Help Other People Help You!

I receive quite a few e-mails - sometimes from complete strangers through listserves - that run something like this: "I'm looking for a job in product marketing. My background is in educational software; I've spent the last 5 years at Acme Educational Ware. If you hear of any product marketing opportunities, please let me know."

There are a few ways the requestor could make it easier for me and the other readers to respond to his request:

1. Create a resume blog or a detailed profile on linked-in and give us a URL to allow us to see more details about your background.
2. Tell me a little more about your background. What was your most recent title? What were you job responsibilities? On an overall level, what did you tangibly accomplish in the job? Or - what was your most recent major accomplishment?
3. Tell me what kind of job you are looking for and in what industry(ies). Be specific. Give me a title, a quick outline of responsibilities, and a few bullets on results you're looking to produce for an employer.
4. Make a very specific request of me. Possibilities include:
   

• please forward me job descriptions that fit my profile; let me know the names of companies you know are recruiting in my target industry(ies) and field(s); please send me URL's of web sites that might help me with my search.
  
• If you know the people you've been writing well, you might also ask that they respond with the names of people they know that you could talk to in any of a specific list of companies. However, this kind of request is usally best made on an individual basis.

If you are finding that written/e-mailed requests for help are not bearing the fruit you'd expected, take a look at whether or not you are being clear enough in your requests to help other people help you!