Is This Normal?

I spend about half of my time working with professionals who are looking for new jobs, either because they want to do something different or because they are forced into the job market by circumstance. I sometimes forget how much things have changed for job seekers in the past five years. For those of you who haven’t been in the job market in a long time, it’s almost impossible to determine whether your experience is normal or if something is terribly wrong with your approach. How does a typical job search go these days?

Resumes: Make them Plain, but Packed with Punch
We write resumes—a lot of resumes. And we have to eliminate anything that looks “pretty” and gets in the way of “functional” because the content has to make it through computer programs and very busy people. We also have to cut down the words because no one will read them. We make resumes simple and full of brief, consumable tidbits, and awash in white space. No pinstripes, exotic fonts, photos, graphics, or anything else that prevents a computer from getting your information into a database. Nothing that distracts a human from quickly understanding your qualifications. And please—I am begging you—have your resume proofed and send it as a PDF document to avoid scrambled formatting.

Note: Inevitably we’re asked, “What about resumes for creative jobs?” Make use of an online portfolio, and ensure that your resume is formatted plainly but with persuasive and compelling content.

LinkedIn Really Matters
I think LinkedIn actually matters more than a resume, at least initially. Although scores of people may apply to an online job, most of their resumes are ignored (see below). Instead, the power of the search function in LinkedIn creates the opportunity to find very specific and targeted skill-sets, along with people who aren’t actively looking for jobs. As a result, a strategically developed LinkedIn profile can result in unsolicited interest in your background. Even if you don’t want to go to the trouble of publishing a killer profile, at least get the basics right so that you’re included in opportunities where employers are targeting people like you.

A Huge Percentage of Jobs are Never Advertised
Look at online sources and you’ll see that 80-90% of jobs are never advertised. Since these jobs are not advertised, I’m not sure what the underlying data could look like for these statistics. However, based on our own experience with job-seekers, we concur that the number is very high. Since employers who advertise jobs are typically FLOODED with applications from people who don’t meet their requirements, they are pretty sour on this method of finding prospective hires. Increasingly, they rely on access to online databases of resumes (e.g., The Ladders, Indeed, Monster) and LinkedIn. This way, the employer is in control and only interacts with candidates who appear to have the qualifications that are needed. This means that if you are actively searching and it’s not a secret, it’s important to put your credentials in the databases of as many of these sites as possible. If you’re not actively searching, see "LinkedIn Really Matters" above.

Applying Via the Internet is Required AND Ridiculous
You should have absolutely no expectation that any human will ever see your resume if you apply to an online posting anywhere on the internet. This is true regardless of whether your background is a “perfect” fit. Please believe me on this point. We often have clients who don’t believe us and spend weeks applying exclusively to jobs online. Then they come back discouraged, depressed, and insecure about their value as a candidate. Getting a response from an online posting has absolutely nothing to do with your fit for a job or your quality as a candidate. It’s simply the unintended consequence of a practice where there is no barrier to applying for every job on the web. Humans can’t keep up with the volume. Automated matching programs miss lots of great candidates. The whole thing just sucks.

The irony of the situation: you should apply online anyway. Just have no expectations. After you apply, contact a human you know in the company and say that you're interested in a particular job with their company and have already applied online (give the job ID number). This makes it easy for that person to pass on a recommendation to the hiring manager and before you know it, a real human is reviewing your resume. This works!

It’s Time to Talk
Instead of the dreaded “networking” advice, we want you to talk. Out loud. To people. On the phone, over a meal or coffee, at the grocery store, and wherever else you see humans. Tell them the following:

“I am looking for a new opportunity. I can add a lot of value to [name a type of company or specific organization] by [state the value you can bring]. Is there anyone you know who I might be able to talk to about how I can help their business?”

Don’t beat around the bush, be long-winded, or say something vague that you hope will be properly interpreted. Just put it out there. People want to help—you need to make your request clear and easy and they’ll do it! Gone are the days of responding to job advertisements, sending in fancy resumes, and expecting the courtesy of a response. Instead, plan for a new approach, follow these steps and you'll get results. A job search is hard work, but you can do it!

Happy searching!