The days of applying to jobs in an on-line portal are coming to an end. In today's environment there are too many "options" in the job pool for HR to cover. With 100's of applications for a job rolling across the HR specialists' desk, it is no wonder great candidates get tossed to "File 13." And the database that is holding your profile for future opportunities, that database is a black hole.
So how do we overcome the shortfall of applying for a job? Let's start here. You take very precious time logging into an application portal. Most of the time an application takes around 15 minutes. If you are serious about finding a job, then you probably apply for 5 or more while the motivation is fresh. After searching and searching for the ideal jobs, and the numerous tabs clogging the top of your web browser, you begin the quest. Your goal: to flood as many resumes, cover letters, and applications to as many organizations as it takes until you get that offer.
You get the email: "Thank you for applying with [company x] for [position y]. Your application is being reviewed. If your experience and qualifications match, we will contact you."
What it should read: "Thank you for applying with us. We are mandated, by law, to post these jobs. Really what we are going to do is promote internally, or, take a recommendation from an employee that their brother/sister/cousin/friend is a better fit. We really don't appreciate the massive amount of time you have spent on the various documents it takes when applying, so we just automate an email. And, since technology is awesome, we don't even have to remember to send you another email that will tell you we decided to go a different direction - so expect that email in about a week or two. Oh, and P.S., I hope you don't mind that we will either put your effort into File 13 or just tell you that we are keeping your information for any opportunities that your profile fits. Either way, your information is going to fall off of our radar."
As it turns out, if a human reads your resume they will only view it for about 5-7 seconds even though they will say they take about 5 minutes per resume. Most humans have a list of matching words, or key words that are handed to them by the actual person needing to fill the position. If they can't spot the key words quickly, they move on quickly. Some say there is a magic trick to writing a resume and offer to do it for you. This is another money-suck that just takes your precious time and much needed funds and doesn't change your chances for hire. For companies that frequently receive a lot of resumes when they post a job, they are likely to use resume scanning software. So, at either approach your chances of getting your resume across the actual person responsible for hiring you has gone way down. Above that, simple errors on the resume such as spelling errors, grammar errors, or even an unprofessional email account demolish your chances. So why is it that Joe can get me a job, but the enhanced web career search cannot?
Networking. Networking has a distinct advantage; your story gets heard and someone is putting their stamp of approval on you. Resumes are nothing but a story of the things you have done that qualify you for a job. Oh, you will probably be asked for your resume at some point. But Joe has already done the hard work - getting your resume to an actual decision maker's desk. Even if Joe doesn't hand walk the resume to the decision maker, he has seeded the idea that you are worth a look because Joe, a trusted employee, has put his personal stamp of approval on you.
Think of it this way. There are essentially two different types of jobs - publicly posted jobs that everyone gets to see and everyone can apply to and the hidden jobs that nobody really knows about. Public facing jobs are likely not going to be filled by the on-line application process. Companies can submit the notice and fulfill some HR requirement that x number of jobs are posted. Or, jobs that will really go to the incumbent are advertised to meet some sort of regulation guideline. Either way, these jobs are not the jobs you want but you wouldn't know that because they are the only ones available to see. So what is the other type of job? It could likely be the same one, or a different one, but is hidden in all respects. These jobs take a recommendation; a stamp of approval. These jobs are not known about, but are waiting to be filled or, in some cases, created for the right candidate. Joe knows this. He is inside the company and sees the day to day operations. Joe is a trusted member of the "in-crowd" and can not only locate a job, but also get your resume seen. Heck, maybe even Joe can score you the ever elusive interview.
Networking makes it easier to break down the silos of HR.
Let's review it from this example. You look on-line at one of the major job search engines and find "THE ONE." You take your time. Ensure that your resume is sharp, free of errors, and has all of the key words needed. Your application reflects only the best attributes of you. YOU. GOT. THIS. The position: Nuclear Physicist.
You submit your application, resume, and cover letter to the system. An automated email is spawned letting you know you did a successful job at clicking the submit button. The resume enters a database and waits for the next available attendant. And here the problem starts. The attendant reading your life's perfect path of professional performance is being read by someone that has no clue what Nuclear Physics are, let alone how to even "score" a resume based on the qualification represented in your information. The attendant notices that your resume is 5 pages of pure knowledge - a report of awesomeness that could in no-way be matched by any other. It has certificates, work history, skills, education, power statement, references, and past articles authored by you. And, these 5 pages take way to long to look through so the attendant sends your portfolio to file 13 and hits the automated rejection reply.
It took 5-7 entire seconds for all of the hard work you put into your life to be dismissed to File 13. If you cold look into the company you would probably find that Joe ran a much less qualified candidate right into the boss' office and said hire this one.
What do you do? Don't give up on the on-line job search. Use it to find out which companies are hiring. If you are serious about finding a job, figure out a way that you can network into the company and get your application read, or better yet, you can get that interview. Go to the company's social media profile; like LinkedIn. Try to connect with someone that might have common attributes as you do, or, get courageous and connect directly with the decision makers. Go to local meetups. Find people who can file you into the company. Ask questions and don't be scared. Find the gap and fill it. The job search online is not an entire waste of time, but the numbers suggest you are probably not going to find success - unless you want to work for an insurance agency on commission based salary.
Oh, and for all that is right in the world - NEVER PAY A RECRUITER TO GET YOU HIRED. But that is a discussion for a different day.
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