Find or be found? That is the question!
The Labor Department announced in June that the average duration of unemployment is at an all-time high, the average is 39.7 weeks. Are these just the times we live in? What can people do differently?
Based on my recent experiences with Career Coaching clients from diverse backgrounds, the answer lies in the method of focus. Many people use what I call the “get found” approach. This mainly consists of posting your resume or profile on multiple professional networking sites, submitting resumes through online applications, tagging your resume / profile with strategic keywords so that it can be picked up through searches, etc. The hope of doing all this work is for someone to stumble upon your resume / profile / portfolio, discover your experience, and contact you.
Have people found jobs using the Be Found approach? Safe. Recruiters are using tools like LinkedIn to find great talent. But the reality is that you will be one of the other 100 people who look great on paper. Heck, sometimes it’s not even real people who leak through resumes. I recently blogged at CareerStr8Talk.com about how recruiters often rely on computer software that scans keywords on resumes and “filters” a list of qualified applicants. But people take advantage of this software and use keywords throughout their resume to get matches. This results in recruiters having to sift through a pile of unqualified applicants. My point? That while you’re sitting there waiting, recruiters are having a hard time realizing what sets you apart.
With this being the case, I recommend that you take the search approach. To “find” means to have the attitude that you are not waiting for someone to find you, but that you will get in their way. There are multiple ways to find decision makers through focused strategies and the use of social media like LinkedIn. Some of these decision makers may not even have openings … yet. Even then, you want to meet and take the opportunity to make a lasting impression.
Finding these decision makers starts with targeting a specific role and industry. Connect through social media or through a referral, then YOU host a meeting, even if it’s just for coffee. Do this with as many key leaders within your target market as possible so that you become a well-known identity within the industry. This will set you apart in the minds of decision makers, which means you won’t get lost in the resume confusion.
Remember that leaders always look for good people before they need them. So when an organization expands, or a manager is underperforming and wants to make a change, or is thinking of restructuring their department, YOU will be the most important thing and the first one they approach.
Everyone who makes hiring decisions would pick someone they know and trust as to whom they might find in a pile of resumes any day.
So take the first step. Start searching until you find the career you want.
