Getting back to the basics
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Diane Domeyer started working as a recruiter back in the days when a well-thought-out cover letter always accompanied the résumés that landed on her desk.
These days, the executive director of OfficeTeam, a Menlo Park, Calif.-based staffing company, says recruiters are lucky if they receive a full sentence in an e-mail instructing them to review a résumé or electronic portfolio that’s included as an attachment.
That, she says, can give recruiters a bad impression of the job candidate.
“We need to go back to the basics,” she says.
Technology makes it easier to send out hundreds of résumés to employers all over the word. It also allows job candidates to take part in job interviews via computers and share their talents through blogs and portfolios.
But, according to Domeyer and other top recruiters, Internet tools are not an acceptable replacement for time-honored, job-hunting strategies.
Recruiters say candidates who get the jobs they want follow a few simple rules that have more to do with common sense – and common courtesy – than technology.
Here’s what they suggest:
DO
* invest the time to develop a strong résumé that not only reflects your goals and strengths but also your professionalism. An OfficeTeam survey found that 84 percent of executives polled said it takes just one or two typographical errors in a résumé to discard a candidate. It’s important to ask several people to review a résumé before sending it out.
* “A résumé is often the first contact an individual makes with prospective employers,” Domeyer says. “It’s like a first impression.”
* follow up with the hiring manager who receives your résumé. Domeyer says verifying receipt of important information shows a candidate’s initiative. At the very least, send a short message that may serve to encourage a manager to review your credentials.
Once you make contact, ask about the next step in the hiring process. If you’re told that semi-finalists will be invited for an interview in one week, Domeyer says call back in a week and one day.
* take an inventory of your image, as you only have one chance to make that first impression.
Your clothes, manners or overall look should not sabotage your chances for success, says image expert Susan Morem, president of Premier Presentation Inc., Minneapolis. You should look the part you want to play, she adds.
* make time to network. If you actively are job seeking, share with others in your industry the fact that you’re open to new opportunities. If you don’t have several interview lined up, start setting up informational interviews, says Steven Rothberg, founder of CollegeRecruiter.com.
* cast a wide net. Rothberg says many job seekers make the mistake of only reviewing large online job boards. In reality, only a small fraction of jobs available are posted, he says. If you want to use the Internet, check out sites geared to specific fields, trades and geographic locations. Don’t forget newspaper and trade publication ads and most importantly, networking opportunities.
DON’T
* become distressed. The loss of a job and income easily can lead to depression. Once you are depressed, you will lack the energy and drive needed for an effective job search. Experts say to keep your head up and remember the old saying about finding the good in a bad situation.
* lose sight of the fact that nothing is as important than making a personal connection during the face-to-face interview.
“People get so wrapped up in their résumés, networking and portfolios that they forget that they still need to get in front of that person who could be their next boss and connect with that individual,” says John Challenger, CEO of Challenger, Gray and Christmas Inc., a Chicago-based employment research and placement firm. Include in your job search strategy time to practice for the interview so that you can reveal your passion for your work.
* rely on someone else to find you a job. Challenger insists that you have to be your own agent. Even if you pay a consultant or recruiter, stay on top of what he or she does. You should use the experts to develop an effective job-search strategy that serves as a map in the process.
* send your résumé out to everyone and their mothers. Rothberg, of College Recruiter, suggests picking 20 companies and studying them carefully. Craft targeted letters that tell hiring managers what you can offer their companies. Making a short list also makes it easier to follow up and focus your energy.
* shoot yourself in the foot by sharing your self-pity or frustration in blogs or by posting inappropriate materials in social-networking sites, such as MySpace or Facebook. A study conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that at least one in 10 employers review profiles on social-networking sites when considering candidates for jobs. More than two-thirds of employers who review social-networking sites say the information influences their decision. Technology, in this case, can come back to hurt you unless you know how to use it with common sense.