[Our Transitioning Times] Job Search Fundamentals Which Do Not Change

Published: Wed, 02/21/24

 

Welcome
 

Dear Readers:

My training as a Career Coach took place in 2011 when I was first certified as a Five O’Clock Club Career Coach. As part of the training process, we were required to read 4 books on the job search process written by Five O’Clock Club founder, Kate Wendleton. When we got to the topic of resumes, I always remember one of the items that Kate emphasized in the first few lines of that section. Often, she would be asked by clients if they had a good resume or not.  Her answer was, “It depends on whom you are looking to attract with the resume.”

That remembrance came to mind for me again recently when I received a reposting on Linked In from a coach in my network who was reposting an article from the Harvard Business Review on the resume process. While the portion of the article that was highlighted in the post was about how it was a waste of time if you put your key skills and core competencies near the end of the resume, it was not so much that statement that brought back to mind my Five O’Clock Club training, but the follow-up comments that originated from the reposting.

I must admit I was one of the first to comment. I am a strong believer (again from the Five O’Clock Club training), how the top 1/3 of the first page of your resume is so important in the process. Usually when working with clients, I guide them to have a short paragraph describing the strengths they bring to the position, followed by a list of their Core Competencies and Key Skills for the role. After that their Professional Experience and Accomplishments, their Education, Certifications, and whatever other items of value in their background support that case.

After that the comments began to fly. There were those who felt that many (and I am likely included in this “targeted group”) were too “old-school” in our approach. A number felt to write the resume without the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) was doing one a disservice. The mindset being was that if the resume was going to be “screened” by a computer to see if it was selected for the job role, the job searcher should have an equal chance by having another computer aided tool help with the writing.  

A few days after the post and the comments, I was working with one of my regular clients. He had as part of outplacement service, had a resume done which was very focused on the concept of building a “branded resume,” that could not only bring out his strengths as a candidate but ensure it had enough “keywords” in it to get past the Automatic Tracking System’s (ATS) screening bot for resumes. When providing this resume to a recruiter friend of his, she immediately guided him that the resume was too wordy. As a recruiter, it was her preference and of those in her field, to see less wordy resumes, and ones that were more bulleted in their accomplishments and skills of the job searcher. That helped her to decide which clients she might want to bring in for initial round interviews.  

As you can begin to see, what is a poor job searcher to do? What is the right way to build the resume? Again, going back to the comment I remember reading from Kate Wendleton many years ago, “It depends on whom you are looking to attract with the resume.”

Does this mean that one will need a specific resume for each job to which they apply? In a way yes, but that does not necessarily mean starting from scratch in writing the resume for each job that comes along. It means first taking the time to build “a master resume” that best represents you and your accomplishments. Such a document, in its entirety, may never be submitted for any job. However, it should contain all the key items you may want to highlight in your career to that point, and allow you to pick and choose the items you may want to include when applying for a job role. Should that resume be built by Artificial Intelligence or a human being? Again, I do not think there is a right or wrong answer to that question, if one is open to modifying to best represent them for the role they are looking to apply   

Above all, remember, the goal of the resume, is to get you to the next round, the Interview, with those who may need your services. This month I will share some of my thoughts on how to best go about that process. As usual, if you have any questions or items you would like to discuss with me, please feel free and reach out to me at [email protected] or call me at (201) 306-9811. I look forward to hearing from you.

Tony Calabrese

www.absolutetransitions.com
[email protected]
(201) 306-9811

“THE WILDCARD”
 

Searching for a new job was never easy.  I am old enough to remember when the predominant way individuals looked for “posted” openings was through the newspaper “Want Ads.” As time has moved on the process moved from the newspapers, to the internet and online posting sites. Computer technology getting more sophisticated led to the development of online application templates, to computer screening of applicants, to where now tools are provided to applicants to assist them in the writing of their resumes and various job search support tools.

Through all iterations, connecting to job opportunities through “someone you know” or that a friend or a family member may know of has always been there. While having also always being there, in more recent time tapping into one’s professional network, (particularly with the advent of such professional social media tools as Linked In) has also been a method of looking to get your credentials in front of those who may need your talents.  

A job search is not just preparing or updating your resume, making sure that you like the document that has been produced, and then using it to apply to every job opening that you see for which you may be remotely qualified. Yet that is still what a lot of searchers do. Even those who will say, I only look to apply for roles for which I have the qualifications, and then sit back and wait for a call back from the company to which they applied, are still not necessarily searching for jobs.

There are 4 overall broad categories in finding a job when you are in job search. The most popularly utilized of the methods, (and the one that likely has the lowest success rate), is posting for jobs through postings which today originate online. This method historically has had a success rate for applicants of between 1 to 10 percent. The reason for such a low response rate is many.  First, you are often applying as an “unknown” to the company. There are dozens to hundreds of individuals who may be applying for the same job role. The job description may point out the duties of the job, but it does not necessarily bring through the “feelings” of the area in that company that is hiring, and just what they may be looking for in a candidate.

The 2nd method used, which is recruiters or staffing agencies has a similar success rate as the online applying. There is more of a personal connection level involved with this approach. If the recruiter is one with strong connections to the companies they serve, or internal recruiters who are part of talent acquisition for a particular organization, they can add value to your search. Such recruiters get to know the tendencies of hiring managers in the companies they serve. They also can tell from the strengths (and weaknesses) that a candidate has, what a hiring company may like about the candidate, but also what may be a concern for them. Many times, such recruiters can help prepare a candidate for an upcoming interview in a company by knowing the people for whom they are doing staffing, so well.

However, not all recruiters are created equal. If the recruiter is not a specialist in the discipline you are seeking to find work, they may take you on as a client, but may only infrequently receive openings that align with your skills and specialties. If the recruiter is not a “retained” recruiter by an organization, or if they are not on the company’s talent acquisition staff, they are at best only trying to put candidates in front of companies with listed openings without any guarantee of success. Often such recruiters may submit you for roles that you are not even remotely qualified for, and as such will be indicating they are working for you, but doing so with little possible return on your investment.

That is why the last two methods of search, networking, and direct contact have statistically shown to have the best chance of success for those in job search. Do these two methods always work? No, they do not. However, what advantages do they have over just “posting blindly” online for jobs or working through recruiters?

Among the advantages of networking and direct contact are that you are already looking to connect with other professionals. If those individuals are people working inside of a company which is hiring, and they have worked with you in the past, they may very well be an advocate as to why you are a candidate the hiring manager may want to speak to. An inside advocate can provide your resume to the hiring manager directly. Therefore, if you have not gotten past electronic screening mechanisms which are used by the Human Resources Department, this is another way for you to be seen. Connecting directly, you get an understanding of the culture of a particular company, and if indeed are they a good fit for you. Often there can be other openings in a company that are not posted. In catching an organization at such a time, you can possibly be the answer to their needs without having to go through the formal Human Resources Department. (Yes, in larger companies this may be frowned upon, and the job may have to be posted anyway. However, in medium or smaller companies, such approaches may not be mandatory and can give you an opportunity that you might not have had if you were waiting for a posted opening).  

Therefore, if you find yourself in job search, (whether through the choice that you have been let go from your previous job role, or are looking on your own while employed), remember “The Wildcard” in the search process is not just what is posted by you on your resume, on your Linked In profile, on a Biography of yourself etc., it is the personality, bias and needs of the reader and needer of your services and talents that you need to consider. As such, whether your communication is created by the computer tools of today, a professional writer or you developing them yourself, your success rate in getting to the point of the interview will be through the efforts and strategies you put into connecting with the decision makers at companies that need your service.

Will that guarantee that you will be the candidate hired on the spot? Not necessarily. However, that is a conversation for another day. 

 		  
About
 

February 2024 - Closing Thoughts

Stuck on an issue that you can’t move forward with in your life? Not sure what steps to consider taking in your job search? Absolute Transitions offers 1-hour complimentary consultations to any individual who wants to learn more about life or career (job search) coaching. You can take advantage of this offer by signing onto www.absolutetransitions.com and clicking the Complimentary Coaching Consultation tab. Or you can call me at 201-306-9811 to discuss. I’d love to hear from you.

Absolute Transitions coaching also continues to offer two very popular complimentary e-Courses. The course entitled “5 Key Steps in Searching for Your Next Job” is invaluable to those currently in job search or considering changing careers. “Overcoming Obstacles to Change Your Life” provides participants five choices on how to deal with conflict situations which come into their life. Sign into the www.absolutetransitions.com website to sign up by filling in your name and email in the appropriate sign-up boxes on the right hand side of the page.

If you are looking to move your career forward, suddenly find yourself out of a job or under employed, look to get help in your search. While a career coach is one option, there are several outstanding support groups likely to be in your area. Whether held at your local library, run by a church or by your state Department of Labor, don’t go through a job search alone. Those in search find that having support, (often just from other job seekers), helps to move a search forward in a productive manner. Another thing to keep in mind, has been since the advent of the COVID 19 crisis, many of these groups offer their sessions virtually, online.

If you have recently moved to an area, especially if you are accompanying a family member or friend who has moved due to a job transfer, consider your own needs. There is a lot to consider when you are the “accompanying partner.” There are acclimation issues, job search issues, settling children in school, etc. If you would like to discuss the type of support you likely may need, feel free to reach out to me, and I would be glad to discuss with you.

Over the last 4 years, I have been introduced to an outstanding new assessment tool of which I am a distributor. Known as the “Absolute Transitions Career Values Assessment,” it is based on 7 sciences. The tool provides those who take it feedback on their top 7 work values, if any of those values are out of alignment in their current life, the types of ways they work best, and the types of work environments which may be best for them. Please reach out to me at the email or phone numbers below to learn more.

If you have any questions on any of the material in this issue or a suggestion for a topic you would like to see covered in a future edition, please contact Tony at 201-306-9811 or reach out to him at [email protected], and he would be happy to discuss it with you.

Look for the next issue of “Our Transitioning Times” coming to you on March 20, 2024.


Absolute Transitions, 14M Highland Place, Maplewood, NJ 07040, USA
 


 
Tony Calabrese
Absolute Transitions
http://absolutetransitions.com

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