There Are No Absolutes In Job Search

There Are No Absolutes In Job Search The entire job search process and allof itselements should probably be approached with a trial and error mentality. If it were an exact science, this wouldnt be difficult. Job seekers are looking for the right answers however, there isnt necessarily one right answer for each individual. RESUMES: Youll find that no two people will give you the same feedback on your resume. This is confusing as all get out. Objective or no objective, one page vs. two and the list goes on and on. What worked for one person may not necessarily work for you. What this means is that youll want to monitor the outcomes of the resumes you are sending to employers (not hit count your resume gets on the job boards). The one absolute on a resume is that it contains your name and contact information. COVER LETTERS: To include a cover letter or not? No two people receiving resumes have the same process for reviewing them or preference in what they are looking for. The general guideline is to include a well crafted one. INTERVIEWS: The process of hiring is highly personal. It is about chemistry. Even if you were the most talented and skilled candidate, you may not get the job. There are even unknown factors that can prevent a job seeker from getting the job- an internal candidate comes forward at the last minute, a past employee wants to come back, the boss has a friend of a friend that needs a job, etc. Get a lot of them and prepare well. It is a numbers game, you wont land every job you interview for. NETWORKING: Said to be the most effective job search method, networking wont work for everyone. You are playing the odds. If you are networking strategically with the right group of people AND you are doing it well, your chances might increase. It still wont guarantee you a job. CONTACTING RECRUITERS: It isnt enough just to contact them. Again, there are so many variables when working with recruiters. Be informed understand how they work and who they work with. Youll want them to know you, trust you and believe they can make money by placing you and that you will stick. LINKEDIN, FACEBOOK, TWITTER: Social media is not the quick fix or magic bullet either. These are only tools you can use to help provide you with information and a vehicle for spreading your message. Not the message that you are unemployed, but the message that you are great at what you do. These tools also can make it easier to build on line relationships which are not the same or necessarily as strong as personal relationships. They have been known to lead to personal relationships however. While there are no absolutes, there are best practices: Be sure of what you can do Be focused in the message you are delivering Be of great value and service Be able to tell good stories of your accomplishments Be findable online Be proactive in your search Be likeable Be authentic