Stop Looking to HR for a Job – Start Looking Everywhere Else, First!

Politicians are fighting for airtime to talk about creating jobs. Well, there's a job opening for a Supply Chain Executive that's gone unfilled for a year now. It pays over $200K/year and relocation is optional, "for the right candidate." They've had hundreds of great candidates interview.

So why is this job still available? Because corporate hiring systems today are broken, and this one is no exception.

Job seekers today need to stop "starting" their job search with HR and start looking everywhere else, first! 

This is the Digital Age and we're using Viking Age techniques? There are jobs out there. They just won’t ever again be found where we used to go to look for them.

Start looking everywhere else, first! Here's how:

• Google!  - Hiring managers need your help! Nine steps to getting hired

                   If you have talent, and you do, there are hiring managers out

                   there looking for you who can't get through their company's HR

                   systems either. Start using Google to help them find you!

• Twitter!  - Can you get hired using Twitter? They did! HIRE ME

                  Be creative and put the same power that helped bring

                  democracy to foreign countries, behind your job search.

• Get out of your comfort zone Adventure.com

                   There's no easier way to do that than with physical activity.

                    You'll not only have fun you'll meet some amazing

                    people you won't have met any other way - who have

                    jobs, that they didn't get by following the old rules either!

• Volunteer - Re-energize! Put your job search frustrations to good use.

                    Forget about those 100's of "thank you for your interest, but.." 

                    letters and bring your best self to a mission that needs you.

                    Start hearing 100's of "Thank you's" from people who mean it.

• Get Social - Here's a great book that was written by Miriam Salpeter

                     who writes a weekly column for US News & World Report.

                     Whether you're an active job seeker or not, your name is on

                     the internet somewhere. Learn to leverage that social power

                     so hiring managers will always be coming to you!

So yes - you'll have to go to HR at some point in the hiring process. But if you want to get hired in this economy or any future economy, you need to start by looking everywhere else, first!                 

    "Hired! For What You Are Great At"  is a weekly series. Each week we will share actual successes, new methods that work and practical advice for active job-seekers and career-changers of all ages. Share with us and everyone in this community your own successes too.