I’ve done a lot of professional speaking on resume writing, and over the past eight years have talked to thousands of people. Every time, I ask the following question: “Has anyone gotten a job off of Monster.com?”
Eleven people have raised their hands.
There are hundreds—if not thousands—of job boards online, and they list millions of positions. Yet many of us have had this experience: You’re trolling job listings, clicking on openings in your target field, when you see The Dream Job. Your pulse starts racing. You look more closely. You are a perfect fit. You are such a perfect fit that it was like you had written the job description yourself. So you spend hours editing, proofing, tweaking and finessing your resume and cover letter. You hit “send” confident you’ll be contacted right away. You never hear a peep.
There are real, viable jobs being posted on job sites. But even if you hit upon one and are an appealing candidate, going through the “front door” isn’t the most effective way to getting hired.
When it comes to job listing sites, there are a lot of things going on behind the scenes. Some employers post positions so they can prove they’re complying with Equal Employment Opportunity law. Others recruit inside their companies, but post jobs to just see who is out there. And some jobs stay posted even after they are already filled, because the employer forgot to cancel the listing.
There are real, viable jobs being posted on job sites. But even if you hit upon one and are an appealing candidate, going through the “front door” and applying directly to the human resources department isn’t the most effective way to getting hired.
Why? Most human resource people are actually screeners, not hiring managers. The human resource person’s job is to pull out unqualified applicants, not to make hiring decisions. When you add in the applicant tracking software some companies use, there are a lot of filters in place at the front door, keeping you out rather than letting you in. The hiring manager is actually your target—and positioning yourself with that person is a critical key to your job search success.
A new way of thinking is to see job search sites as phenomenal research tools. They can help you see which companies are generally hiring and figure out the keywords you can use on your resume, to help you rank well with the applicant tracking software some companies use. Even if the employer isn’t using that software, you still come across as a highly relevant candidate!
Once you have information from the site, use your contacts to get yourself in the back door—that is, to the hiring manager or an internal advocate (an employee that you have a connection to). These people can “make” your application by putting in a good word for you, making you a known quantity to the employer.
According to recent newspaper reports, 70 percent of people find jobs through someone they know. (The others find jobs through postings, so it can happen, but it’s much less likely.) The old adage, “People do business with who they know” holds tried and true. If you have a connection at Your Dream Company who is willing to walk your resume down to HR, it means you’re not just an anonymous applicant. It dramatically improves your chances of getting an interview.
Knowing this should affect how you spend your time and energy looking for a job. Build your social and professional networks through sites like Plaxo, Naymz, LinkedIn.com, Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace—to name a few. Don’t be afraid to go through your Rolodex and address book. As you attend networking events, ask permission to connect online with the people you meet. Schedule informational interviews, go to networking events and take classes.
There are people everywhere…and they know people. You never know exactly who they might know!
When you do find that Dream Job through online postings, it is a lot easier to tap into your network, get a personal referral and circumvent the official channels. And just maybe that Dream Job will be Your Job.
(This blog has also been posted to www.recessionwire.com)
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
Keeping the Focus in a Job Search
I usually don't write about personal things in these blogs, but I had an insightful moment this past weekend which has a definite connection to how a person conducts a job search.
My husband and I set out on a hike early on Sunday morning to the Washington Cascades. Upon arrival at our remote location, our hike began, and it went up. And up. And up. And up. Now, as someone who wasn't athletically inclined back in my school days, I've maintained a fairly active adult life but not to the point of being a jockette. This hike was kicking my butt! But I took my time, organized my thoughts, and put one foot in front of the other and kept moving despite the burn in my leg muscles.
We finally made it to the 'easy' viewpoint after a two-hour grueling uphill slog, and stopped to rest in a giant mountain meadow bursting with wildflowers. The dazzling view also included snowcapped Mt. Adams and Mt. Hood in the panorama. This was definitely an incredible reward for such a gut-busting hike!
After a little bit, my husband looked at me and asked me: "Do you want to continue on and do the longer loop to Big Huckleberry Mountain?" I sort of looked at him sideways, already thinking about the trek down, down, down. Leaving the car seemed such a long time ago, I sighed. He encouraged me, telling me, "It's only 11 miles round-trip from the car, and you'll have a sense of accomplishment in completing the longer hike." I wasn't totally convinced, but ate another granola bar, laced up my boots, gritted my teeth, then smiled. Ok, I told him. Let's do it. I'd never gone so far before on such a tormented trail.
The trail stayed true to its beginnings: it went up again. Then we lost about the same amount of altitude as we followed a ridgeline of three peaks. Up and down we went, gaining and losing altitude. Argggh! I thought. This is ridiculous... what is the point of going up only to lose it all again in the next ridge going down? I started to balk and have fantasies of crashing out in my patio chair at home, but near the top of the second peak, we saw a bear just 50 feet away. It was an unexpected and exciting development. It ran off within seconds. In all of the years that I've been hiking, I've never encountered a bear in any of my hikes in the Pacific Northwest. The adrenaline rush lasted for the next hour when we got to the summit of Big Huckleberry Mountain. The views were even more amazing, and my husband beamed at me for sticking with it.
It wasn't until I got back to the car that I realized what an amazing hike I had done, gauging from how steep the trail was going down. My knees were killing me!
Much like starting a job search, this trek seemed insurmountable from the start, going up and up. You feel like you are marching up a mountain. And you are!! At times during this hike, I didn't feel particularly up to the task of continuing such a difficult endeavor, which also happens when looking for a new job. Seems like you take two steps forward only to take one step back. The key is that you have to take a breather. You need to stop and assess your progress. Then take a deep breath, then keep moving forward.
I kept focused, and didn't think of how many thousands of feet I was going to have to climb, instead keeping my attention centered on taking one step at a time, and I was able to keep going. And it's ok to take a break. And as you keep going, it's a step-by-step process that adds altitude to your efforts... you never know what wonderful things you might learn and see along the way.
We found pristine mountain meadows filled with delightful flowers and were thrilled with spotting some wildlife. In a job search, you can meet some wonderful people, learn new things, and have amazing experiences that enhance your life experience. Just like the hike, a job search isn't easy. There are times where you feel discouraged. Sometimes you go up (interview) and then other times, you have a dizzying loss of altitude (don't get the job you really wanted). It's a landscape of peaks and valleys. That's right when you need to dig deep, and push yourself, and remember your objective.
This hike turned out to be the longest hardest hike I've ever been on (I've gone 13 miles before but it was flat compared to this one!), and having that sense of accomplishment that I put my 'all' into the efforts is unparalleled. Sure, I was sore and exhausted. But I was so glad I did it and the most important thing of all: I realized how much more possibility is out there for me to challenge myself. The easy thing would have been to turn around at the first viewpoint. But now, I realized that if I can do this hike, a whole new world of other trails are there for exploring and summiting.
So go out there, tackle that mountain, and enjoy the view from the summit. It's worth the journey.
My husband and I set out on a hike early on Sunday morning to the Washington Cascades. Upon arrival at our remote location, our hike began, and it went up. And up. And up. And up. Now, as someone who wasn't athletically inclined back in my school days, I've maintained a fairly active adult life but not to the point of being a jockette. This hike was kicking my butt! But I took my time, organized my thoughts, and put one foot in front of the other and kept moving despite the burn in my leg muscles.
We finally made it to the 'easy' viewpoint after a two-hour grueling uphill slog, and stopped to rest in a giant mountain meadow bursting with wildflowers. The dazzling view also included snowcapped Mt. Adams and Mt. Hood in the panorama. This was definitely an incredible reward for such a gut-busting hike!
After a little bit, my husband looked at me and asked me: "Do you want to continue on and do the longer loop to Big Huckleberry Mountain?" I sort of looked at him sideways, already thinking about the trek down, down, down. Leaving the car seemed such a long time ago, I sighed. He encouraged me, telling me, "It's only 11 miles round-trip from the car, and you'll have a sense of accomplishment in completing the longer hike." I wasn't totally convinced, but ate another granola bar, laced up my boots, gritted my teeth, then smiled. Ok, I told him. Let's do it. I'd never gone so far before on such a tormented trail.
The trail stayed true to its beginnings: it went up again. Then we lost about the same amount of altitude as we followed a ridgeline of three peaks. Up and down we went, gaining and losing altitude. Argggh! I thought. This is ridiculous... what is the point of going up only to lose it all again in the next ridge going down? I started to balk and have fantasies of crashing out in my patio chair at home, but near the top of the second peak, we saw a bear just 50 feet away. It was an unexpected and exciting development. It ran off within seconds. In all of the years that I've been hiking, I've never encountered a bear in any of my hikes in the Pacific Northwest. The adrenaline rush lasted for the next hour when we got to the summit of Big Huckleberry Mountain. The views were even more amazing, and my husband beamed at me for sticking with it.
It wasn't until I got back to the car that I realized what an amazing hike I had done, gauging from how steep the trail was going down. My knees were killing me!
Much like starting a job search, this trek seemed insurmountable from the start, going up and up. You feel like you are marching up a mountain. And you are!! At times during this hike, I didn't feel particularly up to the task of continuing such a difficult endeavor, which also happens when looking for a new job. Seems like you take two steps forward only to take one step back. The key is that you have to take a breather. You need to stop and assess your progress. Then take a deep breath, then keep moving forward.
I kept focused, and didn't think of how many thousands of feet I was going to have to climb, instead keeping my attention centered on taking one step at a time, and I was able to keep going. And it's ok to take a break. And as you keep going, it's a step-by-step process that adds altitude to your efforts... you never know what wonderful things you might learn and see along the way.
We found pristine mountain meadows filled with delightful flowers and were thrilled with spotting some wildlife. In a job search, you can meet some wonderful people, learn new things, and have amazing experiences that enhance your life experience. Just like the hike, a job search isn't easy. There are times where you feel discouraged. Sometimes you go up (interview) and then other times, you have a dizzying loss of altitude (don't get the job you really wanted). It's a landscape of peaks and valleys. That's right when you need to dig deep, and push yourself, and remember your objective.
This hike turned out to be the longest hardest hike I've ever been on (I've gone 13 miles before but it was flat compared to this one!), and having that sense of accomplishment that I put my 'all' into the efforts is unparalleled. Sure, I was sore and exhausted. But I was so glad I did it and the most important thing of all: I realized how much more possibility is out there for me to challenge myself. The easy thing would have been to turn around at the first viewpoint. But now, I realized that if I can do this hike, a whole new world of other trails are there for exploring and summiting.
So go out there, tackle that mountain, and enjoy the view from the summit. It's worth the journey.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
The Power of Social Networking in a Job Search
As blogged about previously, I have mentioned how very important it is that you 'sanitize' your online presence and make sure anything that you have posted on the web is within the realm of acceptable to prospective employers. Many actually use services that collect and aggregate social online information when considering applicants for positions, in order to get a sense of the person. This is a warning to the weekend social party animal that posts drinking photos online... this could be the reason why you aren't getting any job offers! (Believe me, people do post that kind of stuff on there- I've seen it!)
While taking steps to maintain a certain amount of professionalism, even within your social circle, can feel limiting, the rewards of fully utilizing social networks to their fullest is still pretty darned amazing.
Consider this: 70% of all people find jobs through someone they know. It is critical that you build your connection base.
Think of your job search in terms of you being a spider, and you are spinning a web. It grows ever bigger all the time. You'll be building your social network in the same way- eventually, you'll snare viable job prospects through the solid filaments of this web, with those filaments being people that you know!
Don't get me wrong, I am not a social media expert, but have really come to appreciate the power of how networking can positively impact job seeker's searches from hearing so many client success stories.
Everyone has to make their own determination on which networks to invest time and energy into, and certainly, if you subscribe to them all, it can end up being tedious going in and updating each network. Plus, the people that you connect to might take offense of being asked to link up with you via five or more different networks.
Some of the major networks to consider include LinkedIn.com, Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace to name a few. There are others like Naymz and Plaxo as well. Each of these have different positive attributes that can work in your favor for a job search, so let's review each:
1) LinkedIn.com - this is certainly a mainstay for most business people. Essentially a way to have an on-line resume, LinkedIn goes far beyond that single purpose. You can build your online connections there by connecting with colleagues, friends, groups and conversely, research through your own networks the people you really want to connect with on a job search. Example: If I was applying for a job at Microsoft, I would type in the search box, under ("People") Microsoft, and the search will pop up everyone who is employed at Microsoft who is on LinkedIn. You can easily find someone in your target department- the next step is asking for an informational interview. Other benefits of LinkedIn include asking and posting recommendations from supervisors, colleagues, and clients - a great way to bolster your credentials, as well as becoming an online expert in your field by answering questions pertaining to that area.
The main point is that if a prospective employer is going to Google you, LinkedIn would be an extremely helpful online network to have them learn more about you.
2) Twitter- I've had challenges with Twitter (including delayed messages) but the usefulness of this tool is to be able to broadcast out to the people you are connected to specific requests. You could post "Does anyone know someone in the purchasing department at Microsoft?" as an example, and you never know who knows whom out there, and someone in the network can re-tweet back the desired contact name. People who tweet on this network can also announce job openings, and breaking news. Example: Someone was aboard the US Airways jet that landed on the Hudson and within seconds of landing, had tweeted about the situation, and it went like wildfire across the world via Twitter. The instantaneousness of Twitter can help position you to be able to jump on opportunities as soon as they are made available. The adage of 'the early bird gets the worm' couldn't be truer!
3) Facebook/MySpace- These are more social and mundane sites, but you never know how things may unfold in terms of jobs. I maintain a Facebook site myself, and keep my content to the 'sanitized' personal level (i.e.: Went for an 8-mile hike) but at the same time, within my network of about 280 people, I've gotten a lot of resume writing clients... people feel that social connection but they aren't afraid to look at me in the business context. Content is constantly under evaluation, and if I were to post something goofy, that might call into question my professionalism, integrity or character. It's great to share the task of going about our lives on a daily basis, but keeping it contained to within professional parameters can also help bolster your personal brand and image.
Some interesting developments, however, is how employers are tapping into these networks to even be proactively contacting candidates. A recent article on the New York Times News Service (credit to Julie Weed), mentioned that some hiring companies are using services such as Appirio or Jobvite to interface with the social media networks, conduct searches for prospective candidates, and then contact qualified individuals, even if they are gainfully employed.
This is a great new application for recruiters to harness the power of social networks but at the same time, the importance of having a consistent and professional social and business image is underscored even more! Employers appreciate the fact that this accelerates the personal referral process and allows them access to an even wider pool of candidates through each contact's connections in that network.
If you've been loathe to take on social networking, you need to have a reality check. This is the heart of how a lot of jobs are being offered or discovered, and it is a powerful tool when managed professionally.
While taking steps to maintain a certain amount of professionalism, even within your social circle, can feel limiting, the rewards of fully utilizing social networks to their fullest is still pretty darned amazing.
Consider this: 70% of all people find jobs through someone they know. It is critical that you build your connection base.
Think of your job search in terms of you being a spider, and you are spinning a web. It grows ever bigger all the time. You'll be building your social network in the same way- eventually, you'll snare viable job prospects through the solid filaments of this web, with those filaments being people that you know!
Don't get me wrong, I am not a social media expert, but have really come to appreciate the power of how networking can positively impact job seeker's searches from hearing so many client success stories.
Everyone has to make their own determination on which networks to invest time and energy into, and certainly, if you subscribe to them all, it can end up being tedious going in and updating each network. Plus, the people that you connect to might take offense of being asked to link up with you via five or more different networks.
Some of the major networks to consider include LinkedIn.com, Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace to name a few. There are others like Naymz and Plaxo as well. Each of these have different positive attributes that can work in your favor for a job search, so let's review each:
1) LinkedIn.com - this is certainly a mainstay for most business people. Essentially a way to have an on-line resume, LinkedIn goes far beyond that single purpose. You can build your online connections there by connecting with colleagues, friends, groups and conversely, research through your own networks the people you really want to connect with on a job search. Example: If I was applying for a job at Microsoft, I would type in the search box, under ("People") Microsoft, and the search will pop up everyone who is employed at Microsoft who is on LinkedIn. You can easily find someone in your target department- the next step is asking for an informational interview. Other benefits of LinkedIn include asking and posting recommendations from supervisors, colleagues, and clients - a great way to bolster your credentials, as well as becoming an online expert in your field by answering questions pertaining to that area.
The main point is that if a prospective employer is going to Google you, LinkedIn would be an extremely helpful online network to have them learn more about you.
2) Twitter- I've had challenges with Twitter (including delayed messages) but the usefulness of this tool is to be able to broadcast out to the people you are connected to specific requests. You could post "Does anyone know someone in the purchasing department at Microsoft?" as an example, and you never know who knows whom out there, and someone in the network can re-tweet back the desired contact name. People who tweet on this network can also announce job openings, and breaking news. Example: Someone was aboard the US Airways jet that landed on the Hudson and within seconds of landing, had tweeted about the situation, and it went like wildfire across the world via Twitter. The instantaneousness of Twitter can help position you to be able to jump on opportunities as soon as they are made available. The adage of 'the early bird gets the worm' couldn't be truer!
3) Facebook/MySpace- These are more social and mundane sites, but you never know how things may unfold in terms of jobs. I maintain a Facebook site myself, and keep my content to the 'sanitized' personal level (i.e.: Went for an 8-mile hike) but at the same time, within my network of about 280 people, I've gotten a lot of resume writing clients... people feel that social connection but they aren't afraid to look at me in the business context. Content is constantly under evaluation, and if I were to post something goofy, that might call into question my professionalism, integrity or character. It's great to share the task of going about our lives on a daily basis, but keeping it contained to within professional parameters can also help bolster your personal brand and image.
Some interesting developments, however, is how employers are tapping into these networks to even be proactively contacting candidates. A recent article on the New York Times News Service (credit to Julie Weed), mentioned that some hiring companies are using services such as Appirio or Jobvite to interface with the social media networks, conduct searches for prospective candidates, and then contact qualified individuals, even if they are gainfully employed.
This is a great new application for recruiters to harness the power of social networks but at the same time, the importance of having a consistent and professional social and business image is underscored even more! Employers appreciate the fact that this accelerates the personal referral process and allows them access to an even wider pool of candidates through each contact's connections in that network.
If you've been loathe to take on social networking, you need to have a reality check. This is the heart of how a lot of jobs are being offered or discovered, and it is a powerful tool when managed professionally.
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