Step 1: Develop an overview.  You need to answer questions such as why you are in the construction business, and your marketing goals and priorities either to find a job and/or to gain new clientele. What kind of services do you provide such as commercial, residential, new construction only, or do you accept tenant improvement jobs on existing buildings?

Step 2: Create your brand. What type of image do you want to create for your customers? How do you convey this image to the public? Think about how your past employers and/or customers would describe your abilities. Do you provide a specialty service, or are you known for intangibles such as having integrity and transparency?

Step 3: Define your differential advantage. What sets you apart from your others? Why do your customers come to you over other companies? Do you go that extra mile and do things above and beyond what is expected? Maybe you only use the highest grade of materials. For example, why would a person building their own home choose you to build it over another company?  This is your differential advantage.

Step 4: Determine your target markets. Who are your clients? Write in detail a profile of who does business with you. Their ages, location, position, and so forth, and of who you want to do business with, and whether you do residential or commercial work.

Step 5: Determine your online presence. Do you have a website? Should you? Think about the potential benefits from online marketing and the amount of potential clients you could reach.

Step 6: Decide your strategic action plans. Design a marketing campaign and specific techniques to put your plan in motion. Is it realistic and does it fit into your budget? Do you stand to profit from your ideas? Do your ideas represent your company well?

Step 7: Put your plan in motion. Implement your marketing plan and campaigns. Remember, your plans are not written in stone. You can throw out ideas that aren’t working and implement new strategies where necessary. Don’t be afraid to try new ideas and keep tabs on your competition and learn what works for them.

Developing a successful marketing plan is overwhelming to some business owners, and understandably. It is an involved process, but absolutely vital to your company’s success. You will need to take advantage of everything your company can benefit from in today’s competitive market.  It will be your key to achieving your goals and becoming successful contractor in the construction industry.

Michael DeSafey is a leading executive recruiter for professionals in the construction, engineering and environmental industries. He is currently the President of Webuild Staffing www.webuildstaffing.com . To learn more about Michael or to follow his Blog please visit www.michaeldesafey.com

Going on interview after interview; with no job offers can bring anyone’s self-esteem down. Human resources and hiring managers are very keen individuals and they can recognize when an individual who is interviewing with them is struggling or depressed. This has a strong impact on your chances of obtaining your next career opportunity. Having a strong support network and coping mechanisms in place that you can rely on will aide you greatly in keeping positive and making the right impression on job interviews.

Find A Group Of Trusted Advisers

When you are searching for a job you may feel alienated from the rest of the world. It is important to not cut yourself off from the business community. Developing relationships with like mind professionals; individuals you have worked with in the past, civic leaders, people you respect and trust will allow you to stay up to date and connected. It will also allow you to communicate your thoughts or ask for advice as you progress through the hurdles in your job search.

Volunteer To Work With A Non-Profit

Going from working 40 hours a week to sitting at home all day can greatly impact your self-esteem. There were many reasons you worked, the since of accomplishment, the pride of the job you were doing, the people you were helping, etc.. All of which can be recaptured by working for a non-profit, even if you are not being paid. It will also allow you to network with business leaders provide you a sense of daily purpose and greatly improve your emotional outlook as you search for a job.

Be Positive

Projecting a sense of positivity and showing a sense of purpose will greatly aide you job search and interviewing success. Individuals that are depressed or downbeat typically drive employers away from hiring them. You want to demonstrate in your life a positive sense of purpose.

There are many ways to do this, but the most effective is reflecting on your past accomplishments, your skills, and abilities, family life. You need to remember that you can provide a valuable contribution to any organization. You past employer saw this, that why they hired you. Take some time to write down these accomplishments and place them somewhere you will see every day. This will greatly help you project a positive outlook in your job search.

Utilize Social Media And LinkedIn

Social Media can be a great tool to utilize in searching for a job, as well as, connecting with folks around the world that have common professional interests. Use your LinkedIn profile to showcase your skills, accomplishments, connect with like-minded professionals and share your ideas through these platforms.

You will be surprised how quickly you build your professional network of contacts and how you will be recognized by employers and individuals alike in your profession.

Find A Local Support Group

Having professional contacts and advisors are all great; but there are times when you need to rely on individuals that maybe outside your professional life. Finding a local support group maybe the answer for you.

Often the thought of going to a support group at your local church or community center may seem a little extreme. The general perception is that people who go to these meetings have problems and need help, but in reality most people who go to these meetings are just like you. They are trying to share their stories, experiences, see what others are encountering while working through their particular situation.
People find they are good places to talk with resourceful individuals, be accepted and learn new things to help them in their job search process. Most people end up building long term friendships with people that last years.

Make Sure You Allow Some Time For Yourself

When you are searching for a job you mind is in a constant state of worry. Where will your next job come from? How are you going to find it? Who should you be calling? Sending resumes to?

You do not want your entire life obsessed with finding a job, it’s emotionally and physically unhealthy. You still have a life, interests, friends and family. Take time to enjoy those interests and step away from the job search regularly. It will greatly help your emotional state of mind and health.

Michael DeSafey is a leading executive recruiter for professionals in the construction, engineering and environmental industries. He is currently the President of Webuild Staffing (www.webuildstaffing.com). To learn more about Michael or Follow his Blog please visit www.michaeldesafey.com

Simply posting job advertisements when you need to hire for a job opening will never allow you to find exceptional talent. Your job advertisement only targets individuals looking for a job at a specific point in time. Your organization always needs to be looking for high quality talent. Holding open houses, career fairs, talking with other professionals and leaders in the industry, showcasing your organization to the public.

As a manager though, you need to remember the highest quality and best talent in your industry will never actively be looking for a job. They already have one!! An employer searched them out, courted and hired them. You now need to do the same!! You need to find out who these individuals are, build relationships with them and hire them when the time is right.

You will want to attend professional association networking events, go to lunch with your competitors, talk to your clients about who they know and have experience working with, and/or search LinkedIn and other social media outlets for individuals with specific expertise and connect with them. Establishing relationships and simply take some time to get to know people, their careers, what projects they are working on, what motivates them, and where they see their career going, etc. will allow you as a manager when the time is right to select and make the right strategic hire quickly and efficiently.

But they may not be looking for a job?? Wrong!! You will be surprised how open people are about learning about a new career opportunity when approached. 90% of the currently employed workers will never turn down a potential new opportunity. Everyone is always looking for something better!! By having an existing relationship with them, the courting process is much more efficient, effective and beneficial to the organization doing the hiring.

You already know what makes the candidate tick, what they enjoy, where their expertise is, the type of personality they have, etc.. The relationship is already established all you need to do now is reel them in and make sure the position you have matches their desires, salary and career advancement needs.

Managers that are always building relationships and keeping their eyes open for exceptional talent in the course of their daily business activities will never find themselves lacking exceptional talent for a growing organization. Their businesses will be thriving, while others are still posting job ads and interviewing candidates.

Michael DeSafey is a leading executive recruiter for professionals in the construction, engineering and environmental industries. He is currently the President of Webuild Staffing (www.webuildstaffing.com ). To learn more about Michael or Follow his Blog please visit www.michaeldesafey.com

First Impressions Count!!!
You should always remember that the first impression you make when meeting a new person, effects how they will perceive you in the future. The first few minutes of a conversation will affect your relationship with them going forward; so always be confident, make eye contact, smile, speak with a clear strong voice and be confident in your skills and qualifications. A pleasant, secure introduction will always open the door to an effective and rewarding conversation.

Question, Question, Question….
Asking smart, inquisitive questions of people will allow you to start a conversation by learning about others. By showing interest in others will open up a line of communication that sincerely shows your interest in getting to know someone or their business. Questions that are thoughtful, that spark an individual’s interest are the best. Asking open ended questions that spur conversation; like, how long have you been in your current role at the company? What are your products like? How is their business doing? Who else from their organization is at the event? are all good questions that allow a conversation to grow.

Business, Business, Business!! Talk About Something Else…
Professional networking events are always about business. People talk about business all day, but they do have other interests and aspects to their lives. Opening conversations up to other interests; holiday events, families, sporting events, etc.. all allow people to relax and have more rewarding conversations that are memorable.

Studies have shown that individuals that can relate on a more personal level, have a greater chance of working together than those that strictly revolve around business interests.

Controversy!!! Avoid It At All Costs…
When we say first impressions count; meeting people for the first time and bringing up or discussing controversial subjects will always lead to failure. Always try to keep your conversations light and avoid subjects that are controversial. As a rule of thumb politics, race, religion, sex are all good subjects to avoid until you have a deeper lasting relationship with someone.

Find Common Interests..
The best way to strike up a conversation with someone is to have a common interest. It builds respect and a personal level of rapport with someone almost instantly. This can be both working within the same industry, company, or simply having the same hobby, etc.. Learning about individuals interests will allow you to strike up a conversation quickly.

Breaking the ice and having meaningful conversations takes some practice and may not go as planned immediately, but continuing to have conversations and meet new people will effectively develop your conversational skills and expand your career prospects as you grow as an individual.

Michael DeSafey is a leading executive recruiter for professionals in the construction, engineering and environmental industries. He is currently the President of Webuild Staffing (www.webuildstaffing.com). To learn more about Michael or Follow his Blog please visit www.michaeldesafey.com