Hello there, job seeker. No doubt about it. Places like LinkedIN are terrific places for online job listings. But what about the step that happens BEFORE a job is posted? You know, the thing that triggers the employer’s need to fill a position. The thing that gets the ad agency recruiter or client side HR involved and looking for great talent?
Why does the job opening exist? Here’s a quick look at common triggers on both the client and agency sides.
Look for these client-side triggers to identify future job openings
These things typically are leading indicators there will be employment opportunities on the client side:
- New CEO, President or CMO (Chief Marketing Officer)
- Existing staff promotions / departures
- Exceptionally large business gains or losses
- Bad business results
- Office location changes
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Macro economic indicators
- New funding sources
Recognize the signs agencies will be looking for new talent
Looking for a new agency gig? This list of triggers is not all that much different from the client-side list.
- New pieces of business
- Existing staff promotions
- New senior managers
- New department leaders
- Departing staffers (which may leave a hole that needs to be filled)
- M&A
- Missing digital / big data / social media capabilities
Get ahead of your competition and give yourself more time to win the job
One could ask, “why should I even identify these triggers?” Glad you asked!
It doesn’t matter if you are searching for a client-side job or an agency one. Here are just two reasons why identifying triggers can put you in a better position to get that coveted new job:
- Give yourself more time to win the job. Generally speaking, with more time, you can craft a better strategy for how to differentiate your candidacy, get in front of the agency or client-side recruiter, and put your pitch in front of the hiring manager.
- Get ahead of the competition. As soon as the job is posted, the employer and recruiter will be flooded with calls, emails and letters. By seeing the employer’s future need, you can beat the massive influx of resumes and dramatically increase the chances of being properly considered.
Consider reflecting the trigger in your customized job pitch
This trigger is news. Someone — or a whole team — is going to be hired. What is it about you that’s relevant or important to the recruiter? For example, have you worked in this category (and what kind of impact did you have)? Do you know the person who’s been hired? Do you have experience the agency doesn’t have?
If this news won’t trigger a job for you, share the news with a friend
Maybe it’s a better fit for them. Perhaps they have the category experience you don’t. Being nice and good pays dividends. Wrote the fella who gets most of his business through repeat and referral sources. I suspect you know people who will return the favor and keep an eye peeled for you. Or heck, maybe even hire you in the future.
Anywho, hope this spurs you to think about your job search a little differently. For more career-minded thinking on this website, check out the career blog post category.
