In late 2015, I found myself in the hunt for a new job. The reasons I was in this position are not important, but the search experience itself was noteworthy.
My first course of action on my first day was to make sure my resume was up to date and appropriate for the type of position I was seeking. Check
Second, I drafted a cover letter that could be modified for the specific companies I would be applying to. Check
Third, I registered on every career search website I could find. Yikes!
Prior to registering on these websites, I was in conversations with a couple of recruiters from different companies. They sought me out first. These recruiters were very attentive, asked me lots of good questions, and I had some interviews scheduled.
I studied all of the articles I could find about how to “nail” the interview – how to answer tricky questions, what questions I should ask, how to mentally prepare (Recruiter.com has some excellent resources). Looking back, I think I must have done pretty well because several of those interviews led to appointments with folks higher up the food chain. One in particular seemed quite promising. Until it wasn’t. I was devastated that I wasn’t selected for this seemingly ideal job.
That’s when I decided to register on as many job sites as possible. You know, quantity. I figured I would have so many great jobs to choose from I just couldn’t go wrong. Daily, I was receiving a minimum of 45 emails with “hot jobs,” “perfect matches,” and “opportunities selected just for me.” Each email boasted a minimum of 10 positions for which I was a great candidate.
After about a week of this I realized that almost none of the job leads I was receiving were a good fit. To be fair, there were some interesting opportunities. The sites that had the lengthiest sign-up process seemed to generate the best leads. It stands to reason that the more information entered into the site database, the better the job match. Unfortunately, I was probably one of hundreds of candidates for those same jobs. I did get some interviews and held out hope that this strategy was working.
Finally, I did some soul-searching. It occurred to me that none of these companies I was courting really knew me. I have a good resume and work history, but so do a lot of people. I realized that the people who make hiring decisions have an immense responsibility to their employers and need to pick the obvious super stars. Perhaps it was time to rethink my strategy.
So I tucked my tail and began to reach out to my network. I connected with the people who really know me and know how I work. I connected with former colleagues and business associates. It was tough to admit I needed help.
Yet it was the smartest move I made. I contacted a former colleague who immediately recommended me for a perfect job. Funny thing, it was a different type of work than I had been seeking but I followed her advice, applied, and was hired. This new role is challenging, interesting, and meaningful. It seems like my network knows me better than I know myself.
Lessons learned – keep in touch with your colleagues, never underestimate the power of a referral, be open to new possibilities, be humble and show gratitude.
Now I have to “Unsubscribe” to a bunch of emails. That’s going to take a while.
Helster777 