The 2 Hour Job Search - Book summary

The 2-Hour Job Search
By Steve Dalton
Book Summary

Introduction
● Before 1990s job search was simple process
○ Look for ad in newspaper
○ Mail resume and wait for reply
● Fast forward a decade, online job sites have
made “finding” job postings easy
● But Hiring managers don’t read all those
internet job applications!
● Employers rely on internal referrals to
decide whom to interview

Introduction
● Pareto Principle - 80% of the results come
from 20% efforts
● Job search today requires three steps
○ Prioritize
○ Contact
○ Recruit

Pre-requisites for following book’s advice
● Spreadsheet software
● Email Program - Outlook etc.
● LinkedIn Profile

STEP 1 : Prioritize
● The LAMP method
● L = List
● A = Alumni
● M = Motivation
● P = Posting
● This is method of prioritizing
target employers

STEP 1 : Prioritize
● Make list of target employers
● List to have 40 employers at
least, the more the better
● Most of the employers will be
eliminated along the way
LAMP (List)

STEP 1 : Prioritize
● How to select 40 employers
○ Divide in 4 parts
■ Dream employers
■ Alumni employers
■ Posting search
■ Trend-following
LAMP (List)

STEP 1 : Prioritize
● Dream Employers
○ Type any dream employers in L column
of spreadsheet
○ Better if dream employers share
common traits
○ Remember: Resist the urge to search
more about an employer at this stage,
confine only to the name.
LAMP (List)

STEP 1 : Prioritize
● Alumni Employers
○ Look for employers for which your
school’s alumni works.
○ Again target is to just get the ‘names’ ,
do not go further in researching , that
will come later.
○ Also, do not take alumni contact details
at this stage. Focus only on getting more
employer names.
LAMP (List)

STEP 1 : Prioritize
● Posting Search
○ Search indeed.com for job postings that
interest you.
○ Author finds indeed.com more
comprehensive than other job search
sites
○ Again, do not click further on postings
for details- just get the name of the
employers.
LAMP (List)

STEP 1 : Prioritize
● Trend following
○ Google trends in your target industry
○ Find out what employers are listed in
the articles that you find.
○ Read the articles at a macro level, skim
for employer names
LAMP (List)

STEP 1 : Prioritize
● TIP FOR INTERNATIONAL
STUDENTS
○ Check myvisajobs.com to find out which
employers offer H1B work authorization
○ Better if your LAMP list consists of such
organizations
LAMP (List)

STEP 1 : Prioritize
● In alumni database, search via
‘employer’ search field and find
out if there is anyone working
with your target employers.
● If yes, put “Y” in front of the
employer name in spreadsheet-
or else simply “N”
● Remember again, no further
research at this stage!
LAMP (Alumni)

STEP 1 : Prioritize
● Assign target employers in the L column a
qualitative score of 1 to 5, assessing your
motivation to approach each.
○ Award a score of 5 to targets you find
most motivating, followed by 4 and 3.
○ Score of 2 to employers with which you
are familiar but find least motivating
○ Score of 1 for employers you are
completely unfamiliar with
○ REMEMBER: NO research at this stage
also, if you don't know an employer do
not Google it, just award score of 1.
LAMP (Motivation)

STEP 1 : Prioritize
● Again search on indeed.com, but this time
search with employer name in search options
according to your LAMP List.
● Find out if relevant postings are available, or
● if not , find out if any postings are available.
● Award Score of 3/4/5 - if relevant posting for
employer are available.
● Award score of 2 - if any posting for that
employer
● Award score of 1 - if no posting at all
● AGAIN!! NO FURTHER CLICKS. No research.
Only see listings and fill in LAMP list
LAMP (Posting)

STEP 1 : Prioritize
● Once LAMP List is complete, use Excel to sort
the list in this order
○ Motivation - Larger to smaller number
○ Posting - Larger to smaller number
○ Alumni - reverse alphabetically (Z to A)
● Now Google employers with motivation score
of 1
● Not more than ONE MINUTE PER
EMPLOYER
● If you find employer interesting , increase
motivation score to 2 or 3 and reorder the list
again
WRAP UP
Final sorted list

STEP 2 : Contact (Boosters,Obligates and Curmudgeons)
● Naturalize means to convert a “N” to “Y” - If you don't
have an alumni in a particular organization, find
alternative starter contact!
● Start from top of the final LAMP list and focus on
employers with “N” in alumni column.
● Use following algorithm to convert “N” to “Y”
○ Most recent alumni database(already done)
○ LinkedIn (first degree/second degree
connections)
○ Facebook
○ Fanmail
○ Cold Calls
● Use email4corporations.com as needed
Naturalize

● LinkedIn
○ Search for Employer name in search options
○ First Degree Connections - people that you know, who are in your closest
network
○ Second Degree Connections - People who work in that company and know
someone in your first degree connection
○ Group connection - People who work in that company and are in one of your
joined groups
○ Third Degree Connection - People who work in that company and know
someone who knows someone in your first degree connections- Not much of a
help!
Naturalize

● LinkedIn
○ Once you find
contacts - write their
contact info and
name in email drafts,
not on the LAMP list
Naturalize

● Facebook
○ Post a status asking your
network if they know
anyone working in xyz
corporation?
Naturalize

● Fanmail
○ A.k.a Google Stalking
○ Google articles related to employer you want to
search for
○ Find out contact of employees interviewed or
mentioned in articles
○ Mail them telling you liked the article and
asking 15-20 minutes of their time to discuss
more
Naturalize

● Cold Calls
○ If all else fails, call main telephone
line
○ This is effective with smaller
companies with human
receptionists
Naturalize

● 5 point emails are
shorter,generic and more
effective
● First understand customer
segments of job search
process
The 5-Point Email

● Curmudgeons
○ They will never write you
back no matter how well
crafted your email is
○ Worst segment of
contacts
The 5-Point Email

● Obligates
○ Obligates are motivated by guilt - maybe
someone helped them during their time so
they’ll feel obligated to help you
○ However, they don’t actually want to help-
they’ll just try to relieve the guilt
○ Worse than Curmudgeons (who will never
reply so that you know he/she won’t help, no
further time wasted), while obligates may
reply sometimes(to ease off their guilt) and
then may never reply again.
The 5-Point Email

● Boosters
○ They love their job, they genuinely
enjoy helping people
○ They enjoy engaging with people
from their own school or those who
take interest in their job
○ Most helpful group of all
○ But in minority
The 5-Point Email

● 5-Point Email
○ 1. Fewer than 100 words
○ 2. No Mention of Jobs
anywhere
○ 3. Connection goes first
○ 4. Generalize your interest
○ 5. Maintain control of follow-up
The 5-Point Email

● Fewer than 100 words
○ More words mean
■ More grammatical errors
■ Accidentally alienate
booster with your word
choice/tone
○ Remember you’re targeting
Boosters- the shorter the better
The 5-Point Email

● No mention of Jobs anywhere
○ Because
■ It’s unnecessary(because
boosters know you’re
obviously looking for a job)
■ It’s intimidating
The 5-Point Email

● Putting connections first
○ Mention mutual contact in first
sentence
○ This will make booster to pay
attention to your email.
The 5-Point Email

● Generalize your interest
○ If you generalize your interest
in similar organizations while
writing to your booster(instead
of solely mentioning about his
company) -- your booster may
open up his network of other
companies in case there is no
job opening available at his firm
The 5-Point Email

● Maintain control of follow up
○ “I recognize this may be a busy time for you,
so if we are unable to connect by email I’ll
try to reach you next week to see if that is
more convenient,” you demonstrate several
key desirable traits.”
○ In this way, you demonstrate
■ Deference to their schedule
■ Commitment of making the
connection happen
■ Sense of urgency
The 5-Point Email

● The 3B7 Routine
○ Set two reminders in Outlook any time a
5-Point Email is sent to a new contact
■ Reminder #1: three business days later
■ Reminder #2: seven business days later
● If a response is received before Reminder #1 pops
up, you likely have found a Booster—schedule an
informational interview as soon as possible.
Track
● If no response is received before
Reminder #1 appears, initiate outreach to
a second contact using the 3B7 Routine.
● If no response is received before
Reminder #2 appears, follow up with the
original contact.
○ Initiate contact with new target
employers beyond Top 5 whenever
a Booster has been identified, an
employer is ruled out, or time
permits.

STEP 3 : Recruit (Informational Interviews)
● Focus of informational interviews
○ To build rapport
○ To gain usable information
● Informationals is three step process
○ Small talk
○ Question and Answers
○ Next Steps
● “Selfless informational interviewer
is the best interviewer”
Research

● Carry out research to gain 80% info from
20% effort
○ Conduct external research.
■ See DataMonitor360 analysis
(when available)
■ Review positive headlines on
front page of target’s website.
■ Google both interviewer and
employer for any negative
headlines.
Research

● Internal preparations
○ The Big Three Questions : You should be
well prepared for these
■ “Tell me about yourself.”
■ “Why are you interested in our
company?”
■ “Why are you interested in our
industry and/or function?”
Research

● Phase 1 : Small Talk
○ Small talk should occur naturally, but
can be induced systemically if it does
not.
■ “How is your day going?”
■ “What are you working on?”
■ “What path did you follow to join
your employer?”
Discuss

● TIARA is the guide for Q&A:
● T = Trends
● I = Insights
● A = Advice
● R = Resources
● A = Assignments
Discuss

● TRENDS
○ “What trends are most impacting your
business right now?”
○ “How has your business changed most
since you started?”
○ “How do you think your business will
change most dramatically in the next
several years?”
Discuss

● INSIGHT QUESTIONS
○ “What surprises you most about your
job/your employer?”
○ “What’s the best lesson you’ve learned on the
job?”
○ “What’s been your most valuable experience
at your employer so far, and why?”
○ “If you had to attribute your success at your
employer to one skill or trait, what would it
be?”
Discuss

● ADVICE QUESTIONS
○ “What can I be doing right now to prepare myself
for a career in this field?”
○ “If I got hired, what should I be sure to do within
the first thirty days to ensure I get off to the fastest
start possible?”
○ “What do you know now that you wish you’d
known when you were my age or in my position?”
○ “If you were me, what would you be doing right
now to maximize your chance of breaking into this
industry or function?”
Discuss

● RESOURCE QUESTIONS
○ “What resources should I be sure to look
into next?” and alternatively:
○ “What next steps would you recommend
for someone in my situation?”
Discuss

● RESOURCE QUESTIONS
○ If your booster gives you relevant contacts
who you can contact - thats a jackpot
○ If he instead asks what kind of resources
you’re looking for, don’t directly ask for
contacts, and use following questions to get
information
■ “What resources—for example, websites,
blogs, or magazines—do you read
regularly to keep current on your
industry?”
Discuss

● ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS
○ “What project (or projects) have you done for
your employer that you felt added the most
value?”
○ “Have any projects increased in popularity
recently at your organization?”
○ “Have you had interns or contractors in the past?
If so, what sort of projects have they done?”
○ Answers to these questions useful in job
interviews where you can explain what sort of
project you can work on
Discuss

● Phase 3 : Next Steps
○ If a referral is offered, commit (and schedule)
yourself to follow up in two weeks.
○ If a referral is not offered, transition to
Two-Part Informational Closing.
■ 1. Ask if it is OK to reach out again?
■ 2. Set a reminder and reach out again,
follow any advice (if offered during initial
conversation) and mention it
Discuss
“ Our time is up, but thank you so
much for your time today—you’ve
given me a lot to think about, and it
sounds like you’re working for a
great organization.
I’m going to take a few days to
process all of the information you’ve
shared. If, on reflection, it seems like
your organization and I may make a
good mutual fit, is it OK if I reach
back out to you to get your
recommendations for how best to
proceed from here? “

● Set monthly reminders to update those with whom
you’ve conducted informational interviews.
○ i) First update email should recap advice given and benefits
gained, ending with a request for additional suggestions.
○ ii) Subsequent updates serve primarily to update contact on
your progress and request any additional suggestions.
● Time spent “harvesting” Boosters will grow as
progress is made, but should remain minimal
compared to outreach to new targets on LAMP list.
● Repeat Steps 2 and 3 until contacts lead to interviews
and employment!
Follow Up

THE 2 HOUR JOB SEARCH
By Steve Dalton
Book Summary

The 2 Hour Job Search - Book summary

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