I have been working in the recruiting industry for over 16 years now and have lived through the change of finding a job looking through a newspaper, to today's job search of applying online and using social media.
In all of the years I have been recruiting and helping job seekers with strategies and tips, it seems the past 5 years have become such a difficult time period for those looking for a job. When I go onto Google and put in the search words "job search help", over 1 million results come up for that topic.
Are there too many cooks in the kitchen today when it comes to job search advice and help? My answer is YES! Just the other day I was having a conversation with a job seeker who mentioned they spoke with a job search coach, and that the coach said they were doing everything right. Putting keywords on their resume, making connections on LinkedIn and networking. I asked the job seeker, "did the job search coach mention anything to you about following up after applying for a job?" The answer was no, as a matter of fact, they did not mention that. Really? How is it a job search coach is not telling a job seeker to follow up? That's probably one of the most effective ways to get yourself noticed and get ahead of your competition.
So who are all of these job search coaches and resume writers? A lot of them are people who go and take classes to get certified and learn all the cookie cutter techniques only to turn around and relay the information in their own words. Some are Psychologists and Therapists adding their opinions based on articles they are reading or training they are getting.
Another recent conversation I had with a job seeker, they mentioned that their therapist also does career counseling. They told me the advice they received and then in turn, asked for my opinion on the advice they were given about adding a line on their resume. My response was:
"It can't hurt to put that line in the resume, but it won't make or break whether you are going to get an interview or not. As long as your resume sells, you have what they are looking for, then you will have the opportunity to tell them on an interview, explaining the disruption."
There are so many general job searching tips and techniques being written about, even I'm getting bored with some of the articles. It's the same information over and over again in different words and job seekers are still getting the same frustrating results of not getting contacted for an interview.
Quote: Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein
Some of the best articles on job searching come from people who are or were Recruiters, HR Managers and Hiring Managers. The advice is real, coming from those who are in the trenches every day of looking at resumes, screening candidates and interviewing job seekers. I recently wrote an article on 2 Simple job search techniques that will increase your chances of being hired. The information in this article comes from my 16 years of experience seeing what has been working for job seekers.
Job searching is more than a full time job today and it requires job seekers to be creative and consistent with their process in trying to get noticed. It's not any different than what I do full time as a recruiter, which is trying to find the right match, how to get a hold of the person and then to find a way to talk with them. Just because someone has all the keywords on their resume that I'm looking for, doesn't mean they are qualified for the job.
When I'm looking for guidance, I go to those who have experience in the area I need help with. Just because someone is certified or highly educated, doesn't mean the information you are getting is the best information you should be receiving.
Follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/RecruiterCori
Recommended Links:
- Informing Job Seekers
- Sarammi Inc. Recruiting, Sourcing and Job Search Mentoring
- Job Searching Strategies
- Indeed
- SimplyHired
- Pittsburgh’s Ultimate Career Connection on Facebook
Resume Writing EBook
Straight Talk from a Recruiter: Resume Writing Strategies and Easy To Follow Techniques
(Kindle Edition)
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