As a business school student, navigating the job market can be overwhelming. Enter the LAMP list, a powerful tool introduced by author Steve Dalton. LAMP stands for List, Advocacy, Motivation, and Posting. This approach helps you create a focused, manageable list of potential employers, increasing your chances of landing the right job. Here’s how to harness its power:
- List: Compile at least 40 employers that align with your career goals. These should be companies you’re genuinely interested in and that have a track record of hiring from your school or program.
- Advocacy: Identify potential advocates within each company. These could be alumni, former colleagues, or connections you’ve made at networking events. They’ll be crucial in helping you navigate the application process.
- Motivation: Rank your list based on your level of enthusiasm for each company. This ensures you’re focusing your energy on opportunities that truly excite you.
- Posting: Keep track of job postings from these companies. Regularly check their career pages and set up alerts to stay informed about new opportunities.
Action items:
- Brainstorm potential employers: Use your school’s career resources, industry publications, and personal research to identify companies. Pitchbook is a valuable resource available through the Turchin library.
- Leverage your network: Reach out to alumni and attend networking events to find advocates within your target companies.
- Create a spreadsheet: Organize your LAMP list with columns for company name, potential advocates, motivation level, and relevant job postings.
- Prioritize your efforts: Focus on the top 10-15 companies on your list, but keep the others on your radar.
- Update regularly: Review and refine your LAMP list monthly, adding new companies and removing those that no longer fit your goals.
- Practice your pitch: Develop a compelling story about why you’re interested in each company on your list.
- Stay informed: Use LinkedIn, Indeed, and company websites to monitor job openings and industry news related to your target companies.
By wielding the power of your LAMP list, you’ll approach your job search with focus and strategy, maximizing your chances of landing a role that aligns with your career aspirations. Remember, a targeted approach is often more effective than casting a wide net. Use this tool to illuminate your path to career success.
