A passive job search won’t work in a tight market
Are you a passive jobseeker? Not sure? Visibility on social media doesn’t guarantee success and throwing resumes at “interesting” job posts doesn’t make you competitive in a tight market. Random efforts produce random results. Read on if you want to know why.
It’s not uncommon for job seekers to start with the same passive efforts people used in the past; they’re just using different media. They use newer social media tools to troll for posted positions, post their resumes on random job boards, and notify friends that they need a job. They announce their dissatisfaction with a current role or new availability on social media platforms with an expectation that anyone reading will miraculously and gladly share information about a perfect opportunity tailored just for the job seeker. This may get attention from an employer, but there’s really no guarantee it will be from the right employer and for the right opportunity.
More effort is required.
Social media has changed how we communicate in many ways. But there aren’t clear instructions for getting the results you want. Assuming that posting information about what you need will automatically draw the desired response is risky. More effort is required. It’s common to see LinkedIn profiles that state “looking for opportunities”. It’s assumed that all that is needed is to wait, look for posted positions and apply, wait, have coffee/lunch/drinks with friends, and wait some more. In a really tight job market, this couldn’t be more wrong.
The key difference between a passive and a proactive search is that the former leaves you with little control. Beyond the belief that they will be “found”, a passive job seeker also relies on job postings as a sole source of opportunities. If this has been your approach, you’re basically waiting to act until a company publishes its needs. Unfortunately, many people are already aware of the job long before publication.
Don’t rely on the job description to tell you everything.
You’re also relying on the job description to tell you everything about the position instead of learning more about what a hiring manager is thinking. The opportunity you see posted may be an entirely different scenario than what you are reading. Waiting to start an investigation after a posting appears limits the time you have to find out what you may really need to know. In addition to knowing little about a job, you could be completing with 100s of candidates. Have you ever invested a lot of energy in completing a lengthy application and not received a response? How good did that make you feel?
If you’ve applied to 100s of jobs and had interviews that didn’t result in an offer, it’s time to flip the switch. Finding the right job and achieving your career goals involves creating a strategy, developing a plan, and taking action. Instead of waiting, a proactive job search helps you find opportunities before the rest of the world does. Here are some fundamentals:
Be realistic about your circumstances and what you need. In most cases, only you, your career coach, therapist, and your immediate family know the specifics about your current circumstances. You may have issues stemming from loss, poor health, or anxiety. It’s simply not realistic to separate your personal needs (values, family, health, faith, gender) from your job-search efforts and expect to end up with a situation that supports what is most important to you. That doesn’t mean you need to broadcast everything, but it does mean that you need to consider what is right for you versus what everyone else thinks will work. You are ultimately the only one who can decide if your next move is the right one.
Ultimately only you can decide if your next move is the right one.
Get clear about what you’re asking for. The problem with a passive search is that friends and family want to help but don’t know how. The minute they see something posted or hear about a job that sounds like something you would be interested in, they’ll alert you. Even though many people consider this “networking”, the issues with this approach are substantial. Friends and family typically have no idea what you’re competitive for, only what they think you would be good at. There is a huge difference. Well-intended but misdirected helpfulness often ties up time and energy chasing wild geese.
As an example, people may think you would be a tremendously good public relations professional because you appear articulate, outgoing, and generally like people. The appearance of what the average person believes the job requires does not necessarily match what an employer needs. Beyond the superficial skills, the job requires the ability to write for many different media platforms, an address book of relevant connections in a particular field or industry, and a track record of having synthesized and shared information from a very goal-driven perspective. An employer may expect a portfolio of written communications and a history of doing the same job elsewhere.
Know what you’re competitive for. Job postings alone will not tell you if you are qualified or competitive. Job growth numbers as a whole may be misleading. It’s important to know which jobs are prevalent and which skills are most in demand.
Have you shared one or both of these two sentiments? You hate your current job or you need a new job. Then you need a description of how your skills, experience, and aspirations are relevant in the current job market. With more specific information your friends and family will know better how to help. It’s great to have unfailing support, but it’s even better when those people have a clearer idea of what to listen for and look for. Beyond reading about which jobs are prevalent, you need to know more about the skills that are in greatest demand. And more importantly, why and how they are used. To that end, I recommend getting help to move in the right direction.
It’s time to turn your passive job search into a proactive one. Go ahead. You have nothing to lose. Begin with the steps described above, and you’ll be headed on the right path to turning your job search around.
For more career advice, check out my webinar on Informational Interviewing follow me on LinkedIn and (X) Twitter.
