8 Simple Secret Strategies Nobody is telling you about in uncovering hidden jobs.

1. A Brief Guide to
The New Rules of Job Search
*8 Simple Secrets Nobody is telling you*
By: Ngee Key
Career Coach, Advisor & Strategist
Founder of Springboard Talent LLP
Creator of YourOwn360 Program
*THIS E-BOOK IS 100% NON-COMMERCIAL AND DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY AFFILIATE LINKS*

2. Please feel free to post this on your blog
or email it to whomever you believe would
benefit from reading it. Thank you.
© 2011 by Chan Ngee Key. A Brief Guide to The New Rules of Job Search by!
Springboard Talent LLP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs!
3.0 Singapore License.!
Creator of Your Own 360 Evaluating Opportunity Program!
Important: If you have access to a printer, please PRINT this e-book. You’ll get a lot more out of it if!
you’re not reading it from a monitor. Take it to your favorite café or read it at home in your!
comfortable chair. You can also write your own notes easily on the large white spaces.!

3. You have quit, what’s next?
• You’ve just decided to quit your job due to unhappiness
or office politics. Or worse – you’ve just been fired. You
look at the rest of your life, suddenly an open, lonely
road. Who will save you? What else do you have left
now? What use are you to society? To your family? To
yourself? How will you find your next job? !
• If any of these questions ring a bell, and if you find
yourself nodding and thinking, I’ve been here before, or, I
am experiencing this right now – you need to know, at
this exact moment: you are not alone.!
• There are many working professionals who are not happy
in their working environment. It can be loss of career
direction, horrible boss or is not align to your passion.!
• Welcome. This e-book will reveal 8 simple secrets you can
use immediately in your job search process.!

4. Losing your job can be a blessing
• Losing or quitting your job is not the end
of the world.!
• You don’t have to say sorry to yourself. It
is not what happens to you, but it is more
important to know what’s best for you in
your next career move.!
• Contrary to what you’re thinking, your
newfound freedom is the first step towards
discovering a lot of fresh and creative
opportunities out there that you might not
even think of. !
• You are now open to explore a different
career path that aligns with your talent,
skills, knowledge, passion and purpose.!

5. You Need a Plan
• For a lot of job seekers, a career transition is usually one
of the most challenging and ‘easier said than done’
stages in their lives. !
• There is a famous quote by John L. Beckley. “Most
people don't plan to fail; they fail to plan.”.!
• We have observed this for years, having interacted with
and helped a lot of professionals, managers, executives
and others to get back on their feet. !
• Throughout this time, this is what we’ve learned: people
need a plan to better guide them in their job search, but
most importantly, they need to reflect deeply about their
experience, skills and goals in life in order to identify the
direction they want to take.!
• So let’s get started on the 8 simple secrets you can use
immediately for your job search project.!

6. Secret 1: Identify List of Targeted Companies
• Fact - the vast majority of available jobs are not
advertised. World Wide Survey estimate 74 to
85% of available jobs are never advertised. The
responsibility is upon you to take the initiative if
you wish to find employment.!
• Compile a list of the companies that you can see
yourself working for – a type of wish-list.
Whether you have heard of an available position
at the company is largely irrelevant. After all, if a
position is vacant at a certain company but the
idea of working there is most unappealing, it is
probably not worth pursuing.!
• Think carefully and see if you can imagine
yourself proudly saying, "I work for company X."!

7. Secret 2: Read & Research on Targeted Companies
• Don't judge a book by its cover! Although you may think
you would like to work for a particular company, it is
important to do your homework. Only you can be the
judge of what is best for you.!
• The Internet is a valuable source of corporate information.
Check the financial strength of the company. Is it doing
well or struggling? How does its salary and benefit
structure compare to similar companies? Is there a high
degree of employee satisfaction or have many employee
legal complaints been filed? !
• Read about company annual reports, press releases, news,
and products. What is the company’s mission statement,
vision, values, direction and also it’s challenges ahead. !
• Finally, does the company endorse certain policies that are
not favorable to you? What is the style of Management or
leadership? Does it appeal to you?!

8. Secret 3: Informational Interviewing
• Before you meet with a potential employer, invest time
conducting informational interviews. This is a highly
important process in which you interview people already
employed in a certain position or a certain company. The
purpose of these interviews is to gather as much useful
information as possible.!
• Attempt to find out the pros and cons of the job. What
expectations should you realistically have? Uncover
information about specific employers or places of work..
Learn facts about the actual responsibilities of specific
positions.!
• Use this process to arm yourself with facts and figures
before your own interviews.!

9. Secret 4: Offline Networking
• Long before online social networks, the best way to
meet people was face to face. Surprise – it still is a
vital source of information!!
• Invest time going to places where you can meet
people affiliated with your line of work. You will be
amazed how much practical information can be
obtained through direct and face to face discussions. !
• Seminars, lectures, professional conferences,
exhibitions – these are but a few of the many places
where you can meet people and they can meet you. !
• When you are looking for employment opportunities,
the more people you meet, the better the chances of
finding, or being found. !

10. Secret 5: Online Networking
• Social media platforms such as Blogs, Facebook,
LinkedIn, Twitter and others are a highly
effective method of yelling to the world, "I am
here!” in the world wide web.!
• Even if you are not overly extroverted, use the
various online networks and forums to make
yourself known. Get involved in professional
discussions. Pose questions to other
professionals. Initiate discussions that focus on
your opinions. Offer advice that will shine a
bright light on your knowledge and capabilities.!
• Always keep in mind that you want to become
known. This is free advertising for you at its
finest!!

11. Secret 6: Create Visibility
• Finding the right job for you may not be an overnight process.
Like a fine wine, sometimes time and patience are required.!
• Use time to your advantage. Make yourself highly visible in
order to become known to as many people as possible. !
• Seek opportunities to speak to professional groups. Attend
conferences and seminars and participate as much as possible.
If you're in the audience, stand to introduce yourself and ask a
question. Let everyone know that you are here, there, and
everywhere. !
• High visibility will create mental association between you and
the field of employment.!

12. Secret 7: Contacting Potential Employers
• There's an old saying – if you want someone to answer
the door, you have to knock!!
• In a highly competitive world, the aggressors get ahead. If
you want a particular job, or would like to work for a
certain company, you have to take action and go after it!
• Take the initiative and contact potential employers. Sell
your skills and expertise. Explain why you would be a
valuable asset. Convince the other party that they will
benefit from associating with you, and you with them.!
• Many employers appreciate initiative and may be willing
to offer you a position that they were reserving until they
meet "the right person.”!

13. Secret 8: Referrals and Connections
• Often, it's not a question of what you know but who you know. !
• There is no substitute for personal connections. Make sure that friends and
colleagues know that you are available for work and actively looking. !
• Don't be shy about asking for personal referrals. Try to get people you know to
make introductions for you. Ask friends or colleagues to pass on your CV. !

14. When all is said and done
• At the end of the day, your success depends, to a large degree, on the amount of
"noise” and branding that you make. The more noticeable you are, the better your
chances for securing the job that you want. !
• Become recognizable. Let the world know that you are here and are ready, willing
and able. With determination, focus and a little bit of luck, you will be well on your
way to achieving your career goals.!

15. 8 Simple Secrets Nobody is
telling you about Job Search
1. Identify List of Targeted Companies!
2. Read and Research on Targeted Companies!
3. Informational Interviewing!
4. Offline Networking!
5. Online Networking!
6. Create Visibility!
7. Contacting Potential Employers!
8. Referrals and Connections!

16. About the Author
!Ngee Key is a Career Coach, Strategist and Founder of Springboard Talent
who helps unhappy employees in corporate to discover meaningful and
fulfilling jobs. A former corporate manager for more than a decade, he
deeply understands the questions and concerns faced by working
professionals. His expertise in personal and business change was
developed through many years of professional experiences inside
corporations such as Hewlett-Packard and Hewitt Associates (Aon Hewitt).!
!You are spending almost 30 years of your life working and I believe they
should be rewarding and fulfilling. “Having a career that aligns with your
talent, values and passion at its heart is aligning your purpose for being
here that you simply must act on it, despite the challenges or worries that
hold you back,” says Ngee Key. !
!A world traveler to 22 countries and 60 cities, Ngee Key speaks English,
Mandarin and Cantonese. Certified by Career Coach Academy (ICF
Accredited, CCMC) under the mentorship of Susan Whitcomb, he have
worked with many clients who have faced challenging career decisions you
face now and moved them to better, meaningful and fulfilling situations. !

17. Get Connected
I hope you enjoyed this e-book and it gives you some food for thought.!
If you want to learn more, check out the following.
!
To sign up for YourOwn360 Program, Personal Career Coaching!
or book Ngee Key for Keynote Speech, please contact him at www.yourown360.com!
Connect with Ngee Key!
Career Coach, Advisor and Strategist!
Founder of Springboard Talent LLP!
Creator of YourOwn360 Program!
Phone: (65) 91824111!
Skype: setfire!
Email: ngeekey@springboardtalent.com!
LinkedIn: http://sg.linkedin.com/in/ngeekey !
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ngeekey !
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ngeekey!