Jeannette Gutierrez: Guerilla Job Hunting

How experienced professionals can reinvent themselves and get interviews in their target firms.

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Filed under: Ann Arbor, MI | Getting Hired | Innovative Employment | Jeannette Gutierrez

For over more than 20 years as an advertising art director, Jeannette Gutierrez has overseen the visual aspect of corporate identity. Like many in advertising, Jeannette was recently laid off from her job and is looking for a position in online marketing.

Jeannette has had success obtaining interviews with her target firms, something that may be hard for experienced employees trying to redefine themselves. In this interview, she shares some of her tips for getting the interview:

Avoid becoming trapped by HR screening. Use LinkedIn to determine who the hiring manager might be and target them directly.
Indicate that you are negotiable in the cover letter and give a reason why you would be so that is specific to that company.
Indicate in the interview that you do not have a fixed idea of your role and are willing to adapt to the company.
Interview the interviewer to understand how they perceive the current crop of job candidates.

8 Comments

energy boost on March 5, 2009 9:15 AM

Thanks for the tips. It's really rough out there and the linkedin tip alone is great. Thanks so much again.

sj on March 10, 2009 11:50 AM

Those are some great tips for people that are in the job market but may be "overqualified" for jobs. I really liked the part about using the cover letter to let the employer know that you are open to a negotiable salary and that you're willing to help the company in any capacity. That is a great way to really stand out to employers by just being open and honest with them. If you can come outright and say, I like your company, even if I have been in the business 20 years and this is a smaller start-up company, I am still willing to do anything it takes to help you grow and use my experience to do so. It also lets them know that you are willing to put in the actual work and are willing to accept a lower salary; essentially that you are not stuck-up. I also think it is very important for corporate business people to get out of that mindset when it comes to applying for positions at small businesses. Entrepreneurs are looking for flexible people to add value to their company in any way possible, not just the cookie-cutter, follow-the-corporate-laws way of thinking. Lastly, I think it's great that Jeannette is looking for online marketing jobs and moving the way the technological times are going. This is a smart move and those who are looking for jobs currently should keep this in mind.

Mike D on March 29, 2009 2:48 PM

I thank you for some of your insight. It is such a good point that companies may be very interested in a person, but may be scared off due to the cost of the potential employee. I think that what Jeanette said about being negotiable, or willing to do anything with the company is a very good tip. It makes a company know that you want to work there, and believe in what they are doing instead of just coming in to collect a paycheck. Lastly, I think that when you interview the interviewer, you can collect all sorts of information; you might not always get that job, but it can help you in your next interview. A lot of times when do interview the interviewer, it shows that yo have a lot of interest in the company, and in today's market; where there is usually an abundance of interviewers, showing interest can help you land the job.

Anne on March 31, 2009 9:18 AM

Job hunting is hard but if you do it the right way it can become easier. I had never heard about LinkedIn. I will have to try that sometime. I agree that it is really important to emphasize that you do not have this set vision of yourself and what you will and will not do. Companies are looking for flexibility and people who can adapt their skills so the employer is getting the most out of the salary they are paying that person. I found interviewing the interviewer to be a very helpful tip. That way you know realistically what to expect and you can gather information from the interviewers perspective. The information that you include in the cover letter is very important as well. Indicating that you are negotiable tells the company that you are a flexible person that is willing to help in any way that they can. How it is phrased is very important. I suggest that you stay away from using the same letter for each company. Take the time to personalize it a bit, and make it specific to that company.

Jeremy Henderson on March 31, 2009 10:18 AM

This specific video hits hard at the people looking for new job like you were. I love the part where you told us to bypass HR and go right to the decision maker. I would respect anyone who did that as the decision maker. Someone is showing tremendous effort to try and work for my company and I would give them a chance if they showed that effort. It is hard to look for specific jobs when the economy is down this way. People have to be the best at their position if their are going to get what they want. Like you said, it is going to be hard for a company to hire you if you expect what you had at your last job. Sometimes you have to take cuts in order to benefit in the future. Good luck to you and to all the people without jobs.

Nicholas Crabb on April 20, 2009 10:18 PM

I found this to be a very timely and relevant discussion about seeking employment in today's challenging job market. The information about bypassing a companies human resource department while somewhat nontraditional maybe a successful avenue to be considered, and certainly something I would have never thought of. I really found the language about being ambiguous about specific job titles, and negotiable salary to be a beneficial tip. As a student on the verge graduation and seeking employment I am thankful that you took the time to share this information.

Jennifer Bankhead on March 30, 2010 12:19 AM

Thank you for taking the time to share your tips for success in job searching. The information you provided was extremely helpful and eye opening. It can be really frustration sending out resume after resume and filling out application after application only to have them sit in a pile for weeks or passed over based of one or two items on a criteria list, especially when you feel you're a great candidate for the position. That is why your suggestion to find out who the department head is and demonstrate your interest to them was so helpful and encouraging. It gives the job seeker a sense of empowerment to know they don't always just have to sit and wait to have their applications screened by human resources personnel. The idea to let it be know that you're willing to be negotiable and state the reasons why was also very helpful. I feel encouraged to continue on with my job search and will be putting you advice to good use. Thanks again.

Amy Stencel on June 13, 2010 2:42 PM

I'm really glad that I decided to watch this interview with Jeanette Gutierrez. She discussed issues that she's faced since being laid off by her previous advertising employer and expressed advice to people that are also trying to find a position. All of her advice was extremely helpful and I honestly hope that more people listen to what she had to say in regards to the guerrilla job hunt. She noted that she had a lot of difficulty due to her many years of experience, which I can and can't understand. At one aspect I understand that someone might think that she's entering the job market with a prerecorded set of expectations, but at the other side of the spectrum, don't understand why someone wouldn't love to have someone with that much experience. Someone of her caliber can offer so much to the company, which is why I agree with her advice to make sure that you note how negotiable you and your expectations are. I think it was good that she realized that she should never dumb down her resume and thought to add comments like that in cover letter instead. I don't think anyone should ever be ashamed for having experience in the market you're trying to enter. I also agree with her advice on interviewing the interviewer. I think that it will show initiative and drive if you take the chance and ask questions that normally aren't asked. Just as Jeanette said, it's important to know what you're up against. I wish Jeanette all the best of luck in her search for employment! Regards, Amy Stencel

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Jeannette Gutierrez: Guerilla Job Hunting

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