Finding a new job..

[Superfan99]

What has been your best goto move to find a new job? (Minus your direct networking contacts, as I really dont have many)

 

[Monster]

Higher a head hunter...

 

[Scoot26]

I'm guessing you currently have a job?

 

[nwfisch]

Fareway

 

[Crystallas]

If you don't have networking contacts, you're SOL. There is no way to prove the credibility of your skills, only the history of your activities without networking on some level.

 

[Omeletpants]

Higher a head hunter...

You can't hire a Head Hunter. They are independent and work on behalf of the hiring company.

It would help to know what skills the poster has

The best way is through networking friends and former business associates. You also need to set up a profile on Linked In so that people know you exist and you can make contacts. Linked In is the number one source in America for finding a job these days. It's free for you and the hiring company and has about 60M people using it. You can do a daily search for jobs and there are a lot posted.

Linked In is so powerful and prevalent these days it has nearly killed the head hunter business for all but the top paid positions. If you don't have a Linked In profile you are doing it wrong

 

[Nail Polish]

Ommy...Give the guy a job already!

 

[Omeletpants]

Ommy...Give the guy a job already!

He hasn't given us any clue what he does or his skills. If people are going to make these threads it would be helpful if they gave some background information. Finding a job is about promoting yourself. You never know who is going to read this stuff. Got to think a little and anticipate. Ask youself "what would someone need to know about me". The fact that you hated Lovie isn't enough info

 

[Superfan99]

Thanks for the help guys! It didn't occur to me to post my skills on a Chicago based sports message board, as I am looking in the Central Florida area. I was just looking for some tips that I might not have tried or thought of, yet. I do keep my LinkedIn profile updated, but I will definitely use that asset more heavily now (Thanks Omelet). If someone in the Orlando area IS looking and reading this, I am looking to continue my experience in the procurement field, with my previous position being a Purchasing Manager for a smaller IT company.

I have had luck with recruiters in the past, so I am definitely going to use that route, in conjunction with LinkedIn. I will try to work on some networking opportunities, as well, but that is my weakest tool ATM.

 

[nvanprooyen]

Thanks for the help guys! It didn't occur to me to post my skills on a Chicago based sports message board, as I am looking in the Central Florida area. I was just looking for some tips that I might not have tried or thought of, yet. I do keep my LinkedIn profile updated, but I will definitely use that asset more heavily now (Thanks Omelet). If someone in the Orlando area IS looking and reading this, I am looking to continue my experience in the procurement field, with my previous position being a Purchasing Manager for a smaller IT company.

I have had luck with recruiters in the past, so I am definitely going to use that route, in conjunction with LinkedIn. I will try to work on some networking opportunities, as well, but that is my weakest tool ATM.

I will keep my eyes / ears open (live and work in central FL). Also, you are more than welcome to connect with me on LinkedIn. I have a pretty large network that would add a big chunk of 2nd and 3rd degree contacts to your network immediately...many of which are in Orlando.

Also, hint - it is fairly easy to optimize your LI profile for good placement in the search results. E.g. if a recruiter searches for "procurement orlando", you want to be there. I haven't touched mine in awhile...but I used to rank in the top 3 nationally for "e-commerce"...not sure if I still do though. But getting your profile optimized definitely drives profile views and in turn contact from recruiters.

Edit> Looks like I've slid to #7 (could vary based on your connections and their proximity to me though).

 

[Omeletpants]

On Linked IN do a search in your are for recruiters and maybe procurement. When you find them send them a connection request. If they accept then send them your resume and that you would like to talk. Now you are connected to recruiters and they have your resume. They need that resume as much as you want to give them one. They have to have candidates to present to their clients

 

[nvanprooyen]

Also hit up Groups. There should be ones that deal specifically with procurement. Recruiters try and network often inside those by making connections with people in their practice area + geo target. Look for ones that have a decent sized membership / activity level. Get in there and participate inside the discussions. For example, "Procurement Professionals" has about 185k members. You can find groups by going to the search box in the upper right, changing "People" to "Groups" and searching by keyword. Some groups require acceptance to join, many are open (immediate approval).

Also, once you are in...you can typically contact other group members and send them invite requests w/o knowing their email (group is one of the options). At that point, in the upper right...click on advanced by the people search. Put in your zip, do a radius of 50 miles of something, choose the group(s) and do a search. Then start reaching out to those people and saying something along the lines of "Hi, I noticed we are both in the Procurement Professionals Group (or whatever the group name is) and we are both located in Central FL. I am always interested in networking with other procurement professionals and was wondering if you would like to connect." Or something like that. Lots of people will accept it if you do it that way and you can grow your network of qualified / targeted people pretty quickly that way.

Have any q's about any of that, just let me know....

 

[Omeletpants]

Also hit up Groups. There should be ones that deal specifically with procurement. Recruiters try and network often inside those by making connections with people in their practice area + geo target. Look for ones that have a decent sized membership / activity level. Get in there and participate inside the discussions. For example, "Procurement Professionals" has about 185k members. You can find groups by going to the search box in the upper right, changing "People" to "Groups" and searching by keyword. Some groups require acceptance to join, many are open (immediate approval).

Also, once you are in...you can typically contact other group members and send them invite requests w/o knowing their email (group is one of the options). At that point, in the upper right...click on advanced by the people search. Put in your zip, do a radius of 50 miles of something, choose the group(s) and do a search. Then start reaching out to those people and saying something along the lines of "Hi, I noticed we are both in the Procurement Professionals Group (or whatever the group name is) and we are both located in Central FL. I am always interested in networking with other procurement professionals and was wondering if you would like to connect." Or something like that. Lots of people will accept it if you do it that way and you can grow your network of qualified / targeted people pretty quickly that way.

Have any q's about any of that, just let me know....

Great suggestion!!!

To add to that he MUST join this group IAOP (International Association of Outscourcing Professionals. This is a first rate, heart attack serious group of some of the best procurement people in the world. Here is their site http://www.iaop.org/

Join the Florida chapter and promise you will go to the meetings. You will meet some of the brightest minds in the procurement industry in the world. JOIN AND GO TO THE MEETINGS and network. Actually talk to people and let them know you are looking

One more peice of advice: I didn't like how you mentioned earlier that you wanted to work for a small company. I'm sensing some self doubt. Why not shoot for a big company and test yourself against the best procurement people in the world? Shoot for the stars.

 

[nvanprooyen]

Hell, I might join that too / go to some meetings. We offshore a lot so it probably would be a good thing to do. Thanks.

Edit> Doesn't look like they have a chapter locally at first glance.

 

[nvanprooyen]

One other thing to note, is that recruiters typically will consider the quality of the "passive candidate" higher than someone who is actively looking for a job. By passive, I mean they are already employed in some capacity...but open to new opportunities via direct contact or referral (push vs. pull). The reason being, the most skilled people are usually already working. The best candidates typically are not sitting on the sidelines too long. Recruiters know this because of the thousands of people they have talked to during the course of their career / the quality of leads they get per source.

So, if you don't have a full time gig...label yourself as a "consultant" and if a recruiter contacts you, frame it as "I wasn't really looking for anything right now, but I am always open to listening to new / interesting opportunities". I pretty much guarantee you will put yourself ahead of the people responding with resumes to postings via Monster / CareerBuilder / SimplyHired / Indeed / whatever if you can generate interest in what you have to offer.

 

[Superfan99]

Great suggestion!!!

To add to that he MUST join this group IAOP (International Association of Outscourcing Professionals. This is a first rate, heart attack serious group of some of the best procurement people in the world. Here is their site http://www.iaop.org/

Join the Florida chapter and promise you will go to the meetings. You will meet some of the brightest minds in the procurement industry in the world. JOIN AND GO TO THE MEETINGS and network. Actually talk to people and let them know you are looking

One more peice of advice: I didn't like how you mentioned earlier that you wanted to work for a small company. I'm sensing some self doubt. Why not shoot for a big company and test yourself against the best procurement people in the world? Shoot for the stars.

Holy crap, I can't thank you guys enough for all the help and support I received. You guys have rejuvenated my job search.

Omelete, I am definitely not holding myself back from larger companies, I was just stating my last working position.

 

[Superfan99]

One other thing to note, is that recruiters typically will consider the quality of the "passive candidate" higher than someone who is actively looking for a job. By passive, I mean they are already employed in some capacity...but open to new opportunities via direct contact or referral (push vs. pull). The reason being, the most skilled people are usually already working. The best candidates typically are not sitting on the sidelines too long. Recruiters know this because of the thousands of people they have talked to during the course of their career / the quality of leads they get per source.

So, if you don't have a full time gig...label yourself as a "consultant" and if a recruiter contacts you, frame it as "I wasn't really looking for anything right now, but I am always open to listening to new / interesting opportunities". I pretty much guarantee you will put yourself ahead of the people responding with resumes to postings via Monster / CareerBuilder / SimplyHired / Indeed / whatever if you can generate interest in what you have to offer.

Luckily, I have a personal online e-commerce website that I administer, because I left my purchasing manager position to relocate to Orlando. I have left that as my present position.

 

[nvanprooyen]

Perfect.

 

[Monster]

You can't hire a Head Hunter. They are independent and work on behalf of the hiring company.

It would help to know what skills the poster has

The best way is through networking friends and former business associates. You also need to set up a profile on Linked In so that people know you exist and you can make contacts. Linked In is the number one source in America for finding a job these days. It's free for you and the hiring company and has about 60M people using it. You can do a daily search for jobs and there are a lot posted.

Linked In is so powerful and prevalent these days it has nearly killed the head hunter business for all but the top paid positions. If you don't have a Linked In profile you are doing it wrong

http://headhunters.com/

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