So you can’t find any jobs? Perhaps the answer is to find targets, not job postings.
Sounds kind of crazy, I know. But if you are frustrated because you can’t find the types of jobs you are looking for or your not getting contacted after you apply for a job online, isn’t it worth trying something different?
People Hire People
That’s what the screening interview is all about. They want to get to know you.
But it’s really difficult to get your resume through the applicant tracking system (ATS) to get a phone screen. Read these tips to get your resume through the ATS.
The secret is to target companies BEFORE they have posted job opportunities.
Use this to help you create a list of potential employers that are worth investigating. How To Find Target Companies For Your Job Search
Benefits Of Targeting Companies
This process of targeting will allow you to focus your time and energy on companies YOU are interested in. That’s empowering and motivating.
Targeting companies allows you to gather intelligence on these companies and gives you a head start when the company finally does decide they are ready to hire. If you’ve been meeting people inside the company before the job is posted, who do you think they will call when an opening does arise?
Companies like to hire referred candidates. They also reward employees who refer candidates. Be a referred candidate! Here’s more help on this: How To Get Referred For A Job.
Re-Invest Your Time
Here are some questions to ask yourself.
How many:
- Hours a week do I spend surfing the job boards?
- Appropriate jobs did I apply to this week?
- Hours does it take me to modify my resume and cover letter for these jobs?
- Phone interviews did I get from these online job postings?
Now, add up all those hours. What if you re-invested just some of that time talking to people who worked in companies where you would like to work? What if the answer is to find targets, not job postings?
Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success.
