"Luddite: member of the organized bands of 19th-century English handicraftsmen who rioted for the destruction of the textile machinery that was displacing them."
Source? Not Wikipedia, but my handy Micropaedia. Volume 7, to be exact, from the 1985 Encyclopedia Britannica. Yes, I have an encyclopedia -- all 30 volumes -- and, yes, I use it. So sue me.
I could go on about how I prefer paper to pixels or about the comfort of ad-free research. The truth is that I'm lazy and it's easier to scan for Luddite in a book than it is to fire up the computer, get into my browser, type in my search word and dig through all the amusing but time-eating close-fit entries.
Which makes me, I'm pretty sure, a Luddite. By the way, to verify the common usage of that term -- someone who eschews technology -- guess where I had to go? Yep. Online. My poor old encyclopedia didn't have that.
One can argue for both types of research: technology-assisted and technology-free. But can the same be said for job searches? Just consider all the ways the average job-seeker uses a computer when hunting for work:
* to create and send resumes and letters
* to network with contacts
* to study online
* to research companies and professions
* to apply for jobs on company Web sites
* to hunt for postings on job boards
* to get driving directions to interviews
And that's just for starters. So, what if you're just not into computers? Or what if, heaven forbid, your computer goes down? Can your job search go forward, or should you resign yourself to a lifetime of cave-dwelling?
Lucky for you, I stand as a bridge between two generations. Come closer to the campfire and let me share my vast knowledge of job hunts past.
Should you find yourself job-searching without technology, the first thing you must do is get your resume developed and printed. Consider buying some business cards at the same time. If you're going to be (gasp!) meeting people in person, you'll want to have something to hand them. Sometimes a resume is appropriate; other times, a business card will be the right touch.
All kidding aside, don't scrimp on this step. Find a service (or friend) that will store your resume electronically and can send it out for you when an e-mailed resume is the only format an employer will accept.
Next, get to a library to browse the directories in the reference room. You need to build a list of potential employers, complete with phone numbers and addresses. Then you can call the companies to get the names of people who head the departments for which you're interested in working. These are the folks you will target with your contacts.
Now comes the part that separates the job-hunters from the job-getters: cold calls. Make a script and start dialing. Here's how one of these scripts might go:
"Hello, Mr. Jackson? My name is Janet Jones. I'm calling because I have six years of experience as a customer service representative. I understand you manage the customer service department, and I would like to make an appointment to tell you more about my background. Even if you're not hiring right now, I'd like to shake your hand and drop off my resume. Would it be all right to come by Wednesday morning?"
OK. I know how that sounds to most people: pushy, aggressive, presumptuous. But read it again and I think you'll see that it's direct and nothing more. And, believe it or not, it's effective. Even accounting for voice mail, a determined job-seeker will reach five or more managers in a day. Compare that with the paltry responses that a day of e-mailing will generate, and you'll see why I admire some of the old ways of job searching.
Your worries aren't over. You'll need to handwrite some follow-up notes, and you'll have to keep calling new and old contacts. But if you're strategic and determined, you'll be able to pull off most or all of your job search without touching a computer.
That said, here's a piece of advice you've heard before: Take a computer class. Even though you can conduct a solid job search without technology, you won't be so lucky in the workplace. I don't want to alarm you, but the Luddites didn't survive their protests. Theirs was a messy end, and the name is used as a joke today. That's not a banner to crowd under willingly.
- Amy Lindgren owns Prototype Career Service, a career consulting firm in St. Paul, Minn. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecareerservice.com or at 1071 W. Seventh St., St. Paul, MN 55102.