3 Guerrilla Job Search Case Studies

If you're job hunting in this tough economy, take heart from the following three stories of people who found work in three to four months -- about half as long as the average job search, which takes nearly 8 months (31.2 weeks) as of March 2010.

By Kevin Donlin, Star Tribune Sales and Marketing

If you’re job hunting in this tough economy, take heart from the following three stories of people who found work in three to four months -- about half as long as the average job search, which takes nearly 8 months (31.2 weeks) as of March 2010.

How did they do it?

By using Guerrilla Resumes (explained below), LinkedIn, and smart networking, among other tactics.

Read on to learn more from the Q&A I did with each of them …

Case Study #1: Brad Viles, from suburban Madison, WI.

Time to hire: about four months (hired on March 8, 2010)

Tactics used: LinkedIn and Guerrilla Resume

Kevin: How did you find the production supervisor job you just accepted?

Brad: I made contact on LinkedIn with an HR person at the company. I used Linkedin to forward my resume to them because three weeks earlier they had advertised the position.

I figured I might as well apply. I really had nothing to lose. And I got a response within about three days. The interview and everything went fine after that.

Kevin: What did employers say about your Guerrilla Resume?

Brad: I can’t begin to tell you how many times they complimented the form and the info on it. The quotes [from past managers] -- you’re showing the people comments about what you do and how they relate to you and what you can offer to a company.

Case Study #2: Patty L, from suburban Detroit, MI

Time to hire: about three months (hired on April 5, 2010)

Tactics used: Guerrilla Resume, list of target employers, smart networking, and preparation

Kevin: What was the most-important tactic that helped you find the Director of Customer Service job you just accepted?

Patty: Probably making sure that people in my network -- especially those who are at my target companies -- had my short, one-page Guerrilla Resume.

Kevin: By targets, this was a list of employers you wanted to work for, regardless of whether or not they were hiring. How many companies did you target during your three-month search?

Patty: Probably six to ten companies.

Kevin: What was the general reaction of employers to your Guerrilla Resume?

Patty: They liked it because it was different from the other 100 resumes they got in the mail.

Kevin: What else helped in your search?

Patty: Preparing. The morning of my phone interview, I stood while speaking and stuck my resume on the wall.

Kevin: Yes. Here’s why that’s important …

Stand and deliver: When you’re on your feet or walking around, your voice has more energy and enthusiasm, which employers can sense over the phone.

And taping your resume on the wall eliminates the sound of paper shuffling, which makes it appear as if you’ve memorized the whole document. You can’t help but sound smarter this way.

Obviously, Patty’s new employer agreed.

Case Study #3: Scott Melrose, from Mokena, IL

Time to hire: about four months (hired on April 2, 2010)

Tactics used: Guerrilla Resume and Linkedin

Kevin: How did you find the Account Executive you just accepted?

Scott: It found me! I got contacted via one of the people who will be my counterpart saying, “Hey, you look like someone we would like to have on our team.”

Kevin: So they found you on LinkedIn?

Scott: Yes. When I started using the Guerilla Resume and building it into my LinkedIn profile, people started finding me. They started coming out of the woodwork. I actually ended up with a position that is a better fit for me than anything I was able to find through research.

Kevin: What was the reaction employers had to your resume?

Scott: It was killer. Everybody that I showed it to was really impressed.

Kevin: Do you think that helped you interview more confidently?

Scott: Absolutely!

Now.

The astute reader will note that each of these job seekers used a Guerrilla Resume to find work about 50% faster than the national average of 31.2 weeks.

Google “Guerrilla Resumes” for my past columns on this topic, but for now, know that this resume format has two essential elements:

1. logos and/or graphics (from past employers, clients or schools) and
2. quotes (glowing recommendations from past managers or clients).

In addition, these job seekers used “smart” networking and/or Linkedin to connect with the companies that hired them. The common element in both tactics? Meeting people.

Whether you’re networking smartly (by telling people exactly what job you seek and the 10-20 companies you want to work for) or using LinkedIn correctly (by making connections at target employers), it all comes down to meeting more people. That’s the only way to find a job fast -- in this economy, or any other.

Kevin Donlin is contributing co-author of “Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 2.0.” Since 1996, he has provided job-search help to more than 20,000 people. For a free Guerrilla Job Search audio CD, visit www.MyNewJobHunt.com