Free advice

…for Finding that Perfect Job

A few years ago, I met a Career Coach at a business meeting and learned some information that should be very helpful to you in your job search.

1. 70% of job seekers find their jobs through personal networking.
2. 5% of job seekers find their jobs through the internet, newspapers, and other published sources.
3. There are between 2000 and 5000 responses to the average internet job posting.
4. 80% of all executive recruiters (headhunters) have gone out of business in this economic downturn.
5. 99% of unsolicited resumes go straight into the trash can.
6. 30% of job seekers land jobs that did not exist before they visited the employer.
7. Persons reviewing incoming resumes spend an average of 15 seconds on it before deciding what to do with it.
8. The average length of a job search at the $100k+ level is just over 8 months.

Some of the above is pretty grim news, but you should consider all of it when planning your job search. When I got back to the office, I visited the career coach’s web site and found this handy little quiz that I think you should take right now.  Answer True or False for each of the ten statements:

1.  I am getting at least 3 desired job interviews per month.

2.  I am having lunch or coffee with at least 20 employed people each month in order to expand my networking.

3.  I am confident in interviews and am asked back for second interviews at least one-third of the time.

4.  I am spending less than 10% of my job search time on the internet.

5.  I am devoting >50% of my job search time to networking with employed people.

6.  I am following up with thank you notes, letters, and emails after the majority of my meetings/lunches/coffees.

7.  I am confident that my resume presents me very positively and it clearly identifies my career objective(s).

8.  I am mailing targeted letters to hiring authorities, following up effectively, and getting meetings.

9.  I have a detailed, written marketing plan that defines my target market, my unique value, and my desired goals.

10.  I have an overall strategy, I am proactively working my plan, and I know what I need to accomplish each week.

Score 1 point for every “TRUE” answer.

1-4, a long search of 9-15 months is likely. 5-6, an average search of 7-9 months is likely. 7-8, doing well and likely to land in 3-6 months. 9-10, doing great and likely to land in 1-3 months

If you already know how to score 9 or 10 on the above quiz, then you might not need someone to help you find a job. The remainder of this page is some of my own personal advice for jump-starting your job search.

GET Face-to-Face INTERVIEWS, then do three things…

1. FOLLOW-UP

2. FOLLOW-UP

3. FOLLOW-UP

The Bottom Line. No one ever got an executive position from just a resume.  People get jobs as a result of getting in front of people who can hire them. Please move on to “More Free Advice.”