The ‘job for life’ mantra is a relic of a bygone era, and IT professionals have always valued career progression over ‘tenure’ with jobs being stepping stones on an ever upward career journey. However, the post .COM crash and post-GFC IT world is defined by the rise in off-shoring and an ever increasing focus on driving commoditisation and efficiency in IT leaving the days when IT professionals could write their own cheques and pick-and-choose their jobs at will well and truly behind us. With IT jobs no longer being plentiful and pay scales stagnating the competition is fierce. The outlook isn’t all bleak, with new tools and recruitment modalities enabling new opportunities; but tools are only as good as the plan – and success in your job hunt, more than ever, requires planning (and don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater – some of the old world truisms still apply!) George focuses on how to plan for success in your job hunt. All the way from key strategies to tips, George looks at how to get ahead of the pack and achieve success. And whilst a presentation of 21st century job hunting would not be complete without coverage of LinkedIN (and yes – George spends quite some time on what is now part-and-parcel of the modern job hunt); George looks at the broader landscape and what you can do to prepare for your next move. What knowledge you can expect to take away from this presentation: * LinkedIN * CVs * Choosing the right job * Getting an invitation to an interview * Preparing for interviews * Personal marketing – brand YOU * It’s a marathon, NOT a sprint

1. THE 21ST CENTURY JOB HUNT
PLAN FOR SUCCESS
George Janczuk
June 18 2014; ACS PM SIG
gjanczuk@gmail.com
http://au.linkedin.com/in/gjanczuk/
© 2014 G. Janczuk. Permission granted to ACS to redistribute.

2. Introduction
• IT professionals have historically focussed on an
ever upward career journey, but…
• Post .COM crash and post-GFC IT world:
– Rise in off-shoring
– Ever increasing focus on driving commoditisation and
efficiency in IT
– The days when IT professionals could write their own
cheques and pick-and-choose their jobs at will well
and truly behind us.
– IT jobs are no longer plentiful
– Pay scales are stagnating & the competition is fierce.

3. Confluence of need
• Being good is not good enough
• An employer needs to need what you have
– and the need needs to be temporally aligned
with your availability
• Supply and demand
• Planets in alignment
• It’s a numbers and visibility game

4. Stand out from the crowd
• Dress for success
• CV
• Get your name out there
– SIGs (like this one;
attend or even present!)
– Meetups
– Build your network; including LinkedIN

5. Building your LinkedIN network
• Build as you go;
not when you’re in need
…it’s too late then!
• Job hunt is
- network payback time
- not building time
• Don’t be a LION
(LinkedIN Open Networker) –
the network must mean something
• But do use LinkedIN to make new
connections and re-kindle old ones
– “People you may know”
– Personalise the invitation
boilerplate
– Shared Connections
Tara accepted my connection within half an hour!

6. Sales and Marketing
• PRODUCT = YOU!
• BRAND = YOU!
• You are your own BDM for product YOU
• You need to fill a pipeline of potential
opportunities (it’s a marathon – not a sprint)
• CV = just a tool to get to the Interview
• Recruiter = gatekeeper (follow the $; when the
buck stops they serve the employer – not you.)
– You are the product they sell…

7. Your CV
• I don’t think anyone gets CVs quite right
• …but less is more (2 pages is good if you can manage it)
• Don’t present yourself as a generalist – even if you’re a
good one (employers have specific roles to fill)
– Often an ‘excuse’ for not having a good idea about what you
want to do… (a whole other discussion)
• Be specific and spruik your strengths
• If you have broad skills – then customise the CV to each
opportunity
– It’s OK to have more than one variation of your CV
• Don’t lie
– Fake it till you make it can get you in trouble in a job hunt.
• Keep the target audience in mind.
– You need to play buzzword Bingo!

8. When you’re out of work…
• You’re not on a holiday!!!
Don’t be tempted to slack-off!
• Your full-time job is to find work and fill your pipeline
with opportunities
• Catch up with people – your network
• Have lots of lunches with contacts
• Wear a suit and tie – even if it’s a personal friend
• Look at Seek and job ads too – but the social aspect is
MORE important.
– Go to the jobs; don’t make the jobs come to you
– MANY jobs are NEVER advertised

9. How do you prioritise who you
contact when?
• The job hunt Quadrant (just like the Gartner
quadrants – but different)
Ability to execute
(have the right jobs
and vacancies)
Likelihood of execution
(know you well, and have
good rapport with you)
AB
CZMy last job
came from
this
quadrant
Categorise your
contacts as per
the two axes
shown.
…then approach
contacts in order:
A, then B and
then C
Contacts in Z are
unlikely to be
fruitful.

10. Making contact
• Usually this consists of emails initially
– But you know the person; what is most meaningful – pick
up the phone if needed
• Do *NOT* just use a boilerplate
– Google and LinkedIN are your friends for background info
– Customise each email
– Using a template for the starting point is OK; but BE
CAREFUL – it’s WAY too easy to slip up.
• Lunches
– Often a prelude to an interview
– Your contact will often be a broker or referrer; not the
actual hirer – you will need to build a new relationship.

11. KPIs to apply to your job hunt
• Emails out
– Responses back
• Lunches
• Interviews
• LinkedIN metrics

12. LinkedIN metrics
• LinkedIN views: 
• View Ranking:

13. Other LinkedIN aspects
• Photo - professional
• Reasonably complete profile
• Some recommendations look good
• Do look at jobs on LinkedIN (but still nascent)
• Paid account?
– I never found InMail particularly useful
– But a paid acct. looks more professional; & the jobseeker ‘suitcase’ makes your
intent clear (it’s GONE!: http://help.linkedin.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4357/~/changes-to-the-job-seeker-badge)
– Just get the cheapest one
• Join groups; follow companies
• Post status updates
• Like, or even better -
comment on other status updates in your network
• If someone views your profile – VIEW THEM BACK
• Good tool for intel. on target company
– ‘People Also Viewed’ very useful for finding out org. structure
– Google indexes LinkedIN pages; also a useful avenue

14. Know your LinkedIN network
InMaps: http://inmaps.linkedinlabs.com/

15. What to do when you get an
interview?
• You can’t make a 2nd first impression
• Use Google and LinkedIN
– Knowledge is power
• Brush up!
– Yes – I know we’re all awesome; but without
preparing anyone can fluff an interview
– By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail

16. PLAN B
What if the bills start piling up?
• Move to another vertical
– E.g.: Been ‘stuck’ in Financial? Try Government!
• Short term consulting
• Quadrant C
• Think short to mid-term
• Skill up to meet demand
• The take away message is:
A long-term period of unemployment should be
avoided – you’re more attractive to an employer if
you’re currently in a job.

17. Priorities w.r.t. a fill-in job…
(descending order)
– in your field for the right organisation is best;
– in a related field for the right organisation;
– in your field for any organisation;
– in a course of study. So you're out of work, sign-up to a
discounted course of modules with the ACS;
– in a related field;
– pro-bono, community help, charity work;
– anywhere (includes Maccas);
– unemployed;
– full time at her Majesty's discretion
• Overlaps (except for the last one) are even better.
– The last two on their own don't get you into the interview pile

18. Survivorship BIAS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivorship_bias)
…or, why should you listen to me?
• You often get better insight from failure than success; so
let’s look at failure:
• TWO CAUTIONARY TALES:
• ME!
– Head hunted into an executive role. Seemed great at the time; but
ultimately was not a good fit.
– Peter Principle (biting off more than you can chew:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Principle)
• A colleague of mine
– He left because of political situation at work. The winds
changed after he left and the problem he was trying to escape
has gone away. He does not like his new job, but he has been
unable to return.
– The grass is NOT always greener (and apropos of the Beatles
song – getting back to where you once belonged is not always
achievable – be careful!)

19. Q & A

20. THANK YOU!