Do You Get Mistreated By Employers as a Job Applicant?

Does the process of applying for a job feel like you’re trapped in a Rodney Dangerfield Comedy Skit?

I ran a recent blog article on Hire and Retain Top Talent Blog raising the question of whether hiring managers and human resource staff “mistreat” job applicants. The response was an overwhelming admission of guilt.

This blog article was sparked by a post I read on the About.Com Human Resources Blog. The primary point that the blog author, Susan Heathfield,  makes in her post, is that candidates deserve a response and they deserve the right to know where they stand in your hiring process. They especially deserve the right to know on a timely basis if you reject them.

I am amazed at the number of employers who don’t have the courtesy to tell applicants they didn’t get the job, employers who are rude and inconsiderate to potential future employees during the interview process, and employers who are not responsive in returning emails or phone calls to applicants.

Have employers lost their manners?

Do employers feel a sense of superiority in that they can get away with mistreating job applicants in this job market recession?

Have a large percentage of employers simply forgotten the golden rule of dealing with people “Do unto others as…”

When you can’t get an employer to call you back after they’ve conducted a phone or face-to-face interview,

What’s your worst horror story of being mistreated by employers – either the hiring manager or someone on the HR staff?

After the “mistreatment” how did you feel about the company? What were the words you used to describe this employer to your your friends and business contacts?

Barry Deutsch

If you’ve not downloaded a few of our FREE Job Search Audio Programs recorded off our live Internet Radio Show, now might be the time to find a tip or two to help in your job search.

New Poll Shows Over 50% Unemployed For Over A Year

I recently conducted a  non-scientific poll using LinkedIn. 912 people responded to the poll and the results follow with some commentary on the results.

The only question asked was, “How long have you been unemployed and looking for a job?” Since most of the people on LinkedIn tend to be professionals, one can draw the conclusion that the majority of the people responding have a college degree, include all functional departments within a company, and that the respondents range from entry level professionals to the CEO suite.

Overall results are:

9% under 60 days

18%  3-6 months

12%  7-9 months

9%  9-12 months

51%  over one year

Many of the comments from the respondents would indicate that some have been unemployed for more than 2 years.

Breaking these numbers down further, 39% of the respondents were female and 61% were male according to LinkedIn. There was almost no difference between females and males out of work for more than a year with 52% for females and 51% for males. The other lengths of time were also very similar between females and males.

The most controversial part of the poll was how LinkedIn broke the number down by age. Of all of the comments received, this was the topic that received the most discussion. For the most part, people commenting clearly thought age discrimination was alive and well. As a recruiter for the last 30 years I’m not sure this is accurate.

Of those 18-24 years old, 50% have been unemployed for more than a year, 22% for 3-6 months, 17% for less than 60 days and the balance of 11%  between 7-12 months.

Of those 25-34 years old,  41% were more than one year, 19% for 3 -6 months, 18% for less than 60 days, and the remainder of 22% between 7 – 12 months.

Of those 35-54 years old,  49% were more than one year, 19% for 3-6 months, 11% for less than 60 days and 21% between 7 -12 months.

Of those 55 and older, 55% were more than one year, 16% 3 -6 months, 6% less than 60 days and 23% between 7-12 months.

It doesn’t surprise me that the largest number of people unemployed for more than a year are in the over 55 age group. I would expect this to be the case. Granted, there may be some age discrimination going on, but for the most part this age group is the highest paid group and the most senior on the corporate ladder. It is for these reasons I believe this is the largest group. Our recruiting business is primarily mid-sized company executives. Generally these executives take the longest amount of time to come back from a recession. I started recruiting in 1980, so this is my 4th or 5th recession as a recruiter, and in all previous recessions this is the last group companies hire. Not the oldest, but the most experienced and most highly compensated. In today’s world, a new phenomenon is taking over with companies bringing on interim or temporary executives instead of out right hiring them.

I don’t see age discrimination when the age group of 18-24 has only 5% less looking for more than one year than the 55+ group and a 1% difference for 34-54 group. In most cases this would be within the margin of error.  I think it has more to do with experience. The 18-24 age group typically has the least amount of experience and those 55+ typically have the most. Companies tend first to hire in the middle of the bell curve before moving to the outer extremes.

Regardless of how one wants to view the results, the fact is that the largest group in every age group is more than one year. To me this is the most important information coming from this poll. I wonder how much longer than a year have possibly many been looking and how many have just given up?

Unemployment is alive and thriving at all age levels. Unemployment doesn’t appear to care about your age all that much.

If you would like to see the results of this poll for yourself CLICK HERE.

If you would like some free tools to help you get out of  your job search regardless of how long you have been looking CLICK HERE to download our LinkedIn Profile Assessment and CLICK HERE to download our Job Search Self- Assessment Scorecard. Both of these tools will help you to identify key areas to improve your job search.

I welcome your comments and thoughts.

Brad Remillard

So Many Candidates Are Only 70% Effective In Their Job Search

There aren’t too many things one can do only 70% effectively and be successful. Can you imagine doing your job 70% effectively? Would you hire someone that told you in an interview,” I work great 70% of the time?” Would you keep a person working for you the was only 70% effective?

I certainly hope you answered NO to all these.

So why then do so many candidates think they can find a job or conduct a job search at a 70% effective rate? I think in many cases I’m being generous in the 70%. I have worked with many that struggle to get to 50%. Stunning, but true.

Too many candidates just don’t know how to conduct a truly effective job search. That isn’t to say that they don’t try, as I’m sure they do, but trying in a job search isn’t what you are striving to achieve. You shouldn’t be ashamed of this. It is not your area of expertise. It would be like me doing your job. How effective would I be? Probably less than 50%.

In an economy like this in which companies will receive hundreds of resumes, receive numerous referrals, and will interview until the perfect candidate shows up,  one can’t afford to be ineffective or inefficient. This is the time to be at your best, 110% not 70% or less.

Here are some simple examples that might help you to identify how effective  your job search is (you can download our 8-Point Job Search Self Assessment for free to assess your search CLICK HERE):

1. How good is  your LinkedIn profile? I have reviewed thousands of profiles and most are incomplete, lacking important data, not optimized for a search, and provide limited information. Yet like it or not, LinkedIn is more powerful than most resume databases.
2. Many candidates have no idea how to properly network. Most think it is a numbers game. Meet a lot of people, shake a lot of hands, go to a lot of meetings and so on. WRONG. This is just a bunch of activity. Meaningless activity most of the time. How effective has your networking been for providing the right job leads?
3. Candidates focus on only one type of key word search. The electronic type. They optimize the resume for the automated/electronic resume system that scans the resume to identify certain key words.  There are two types of key word searches that must be optimized. In my opinion the second one is more important. I have written an article explaining this. CLICK HERE if you want more information on the second type. I don’t have the space here to include it.
4. What prompted this article is  that I had lunch today with a VP of HR and we were discussing just how poorly so many candidates are at phone interviewing. She brought it up, not me. She asked me if I had the same bad experiences conducting phone interviews as she. Yes, I replied.  Way too many candidates treat the phone interview the same way they treat the face-to-face interview. They are completely different and you have to adjust. This is so important that we actually offer this chapter from our job search workbook for free. Not because we have to offer it for free, but the phone interview is the most important interview. So many candidates just take it for granted. CLICK HERE if you want to download it.
5. “I already know this stuff” syndrome. I get this all the time. You might even say this after reading the phone interviewing chapter. My answer to the comment, “I already know this stuff'” is “So what.” That isn’t important. We all know a lot of things, but we don’t do them and do them well. I know to keep my head still when I hit a golf ball. So what.  I know it but doing it isn’t the same. I’m only 50% effective at doing it. I firmly believe this is one of the biggest reasons candidates aren’t as effective as they should be. They think they know it, but don’t do it and do it right.
6. Working hard and putting  in long hours isn’t the answer in a job search. A job search is an endurance race. It is very much like running a marathon so candidates must be efficient or like a marathon you will burn out. I find many candidates are just running in place and get burned out quickly.

The sad part is that there are so many tools and resources available to candidates. Never before in my 30 years have I seen so much excellent information readily available. Experts blogging, articles in newspapers, YouTube videos, and social media groups are all out there for candidates to tap into. Yet so few do, and even fewer actually implement the suggestions effectively.

I encourage all the candidates I represent to actively research. There are great tips and ideas out there and 90% are free. Spending an hour each night will dramatically impact your job search.  Reading blogs on resumes, branding, social media, or watching some of the outstanding videos on YouTube can change the direction of your search very quickly.

Our contribution to you are our many free tools and resources. For example our audio library (CLICK HERE) has over 50 great audio recordings from our weekly radio show, the free chapter on phone interviewing (CLICK HERE) and our free LinkedIn Profile assessment (CLICK HERE) are just a few of the tools we offer.

Don’t forget to join our LinkedIn Job Search Networking Group for many more free resources. CLICK HERE to join.

I welcome your comments and thoughts.

Brad Remillard

Mediocre Networking equals Failed Job Search

I just published a blog on our HIRE and RETAIN Top Talent Blog aimed at hiring executives and managers on the subject of networking.

You can read this blog posting on networking for Executives and Managers by CLICKING HERE.

Outrageous Claim ? Networking is Critical to a Career

In this blog posting, I made the outrageous claim that Networking can make or break a career. As I was writing the post which was focused on employed executives and managers, the issue struck me that most candidates take too long to conduct a job search because:

Networking Efforts are INADEQUATE OR INEFFECTIVE

The Fundamental Problem of Job Search

One of the services we provide for executive and managerial job search candidates is job search coaching. We also have a specific project for developingNetworking Strategic Plan.

The first thing we notice is a woefully inadequate network and ineffective methods to build, grow, sustain, nurture, develop, enhance the network. Its no wonder the most common complaints about networking is that for the time investment it doesnt yield enough job leads and referrals.

If I approached networking the way most candidates approach it in their job search, I would consider it random luck if I got a job lead or referral.

Weve touched on Networking in the past and the importance of it for your job search. In my article addressed to employed hiring executives and managers, I claim its one of the most important skills they can possess and one of the most important activities they must do on a daily basis.

In a job search ? it is not just one of the important things you should be doing ? JOB SEARCH NETWORKING is the most important thing you should be doing ? without exception.

Here are few articles where weve touched upon the importance of networking:

CLICK HERE to Read How Recruiters Search on LinkedIn and What We Look For

CLICK HERE to Learn How to Stand Out at a Networking Event

Im writing an article series on 101 Job Search Tactics. A large percentage of those tactics are going to be centered around effective networking. Ive already described some of the networking tactics job search candidates should be trying on LinkedIn. Here are links to a few of those blog postings:

CLICK HERE to Read – Cares What Your Status is On LinkedIn?

CLICK HERE to Read ? 101 Job Search Tactics to Find a Job Now

Questions for Candidates Who Dont Network?

Why are you not networking?

What dont you know about networking that you must learn?

What are top 10 books youve recently read on networking?

What workshops/seminars/webinars have you recently attended to improve your skills at networking?

What blogs are you reading that offer great tips on how to network in your job search?

Whats holding you back?

Shouldnt you be investing heavily in time (and funds) everything you can to learn how to become a master networker in your job search?

If 80% or more of all jobs are not posted, in the hidden job market, and can only be found through networking ? why are you only focusing on the 20% that are advertised on job boards?

Resources for Job Search Networking

Basing your job search on answering job board advertisements instead of concentrating on effective job search networking is like betting your savings on the crap tables. Only if random luck intervenes do you stand a chance of succeeding.

Here is a list of a few resources that might help you in networking:

CLICK HERE to join our LinkedIn Job Search Discussion Group ? many good conversations on how to network effectively

CLICK HERE to see our Job Search Workbook that contains our focused chapter on how to network

CLICK HERE to Learn about our services for Executive and Managerial Job Seekers including Job Coaching and Networking Strategic Planning.

CLICK HERE to download some of our archived FREE radio show broadcasts on the subject of Job Search Networking

CLICK HERE to download the FREE Job Search Plan Self-Assessment Scorecard to determine if your networking approach is effective

CLICK HERE to visit our Job Search FREE Resources Portal where we bring together the blog feeds from some of the very best bloggers on the Internet focused on Networking techniques.

Barry Deutsch

Stop Being a LinkedIn Lurker: Job Search Tactic #3

Sounds like something you could be arrested for – maybe even a felony conviction.

Seriously, if you want to take your job search to another level, you’ve got to engage in communicating and interacting on the primary social media forum for professionals, managers, and executives.

Studies show that 90% or more of all users of social media (including LinkedIn) are lurkers.

What the heck is a LinkedIn Lurker?

A lurker is someone who reads the news feeds in groups, reads the questions in groups, reads the questions and answers in the Q&A section, and observes the status updates of those to whom they share a 1st degree connection.

Are you a LinkedIn Lurker?

YOU CANNOT CONDUCT AN EFFECTIVE JOB SEARCH BY LURKING?

Lurking is like hiding behind your mother’s skirt when you were 3 years old. Why do we do this as intelligent, sophisticated, cosmopolitan, confident adults? I wrote another article a few months ago on this same subject titled “STOP Being A Job Search Voyeur – Let Your Voice Be Heard“

I don’t get it.

I don’t even buy the introversion excuse since you’re not having to meet these people on-line or build a deep relationship. There is no rejection phobia here either.

Engaging in the conversation on social media sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter is just about the most friendly, safest environment to give your job search a little booster shot in the arm.

Here’s a few simple things you could start doing right now:

• How many of you are posting questions in our LinkedIn Discussion Forum and how many of you are helping others in the Group by answering/commenting on the discussions they started?
• Are you looking at the wealth of news feeds in our LinkedIn Discussion Group and commenting on those valuable links?
• When was the last time you commented on a connection’s status update?

We’ll tackle further engagement on LinkedIn in future tactics.

By the way, My Partner, Brad Remillard, will be leading a webinar on March 26th on how to leverage ALL the different elements of LinkedIn to conduct an effective job search.

Click on the link in our sidebar to learn about this very popular webinar.

If there was one place you could invest your time and get the biggest bang for the buck, it would on LinkedIn. Sadly, most job seekers are not leveraging even 10% of the tools, personal branding, engagement opportunities, and other inexpensive techniques to help themselves be found.

Brad and I did a couple of Programs on LinkedIn in our Weekly Radio Show. You can download these from our FREE Job Search Audio Library.

You know it’s much easier to be found than to find the right job.

What’s holding you back right now from signing up for a one-hour webinar (from one of the top experts in this country on using LinkedIn) in which you’ll learn at least a dozen core tactics that you’ll use every day in your job search?

Barry Deutsch

If you’re NOT a member of our LinkedIn Job Search Discussion Group, JOIN US NOW to start your engagement process and move beyond lurking.

101 Job Search Tactics to Find a Job NOW!

I’m boiling mad!

I’m offended.

Brad and I put in an effort that exceeds most experts in the job search space. Do we deserve grief and abuse for it?

A recent commenter on my last blog posting inferred that Brad and I publish “fluff” and DO NOT provide specific tactics, techniques, tips, tools, and methods to improve your job search. He inferred that we spout theory, but don’t offer practical advice.

This commenter had the audacity to suggest that Brad and I were in a game of playing bait and switch – which infers I sell you one thing (which I don’t have and then try to convince you to buy a more expensive item).

Brad and I make an extraordinary effort to offer FREE audio, tools, templates, samples, examples, illustrations, and other material that might cost you hundreds of dollars – we give it away. Yes – we do ask that you register on our site to receive these FREE items. Yes – we do send you on-going emails to share with you other products, services, new FREE items, and updates to our offerings.

Here’s some examples of FREE job search tools, information, learning that we offer:

Job Search Preparation Self-Assessment

LinkedIn Profile for Job Search Scorecard

Audio Program on the most common Job Search Mistakes

Sample Cover Letter

LinkedIn Job Search Discussion Group

Best Practices and Job Resources from across the Internet

We’re trying to make a living from our expertise – this is our business – it’s not our hobby. We offer our products and services to those individuals who have expressed an interest in our content and find it valuable. At no time have we EVER sent spam, or made inappropriate recommendations.

Maybe the commenter was just mad at me because I “called him out” or folks like him on conducting an INEFFECTIVE JOB SEARCH. Perhaps, he took the message too personal.

However, to respond to these comments, I’m going to start publishing 101 blog articles on job search tactics – might take me a while to do this. These job search tactics and activities will be specific, precise, executable, realistic, action-oriented, time-based, outcome driven, metric capable, measurable, and achievable.

Then, I’m going to put them all in a self-assessment for you to check off how well you’re doing against each one.

It’s not one particular tactic is absolutely critical – it’s the combination of doing all 101 job tactics or activities concurrently that adds up to something quite powerful.

So, like Bobby Flay on the Food Network, I’m throwing down a challenge to our entire job search community:

Offer your job search tactics up in a comment and I’ll let you know if it falls in the 101 or you’ve come up with something even I didn’t consider (as hard as that might be to accept) and I’ll feature your idea in an upcoming blog post.

Secondly, take the challenge of doing every one of the 101 job search tactics and then let us know if one or more contributed to you finding your next great opportunity.

DO YOU ACCEPT THIS JOB SEARCH CHALLENGE?

Brad and I look forward to hearing from about your best job search tactic and how the execution of 101 job search tactics is helping your job hunt.

Barry Deutsch

If you can’t wait for the entire 101 blog article series, quickly jump over to our FREE Resources Library, our other Blog on Job Search Best Practices and Resources, or our LinkedIn Discussion Group. Just those few sources should keep you plenty busy until we finish the 101 articles on job search tactics and activities.

2 Simple Questions I Asked 10 Job Seekers And They Failed

This is why recruiters and hiring managers get frustrated with candidates. For the most part this demonstrates why most candidates fail the interview. Candidates leave an interview thinking all went well, when in fact, the candidate is not going to be asked to come back.

It also demonstrates why candidates need to consider investing in their job search. There are many great resources available to ensure candidates conduct a really effective and professional job search. In today’s economy a job seeker can’t afford (literally) to be anything less than 100% effective.  Unfortunately, none of these 10 will get the job. If they had invested less than $100, I believe they could have properly answered these simple questions.

Instead they will spend more time looking, ultimately costing them thousands of dollars. Who knows when another opportunity will come up.

So here are the two simple questions I asked the senior executives.

1) Do you consider yourself to be a person who demonstrates high initiative on a regular basis? All 10 basically answered, “Absolutely.” Not just “yes”  but “absolutely.”

The obvious follow-up question to me is:

2) Can  you give me a specific example  where you demonstrated high initiative in your current or most recent role? This is where the interview collapsed. Not one could give me an example of high initiative. All 10 either  rambled on and on hoping I would forget the question or the example was what I would normally expect them to be doing as part of their job. Not HIGH initiative.  Not one could provide an example of something they claim to do on a regular basis.

Basically they were not prepared. They all answered positively expecting that to be the end of it.

If they claim to “absolutely” demonstrate high initiative on a regular basis, I would expect them to have at least one example. That doesn’t seem like a trick question to me.

Why these candidates were not able to answer this simple question is beyond me. I can only think, like many candidates, they thought, “I will just wing it.” Proper preparation isn’t all that important.  The key word is, “proper.” They may have prepared, but obviously not the right or effective way.

I wonder how many times a day a candidate blows the interview or a candidate’s resume gets screened out for something simple.  How many candidates are still searching only because they refused to invest  in their job search. In the same way,  many people  invest in anything they want to become proficient at, including piano lessons, golf lessons, tennis lessons, lessons to learn a software program, etc. investing in a job search is just as critical. I believe  a lot more critical.

Every extra day in a job search is costing these people thousands.

So what can you do  so it doesn’t happen to you:

1) The internet offers an endless amount of free resources for all to tap into.

2) Not all resources are right for every person. Some may be more appropriate for technical people, some for non-professionals or for professionals, and some are primarily focused at managers and above. Search until you find a resource that fits  your needs. Like most things job search resources are not one-size-fits-all.

3) Once you find a resource take full advantage of the free offerings. Read the blog articles, listen to any audio files, if the offer free webinars attend them. Use these free resources to the fullest extent you can.

4) Only after you trust them and recognize they are right for you, don’t be afraid to invest a few bucks. Nobody can possibly give away everything for free. They  have to make a living too.  Since you have already engaged them and trust them purchasing a book, CD,or  attending a paid webinar will be worth every penny. Many won’t even charge you until  you are completely satisfied or offer a money back guarantee. That takes away any risk of wasting money.

5) Seek their help with your resume or interviewing skills. Many will give you a first pass for free. Again, if you trust them investing a few bucks may make the difference between getting a job and not getting a job. I know it would have helped these ten people.

The best thing you can do for your job search is to make sure you don’t lose an opportunity because of a simple mistake. In this economy it may be a while before another opportunity comes along.

To practice what we preach, we offer an enormous amount of free resources for you to take full advantage of.  I encourage you to use these resources as often as you like and to their fullest extent. For example:

1) Our extensive audio library recordings from our weekly radio program on www. latalkradio.com CLICK HERE to review the program listing.

2) Our FREE sample cover letter. Over 2000 people have downloaded this. CLICK HERE to download yours.

3) Our FREE Linkedin profile assessment. Build a great profile on Linkedin. CLICK HERE to download yours.

4) Over 4000 people have joined our Linkedin Job Search Networking Group. CLICK HERE to join.

5) Download a free chapter from our job search  book on phone interviewing tips. CLICK HERE to download.

6) These are just a few of the free offerings on our website. There are many more for you to take advantage of without buying anything.

FULL DISCLOSURE. Yes, there are products to buy on these pages. If this is your first time you should check out the free stuff first. If those are helpful and you still need help then you can check out the products. We offer most of them on a free trial basis. You don’t have to buy anything until you are sure it will help you.

We want to be a resource for  you in your job search. Our goal is the same as yours. We want to help you spend as little time in a job search as possible.

I welcome your thoughts and comments.

Brad Remillard

Don’t Be the Candidate Screened Out by a Recruiter’s First Question

In my last blog post, I described how the best recruiters screen out the vast majority of candidates for their search assignments through one simple question.

Don’t be the one who gets screened out in 30 seconds.

Many times these are great opportunities the recruiters are working on – you’re the perfect candidate for that appropriate position – you definitely do not want to miss out.

What can you do?

I’m going to suggest that there is a simple approach you can use to prepare for interviews, and it mirrors the cover letter strategy.

If the advertisement does not point out precisely what is required in the position, you can make the fair assumption that there are 3-4 primary elements to every senior professional, managerial, and executive position. Putting your comparable accomplishments to each of these core elements of a position in the cover letter, and being ready to address them in the interview is an insurance policy against being screened out prematurely by recruiters.

Let’s run through a few examples:

If you are applying for a CFO/Controller/Director of Finance position in an entrepreneurial to mid-sized non-public company, the primary expectations over the first year will probably include:

1. Process Improvement – reducing the closing process, improving financial reporting, inventory control process changes, order entry processing speed/efficiency.

2. Financial Planning/Analysis/Forecasting – improvements to budgeting, annual planning, cash flow management, strategic planning, monthly analysis, monthly and quarterly projections.

3. Operational Projects – conducting special one-time analysis on leasing equipment, facility optimization, capital investments in equipment, customer profitability analysis, viability of new products, services, markets, analysis of warranty reserves, and cost reduction opportunities.

4. Policies/Procedures/Asset Protection – improving/changing the handling of cash, tracking of fixed assets, credit policies, collection management, purchasing and material management.

If you are applying for a Marketing Manager position at a sub-component manufacturing company, the primary expectations over the first year might include:

1. Marketing/Sales Materials – review and improvement of all collateral material used by the sales team.

2. Business Growth – assessment and recommendation of new markets, products, and services. Launching and managing existing and new services and products.

3. External marketing – branding, positioning, messaging, advertising, and trade shows to increase awareness and recognition in marketing to OEM manufacturers.

4. Lead generation for the sales function – database marketing, trade offers, channel management, website, lead management tools.

Tell us what the 3-4 primary success factors are in your functional role for the type of industry/type of company that you are focusing your job search on.

We’d like to see how many job seekers understand the critical components of being successful for the type of position they are seeking.

Now let’s jump back to the first interview question a recruiter poses to you in the initial phone call:

My client’s closing process takes too long. They need this individual to reduce by 50% the time it takes to close their books on a monthly basis.

Amazing. Astounding. The recruiter is blown away. You’ve got 2-3 great examples of where you solved similar/comparable process problems/obstacles.

Let’s try another one:

My client is looking at expanding their regional electro-optical sub-component business nationally. Do you have 2-3 comparable examples you could share about moving a company into different markets against entrenched competition?

Amazing. Astounding. Once again the recruiter is blown away by the 2-3 examples you’ve shared about successful marketing efforts to move your prior companies into new markets.

The recruiter is doing their job asking the tough questions based on client expectations of success. A little preparation and understanding of what the most common obstacles/problems/opportunities someone in a specific role is going to face will allow you to ace the vast majority of “appropriate” interviews.

Keep in mind that if your background is primarily in marketing management and you’ve done very little in sales management, I’m probably going to quickly screen you as inappropriate for this executive search for a sales management job. If you’re essentially a channel marketing director, I’m probably going to quickly exclude you from consideration for the marketing role in my client’s direct sales model.

The key word is “appropriate”.

One of the greatest frustrations we hear from employers/recruiters is that the vast majority of candidates from whom the receive resumes/calls ARE NOT APPROPRIATE” for their openings on a very basic level – this brings us back to a previous blog posting where I made the outrageous suggestion to stop shot-gunning your resume to jobs that are totally inappropriate and focus your search efforts on “appropriate jobs”.

The shot-gun approach to responding to job advertisements/recruiter job announcements is a complete waste of time. Okay – a miniscule number of candidates will occasionally get lucky – after all – even a blind squirrel will get a nut sometimes. However, do you want to base your job search on “luck” or on a systematic – methodical – structured approach validated as generating consistent results?

You make the choice! If you’re not obtaining decent results from your current shot-gun approach of scattering resumes every time you come across a key word – perhaps it’s time to try a test and see if a more focused effort would generate better results.

Now that I’ve repeated myself for the 100th time on the worthless approach of conducting a shot-gun job search, let’s return to the primary focus of this blog post.

Let’s assume you get screened out for an “appropriate” role.

Shame on you for letting that happen.

If you’ve taken all our recommendations in our FREE Archive of job search best practices including such items as preparing a great job search plan, developing an outstanding LinkedIn Profile, consistently and effectively leveraging cover letters, and investing extensive time in the preparation for an interview – then there is NOT a recruiter, HR staff person, or Hiring Manager who CAN deny you the opportunity to be considered.

NOW we come to the real issue behind why you get screened out for “appropriate” openings on the first recruiter interview question (forget all the  “inappropriate job responses” – you should be immediately screened out for these) – you didn’t do your homework – you didn’t apply the best practices in conducting you job search –  you basically “winged-it”.

STOP being screened out prematurely for openings for which you are perfect. STOP letting this happen. Make a resolution right now that you will never allow yourself again to be screened out prematurely for an “appropriate” position.

START today in changing the way you conduct your job search. Take our entire FREE Archive of Audio Programs, Templates, Examples, and other tools – and start transforming your job search. After you swallow that overwhelming amount of FREE content from us – start extracting the FREE content from all other great career coaches and recruiters on the internet.

STOP complaining about your ineffective job search and the obstacles you are facing. There is an extraordinary amount of great content available to you that is either FREE or can be acquired for a minimal investment. Every candidate I have met in this horrific job market that invested time in discovering and using job search best practices has dramatically reduced the time it took to land a great job.

WHAT IS HOLDING YOU BACK?

DO YOU FEEL YOU KNOW EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT CONDUCTING AN EFFECTIVE JOB SEARCH?

ON A SCALE OF 1-10 (10 BEING THE HIGHEST) ARE YOU DOING EVERYTHING YOU COULD BE DOING TO CONDUCT A MORE EFFECTIVE JOB SEARCH.

In this blog post, we just took one tiny element of conducting a more effective job search: How to NOT get screened out by recruiters for appropriate positions in their first interview question.

There are hundreds of activities, tactics, strategies you could use to conduct an effective job search.

Barry Deutsch

Jump into the vibrant dialogue in our LinkedIn Job Search Discussion Group on the most common basic best practices of conducting an effective job search.

Job Seekers Should Stop Being So Hypocritical

For 30 years this September, as both a contingent and retained recruiter, I have listened to the complaints by candidates (job seekers) about hiring managers and the complaints by hiring managers about candidates.

Even after 30 years, as I read blog comments, or sit in a chair and listen to these complaints, I’m still amazed (yes, amazed) at the hypocrisy spewing out from both candidates and hiring managers.

I read the comments to our blogs where candidates complain about the black hole when they send resumes, they complain about how long it takes to fill a position, they complain about recruiters, they complain about not getting their calls returned, they complain that their resume doesn’t get read in great detail, they hate the 10 second resume screen, they complain about cover letters, they complain about how these hiring managers are missing qualified people, they complain that the interview wasn’t fair or too short or too long, and that the person conducting the phone interview wasn’t qualified and didn’t know the job. This list could fill a book about the size of War and Peace, or for those not into War and Peace, book seven of Harry Potter.

Sound at all familiar if you are seeking a new position?

I then listen to hiring managers, HR, CEOs and key executives who are doing the hiring complain that, I get too many resumes, I get tired of interviewing average candidates, I will get to those resumes this weekend or next weekend, the resumes don’t match my job, candidates don’t know how to interview, candidates can’t put together two complex sentences, they complain that recruiters aren’t screening tight enough, they complain recruiters are screening too tight, they get angry at the recruiter for wasting their time interviewing unqualified candidates, they rule a qualified candidate out because they didn’t like the way they sat in the chair (I’m not kidding), they rule a candidate out because his tie was not straight (No, I’m not kidding), give me a job spec so tight and narrow that they themselves (this person’s boss and direct report) wouldn’t be qualified, tell me that from a 15-minute interview this person won’t fit, isn’t assertive enough, or my favorite, the candidate isn’t a  team player (so I ask, “What teams will they serve on?” Answer, “Well not right away, but probably in the next two years.”) They also don’t like the candidate’s handshake, or for this sales position the person needs to be a real go-getter, outgoing and aggressive (so then I ask if they like being approached by outgoing, aggressive sales people and they reply, “No, of course not.”) I could fill another book the size of War and Peace with these complaints.

Then I realized in both cases,  I’m talking with or listening to the exact same person.

Job seekers become hiring managers and hiring managers become job seekers.

The problem is that when they move from one side of the desk to the other, their perspective changes, their needs change, their priorities change, and it is a whole new ball game. Hiring, whether it’s a candidate or hiring authority is “all about me” and “what’s in it for me?”  That is just the way it is. Right or wrong, good or bad, like it or not, that is the fact of hiring.

So the next time, before you complain, from either side of the desk, please take a step back, look at yourself and treat the person on the other side of the desk with the same respect you complain about.

I know, I for one, would surely appreciate it.

You can download many free tools from our Web site. Our most popular free resource is the sample cover letter. CLICK HERE to get one.

If your LinkedIn profile is just fair to average download our free LinkedIn profile assessment to help you build a great profile that gets you noticed. CLICK HERE to download.

You should also join our LinkedIn Job Search Networking group. This group had 3,900 members. The articles and discussions can only help you with your job search. CLICK HERE to join, all are welcome, and of course it is free.

I welcome your thoughts and comments. Good or bad, agree or disagree, all voices are welcome. Just be respectful.

Brad Remillard

What Will YOU Do Different In Your Job Search?

Let’s start with Benjamin Franklin’s timeless definition of insanity: “You keep doing the same thing over and over hoping for different results”.

Do you really believe that wishing and keeping your fingers crossed will make a difference?

Why?

Everyone knows you’ll just get the same mediocre, inadequate, inconsequential results again – so why do most candidates keep doing the same thing?

Let’s pretend for a moment you buy into the Definition of Insanity and you decide you’re going to try something different this month in your job search.

What will YOU do different this month compared to last month?

What did you do different last month compared to the previous month?

Brad and I would love to hear what you plan on doing different this month vs. last month

Here are some examples of things you could be doing differently this month:

• Expand on your LinkedIn Profile
• Write an effective cover letter
• Take our FREE LinkedIn Self-Assessment Scorecard
• Set-up and write a blog
• Read and subscribe to 5 new blogs on job search
• Listen to one of our radio show broadcasts on job search
• Get a twitter account and start tweeting about your job search search
• Search for recruiters covering your industry/functional role on LinkedIn
• Join into a discussion on LinkedIn/Twitter/Facebook about a job search issue
• Join appropriate groups on LinkedIn and become an active member
• Go to 2 new networking groups in your local community
• Take our Job Search Planning Evaluation to determine if you’re conducting an effective job search
• Take a volunteer role and become a leader in a civic/non-profit group

These are only a few of the hundreds of tactics/strategies/initiatives you could do differently this month to improve the effectiveness of your job search.

As you know, Brad and I great proponents of dramatically reducing the time it takes to cut your job search in half – however, if you keep doing the same things over and over —

Your Job Search is going to be a never ending quest – lasting 6-9-12 months or more.

STOP the nonsense now and begin to do things your peers are not doing. Take a step in doing something different this month.

Barry Deutsch

Don’t forget to join our LinkedIn Job Search Discussion Group to explore the best practices in how to conduct an effective job search