Your goal is to identify firms which are raising capital, planning new facilities, reporting higher sales and profits, making acquisitions and planning for expansion. You will be equipped with a quick-response resume and an electronic resume, which will make it easy for you to bring your credentials to their attention. You know by now that approximately 50 percent of all openings are filled privately, as employers fill their positions through referrals, or by hiring someone who simply contacts them by mail or telephone at the right time. By hiring in this manner, they avoid recruiter fees and advertising costs. If you can learn where these openings exist, it stands to reason that you can have a major edge.
Events occur every day in thousands of firms that ultimately lead managers to search for new people.
They are announcements of high sales, expansion plans, acquisitions, new products and other news that signals opportunity. For firms undergoing these transitions, chances are they will need to attract good people to handle problems or capitalize on their opportunities. The activity in these companies won't usually be limited to one or two functions either. They can be expected to need people in all functional categories - sales, marketing, finance, etc. When you read about a company that is giving out signals that they may be hiring at an above-average rate, don't stop at the obvious.