Hi everyone it's Andy LaCivita, founder of milewalk and the milewalk Academy and award
winner author of the Hiring Prophecies here with this week's episode of Tips For Work
and Life.
I've got a really fun one today it's about boss hunting and boss hunting with a cover
letter that makes hearts melt.
I know it 'cause I wrote the cover letters that I would want to receive.
Let's talk a little bit about this.
This episode is really about elevating your awareness.
That's the most important thing that there is another way to approach your job search.
When I wrote it, I had four types of people in mind.
Maybe you're just stuck.
Maybe you're just stuck in your job search, you're not getting anywhere, you're sending
your resume out, you're doing some networking, you just can't get into the right spot.
Maybe you got gatekeepers or your resume is falling into the applicant tracking system
abyss; this is for you.
It's also for people who just simply want to add another tool into their arsenal of
job searching.
It's a really, really effective one.
I'll share a little bit about why.
It's also for people who just want to expand their network.
You can use the same tactic and even the same language almost verbatim that I put into these
cover letters.
Then also, people who want to look for some alternate ways to frame their work experience
through these cover letters.
I've got a couple of them in there, I'll tell you about those in a few minutes.
Now, before we get into the boss hunting and what that is, the first thing is you shouldn't
just start reaching out to people that you don't know in hopes that they might be able
to get you into a company or a job that you might like.
I always promote that you really figure out yourself first and you make sure that you
are directed in your search and that you are targeting companies, and you are targeting
roles, and you're targeting careers that are good for you.
I've written a lot about this on my blog, you can check it out.
There's podcasts, there's videos, but one thing that I have gratuitous plug here for
a free online workshop that I have coming up on October 27th.
I have a three part video series titled, Transform Your Career Mastering The Three Personal Drives
That Lead To Career Fulfillment.
This workshop is a self-paced, it's a three part video series, you can do it on your own,
it starts on the 27th.
It is all about figuring out and making sure you're positioned to succeed in your career.
It's a great place to start.
That's number one.
Second thing is, just make sure you are targeting companies and the right types of organizations
for you.
I wrote all about this in How To Target The Companies In Your Job Search so I'd like to
assume that before we start boss hunting or doing any of these very role-specific searches
for you that you are directed, you are not directionally challenged, you're going in
the right place for yourself, you have a thoughtful overarching approach to your job search.
Once you get to that point and you start to send out those resumes and cover letters we
can add boss hunting to the dimension.
This is really about targeting a human being instead of fighting with a robotic ATD.
The goal of boss hunting is to target a person with a very thoughtful message.
You really want to just simply expand the number of touch points that you have out in
the world and this is a great way to do that.
I'm not gonna go into the tactics about finding who the boss is in a particular area.
There are different ways for you to navigate through Google and LinkedIn to figure out
if you are targeting the right companies and you are targeting some roles, perhaps that
you know.
You should be able to do some research to see who might be an authority figure in that
area.
That's also a great point.
You don't need to target who specifically is responsible for the role.
Any head honcho or authority figure in that area will do it.
It isn't about you getting a bullseye to the boss, it is just about finding somebody whose
background you admire, who you suspect has some responsibility for an area that you think
you would be a good fit for.
Whether they have an open role or whether they don't have an open role.
This is really just about increasing your chances by adding this other dimension.
Now, one of the other things is if you're not sure exactly how to approach these people,
I've written two cover letters.
One cover letter is really aimed at those situations where you know a role exists and
you could point to a role at an organization, you found it.
You found it on LinkedIn or you found it on some job board, or you found it through word
of mouth, whatever it might be to where you can make reference to that role.
Then I also wrote you another one where if you don't know if there exists a role, but
you like the organization.
Maybe through your evaluation of how to target those best companies.
You've found some individuals that work at the company and you think you found an authority
figure in the area that you would like to pursue or at least investigate.
I have some language in the download, in the cover letter download, that talks about approaching
it from that perspective, even if there is not an existing opening.
Take a look at both of those.
You can download those, they're free.
If you're wondering why this tactic works, think about pointing and selecting somebody
and telling them you're a not so secret admirer and that you can add value by supporting them.
That is gonna hit home a lot more so than having some HR specialist swipe through yours
and 299 other resumes through their applicant tracking system.
It's really about personalizing your message.
I wrote about this in Interview Intervention, you can download that for free.
Skip right to page 39 and I tell you exactly why this works in detail.
I just really wanted to toss this out there just so that you understand that this is a
great possibility for you.
Now the world is making it easier for you to discover bosses and authority figures in
organizations.
Virtually everybody has a LinkedIn profile anymore.
Just get out there, try to do a little creative research.
If you're really, really stuck and I've skipped over some parts, you're really not sure how
to do it, that's what the comment section's for.
Just write me, ask me whatever questions that you want.
Right now, download those cover letters.
Keep an eye out for that workshop on October 27th.
It's gonna be great.
I'm also gonna be doing some live interactions in between where you can ask me questions
live.
You'll see the recordings if you want, if you sign up for it.
Then the other thing is, please share this.
If you find this helpful, circulate it to anybody you think might benefit.
Always appreciate that.
Until next week, we'll see yah.
Have a good one.