EmploymentDigest.net

Is Your Job Search Getting You Absolutely Nowhere?

Posted on 05. Sep, 2009 posted by Bill in Employment News

Especially if you’ve been out of work for a while, it can become increasingly frustrating if you’re not getting the kind of results you want from your job search. It begins to feel futile…like all the cards are stacked against you. Worse, one glance at the unemployment rate as it continues it’s monthly climb and you know things are just going to get more competitive. It’s going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

How can you possibly turn your situation around?

You want more invitations to interview…or to get closer to the final round when you do interview…but how?

While it may not seem like it, there are actually quite a few things you can influence. That’s where you need to fix your focus.

You can’t do anything about the economy. You can’t make jobs materialize out of thin air. But you have total control over you. And therein lies the key.

Review your search objectively; step back and analyze everything you’ve done along with the results (or lack thereof) to date.

For example:

- Consider the market; it may be trying to tell you something. It could be an issue related to the product (you). It could have something to do with the way you’re positioning yourself, your messaging, or the way you’re connecting with the market. There could also be some broader issues at play.

- Review your unique selling proposition. Have you identified the right USP for this market, your industry and the companies you’re targeting? Is it enough of a differentiator? Are you articulating it clearly? Do you need to tweak the message?

- Review your marketing brochure – your resume. Better yet, get someone else to review it. Ask them to be completely honest and provide an assessment. Are you presenting a compelling story? Do you support your claims with quantifiable facts? Do you sound like an interesting, unique candidate? Do you grab the reader’s attention within the first few lines? Is any of the information vague or unclear? Is the document laid out well? Is it completely error free?

- If you work in an industry that’s contracting, you may not be able to “sell” your skill set in the same way you once could. Your approach might require adjusting. (You can’t pound a square peg into a round hole.) Would relocation open more options? Are your skills transferable? Can you be flexible regarding your compensation requirements?

Next, consider the process itself. Are you getting stalled at the same point consistently? Is the phone not ringing at all? Are you interviewing but not making it past the early rounds? Are you making it all the way to the end but not getting the offer?

These are vastly different situations…but if there’s a pattern, you can fairly easily get to the root cause of your problems.

For example, if the phone isn’t ringing, there’s a good chance there’s something you need to address regarding your resume and/or cover letter
- or you need to work on targeting where you’re sending your materials. Blanketing the city with your paper isn’t going to get you the interview. It’s not a numbers game.

If you’re consistently getting stalled after the first round, think back and review the content of the discussions you’ve had. Consider the format: are these typically phone screens or face to face meetings? It makes a difference. And so on.

Be objective and approach this analysis with an open mind. Stop focusing on the things you can’t influence; instead, concentrate on the many things over which you do have control. You may be surprised what a positive impact this exercise will have on your search.

Rebecca Metschke helps professionals improve their marketability. The author of The Interview Edge (http://www.TheInterviewEdge.com), a comprehensive career guide to career management, she also writes a daily blog posting strategies, tips and advice for those whose careers are in transition (http://blog.TheInterviewEdge.com).

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