Out of Work New Yorkers Turn To New Job Hunting Tactics

The most popular new technique in the job hunt bag-of-tricks was cold calling prospective employers, utilized by 72% of those job seekers polled by The New York Times Job Market. This was followed by sending a letter of qualification to employers (58%) and sending out unsolicited resumes (44%).

Perhaps the most brazen approach was the one that four out of 10 (41%) unemployed New Yorkers say they use – showing up at a company for an interview without an appointment. Men apparently are more apt to try this aggressive technique than their female counterparts by a count of 35% to 17%, respectively.

Rounding out the list was another male dominated maneuver – handing out resumes/business cards on the street (26%), attempted by 20% of men, compared to just 8% of women. Overall, the study found that more than three-quarters (76%) of the metropolitan New York jobless were willing to try anything, reporting using one of more of the new tactics.

Evidently the creativity has paid off for some. Hiring managers say they have interviewed (53%) or hired (37%) someone who has used one of these creative job search tactics.

Job Offers

Intrepid New York job seekers apparently are not one to look a gift horse in the mouth given the current job market. Job seekers say they are willing to surrender certain incentives to get a job, with a shorter commute being reported by more than half (56%) to top the list of sacrifices. This was followed by forfeitures made in:

• higher salary – 54%
• opportunity for advancement – 40%
• benefits – 38%.

Nine out of 10 respondents were trying one or more of the list.

However, the higher salary sacrifice does not come without tradeoff for some. In lieu of receiving a higher salary in a new position, job seekers say they are willing to accept one or more of the following incentives to land a job in the current economy:

• good benefits – 58%
• good company management – 52%
• less job stress – 50%
• shorter commute – 45%
• employer with strong brand identity – 41%

The survey was conducted by Beta Research Corporation, on behalf of The New York Times Job Market. It conducted through telephone interviews with 250 hiring managers and 200 job seekers in the New York metropolitan area. Job seekers are defined as those who are currently looking or plan to look for a new job in the next six months.