Searching For a Job

Welcome to the excruciating world of the job seeker. In this world, nothing is certain except your need for an income and your desire to meet with success. You must persevere through the companies telling you that you are not qualified. You must have patience when there are extended periods of time with no feedback or communication. And you must have persistence, because as long as you are submitting your resume to new positions there will always be hope, and eventually you will find a job. A few things to think about during the process of securing a new employer:

For the moment, your job IS applying to jobs. That means if you are currently unemployed, you need to be spending eight hours a day applying to jobs. If you have work, sneak in a few job applications when you have free time and your boss isn’t around. When you get home at night, set aside an hour or two to apply to more jobs. On the weekends, devote time to applying to jobs. Notice a theme here? By the time you actually do find a new position, your resume should be the most widely recognized resume within a 50 mile radius of your house.

Do not limit your search to “perfect” job descriptions. When you first begin your efforts of finding a new job, you will be picky. In reality, job descriptions hold no weight. The best job descriptions may end up being the worst jobs, and vice versa. If you are too particular, you could waste valuable time and put yourself in a financially troubling situation by being unemployed for too long. Make sure you apply to every position you can find that even remotely connects to your skill set. The more jobs you apply to, the more your chances of finding a new job will increase. In the end, your extra efforts may lead you to have two or more job offers on the table that will empower you to negotiate a better salary.

If it is not a secret, tell everyone you know. Word of mouth and direct referral will help you land a new job much faster. You will be surprised at how helpful most people can be, especially considering most of them get compensation for referring new recruits. When you are having conversations with people, let them know that you are looking for a job and do not assume that they know what to do to help you. Make sure you say something specific like, “If you or anyone you know has a hiring or referral opportunity for mid-level IT consultants, please give me a call or give them my contact information and tell them to get in touch. I really appreciate your help, thanks so much.” Do not be shy, state your intentions concisely, and tell them how much it would mean to you.

Avoid applying through websites that have mass job listings. When you look for jobs online, go to the massive job listings, but do not apply through those sites. Instead, go directly to the company website and apply. Often, companies will disregard your application immediately if they see it has been submitted through a mass listing website, because they may be required to pay a referrel fee if they hire you. Another idea for finding open positions to apply to is to ask people who have lived in the area for many years about companies they would recommend. Talk to your friends and family. Buy the Sunday newspaper. Make a list of companies to visit and apply to by taking note of those you see near your home while driving around, by looking in the phonebook, or by scouring top company lists online.

Save time by making a single, complete resume and forget the cover letter. Most job seeking advice websites will tell you that you need to tailor your resume and write a cover letter for every position you apply to. Do not, I repeat, do not, follow that advice. If you are sending postal mail or emailing a person directly, you can write a little blurb stating the job you are applying for and that your resume is attached. A paragraph at most. Otherwise, don’t waste your valuable time. Most companies use a methodology that scans your resume for certain qualifications and keywords that are associated with the opening you are applying for. If your resume matches, they will contact you for more information. If your resume doesn’t match, you will either never hear from them again or they will tell you that you don’t qualify. Cover letter explanations of your resume or examples of your skills rarely have an effect on the way you are considered, something that is especially true with larger companies.