The average
person works in 12 different occupations over their lifetime. Of professionals
aged 25 to 44, 32% have thought about changing careers. Furthermore, 29% of us
have entirely changed our fields since joining the workforce.
As a job hunter, you will likely engage in multiple job searches throughout your career. Additionally, hiring methods and trends are ever-evolving.
Do you recall the times we used to search the local newspaper for job postings and mail in our paper resumes?
when each hardcopy application had to be manually reviewed by the recruiting manager? or the times prior to the introduction of applicant tracking systems (ATS) and online job boards, which streamlined the hiring process?
But there is one thing that hasn't altered. Most applications are turned down, frequently even before they are seen by a "human recruiter."
Nearly 75%, to be exact.
Disappointing.
Much of this can be attributed to the increased rivalry amongst candidates, but a sizable portion of rejections are the result of simple mistakes.
Job Hunter First Mistake: Limiting Your Search to Online Job Boards
Why that's a misconcept
Professional or personal ties are used to fill a large percentage of positions. Additionally important are headhunters, who act as gatekeepers to higher-paying and more powerful careers.
Put differently, applying online is not the only way to find opportunities. many people limit themselves to just one or two job boards, which further reduces your chances. There are thousands of job sites available, ranging from international ones to your neighborhood's online classifieds. Even if you are active on 100 job boards, you cannot keep track of them all, and many positions are filled through headhunters or connections.
ADVICE FOR YOU IN THIS AREA
Include multiple strategies in your job search approach, rather than depending only on job sites to locate prospects. For instance, think about:
- www.jobleads.com - To find relevant openings for our clients, we search millions of job boards, agencies, and headhunters worldwide. Your saved searches will alert you automatically when new opportunities are posted.
- Recruitment agencies and headhunters: Look for ones that specialize in your field of expertise. For instance, JobLeads enables you to find and contact organizations that are pertinent to your area, sector, and level of experience.
- LinkedIn company profiles: Businesses frequently cross-post job openings on these profiles.
- Your network, which includes past supervisors and coworkers as well as friends, family, alumni from universities, professional associations, clients, and contacts in the industry;
- Specific target firms, which are businesses you'd love to work for
Avoided aiming for perfect corporations
Why is that a misconcept?
When should you approach your ideal companies, if not right now? They may nonetheless take into consideration someone whose background and abilities will benefit their company, even if they aren't advertising. But, unless you introduce yourself, people won't be aware of you.
ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE TO AVOID IT
Making a list and determining who to contact are crucial components of your strategy if there's a specific firm, company type, or industry you're interested in.
Do an online search for particular organization types and places if you don't have any specific companies in mind. Take VR hardware in London, for example. After completing that, determine the most effective method of contacting the business.
There are multiple methods to tackle this:
- Check LinkedIn, including for connections at the 2nd and 3rd levels, to see whether you know someone at the organization who can suggest you to HR or a hiring manager.
- Examine their job postings online and apply directly for opportunities.
- Make connections with colleagues in that organization and set up informational interviews.
- Examine their website or LinkedIn profile to find out who is in charge of hiring.
Without a plan for your job hunt
Why is that a misconcept?
For senior and specialized workers, job searches need to be planned and executed carefully. You have the option to do a proactive or reactive search.
Let's begin with the reactive. This particular kind of job seeker lacks a clear plan. Their application pool is limited to jobs posted online, most likely from one or two sources. For every post, they utilize an identical basic resume.
It's terrific if someone contacts you with an opportunity. However, they refuse to use their resources or be inventive. Reactive approaches are acceptable if you're not in a rush. However, the truth is that this approach will only allow you to apply for 15%-30% of open positions. Furthermore, it is highly inefficient.
ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE TO AVOID IT
A proactive job seeker drafts a plan in writing. It only needs to be one page long; longer is not necessary. It will list job boards and additional resources to refer to.
It will include recommended businesses, sectors, job titles, and possible contacts. For every step, there will be a check list included. Proactive job seekers are willing to go above and beyond in order to take advantage of more prospects.
They look for jobs that are posted and those that are not. They have a full LinkedIn presence, use their network, and tailor their résumé for each application.
To differentiate themselves from their competitors, they're even prepared to use some creativity. This is the extreme end of the resume delivery spectrum; it comes in the form of a (full) donut box.
Someone creates a resume on their personal Amazon page, complete with reviews. Though these strategies aren't always advised, you get the idea.
Not making use of your network or contacts
Why is that a misconcept?
As was previously indicated, professional and personal contacts are used to fill up to 85% of open positions. This implies that you have a good probability of finding fantastic opportunities through your network.
ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE TO AVOID IT
Many businesses pay their employees for recommendations. This is due to the fact that hiring someone who has been personally screened by an existing employee saves the business both money and time. Therefore, it's likely that your contacts will appreciate the chance to earn a bonus in exchange for doing you a favor. In your network, who is it? As an illustration:
- Other parents at your children's school
- Alumni from colleges or universities
- Former coworkers and managers
- Members of fellow professional organizations
- Friends, family, and neighbors
- People with whom you share a hobby or interest
- Members of social or professional platforms (e.g., Facebook, LinkedIn)
- Acquaintancess
This is the end of our article. We hope you found this information helpful, and we encourage you to start trying to find your desired job. Don’t forget to keep learning and improving your skills on all levels. If you have any questions about how to interview or any other related topic, feel free to ask in the comments section below.
