Hey, I got your message. The one you sent out to the universe as you were crying last night like a panda without a bamboo stick.

You’ve been applying for jobs or freelance gigs since ages but struggling to find a fit –

• Where you see yourself learning new things
• Where you get paid decently (is that too much to ask?)
• And where you won’t go insane from a complete lack of structure, vision or guidance (which probably sums up your current workplace)

I’ll give you the hard pill straight up – you’re not finding it because you’re doing it the dumb way.

You’ve been frantically applying on LinkedIn and other random job board sites, cold emailing companies you learn about online, sliding into recruiters’ DMs like a desparate puppy, or just shooting your shot at your dream companies, hoping someone somewhere sees your potential.

In all this mess, you forgot to make and use an “Outreach Strategy.”

“TF is an Outreach Strategy?” you ask, sipping your iced Vietnamese coffee.

Well, it’s not just something a marketing guy (or girl) uses to reach their target consumers. It’s a 2-step plan you can use to find the perfect professional match!

Before I give out this strategy in a nutshell, you should know I’ve written a much more detailed yet practical guide on job hunting for Gen-Zs (especially freshers or executives in their second/third jobs) titled “Tired 2 Hired” – check it out here & grab your e-book/paperback copy because I promise it’s a game changer (that’s what the readers say).

It covers everything from crafting your CV to tackling tough interview questions, the entire A-Z of finding employment in this competitive age.

All that begins with the Outreach Strategy, of course, so here are the two simple, free, and easily doable steps that’ll put you back on track.

Step 1 – Get your Docket Together

The reality is that none of us are truly unique today. We’re competing with a whole bunch of people who have the same grades (or more), the same achievements (or bigger ones), and the same skillsets (or broader ones).

In this stack of job seekers’ emails in the HR’s inbox, the one that’ll shine is the applicant who has solid clarity on three (3) critical points –

1. Who are you?
2. What do you bring to the table?
3. How does it add value to us? (how can you contribute?)

Let’s start with the first point. You need to know what your “positioning” is and make it very clear on your CV/Resume.

What is it that gives you the edge? This can be –

• Previous experience in similar industries/work environments (a domain expert)
• Proven passion & love for the organization’s cause or service (for e.g. if the company is eco-concious, showing you’ve done a lot of tree plantations)
• Proven record of doing something fast, efficienctly & successfully (for e.g. if you’re a producer, show in your CV how you’ve championed many IPs/projects)
• Cross-functional experience (you’ve done a bunch of different things)
• Content Creator or thought leader (you have some reach & influence in a field)

See the snapshots of my CV below.

It positions me as a 360-degree all-rounder who can handle different departments at once, which makes me a golden asset to assist a super-busy Founder or CXO-level exeuctive leader who needs such a broad thinker.

Also see my Portfolio, originally a PDF document that supplements my CV by showing the wide range of actual projects I’ve championed to deserve a Founder’s Office or Chief of Staff position (linked mP4 below).

I’ve kept the tone conversational and natural – directly addressing my target audience (Founders), holding out a mirror to show them their own struggles with time management, and then “positioning” myself as a solution to all their worries.

To stand out from the crowd, it’s necessary to show your achievements (which is more impactful than just talking about them). For this, you must also make a portfolio on Canva, WordPress, Wix or Google Slides – regardless of the industry you’re working in. It takes just a few hours to put together if you know what you’re doing. For that, check out my separate detailed blog on how to make a good shareable portfolio.

This “self positioning” exercise also gives you clarity on who would NOT find you useful, which in turn, helps you prevent wasting your time with companies that won’t see your value.

In my case, companies looking for deep experts or specialists might find my profile too unorganized, scattered or broad without a single strength. That’s fine. For folks who need a self-starting intrapreneur, though, I’ll look like a million dollars.

Going one step further than the CV and Portfolio, you can also make a short personalized intro video for your company, showing them how passionate you are about joining the team and what value you think you can add there.

Here’s are two great examples (because they bring out the applicant’s personality while also selling their strengths).

If you’re not comfortable on cam, a simple quick Cover Letter like this one will also help!

The point is to make one Google Drive Folder Docket or Website Landing Page that contains these 3-4 documents. Sending this docket instead of just a boring traditional CV signals to the hiring manager or recruiter that you’re serious, well-prepared, and ready to fight.

1. Strong Resume with action verbs that show impact/achievements over just tasks & functions you completed (e.g. increased, decreased, led, scaled, initiated)
2. Portfolio that showcases your best project
3. A 60-second short cover video or letter explaining why you’re a good fit for the company (e.g. relevant experience, passion for the field, loyal customer)
4. Recommendation/Referral letters from previous managers or colleagues (two are good enough)

In other words, this docket should say “I know what I’m doing, and you need someone like that.”

If you want more specific tips to polish your application docket (and specifically, your CV), my guidebook has entire chapters on it, so grab your digital or paperback copy today.

Step 2 – Make your Leads Database

Having clarity on who you are is just the first step. The second more important step (which many applicants never bother to do) is to create a Leads List.

A Leads List is a database of top 50-100 companies you’d die to work for, not because they’re great, but because it just makes logical sense.

When I was applying for my first full-time job in Malaysia, I thought that I will be a good fit for startups because –

• I had done 2 summer internships in a startup before (but they weren’t hiring full-time so I had to look elsewhere)
• I was very hands-on with tech (tech savviness is a must in startups)
• I worked well in high-pressure, fast-paced startup spaces, as opposed to MNCs or corporates
• I was a fresher so startups would be more willing to take a risk with me, as compared to MNCs who want more experienced professionals
• I had a good social media marketing skillset, which consumer-facing startups need to scale their business

This led me to create a database of the best startups in Kuala Lumpur. This database included their websites, email IDs (sourced from the web), social media pages (for homework/research before the interview).

Once I had my top 50 options, I went after them aggressively, earning me my first job at RinggitPlus, the country’s biggest financial products marketplace. Having a leads list gave me a sense of direction and purpose – every day, I had decided on a target of applying (intentionally) to 5 companies, which took 3-4 hours as I wrote personalized emails and shot individual videos for each of them.

That was five years ago.

Today, things have changed. Now when I’m applying for a new job after my 3-year stint in Schbang, I’m no longer a pure social media marketer. I’m a Generalist so now I’m not just looking for good companies. I’m looking for good founders who can be my mentors and coach me to start my own business eventually.

So I’m making a similar database of the best Founders in Mumbai, based on their behaviour/interactions on LinkedIn, appearances in the media, and their vision for the companies they’re building.

I’ll be targetting them heavily so let’s see where I end up.

Case in point, you can continue applying randomly on LinkedIn and other job boards online but that should always be your past time. Divert more efforts to applying intentionally by making a leads list based on your preferences – ask yourself these questions.

• Location – Are their offices located at a place you can easily commute to? (best not to apply to faraway places)
• Size – Which environment do you thrive in? MNCs are great to learn structure and earn well but not so great for learning – what’s your #1 priority?
• Category – Which industries are you naturally drawn to? Tech, hospitality, finance, beauty, F&B, FMCG, tourism, entertainment, media?
• People – What do their employees look like? Young, old, Gen-Zs, diverse? It’s all visible on their LinkedIn company page!
• Founders/Leadership – Who leads the company? Do you vibe with their purpose, story and vision?
• Previous Experience – How has your natural track record been like in the past? What past experiences or skills can you leverage?

Use my free Google Sheets template if you need a hand getting started. Just duplicate the file and start adding your leads.

Conclusion

With an Application Docket and a Company Leads List, you’ll be separating yourself from every other job seeker in the market who is gambling with their fate at best. This is how marketers work – they attack intentionally. And since you’re also selling yourself in the market in a way, why shouldn’t you follow the same mindset?

Following my 2-step framework assures that you will make some progress in terms of getting interview calls from prospective employers/recruiters.

But how to tackle those tough interview questions? And how to negotiate a good salary?

I cover all of that (and more) in great detail in my book, so if you haven’t already check it out, this is your cue! Grab your copy now and do let me know the good news once you bag your dream job – I’d love to celebrate together.

If you found this article useful, do share it with your family, colleagues and friends!