Are you using an ineffective job search strategy? As an agency recruiter and career coach, I speak to 30-50 job seekers a week on average. Inevitably, one of my first questions is: "What have you done thus far for your job search?" The typical response includes:
I have posted my resume on various career sites.
I have set up job alerts on The Ladders, Indeed.com, and so on, and periodically check target company sites for new job postings.
I apply to job posts that I find online through the job post links.
I e-mail people in my "network" to see if they have any job leads.
I periodically e-mail agency recruiters to let them know I am still looking.
All of these are necessary actions when you begin your job search. However, I have noticed that after several months with very few interviews, candidates continue to rely on the same "e-mail-heavy" strategies. These steps are initially proactive, but ultimately become reactive… waiting for someone to e-mail you back.
So, you might ask yourself, “What other proactive steps can I take?” If you aren't making any traction with your job search and feel frustrated and pessimistic about your prospects, then I boldly suggest that you stop focusing on e-mail as your main method of communication.
Don't panic just yet. I am not suggesting that you unplug your computer, disable your wireless connection or stop checking e-mails and job alerts. I am simply proposing that you make a new commitment to yourself. For one month, make in-person or phone conversations your main mode of communication.
For that month, e-mail contacts for job leads and apply through job sites as a LAST resort. Pick up the phone, meet for coffee, attend networking meetings and career workshops, and make every effort to interact with people “live” and in person. Continue to look for job leads and research potential employers online, but use these strategies in tandem with your new, more personal approach.
Here's an example:
You get a job alert that company XYZ has posted a new position. Usually, your next step would be to apply through their link and wait for a response. Instead, look on LinkedIn to see who you know at that company or who could introduce you to a contact at the company, and then call them. Yes, call them!
We are all inundated with e-mails, but a friendly call is harder to ignore and gets a dialogue going. Just touch base, and ask the person if he or she would mind finding out the name of the hiring manager or who in HR is handling that position. You never know where a conversation might lead. At the very least, in-person meetings or phone conversations will re-energize and add some much needed change to any stagnant job search.
Below are a few helpful hints for your new, more personal job search strategy:
Be Friendly
When you call or meet with people, make it friendly and social. Yes, you would like their assistance, but one-sided conversations never have much success. Make sure your energy is positive and the talk is not solely focused on you.
Be Respectful
Be respectful of people's time. Most people don't have an hour to "chit-chat," but most can spare 10 minutes to “catch up.”
Be Positive
Make the conversation pleasant and positive. Your job search may be difficult and frustrating, but people are more receptive if you’re upbeat and optimistic. Listening to someone complain for any length of time is never fun.
Make Sure You're A Fit
If you are going to ask others to forward your resume to their HR departments, make sure you are a strong fit for the role and that you have tweaked your resume so it "bleeds" the job description. When you forward your customized resume, make sure you include the job description (including the job number) and a few bullets that recap your relevant experience.
Sometimes we need to shake things up in our quest for the next great opportunity. Focusing on more personal modes of communication adds a human element to your search process and can lead to a more positive attitude toward your job search as a whole. Conversations also give you more opportunities to showcase your “value proposition” to potential employers and may lead, directly or through referrals, to the interviews you seek.
Author: Elisa ShefticEnjoy this article? You've got time for another! Check out these related articles:
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.