Tips for Job Search Success

Today’s Blog is part of the Career Collective.  Once a month, our group of career professionals blog on a subject topical and timely for a job seeker. 

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If you are like many, it is tempting to think that you can do an online search for a job, submit your résumé and poof, get hired! 

While a few very lucky candidates do get a career opportunity via an internet search (10-15%), the majority have to be a great deal more proactive to juice up their job search.

Another outdated belief that many job seekers have is that a recruiter is going to ‘find’ you a job.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Recruiters may be a good resource for job seekers, but they are client driven.  So this means they are going to find their client a good candidate, not the other way around. 

Still, contacting industry recruiters is an important part of any full scale job search and it is a good idea to establish relationships with multiple staffing firms. 

Just keep in mind that only a very small percentage of the candidates who are submitted through a headhunter are actually hired.

Below are a few more out-of-the-box things you can do to increase your job search success:

• If posting your résumé to job boards, consider choosing a select number of specialty boards.  For example, if you are a finance professional, google “finance job boards” and choose from the best boards to target your specific area of expertise. 
• Don’t just post your résumé, repost it often.  It will keep you at the top of the stack.  HR professionals can get bleary-eyed by the time they get to third page of a résumé search.  You want to be in front of the pack, not at the tail end.
• Reach out to strangers.  Use social network sites like LinkedIn, join groups, and connect with people who have industry commonalities with you, even if you don’t know them.  It is okay.  Use appropriate etiquette when you write. 
• For example, you can say something like, “I came across your information and noticed we are in the same industry.  I am currently looking for a new career opportunity and was wondering if you, or anyone you know, might be a good resource for me.” 
• Then you can throw in something personal that you noticed about their profile that is a common point of interest.  You may also mention that you really appreciate their help. People are generally happy to be helpful when they can.
• Fedex your résumé to the hiring manager.  Yes, I said Fedex, but you can use UPS 2^nd or 3^rd day air, or even USPS Priority Mail. The point is to get noticed.  Be sure to follow-up with a phone call to make sure the package was received.  No, it is not offensive to them as long as you don’t call 10 times.  Be aggressive, but not annoying.

In this job market, taking the extra step to market yourself is critical. Do keep in mind though that everything you do or say reflects upon your professional brand, so use good business sense and be polite in all of your communications.  It is okay to break the rules a little bit in order to add some needed fuel to your job search efforts, but do it with both tenacity and tact!

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Dear Readers,

In conjunction with Job Search Digest, we will be conducting a webinar on February 8, 2011, Financial Résumé Writing – Extreme Résumé Makeovers.  It is open to all executive level candidates regardless of industry, but space is limited. 

For further info or to enroll go to EXTREME RESUME MAKEOVER

 Below are more articles from the Career Collective!  Enjoy.

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It's not your age, it's old thinking, @GayleHoward

Want a Job? Ignore these outdated job search beliefs @erinkennedycprw

Job Search Then and Now, @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes

Break the Rules or Change the Game? @WalterAkana

The New: From The Employer's-Eye View, @ResumeService

Job Search: Breakable Rules and Outdated Beliefs, @KatCareerGal

Job Hunting Rules to Break (Or Why and How to Crowd Your Shadow), @chandlee @StartWire,

Shades of Gray, @DawnBugni

3 Rules That Are Worth Your Push-Back, @WorkWithIllness

Your Photo on LinkedIn - Breaking a Cardinal Job Search Rule? @KCCareerCoach

How to find a job: stop competing and start excelling, @Keppie_Careers

Be You-Nique: Resume Writing Rules to Break, @ValueIntoWords

Modernizing Your Job Search, @LaurieBerenson

Don't Get Caught With an Old School Resume, @barbarasafani

How Breaking the Rules Will Help You in Your Job Search, @expatcoachmegan

Beat the Job-Search-Is-a-Numbers-Game Myth, @JobHuntOrg

25 Habits to Break if You Want a Job, @CareerSherpa

Comments

[Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter]

Debra,

What I like about your suggestions is that they stretch folks to do things that may feel uncomfortable. Yet, the likelihood of standing apart from the pack increases with each move one makes to stepping away from the 'path of least resistance.

FedEx-ing your resume may or may not work, but why not give it go, particularly if you are focused on the needs of a particular hiring manager in your communications?

As well, reaching out via LinkedIn--Twitter too!--to connect with others, offer value and when ready, ask for their support, all are good tips.

Thanks for your helpful post!

Jacqui

[remortgage]

his is an exceptional content, and I can agree with what was written here. I will be back to check out more of your articles soon. Thanks

[Megan Fitzgerald]

Love your post Debra. The recruiter misconception is a big one - I mention it in my career collective post as well. Its a great tip to refresh your resume or CV online so it always stays at the top of the list.

It's great to be a part of this wise group of career professionals!

Megan

[Dawn Bugni]

Debra -

You've echoed what I tell my own clients every day. There are so many nuances to job search 2011, picking only available tool dooms job seekers to a long and difficult road. What worked for one person may not work for another. Unless a job seeker is willing to try different things, they'll never know what works.

And as a former recruiter, AMEN to your paragraph regrading the role of a recruiter in a search. Recruiters are wonderful, knowledgeable resources, and can be a tremendous benefit to search ... IF the candidate fits the specific criteria of active search. A recruiter's job is to find people for jobs, not jobs for people.

It takes more tools than just a hammer to build a house; it takes more tools than just a job board or a recruiter to build a successful job search.

Excellent information Debra. Thanks for sharing.