases, they were not filling immediate opportunities. Allan would engage with the vice president to determine and explore company growth and future directions.

• Current points of pain:

— Poorly performing sales representatives

— Limited success in challenging geographic or vertical markets

— Insufficient sales bandwidth

— Evolving business model (e.g., geographic to vertical)

— Resumes forwarded if appropriate

➤ Arrange Interviews

• If he sent a resume, he did additional research as preparation for the follow-up call. It also allowed him to further qualify the company for fit. In a few instances, he discarded the company from the prospect list.

• If he was still interested in working for the company, he would follow up and try to set up an interview. People do not hire resumes; they hire people. The only purpose of his resume was to elicit interest and prompt a meeting in front of decision makers.

• It was assumed that no immediate openings were available. However, companies are always looking for good talent. “Even though you may not be hungry, there is nothing wrong with looking at the menu.” Simply put, even if he knew there was no immediate career opportunity, he would try to arrange an interview. Spending 30 minutes with a prospective employer benefited both parties:

— Sales opportunities could appear quickly.

— The vice president of sales/human resources might be able to refer him to someone in their network who was looking.

— It provided interviewing practice.

— It was an opportunity to establish a rapport