Don’t just sit there, clicking away at the same job board for any old position! Strategy is the key to getting the job you want. Here’s how to get the most out of the time you spend in front of your computer.
Your Network: The Best Way to Score an Interview
Your biggest hurdle to getting an interview is grabbing the hiring manager’s attention. If you can bypass your hundred or so fellow applicants, your chances of getting hired increase from 1 in 100 to as high as 1 in 5—the five people granted a first interview. Why not use your connections to your advantage? Certainly, getting that initial interview is no guarantee that you’ll be hired. Still, there’s no need to feel guilty. In this way, the hiring manager gains personal knowledge about you—maybe even a verbal recommendation from a trusted colleague. Spend extra time tailoring your resume and cover letter, researching the company, and preparing for the interview.
From here on out, the odds are greatly in your favor. In the next round, three people may be invited to a second interview, leaving you with a 1 in 3 chance. Now you can hold your breath because you just might get this job.
Job Boards and Employment Agencies: The More Specialized, The Better
Who best would know the most relevant job sites and agencies to try, other than industry insiders? If you’re a newcomer to the industry, or it’s been years since you’ve searched for a job, find people who work in your field and conduct research online to learn about the associations and societies you may not have known existed. These groups can point the way to other job leads and potential career paths.
Remember that job boards serve as two outlets for job hunters. The first is to broadcast your presence to employers hiring. Most employers don’t do the searching themselves and instead defer to recruiters, but in the remote chance that they do, at least your resume will appear in the results. Some jobseekers do not realize that simply storing your resume on the site gets you minimal—if any—responses. The board does not do the work for you. You’ve got to search and apply for specific jobs—tailor your resume and create separate cover letters geared to each company.
If you decide to let the recruiters do the searching for you, spend more time on resumes and cover letters for specialty firms than for the average temp-part-time agency helping you to find any job that pays. Send these agencies your standard resume and cover letter.
Classified Ads: Similar Rules Apply
Do not spend an equal amount of time on every application. That could lead to many hours spent on just a handful of resumes! It’s not worth it, especially if you’re replying to ads for “safety” jobs for you to fall back on.
Go Straight to Your Dream Companies
If you aspire to work for particular companies, check the job listings and descriptions posted on their website. It’s a good way to learn which ones you are qualified for and, if not, which skills and experiences you need to develop. Some companies prefer that candidates register, complete a profile, store their information, and apply to jobs through their website. Yes, it’s yet another process you would have to repeat, and the success rate is questionable (I have had the least luck with this method), but who knows? The good news is that some of these websites allow you to check the status of your application (received, processing, or rejected). How timely are they? Unfortunately, that’s a question I cannot answer.
In short, getting hired is a combination of many factors: your skills and experience, making an impact on the hiring manager, luck, and the way you use the tools out there to your advantage. Use your time wisely and you’ll be much closer to obtaining the position you want at the company you desire.
Lizelle Vibar is a writer, copy editor, and proofreader for print and online publications.
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