For the first time since records were kept by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the number of job seekers is less than the number of available jobs according to the Wall Street Journal.
So if there are more jobs than job seekers, you might be asking yourself why is it that I can’t find a job? There are lots of factors including a mismatch in the skills employers are seeking versus the skills candidates have to offer, the types of positions available versus the types of positions job seekers are wanting (such as part-time vs. full-time), as well as stiff competition for open jobs by “underemployed” job seekers versus “unemployed” job seekers, just to name a few.
If you are actively seeking a position, there are some simple things you should do and understand that will help increase your ability to get your next interview!
Remember, all the information in this blog post is published in good faith and for general information purpose only. I am not an attorney, nor do I provide legal advice. The information provided is my personal opinion and not that of any organization, business, company, agency or other individuals. The author is not liable for any losses or damages related to actions or failure to act related to the content of this article. If you need specific legal advice, consult with an attorney who specializes in your subject matter. Any action you take upon the information you find on this website (www.hrraw.com), is strictly at your own risk.
Penny Horton | June 6, 2018
Understanding, learning and implementing a few basic tactics can exponentially help your career search.
1. The Majority of Jobs Are Never Posted
Numbers vary slightly depending on the source but 80% – 85% of positions are found through networking opportunities, not job postings (Linked In reports 85% and Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. report 80%). Understand that and you can spend your valuable time networking versus blasting out resumes and you’ll be more likely to find an opportunity for yourself!
2. Your Resume Should Get You a Conversation
A resume should really just be an overview of your achievements and skills with enough information to grab the reader’s attention so they will want to reach out to your for a more in-depth conversation. It doesn’t need to be limited to one page but it also shouldn’t say every single thing or detail about you and your experiences either.
3. Don’t Use the Same Resume for Every Job Posting
Just as each position you apply for is unique, so should be the resume you submit. Submitting the same generic resume for every position to which you apply isn’t doing you any favors. Take time to read the job description, research the company and then make modifications and tweaks to your resume that highlight your skills, experiences, and strengths as they pertain to that specific position and company.
4. HR Tries to Disqualify You 1st
During the initial pre-screening of a resume HR typically looks for reasons to reject a candidate such as spelling errors, not meeting minimum qualifications, employment gaps, job hopping history, etc. It’s not until after they have gotten rid of the immediate “no’s” that they move on to try and find good fits. So make sure your resume doesn’t give them any reason to disqualify you immediately!
5. Keep It Simple
With today’s applicant tracking systems, artificial intelligence and automated software applications that do the pre-screening, parsing, sorting, scoring and assessing of your electronic resumes, you actually need a resume that uses standard fonts, minimal formatting and no graphics. Even though our systems are smart, they aren’t yet smart enough to handle all the fancy stuff. So rather than creating a “pretty” resume that is visually appealing, keep it basic.
6. Update Your Linked In Profile and Hide Your Facebook
LinkedIn is an amazing professional social media platform that every job seeker should actively utilize in their networking and job search activities. I could do a whole separate series on how to update your profile and use it effectively because it is such a robust and powerful tool but there are lots of online resources though that can walk you through that. Facebook, on the other hand, is a personal social media platform that I recommend job seekers restrict from public view. Many recruiters and hiring authorities will search Facebook to get inside information on a candidate and while that isn’t a best practice that I would advise them to do, many of them do it, and it could end up being detrimental to you as a candidate.
By understanding a few fundamentals about resumes and the job search process you can drastically improve your ability to be considered as a candidate for a position (posted or not) with a company that just might be your next dream job.
I hope you found this information to be helpful. If you want additional information or insight on any of the topics provided here, please reach out to me at answerme@hrraw.com.
I’m happy to answer questions, provide coaching, training, templates, and tools or even create customized solutions to help you get hired or make wise hiring decisions.
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