For a giggle, check out this inside-the-company view of Darth Vader. Then, the next time you’re talking to people you think SHOULD know who you are, think twice!

Key point: We tend to see others within the small circle of our own lives. Especially when you’re in career transition, it’s foolhardy (even dangerous!) to assume that the people you’re talking to know who you are, what you do, how to describe you to others, and how they can help you. It’s your job to prepare and deliver the message that lets them know that.

Great post by Kathy Simmons over at Netshare about the power of passion in a job search. Tamara Erickson’s story of the entry-level accountant pursuing his dream company should resonate even - especially - with senior executives. It’s rare for 20-somethings to have such clarity about who they are, but after years in leadership roles you should know the environment that’s right for you… and persevere in your job search until you find it.

How long will it take to find your next job? Does that old rule of “1 month for every $10K in salary” still apply? In a near-recession, is hiring slowing down?

Quite frankly, I don’t know. What I do know is that three of my senior-executive clients have recently landed new positions in 2 months or less. Here’s the timeline and story for each:

• Client A: Became aware a local company was looking for a COO. Called the CEO directly (they knew each other) and was referred to the recruiter handling the search. Had a good conversation with the recruiter; put together a resume that clearly communicated relevant skills and high value. Went through 2-month selection process before being offered and accepting the position.
• Client B: CFO wanted to move back to a specific area of the US from Europe. On a networking visit, had a cup of coffee with a recruiter whose firm was conducting a search for which - coincidentally! - the top 2 candidates had recently bowed out. Recognizing a possible fit, in 3 days the recruiter was able to schedule for my client 2 meetings with the company’s senior executives. Three weeks later, back in Europe, the offer came through.
• Client C: Boss/mentor took a new job and told IT executive to expect a call! Put together first resume in 10 years, and the first that focused on executive/business achievements rather than technical activities. Within a few weeks, got the call, started the dialogue, and received the job offer.

So what does this mean for you? First, don’t buy into any gloom-and-doom stories about how hard it is to find a job. Understand that top talent is always in demand, and be sure you are communicating your value in your career marketing documents.

Next, target your search and use your network to get an “in.” (Remember, this approach is 70X more likely to result in a hire than any other source at America’s top companies!)

Finally, remember that an “average time” is just that. Every 2-month transition must be balanced by a 22-month search to reach an “average” of 12 months. There’s no reason you can’t be at the lower end of the scale.

Most of us in the careers field preach diversification: don’t put all your eggs in one basket… pursue a multi-channel job search… you never know where your next lead or next job will come from.

And that’s all true, in general. But last week I learned a startling statistic from a reliable source - an early peek at the CareerXRoads annual study of the Source of Hire data from “large, highly competitive, high-profile firms.”

Guess what? A referral from someone in the hiring company is 70x more likely to lead to a hire than any other source.

That’s right - 70 times.

So what does that tell you? Target your search… Align your skills and value with what you learn about the organization… Network to get a referral… And be ready to discuss the company’s challenges and how you can provide solutions. Do this whether or not there’s a current job opening. Do this as often as you can (it’s not as easy as zapping out a resume in response to an online posting).

Given this finding, if you’re going to concentrate your search in one channel, the only smart choice is the targeted/referral route.

Cross-posted at CareerHub

A post over at Indeed.com examines whether Fortune’s 2008 list of 100 Best Companies to Work For are hiring.

But really, does it matter? Only if you want to be one of the herd… stampeding toward “where the jobs are” (or supposedly are) rather than pursuing a targeted search. By that I mean identifying companies that are a great fit for you (products, industry, culture, growth plans, etc.) and using your network to connect with a decision-maker there. In this kind of search, it really doesn’t matter whether the company is “hiring.” If you can prove you’ll bring value to the company, there’s a good chance they’ll (a) make a position for you; (b) keep you on their radar screen for future opportunities; or even (c) refer you to someone they know who’s facing similar challenges. The worst that can happen is you’ll have a good business discussion (NOT an interview) with someone who can now become part of your network.

Fortune itself tells us that “even during an economic downturn,” these companies are “constantly scouting for talent.” And here’s some more good advice on the subject of targeted search.

Bottom line - worry less about who’s hiring and more about why a specific company might hire you. Make your case, and see what happens!

The weekly Member Bulletin from Allan Hoving at ExecuNet arrives in my email box every Friday morning, and of the first things I do is check the “Learnings from Landings” - my favorite part of the bulletin! It’s a nice up note to hear about someone who has landed, but even more importantly, learning what they learned is always helpful and interesting.

This week, a newly landed executive shared this: “If I had it to do over again, I would focus my message and network earlier.”

In a nutshell, that’s the best strategy for any job search:

• Focus your message. What do you need to convey to let network contacts know how they can help you and let employers know how you can help them?
• Network. Talk to people. Deliver your message. Ask for help, appropriately. Follow every lead, focusing on identifying business problems, then show how you can solve those problems. Help others and let them help you.

It might sound simple, but it’s certainly not easy. Kudos to all who land, and thanks for sharing what you’ve learned.

A reader sent me this query privately: “I was just laid off from an advertising agency when the agency lost our largest client (30% of billings) when the client merged with another company. My former client as well as employer have said they would serve as references for me. My question is – Should I mention this in my cover letter and if so, how?”

The question is two-fold: 1) Should I explain why I lost my job and 2) Should I mention the great references that I have.

It might be helpful to briefly explain the circumstances that downsized your company. However, don’t assume that people are going to read your cover letter (many never do), and be sure your resume is strong enough to stand on its own. In other words, focus on your value to the company while you were there and be ready to answer the “why did you leave” question during an interview.

With regard to your references, why not ask your former boss and client to write reference letters for you now, then excerpt a few of their fabulous quotes in your resume or cover letter? Third-party endorsements are very powerful! Saying “my former boss and client will give me great references” doesn’t have nearly as much meaning as a specific and glowing recommendation of your work.

It’s encouraging to see that job sites and services are emerging and evolving to better serve job seekers and employers alike… and to help relieve the incredible frustration occurring on BOTH sides of the hiring equation!

Here’s a list of a few sites that seem to be building a better mousetrap.

One of my favorites (included on the list) is JibberJobber - a great tool for keeping track of your job search, your career, your life! (If you’re my client, contact me about a complimentary upgrade to “premium” service.)

But never forget that all of this online stuff should be only an adjunct to a targeted, network-focused search. It can help you gather information, find resources and contacts, organize your search, and keep yourself on schedule. It can’t (a) take the place of human-to-human connection; (b) eliminate the grunt work of building a contact-to-contact chain toward your ultimate goal; or (c) find a job for you. Use it, benefit from it, but don’t rely on it as the sole source for your next job!

Thanks to CJ Russell for asking such great questions! You can hear his interview with me here and check out his blog, “Secrets of the Job Hunt,” here.

One of my favorite year-end activities is to steal a quiet hour or so to analyze my business results, especially where my clients came from, and set some goals for the new year. I’m not a big planner or goal-setter (very much seat-of-the pants, despite what people say about that!), but ever since I’ve been doing this simple exercise I find that I have met or exceeded every one of the measurable goals I’ve set.

It seems that something as simple as writing them down makes goals more concrete and likely to happen.

As you prepare for the new beginning that comes around each January 1, take some time to define your specific, measurable goals for the 12 months ahead. If you’re in a job search, consider goals like these:

• Make 10 new network connections each week (actually having a dialogue with someone… just sending an email doesn’t count)
• Schedule 2 interviews (job or informational) each week
• Identify, research, and pursue connection with 1 new target company per week
• Land 1 great job!

Before you know it, your job search will be zooming along and you’ll be awash in contacts and leads. Without the clear direction that goals provide, it’s easy to muddle along thinking that you’re making progress but not really doing so. For the holidays, give yourself the gift of ambitious goals!