Part 1:
This week I’m going to do a blog series on how you can stack the deck in your favor when looking for work. In this first post I’ll set the lay of the land, which I’m sorry to say is quite grim for anyone approaching a job search using conventional tactics. They just don’t work anymore. So i if you’ve been out of work for a while or you just can’t shake the feeling that your job search or interview strategy needs tweaking, this blog series is for you.
Before we get started, if you haven’t read it already, I highly suggest checking out my blog on building a resume that will separate you from the pack. You should also grab my visual resume template for Microsoft Word. Its the resume template I use. In fact I used it recently to beat out a ton of competing candidates to land my dream job.
Get my resume template for Microsoft Word
Looking for a job is one of the hardest things we have to go through in our professional lives. All of us, at one time or another have to do it. And if you believe the recent statistics, most of us are going be looking for work every couple years from here on in. It sucks. There’s no way around it. And at the risk of rubbing salt in the wound, it’s getting harder every day. The game has changed.
I interviewed a candidate recently who revealed something to me that has had me seriously vexed for a few weeks now. He had applied for 1,100 jobs, received 25 phone interviews, 6 in-person meetings and got 2 offers. ELEVEN HUNDRED?!?! This is what you’re up against these days – job seeking superbots playing the numbers game to get hired. And don’t get me wrong – I commend them for doing it. They’re taking advantage of technology and putting in incredible amounts of time and energy to find work so they can support their families – good for them. But what does this mean for your job search? How will you possibly stand out when so many candidates apply for every job?
The simple answer is … you won’t – not using the same old approach that worked for you even three years ago. Its gotten to the point now where you need very specific and unconventional tactics at every stage of the job search process in order to sufficiently differentiate yourself from the hoards of competitors you’re up against for every job. Here are the five phases you have to get through to get a job in most companies:
Phase 1 – Getting Seen: A friend of mine recently applied to 10 jobs on LinkedIn and told me several weeks later only 1 of the 10 applications had even been read. How are you supposed to make those numbers work?
Phase 2 – Jumping Out of the Pool: A recruiter friend of mine told me she spends about 30 seconds scanning each resume she reads to create the first pool of applicants to screen. What do you need to do to make your resume stand out in 30 seconds?
Here’s a great blog on this topic.
Phase 3 – Pass the Phone Screen: This is an easy one if you know how to play it but many of us don’t know the right tactics to get past the initial screen. How do you make sure to check all the boxes in a screening interview?
Phase 4 – Ace the 1st Interview: Typically this is with the hiring manager. I’ve done hundreds of these interviews and I’ve seen some very common mistakes being made. More importantly I have some tips on how to double your chances to get out of the first interview alive with a great chance to get the job.
Phase 5 – Impress at the 2nd Interview: Usually this includes various team members and potential peers in the company. To be successful here you need a special set of tactics to convey the right image and take advantage of the consensus hiring approach.
There is no question the job search is harder than ever and you need to step up your game if you want to improve your chances of getting your dream job. There are specific strategies you need to embrace at each phase of the process to increase the probability of getting deeper into the hiring process. The more often you can get out of the applicant pool and into 1st and 2nd interviews, the more offers you’re ultimately going to get.
Check back later this week and i’ll give some of my secrets for “Phase 1 – Getting Seen” and “Phase 2 – Jumping out of the Pool”.
