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I Will Teach You To Be Rich

“Really sorry, but I can’t find the page you’re looking for. Instead, you can look at the pretty picture above. If you click refresh, I’ll even show you a different picture. Or check out the table of contents.” -The Computer

B Smith at Wealth and Wisdom

If you want a job, don’t apply to job postings. It only gets you thrown into the black hole known as Human Resources. Also, this is a case where you want a sniper rifle, not a shotgun. It may seem counterintuitive, but the fewer jobs you pursue the more successful you will be.

Here is my 10 step strategy. It has almost always gotten me the job. It may seem like more work, but it isn’t. You put in 10 hours up front and blow away your competition. You impress your future boss. You go in offering a solution to their problems, not asking them to help you with a job.

1) Identify 10 companies you want to work for.
2) Do basic research on these companies and the industry. Talk to friends. Ask family what they know. Google them. Your goal is to weed it down to 3-5 that are strong candidates.
3) Now you start the real work. Dig deep into each company. Go to the library and research them. Look up news articles and press releases. Get their annual reports.
4) Do the same for the industry. You want to be an industry expert.
5) Research their competition. Know thy enemy…
6) Get an informational interview with several people in the company. You want to be known. Do not try and turn this into a job interview. You need to be honest and be doing research. Often this will lead to an interview. They may ask you back for an official interview, but you are not ready yet. Push it out a few days out so you can get ready.
7) Put together your portfolio focusing on how you and your skills will help the company succeed and grow. Things to include:
-Resume/CV
-Letters of recommendation: go to family friends, coaches, professors, ministers, etc…
-certificates of accomplishment
-any diplomas
-a copy of your transcript.
-an executive summary of the company
-an executive summary of the industry
-an executive summary of the competition
-a summary of the projects you have worked on (listed last because it is the least important thing).
Think of ways you can help the company. Come up with several thoughtful questions about the company and the interviewer. Go through common interview questions and come up with good answers. Practice with friends.
9) Call your future boss and tell him you love the company. Let him know you have been researching the industry and think you have some ideas to help them ______(fill in the blank with your newfound industry knowledge and info from the informational interviews). Be polite and professional.
10) Go dressed in a suit. Shine your shoes. Get a hair cut. Look your best.
10.5) Send everyone you meet at the company a thank you card. Don’t email, write it out by hand.

Matt

Sara – thank you for the suggestion. There is a fair amount of poorly written documentation for shareware/freeware online I’m sure I could work my magic on. Thankfully I’m not looking for a job at the moment, but this is something I want to stay on top of.

Ramit – I came across your site several weeks ago and really enjoy it. You’re stories are pretty amusing.

frank

i am interested in making a portfolio and trying sometihng new. I am a recently grad with a masters in leadership, and having trouble getting my foot in the door. How would i start a portfolio?

JP

Working on side projects is huge. Not only in getting your first job, but while you are in your job.

For instance, I wanted to organize a Habitat for Humanity build with co-workers. Once I made sure there was enough interest, I set up a a simple website, where people could sign up for different weekends, sign up for car pools, view photos of past weekends, get directions, check the progress of the build, and so on. Even though I set this up, I didn’t attend each weekend. I found that people love power and responsibility. I asked for volunteer leaders to step up for each weekend and got many responses.

Within the office this project got a lot of visibility and gave me the opportunity to meet senior managers. But it also gave me a sweet little resume blurb that demonstrated initiative, leadership, technical know-how, and community involvement. Four things that employers and bschool admissions like to see!

Just an idea to get you thinking..

Sheridan Saint-Michel

When I was in college I did a lot of freelance web programming (at around $30/hr). One of the things I did to help make this happen was to submit code to tutorial sites. Websites like phpbuilder.com and weberdev.com actively look for code samples, and make it easy to get yours online. This is very visible (if you Google my name you will still see several code samples even though I haven’t done this in years), you can look at categories to see where there is a niche to be filled, and you can refer potential clients and employers to your “online PHP tutorials.”

It took very little time to write these samples and the return has been amazing. I would definitely recommend you consider trying this.

Sandeep

Just thought of sharing this about a resume that I came across. When I opened the document, it read -

Looking for job change in Java & J2EE to work in creative & challenging environment where I can deliver my potential

That’s it! Couldn’t believe someone could have a resume this short! Must be a mighty confident candidate, what say?

Mark Cummings

I like to keep a paper copy of my biggest projects. I include it in what I like to call my interview packet. This is used as a evidence to what is stated on my resume. I have never had to use them in a interview for automotive design positions, but I like to be prepared.

timgrahl

It’s all about who you know. Don’t bitch about the people that get jobs that you can’t just because they knew somebody at the company.

Work hard to make contacts and get to know people. It means doing work for free. It means asking for referrals. It means going to events where people you want to meet exist.

Every major opportunity that has come my way happened through a referral of someone I already knew.

I don’t have a resume and, if I ever enter the corporate world again, it won’t be by way of resume.

Now if I can only stop botching the phone interviews I get with kick ass startups…

Wealth and Wisdom » 11 Steps to the Job of Your Dreams

[...] was reading a post by Ramit @ I Will Teach You to Be Rich yesterday and the question came up ” I am in college, but have lots of free time, so I can [...]

Eric Nakagawa

Getting noticed all comes down to how you network and market yourself. Degrees and a nice resume are boring… I want to see your code, or hear about you from using a killer prototype, app, or side-project turned startup. Think about all your hobbies and interests; are they aligned with driving up interest in not only what you’ve done but also who YOU ARE. Every project you launch gives potential employers a peek into your interests, attention to detail, and style.

If you’re really lucky (or social) a direct intro from someone already employed/working in the place you want to work greatly increases your likelihood of not just getting your foot in the door… but blowing the door off the hinges. If you have a contact or friend who has already established a solid position in a company they provide a solid “in”.

We are all fortunate enough to work with really awesome people. During a job search … go for that clutch position! We need you!