8 Steps to Start Job Search Offline

We live in a time where the Internet is prevalent in all spheres of our lives. So, it has made it extremely easy for people to apply for work.

However, career experts say that offline job searching is a far more effective way to get a job you want. Networking with people offline, meeting and introducing face- to-face is better tactics, especially since 80% of jobs aren't publicly advertised, according to Steven Rothberg, founder of job-search website CollegeRecruiter.

Every man is the slave of his habits. To reach the desired goal, to get the job(in this case), it is necessary to replace bad habits with good ones.

You must be wondering how is this possible. Trust me, it is possible if you follow these 8 steps because each of them contains one principle that will help you reach the desired job.

1. Make a strong decision to get a job

The first and most important step in finding a job is making decisions to do it in the first place. If you wait to have all your options open for possible future action it can interfere with your motivation to make any decision in the present.

So, let me tell you something, not deciding anything is actually a decision! As time passing by, those future options for you may disappear. This kind of delay in making decisions to start searching for a job can mean living your career  in the "default" mode and leaving your fate in hands of chance.

Making a strong decision to get a job is never easy,  but it's not as hard as many of you think. It's very important that this decision is only yours and not as a result of pressure from your parents, partner or anyone else.

This is the first and very important step that you need to make and no one else can do it for you. You need to make the decision to search for a job and stick to it.    

2. Make a great resume      

If you want  to make a great resume it doesn't necessarily means that  you should follow the rules you hear from some expert  and  stick with a specific resume format.

Every resume is your unique  story, a story you tell your potential employer about you and your skills. Your resume should be appropriate to your education and the job you are searching for.

The good resume is the one that stirs the interest of prospective employers.

You are scared of forceful competition?

Don't worry, if you have a well-written resume you will surely be invited to interview more often even if there are some people who are maybe more qualified than you but with poor resume.

I have good news for you, you don't to be expert to write a good resume. My advice is to read few guides  that will help you to write a highly effective resume. So,  make a little extra effort to create a resume that makes you stand out of crowd and you will be a superior candidate and get the job you want.

3. Research

The best way to begin your job search offline is to research your options. Make a list of local companies you want to work for based on criteria such as industry, location, and size.

Gather this information from offline resources such as local radio and other media articles, newspaper advertisements, phone book directory listings and word of mouth.

Also, it's important to keep track of your local news for the headlines about grand openings, mass hiring or  relocation of some company

4.Make connections with people

Become socially active person and visit events that bring together large numbers of people. It's all about building the relationship with people, the exchange of information and being creative.

So, join a group of people beyond your industry peers because you never know who maybe can offer you potential leads.

You can attend meetings and conferences connected to your profession and meet people and they will connect you to their colleagues and then you can bump on someone who can help you find a job.

Meet regularly with your new friends, and if they like you and see your credibility and potentials they will find the way to deliver your resume to some hiring manager.

This job searching method takes a lot of time, effort, energy, and patients so don't expect to have a job referral right away but always be ready for a potential interview.

5. Always try to give away the impression of professional person

Time means a lot to professionals. Try to be on time for every  meeting,  whether it is with your potential employer (client) or your friends.

You should be remembered by other people as a punctual person.

Make sure to dress professionally. So, just wear style to clothes like others in the office.You can give your outfit  a personal touch but don't overdo it. Besides clothes, make sure you don't be overconfident,  just put your head up and use your slight smile as a weapon.

Always have a winning personality that everyone is seeking for but it's very important not to show-off.

Let your potential employer (or other candidates) talk about their achievements,  and then you will have equal right to establish your status.  

Don't be a self-centered person and  let other people express their point of view.

Remember not to have the "know it all" attitude because it just puts people off. They should think of you as a social but not too talkative person and you should always talk with logical (good sense) and formally.

One more thing, make sure that you are always good at what you do. I am sure that you have several skills or talents and all you need to do is to be best at it. And remember, never ever try to imitate others and to always have a great deal of competence.

That is the only way that others notice your professionalism.

6. Take the initiative

Too many people see offline job search as a passive process. They just submit their resumes to few places and waiting to be contacted an interview. It's very unlikely to job you search for land in your lap this way.

Instead, you need to have a more proactive approach and grab the bull by the horns. So, start making phone calls or I knocking on the doors, introducing yourself and handing your resume and cover letter to HR department or hiring managers.

You can say to them that you didn’t want to be just another face in the crowd, so you took a little initiative and stop by in person.

Your  job here isn't yet done because you must follow up! Hiring managers have a lot of work to do, so you need to show your interest and give them a call or send an email.

Note: It could be wisely if you apply for jobs that you can't find in classifieds and jobs that don’t yet exist. Many companies hire internal employees,friends, or people they heard about in other occasions or have worked with.

So, send your resume to a person you think is responsible of hiring for the position you want and say that you’d love to be considered if the job opens up and why you’re qualified for that position.

They might not in the position to use you at that moment, but if a need for your services arises, be sure that they’ll think of you first.

7. Attend a job fairs

People often think that  job fairs are the same thing as online job hunt because the point is to set yourself apart of a big crowd and be noticed by recruiters.

You can stand out from others by doing research about each company attending the event, few days before the fair.

Print your resume and cover letter.

Go to the fair and let your potential employer know what you learned about their company and how your skills match their needs.

Then give your resume and cover letter to a person you think is responsible of hiring for the position you want or apply through their company website.

8. Take responsibility for your own failures and never give up

All unsuccessful people have one thing in common - they are always able to find a suitable excuse for their failures.

You and your friends probably  often use various excuses such as:

If only I have that much money ...

If only I know the right people ...

I wish I went to a better school ...

If only I don't have so many things to do...

If  they at least respect my skills ...

I have to admit that some of  these are really good, but none of them reveals the real truth. You should know that for smart excuses you still can't buy anything.  None of these excuses should never be invoked as a reason for failure.

Do you really think that  Steve Jobs or Bill Gates have this kind of thinking? They have their own philosophy of success that has  been proven.

Read about such successful people and learn from them so you can be like them or even better.

And for the end, never think of defeat, and remove from your  vocabulary all words and phrases such as: 'give up', 'can not', 'not be able to', 'impossible', 'not an option', 'unrealizable', 'failure' 'impossible', 'hopeless' and 'pull up'  because these are the words of a fool.

You should avoid despair and keep trying by ignoring the obstacles that can make you stumble and fall  and be oriented towards your goals.

Learn from your own experience and eventually every 'no' you heard  will bring you closer to some 'yes'.

This article was originally published on Hireo Blog. Hireo is a marketplace for procurement jobs. Create your Free Hireo Profile.