Dear Bob ... I have been in IT for 15 years and during that time I have performed a variety of functions - 2nd level support, internal consulting for an IS organization, operations and architecture management, and commercial service delivery (including as a consultant, a manager and a solution/business development person). I have been looking for new pastures (for reasons that aren't important here) and ha Dear Bob …I have been in IT for 15 years and during that time I have performed a variety of functions – 2nd level support, internal consulting for an IS organization, operations and architecture management, and commercial service delivery (including as a consultant, a manager and a solution/business development person). I have been looking for new pastures (for reasons that aren’t important here) and have come across some interesting problems on job boards. I figure my experiences and “generalist background” probably lend themselves better to a smaller organization, so that’s where I have focused my search.I have been networking with friends and previous co-workers, have given my resume to a few recruiters in the geographic area I am interested in, and have submitted my resume to a number of company web sites. All of this is generating activity and may well lead to an offer. The difficulty I’m having is that with a background as diverse as mine, there are a number of positions I would consider and it’s difficult to classify my experience within a category on a job board. Any advice on how a generalist can participate in a job board without pigeonholing himself? While I generally would prefer to stay in the service provider market, I would consider management positions in an internal IT shop, if it was the right kind of shop (aligned with the business, open to change, etc.) or even as a company’s interface to an outsourcer, since I have been in outsourcing for the last 4 years. I hope that doesn’t sound wishy-washy. The fact of the matter is that my concerns with a new company are primarily that they are growing, open to change, and looking for dynamic leadership. Any company that fits that bill and could use my experience is a potential employer.– A Generalist in a Specialist’s WorldDear General … My best advice is to avoid investing much time or energy at all on job boards. Some jobs are filled through them, but not many, and the ones that are almost entirely consist of the kind of commodity job you’re least interested in pursuing.The pursuit of a new position is a craft, not a process. Much as most of us might prefer otherwise, filling in the blanks and waiting for the telephone to ring is a low-likelihood alternative to what does work.Looking for employment has just about everything in common with selling consulting services. I’ve learned from painful experience that there’s just one sure way to get clients when you’re a consultant, and that’s old-fashioned selling: Making use of the people you know to get introductions to the people you need to know, cold-call lead-generation, and packaging what you do into one or more kinds of service. For each lead, you have to decide which of the services you have to offer is the best fit for what your prospect needs. And you need to understand how to bait the hook, develop interest, and close the deal.Job boards are the equivalent of sending out a mass mailing and hoping someone will buy from it. I’ve done this from time to time, and the response rate is low. People will buy low-cost items this way, like collectable thimbles and bobble-heads. They’ll buy commodity items this way, like credit cards and long-distance.The worst thing you can do for yourself is to position yourself as a commodity service. The best is to learn how to sell. – Bob ——– Technology Industry