Why is Job search the same as building a business? In this article we will explore why you should treat job search the same as building a business.
Because of many factors, such as the global financial crisis, immigration and offshoring of some areas of business there are less vacancies. So job search has to be done differently now. Doing job search the same way we did 10 years ago is not likely to successfully land a job.
Applying for advertised jobs does not produce positive results for many, anymore! Thus a new approach to job search is called. Therefore, looking for a job needs to be done in the same way as a business looks for new clients or customers. As a HR Consultant in Sydney we hire quite often for our clients. So, we can tell you first hand a different approach to job search is the way to go.
So what is happening to job search via job boards:
I don’t know about you, but I do know a common theme is occurring in the Australian job market. I have heard this from 100’s and possibly 1000’s of people. It is very hard to even get a response to job applications, let alone get an interview.
Applying for jobs on job boards like Seek is an unhappy and unproductive experience for many. They either get no response or just generic email rejections. The replies, if you get one, provide no feedback of worth, nothing specific to tell you why you’re not going for an interview.
The advertiser is probably overwhelmed with applications. They probably have little time to really review each application properly. My own hiring experience has been overwhelming at times. On average there are more than 300 applicants and sometimes over 1000 applicants for one vacancy. This makes for a very challenging and time consuming screening process. This is particularly true when the person screening also has other tasks to do.
The reasons for rejection are not informative, possibly to prevent any legal issues. If the hiring person gives any detailed feedback they may fear it will be used to suggest they had been bias. This could lead to a breach of equal employment and anti discrimination laws.
Putting Networks to work to find employment:
Don’t get disheartened the statistics suggest the advertised job market only makes up around 20-25% of the available jobs. The other 70-80% are in the hidden job market. So, where do you find them?
Use your network of contacts to find work in your field. Liken your job search to that of a business with a product to sell. In job search, you, your skills, education, experience and core strengths are your product. A business needs to find and reach their target audience for their product and so do you in job search.
Growing a business is the same as growing a job network:
A business needs to build a data base of contacts of their target audience. You need to build a data base of contacts in your job search target audience. A business needs a marketing plan and collateral to reach their target audience. You need a marketing plan with your cover letter and resume as your marketing collateral in your job search.
You need a marketing plan for your job search approach:
You need to approach marketing yourself to your next employer with the same approach a business takes to marketing their products or services. Random marketing is expensive and not very productive. Targeted marketing with a plan, well researched and very specific spelling out of the benefits of the business product or service will produce much better results at far less cost in both money and time. It is the same for job search marketing.
Research opportunities and businesses employing people like you and market yourself:
Conduct research into the industries, employers and people who work in your field and build a list of contacts from there. Tools to help you are sites like Google, Yellow Pages and LinkedIn. Make contact and build your database.
How to approach building your networks for employment:
Start connecting to people in the roles you are looking for on LinkedIn. Be subtle, don’t ask for a job. Do state why you would like to connect because you also work in the field, you have a shared interest, or you would like their career advice.
If you already have contacts in the field you wish to obtain work, send out a friendly email reconnecting with them. Let them know you are looking for your next opportunity in your field. Ask if they could help you by letting you know if they are aware of any vacancies in their company. Or if they know of any at another. If they agree to help you, send a succinct cover letter about the value you can bring and attach your resume.
Once you have built a connection with someone via email or LinkedIn you may be able to give them a call to ask for their advice on obtaining your next opportunity. Write yourself out an approach for telephone canvassing; remember to always ask if the person has time to talk and to build rapport with them.
Keep track of your efforts and what you have learned:
Keep track on your database of what actions you have taken and with who and the result. Learn from each encounter and review your approach. Always be polite and friendly and not at all pushy. Be patient and resilient it will take a bit of time before you start to see some positive results and get opportunities for interviews. It is the same as marketing a business. Businesses have to market their products and services regularly before they make a sale.
You will at least have a good strong network in your field who will be thinking of you when they learn of any suitable vacancies. At best you will obtain interviews and may even get job offers. This approach may take a little time, but no more than it would by looking at job boards and applying on line. It will actually give you information that will help you in your job search if you approach it right. It may result in more than one job offer, so you can choose. Good luck and happy hunting.
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