June 11, 2012

Four ways to ease back into your job search

• 1 Comment |
• E-mail |
• Print
• • Share:
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

Not long ago, a friend of mine who's been at the same stable job since the late 1990s mentioned that the successive waves of layoffs at his mega-corporation in the last few years may soon reach his department. "It's been 15 years since I had to look for a job," he said. "Got any tips about how things have changed?"

It's a story I hear all too often in the post-recession world, especially in light of the frustrating lack of speed with the current economic recovery: A seasoned, talented professional who is seemingly safe in a comfortable position is suddenly thrown back into an uncertain job market by a corporate world that now favors bottom-line quarterly figures more than loyalty and experience. Most of these people quickly notice that the rules have changed since they were last on a job hunt.

So, where to begin? Well, first of all, it's never a good idea to wait until you need a job. We all know that networking is the fastest way to find a new job, but your efforts can't go from zero to 60 in one day. Contacts must be developed and nurtured, and research must be done on other companies that might be hiring. But for people like my friend, that ship has already sailed.

For those who are dusting off their resumes and jumping back into the job market after an extended absence, here are a few ways to lessen the culture shock of the job search world as it exists in 2012:

1. Establish a serious online presence. Online social networking is one of the key ways that business connections are made. With a strong, well-informed network of contacts on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, many job openings can be found before they are even advertised.

To make the best possible impression, don't just set up accounts on these networks with basic information and sit back. Make the effort to reach out to everyone you know on LinkedIn, and start joining and taking part in discussion groups that focus on your industry. Write recommendations for former colleagues at each of your previous jobs and ask them to return the favor. Consider starting a blog to offer your insight about news within your chosen field. Most employers look first at your online profile, so make sure that your work history is consistent across all online platforms you use.

2. Prepare your resume for automated scanners. One of the biggest changes in the last decade has been the reinvention of the average resume. As late as the early 2000s, many job seekers were still sending out identical paper resumes to actual humans.

Today, almost all resumes are submitted via email, and most are uploaded to diabolically designed applicant tracking systems (ATS) to scan the resume automatically for certain programmed keywords about skills and experience. Most of the utility of the ATS is to help hiring managers narrow the field as quickly as possible, but they also strip your resume of all character and nuance. The rise of the ATS makes job searching more of a numbers racket than ever before.

To beat the ATS at its own game, forget the fancy graphics and formatting, and focus more on customizing the document with targeted information. Read job descriptions very carefully and be sure to use the same words and phrases in your resume so that the ATS scanners will pick up on them. Ideally, each job you apply for should have a different resume uploaded with its own unique usage of ATS-friendly keywords. Also, use the Rich Text Format (RTF) for your document, rather than a Word doc or PDF, as it makes your resume more readable in ATS systems.

3. Emphasize results. Today's employers are less concerned with what titles you've had or places you've worked than with concrete accomplishments -- especially those achievements in the past five to 10 years. For each job you list, try to describe how you helped the employer's bottom line, such as streamlining a workflow process, solving a nagging problem or completing a project on time and under budget.

If your experience is in a different field from the one to which you are applying, emphasize your transferable skills and explain how your accomplishments can be translated to the new position. Also, don't be shy about including any accolades you've earned during your career or new skills you have acquired. Every little bit helps.

4. Never stop looking. One rut that most workers fall into is complacency about their job security. Even if you are happy and comfortable in a current job, don't assume that it will be around forever. In today's capricious business climate, no worker, no matter how dedicated, is "safe" anymore.

Be sure to check with your network of contacts periodically and keep an eye out for any new positions that are opening up. If you see one that doesn't quite fit your skill set, pass it along to someone else for whom the job might be a better match. The more you build this positive networking karma, the better your chances that your network will reciprocate in kind.

Randy Woods writes about job-search tools, networking techniques and other tips to help you land your dream job.

• 1 Comment |
• E-mail |
• Print
• • Share:
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

Read more
ATS, keywords, networking, recommendations, resumes, returning to the workforce, social media

1 Comments

Career Counselling on June 14, 2012 7:18 PM | Reply

Even when the newspapers and other news sources say that unemployment numbers remain steady, that job growth is at a standstill, or that we’re experiencing slow economic recovery, not to mention downsizing and outsourcing, don’t believe it.

It’s a myth because it doesn’t reflect the whole story, the fact that that it’s a different job market today. It’s a changing economy. How we transition from job-to-job is different. Hiring practices have shifted. So the job market has changed, but that doesn’t necessarily make it tougher. What makes it tougher is that we’ve been slower to change. We’ve held on to old practices and old behaviors. That’s not to say that old ways still don’t work, but they’re just not as effective.

Leave a comment

* required field

Your name: *

E-mail address: (Will not be displayed)

Your comment: *

Captcha:

Type the characters you see in the picture above.