Know-How Exchange : Research/Metrics

P.S. When I hear that you've "applied to numerous market research jobs," a red flag goes up. WHY would you apply to NUMEROUS jobs? Have you not taken the time to figure out which one is right for you? Surely they can't all be right for you, so why are you wasting your time (and the companies' time) on the ones that are obviously not right?

Do some research BEFORE you spend time applying and just apply to those companies where you bring real value and where you really want to work.

Dear pokeronomist,

Hello again. Merry Christmas.

When it comes to interview preparation, my stand by,
my Bible ... is a tiny book by Max Eggert.

It's cheap; it's slim; it's an easy read, but it's a GOLD
MINE of useful information about what to wear, how to
sit, what questions you'll be asked, what questions you
ought to ask, and how to prepare for THE interview.

You'll find it here: https://amzn.to/hWzr9T If you read this book (and do so at least twice) and if you then take action on what you've learned you will be 99 percent ahead of every other candidate applying for the same position.

And if you pair the book above with THIS book, Eggert's other book "The Perfect Resume", you will be even better equipped for success.

And heed Michael's advice about researching THE job, not EVERY job. Everyone ELSE is applying for EVERY job, you need to focus on THE job, the one that's right for you.

To this end, this might help as well: https://amzn.to/hErAaT

To GET the interview you want you must write an attention gaining cover letter and an attention getting résumé. Sounds simple, doesn't it? But my oh my, how often people screw this up

The purpose of your cover letter is to get the recruiter to
read your résumé. Once the letter has done that, it's done
its job.

The purpose of your résumé is to get you an interview.
Sadly, most people SCREW UP both parts of this process!

The harried recruiter has HUNDREDS of applications to
process and those applications will go into one of three piles:

Pile "A" is the YES pile (shortlisted for interview).
Pile "B" is the MAYBE pile (stand bys).
Pile "C" is the NO pile (bound for the shredder).

Your application MUST be chosen for the YES pile.

At best, each application will receive 30 to 60 SECONDS
of consideration, if that and THIS is where the two books outlined above will help you. I've used both these books
and they work.

If there's ANY help I can offer off forum, please let me know.
Having just spent TEN MONTHS searching for a job (and having just been offered one), I sympathize with you,
truly I do.

My offer stands. Need help? Just ask. Merry Christmas.
I hope this helps you. Good luck to you!

Gary Bloomer
The Direct Response Marketing Guy™
Wilmington, DE, USA

If you have not read The Potato Chip Difference yet, you need to do that. The subtitle is "How to apply leading edge marketing strategies to landing the job you want."

I am getting the sense that you're going about this all wrong, and you'll be back in the job market again very soon, if that's the case.

https://bit.ly/9Zq3jh or any major bookseller in the United States.

Thanks mgoodman, that sounds like a great book. Why do you think I'm going about this all wrong? I applied to like 15 - 20 market research firms for an entry-level analyst position. I'm just trying to get my foot in the door, and market research sounds rewarding; not to mention, it seems like a career that I'm well positioned for (given my academic background). Who knows, maybe I'll even want to do market research for life. The point is, you often don't know exactly what you want to do until you try it. I have honestly given a lot of thought to it too, so it's not like I'm just going in blind.

You're going about it wrong because you sent applications to 15-20 market research firms at the same time. I'm guessing you didn't research each one of them first, so that you could tailor your resume and cover letter to each one. You probably created a "generic" resume and sent it to everyone -- hoping someone wants a "generic" entry-level employee.

The way to get the job you want is to define it FIRST, and then create a marketing plan to get it. That includes thorough research of the prospective company FIRST, and then a single-minded focus on demonstrating why you are the perfect solution to their biggest problem.

When you apply to 15-20 companies, you can't possibly have done enough of the right kind of up-front research on each one that you need to do if you want them to notice you and understand why you're different from, and better than, all the other applicants they're considering.

mgoodman,

Do you have any more advice about how to do that specifically? I totally agree with you, that ideally I'd tailor my resume to each company. The fact of the matter is though, I just graduated from school, and honestly don't have much stuff to put on my resume in general. In other words, it's hard not to have a somewhat generic resume, because even my unedited resume probably wouldn't exceed one page. Do you have any advice for someone like me, without much experience (and let alone unique experience), about how to tailor a resume for each position/company?

Yes. The advice is spelled out in The Potato Chip Difference.

In a nutshell, first be clear in your own mind what you want ... right down to the name of the company that is best for you. Then use proven marketing strategies to communicate your positioning to the person at that company who will make the hiring decision.

It's all about making sure you can deliver what the company needs and then letting them know why you're the right choice for them. It is NOT about begging for a job.

As for the length of your resume, one page is fine, as long as it is clear about why you are the right person for the target company. What did you do while you were in school (besides studying and partying)? Were you involved in extracurricular activities? What did you learn from them that might be valuable for the prospective employer? Did you hold a job during summer break? If so, what did you learn from that? Etc.

Another thought: If you have no good reason why your target company should want you, and you're really sure the job is the one you want, then figure out what you would need to have done in order to be attractive for them. Go do that for a few years -- even as a volunteer or an unpaid intern -- and THEN go after your perfect job with the right company.

It's almost like reverse engineering your career. Start with the end in mind and then write the script that will get you there. It's going to be a lot more effective than begging for jobs at 15-20 companies.

* * * * *

Another thought: If all 15 companies were to make you comparable offers, which one would you accept? How would you make that decision?

When you have your answer, do the research on THAT company and land the job there. Forget the others. They obviously weren't your first choice, and there isn't much reason to compromise your goal (and career) by working for a second-choice company.

It's more about your attitude toward the job search than about the mechanics. You're in begging mode, not thinking about why a company might want you.

mgoodman,

Thanks again for the advice; I feel like I'm learning a lot. I am still left with a few questions/comments, that I'm hoping you can address.

1. How exactly do I go about finding these companies that are a perfect fit for me?

2. I kind of feel like I need to get some work experience before I can land a job at my dream company(s). I honestly don't think I'm good enough on paper to land the really competitive jobs immediately. Not to be cocky, but I truly believe I'm as smart and talented as the people who work at these firms, so I feel like I have to prove myself. The way I intend to prove myself, is to get a decent entry-level job, and bust my butt at the job, as well as do things on the side to learn and set me apart (network, start a small online business, etc). Do you still think I'm misguided with this strategy?