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I recently met a job-candidate who has been out of work for some time (January 2008) and has decided to re-energize her search after a period of failure sitting behind her computer. With this in mind I ask you this question…”have you ever wondered why your job search isn’t working?” Every day you get up, sit behind your computer, search the job boards and pray to see something new and exciting that has “YOU” written all over it. How insane is this…the cycle has to be broken because this is obviously not working…and it’s not the economy. It’s often easy to blame the economy as the biggest obstacle to landing your next gig. I won’t make light of the last two years in the job market. It has indeed been a harsh reality as layoffs left many unprepared. The personal stories shared are often very challenging, sad and even tragic.
However…as we move forward into the new job market I wanted to bring to light some of the most common barriers I see professionals face when trying to make a successful career move.
Here are tips:
Are your skills ready for prime time? First things first. You should identify your skills. Without “hard skills” (technical/tangible skills you use to do a job…generally they are the ones you’ve learned through education and training), LACK of superior thinking/communication abilities, and an intermediate business process/technology aptitude, your potential to earn a living wage TODAY is dark indeed. With fewer low and middle skilled jobs around, those who are not prepared will be scrapping to find enough work to get by. Meanwhile, symbolic analytic workers, with respect to their abilities, WILL be raking in the dough. Depending on your industry, certain skills are bound to trump others. You may have little experience in “this” particular industry or in “that” type of organization, but in most cases, your skills are totally transferable, at least the ones needed to make the best start and gain credibility at an early stage. The reality of the world in which we live in is that low and middle skilled jobs have been eliminated by technology. Meanwhile…newer industries, seek highly skilled workers who can adapt to continuous changes. Make an inventory of what you can put on the market: all your talents, education, experience, knowledge, skills, personality traits…etc. Finally, see what additional training is necessary or useful, when you match your skills with the ones required for a job you like.
Your story is unclear. You aren’t really sure what you are looking for – or fear has you hedging your bets and using phrases such as “I’m open” and “I’ll take anything.” If you don’t “get” you, others won’t “get” you. Do you have a meaningful, compelling, understandable, professional story? Does your story have a theme or common thread, or are you just regurgitating your past? A compelling professional story helps people more easily understand where you’ve been and more importantly understand how your experiences tie to their needs. Your professional story is the single most important foundational element in making a powerful impression.
Your heart and timeline aren’t aligned. Trying to make a big career shift as part of a job loss crisis is like trying to build your dream house while you are in the midst of a tornado. Timing and resources matter. Do what you need to do to stabilize your situation, and then have the courage and tenacity to plan and go after what you really need and want in your career and life. From new certifications that allow you to change industries, volunteer assignments, internships that build new skills and relationships, you can build the critical bridges needed to make an ideal career move – it just may take some time to put the pieces in place. Know your timing and plan your search strategy accordingly.
Using the “see what sticks” job search strategy. So many jobs online, yet you have gotten zero response. Less than 4% of jobs come via a cold internet response. The reality is, even perfect resumes don’t get responses. Understand, too, that recruiting and HR staffs lost critical resources because of the economic downturn. The volume of people submitting resumes online is overwhelming and the quality of many of those resumes is poor, given the ease of online applications. The internet is a powerful resource, but it can create the addictive illusion that you are being highly productive in your search. Ensure that the internet is ONE of the tools in your search strategy, not the only channel for your search.
Hate to network! Networking is a critical career survival skill. With 60-80% of jobs coming directly via networking, it is the single most influential channel for finding and securing a new job. For anything to happen, you need to get out of the house and talk to people about what you’re doing. Talk to anyone…the more the better. You can do it! You can even learn to do it in line with your own unique personal style and energy, but learn to do it and become accomplished at it. Building a strong network takes steadiness, patience and graciousness to others. Build good old relationships and people will help you connect to opportunities. Relationships are critical to success; so often, knowing the right person to ask is as valuable as knowing the answer yourself, if not more so.
Inconsistent or poor follow-up. You have a list of contacts. It may be a list of alums in your field, referrals from your LinkedIn group, or people with whom your best friends or family have connected you. However, one email or one call does not equal effective outreach – nor does it mean disinterest on the part of the person you are attempting to reach. Understand that time is a premium. Many professionals are tasked with doing multiple jobs (a consequence of those layoffs). Email boxes are bulging. Yet, goodwill and the impulse to help are powerful. Sales statistics show it takes five to eight calls to make a sale – the same principles apply to your job search. Be professionally persistent in connecting with others.
Not a good time to talk to a company because they aren’t hiring. A hiring freeze doesn’t necessarily mean no one is hiring at all. Business is continuing – there’s just less of it. Recently, a Hiring Manager at a major financial institution told me that, while they had laid-off hundreds, he had open job requisitions for 142 symbolic-analyst professionals. Companies always hire for mission critical roles (technology, revenue drivers, key operating driver roles, etc.). If you wait until hiring ramps up to talk to a company, you are behind in a very competitive race. Significantly, the job you want may not be open today but it could be open two weeks from now. Get on an organization’s radar, so you are on the short-list of A-level candidates when they are ready to hire.
You are angry, desperate, scared, ashamed (fill in the emotion). Roller coaster emotions are absolutely normal during change or job loss, but they are a problem when they are a barrier to your success. If you are not in a place of emotional readiness where you have control (or can credibly act in control) – get a coach or counselor, join a career support group, go to your church, synagogue or spiritual place of choice. If you don’t get control over your emotions during your search, they will sabotage you. Hiring managers hire skills and confidence. Create support systems to help you feel proud and positive about your professional offerings. Your head MUST be in the game.
Job search and networking consistently seem to hit a dead end. There’s a fine line between healthy persistence and ineffective outreach. Do you recognize the signs of positive traction? Are people helping you easily connect to new people? Successful outreach should create a natural forward momentum. If your conversations are reaching dead-ends frequently, you may need to revisit your story or approach. Recently I worked with a professional who was gifted at calling and setting up meetings with people, but hundreds of calls and meetings never led to one tangible opportunity. With some post-mortem follow-ups, we identified that his approach was more like that of a telemarketer – lots of calls, but statistically low return. His approach needed an overhaul so that he was connecting with people in a meaningful way and building a rapport. If the majority of people you meet with aren’t enthusiastically helping you move forward in your search in some way, revisit your story and approach.
Failing to execute a well-paced search that meets your timeline. Depending on time and resources, your activities should be planned in line with your needs and goals. If you need to be hired quickly, you have to plan and mobilize all resources as quickly as possible. Keep in mind that it naturally takes 2-4 weeks to get on someone’s calendar. One professional set a goal to meet 20 people a week for six weeks, optimizing every channel of relationship – prior work colleagues, alumni, industry groups, family, friends, and even neighbors. If you have six months, you should be connecting with 5-6 people a week. If you are employed and thinking about a move, 2 socializing/networking events per week should be your goal. Time the pace of your job search to your needs and goals.
Failing to have a life while you are searching. A high-impact search ensures you have the energy and positivity to execute well. Again, this is about getting your head in the game. Find support and activities to keep you from obsessing about your job search 24/7. Feeling productive and valued during the search is important to your psyche. Get involved with a non-profit or a cause you love. Take on volunteer work; take a class, or both. Not only will you be building skills, but you’ll be building valuable new relationships (networking!) and when people ask “What are you doing now?” you can authentically communicate all the positive things you are doing while you are searching. Most importantly, when you interview or find tangible opportunities, you will present as a confident, relaxed, more powerful and positive professional – all critical attributes for achieving your career goals. Fill your life with positive and productive activities and you will feel less vulnerable in your search.
I often say “do what you need to do to survive.” Getting that next gig requires clarity in knowing our limitations and abilities and the tenacity to continually reinvent oneself to stay in the game. But don’t let the perception of a poor economy derail you from your goals. Execute a well-paced search and eliminate the real obstacles, and you’ll move forward with greater impact – and be back to work more quickly.
I‘ll meet up with you at the top!
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
