Applying for Jobs is a Waste of Your Time
With online applications, applying for jobs has never been easier. You upload your experience, education, current resume and cover letter to a company's website and click a button to send your hopes and dreams into a black hole. Some time in the future you may receive an automated message from your dream company letting you know that "although your resume was quite impressive, they no longer have available positions that fit your experience and expertise." You have the privilege to get to do this again and again until finally you no longer have the strength or desire to receive another rejection email. Sounds perfect, right?
Now, if there was a better way to land your dream job wouldn't you want to know? Sadly, so many people don't know the best way to obtain a fulfilling job. No one wants to be stuck in the never ending job application cycle so let me tell you a little secret: jobs in the hidden market are much better and more achievable than the jobs listed in the public market. Basically, it is safe to say if a job is posted, expect to have a very difficult time getting this job. So sad, but true!
According to Lou Adler, the CEO and best-selling author of The Essential Guide for Hiring & Getting Hired, on average, job seekers should only spend 20% of their time looking and applying to job boards; the other 80% of their time should be spent on networking (interact with other people to exchange information and develop contacts, esp. to further one's career). Companies would much rather promote people internally or network and get referrals before they have to even consider searching through resume databases and postings on job boards. This is why those who only apply to job postings are at a disadvantage: companies consider you last! Companies focus most of their time on the "hidden market place," the one you are not a part of.
Here are the steps you should take to ensure you get the job you want:
Spend 20% of your time responding to job postings by going through the "back door" and networking with recruiters or individuals at the company you want to work for. Get them to know you as well as how much you are interested in their company. Have them reccommend you for a position instead of blindly applying to a job posting.
Spend 20% of your time ensuring your resume and LinkedIn profile are easy to find and worth reading. Is your resume out of date or does it not properly represent how awsome you are? Ask for help to get it in tip-top shape. Most communities have free career guidance offices that will help you prepare and polish your resume. You don't have a LinkedIn profile? Get one as soon as possible! Top employers will search for worthy candidates on LinkedIn, so get your skills and expertise up and be sure to spell check everything carefully. Also, another helpful tip is to include key words that will help employers find you more quickly. You can find these "key words" sprinkled in the job descriptions that you are interested in as well as searching the internet for lists of key words to include in your resume.
Spend 60% of your remaining time networking to find jobs in the hidden market. Basically, being referred to a hiring manager by a trusted person is 50 to 100 times more likely to result in being interviewed and hired compared to submitting a resume to a posted job.
Jobs in the hidden market are just better all around. Hidden market jobs will often offer you opportunities to get promoted as well as develop a career instead of a job "just to pay the bills." Jobs are not impossible to find, you just have to put in a lot of effort to connect with companies so that you stand out from the crowd. Think creatively and get started on your path to actually getting hired!
For more information and ways to help you with your career search, please visit the following links:
Thanks for listening,
~Kayla
