In a wired world where job seekers can be presented with hundreds, if not thousands, of pieces of “job hunting" advice daily, the need for job seekers to develop and use the skill of “focus" is critical.
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We're confronted with the “Paradox of Choice" in almost every area of our lives.
On television, there are hundreds of shows being broadcast at any moment, with online services and on-demand programming, it leaps to the thousands.
While some fast-food restaurants have maintained simplicity (i.e. In 'n Out), the selections at most are seemingly endless. Waffle House claims there are 3.5 million ways to order their hash browns. Most of us who have visit a casual dining restaurant have been confronted with one where the menu is ten or more pages of options. And the “Paradox of Choice" (Barry Schwarz, Ecco, 2003) teaches us that too many choices often leads to a serious limitation to our ability to make decisions.
In the job hunting world, this factor is not new. I've been critical of books arguing for the “1000 Best Interview Questions" for years. But it's now experienced the “wired explosion" with new suggestions for resume formats and cover letters. I was schooled in job hunting techniques by some key mentors. One of them was Bill Needler (founder of The Job Forum) who was known for clearly stating: “50% of all job hunting advice is wrong – the problem is we don't know which 50%)
The evaluation of best resume formats or “the three things you must know about…" is probably an endless debate. The objective here is to recommend an important strategy for surviving this “wired explosion" in the job hunting world – simply stated, FOCUS.
The need for “focus" is being recognized as a critical skill in the business community. Daniel Goleman, the leading authority of Emotional Intelligence (EQ), recently published a comprehensive examination of the subject, stating very strongly:
This can be boiled down to a threesome: inner, other, and outer focus. A well lived life demands we be nimble in each. For leaders to get results, they need all three kinds of focus. A leader tuned out of his internal world will be rudderless. One blind to the world of others will be clueless. Those indifferent to the larger systems within which they operate will be blindsided.
(Focus, Daniel Coleman, Harper, 2013)
It is easy to see how this applies to job seekers, awareness of strengths and accomplishments (internal), of the marketplace and teamwork (others), and of trends and organizations (outer).
All the available information means people have to work harder to consume it, categorizing information, sorting facts from opinion, and putting everything into context. Unless we take the time to do that, and have the skills to do it well, we could actually be less knowledgeable.
(“Managing the Information Avalanche," Ron Ashkenas, Harvard Business Review, March 6, 2012)
The message from Ashkenas is even more on target for job seekers – “the skills to do it well." The good news is that he provides some key action steps for job seekers:
Focus on a few key indicators.
Differentiate opinion from data.
Examine trends and patterns.
Periodically look at the ecosystem.
Use information as a basis for dialogue.
As strategies for your job search, these steps translate perfectly. You can't be tracking dozens of website, blogs, and Facebook pages for tips of your resume format. Identify 2-3 goods sources and give yourself the time to go deeper with the advice from this sites. There's more opinion than data on job hunting techniques – and that's OK – but make sure you see the recommendations backed by research knowing even that will be countered by other research.
The world is overrun by identifying trends in this “wired explosion." One example is the innovative approaches suggested for resumes (e.g., visual resumes). It's important to carefully examine trends that may impact your job search. If this trend continues, how does this affect you? What if it's just a fad? What if your “innovative" resume turns off more potential employers that it attracts?
The larger world of careers, jobs, and the economy are always factors to be considered. Right now there are on-going, sometimes fiery debates over the “skills gap" and “living wages." Do these issue impact your job search? For many, the answer is “definitely."
And finally the easiest piece of advice for all job seekers, “use information for dialogue." Make sure your strategies, your resume, your prepared answers to possible interview questions, are something you've discussed with colleagues and, if possible, with a knowledgeable adviser.
Focus involves having an effective radar system to know what you should be monitoring for your effective job search. It includes awareness of what's important both today and in the future. And you can't put “everything" on your radar – limit your radar to some important resources for the various aspects of your career search.
Jim Schreier is a management consultant with a focus on management, leadership, including performance-based hiring and interviewing skills. Visit his website at www.farcliffs.com.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert.
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
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Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
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Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
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Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.
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