Targeting Companies

Once you have decided on some of your values, it is time to identify companies you may be interested in. This is really simple - GET OUT OF THE HOUSE.

You don't find new companies by sitting inside looking at a computer screen. Schedule time every day to get out of the house and go looking for companies and people. As you drive around or ride the bus or walk or bike, notice the companies you are going past. Look for a name or location or color or sign that interests you, then write down or record the name of that company so you when you go home you can check them out online and see what they do. That is the first step in targeting companies.

When you look up a company, the fastest way is to type in their name, add a .com at the end and see where it takes you. I prefer to google the name of the company and see what comes up on the search. I want to see more than just the company website. I want to see what other people say about them, what may be happening in their industry, or whatever else happens to come up. I want to see a bigger picture.

When looking at the bigger picture, you can start to see areas that have an interest for you, or a problem in the company/industry that you can help fix. These are great places to start to see if there is something that you can provide when you start to meet with the company about future opportunities for you.

When you look at the company website, look at all of the company website. It is very easy to just look at the front page and the product information and the contact information. Read their news releases and product releases. More companies are now writing blogs on their site. Read them if they are there. And as you read, make notes of the thoughts that come to you while you are reading. These will become the basis of your action plan. They will also help you look at the company and say, "Is this the company I want to hire?"

Get on LinkedIn and check out the company and its people there. Smaller companies may not have much there, but their people will be there. Check out their profiles, see if you have a connection somewhere, and determine which you are most likely to contact for informational interviews.

All of this computer time is really not very much. Less than an hour per company. And for some of the companies you look at, you will decide in less than five minutes this is not a company you want to hire. So stop there.

Your Goal: Find ten new companies each week that you want to target. That seems like you will create a backlog of companies you are looking at, but the reality is that you will drop many of them early. When you do get too many companies, then stop looking for that week, unless you see something that really intrigues you. You should be looking at 20-30 companies at any one time. Less than that and you slow down your search.

Keep your eyes open, you never know where you will find the next step in your professional and personal development.

Setting Your Values

Remember - This is all about confidence and attitude.

Nothing else will be as important as confidence and attitude.

When you have confidence and attitude, you will find the right position in the right company that you will hire.

It is all about you. The company has nothing to do with it. The tools you use have nothing to do with it. All the advice you get has nothing to do with it. It is all about you making a decision on where you want to work.

To build your confidence and get your attitude right, think about you. Ask yourself the question, what do I want to learn at my next job? What are the skills and talents and strengths I want to gain and/or develop?

Write in detail. It doesn't matter what you write, only that you write it. It has to be somewhere you can read it again. Not just in your head. It will get lost in there.

My actual recommendation is to invest in a notebook or journal for your job search. Write your thoughts, your notes, leads you get, decisions you make, results you find. Writing in one place gives you a chance to sit back and review your progress. Instead of just guessing, you are tracking what you do.

There are a number of decisions you need to make. They include: How much money do I need to make? What are the benefits I need for my family? Will I travel and if so, how much? Do I get a cell phone, car, computer? Where am I willing to live? What are the options for my future?

As you ask these questions, you are establishing your rules for choosing a place to work. The company has already set their requirements - time for you to do the same.

Don't rush this process. Take a few days, write your thoughts down, review them, change them and then set your values. Every time you look at an opportunity, review your values and ask if this fits. If it doesn't, don't hire that company. Keep moving and you will find the right company to hire.