I speak with folks every week who are feeling stymied by their job search efforts. Consistently, I see the following three things going on:
#1. You haven’t let go of your old job.
Lots of us are trying to leave a toxic or stagnant work environment, or are just ready for a change. These are great reasons to look for a new job. But recruiters and hiring managers can tell when you’re running away from something vs. running toward a clear goal. Make sure that your career materials reflect an intentional job search. This is especially important when you’ve worked at a company for a long time or are making a major career pivot. You need to make sure your resume and LinkedIn profile make you look and sound like that ideal candidate. Otherwise, a recruiter may think you’re not serious or well-suited for the role.
#2. You haven’t validated the job description.
I always ask prospective clients to send me an example of a job they'd apply for before our first consultation call. More often than not, I have spent more time reading that JD than my prospective client. Take the time to pour through that job description, annotate it, and check that it reflects what you want to do next: Where will you fit in the company/team hierarchy (will you lead a team, who is your boss)? What are the top required skills/competencies for the role (do they sound like you? are they the ones you are highlighting in your materials)? Does the company/industry align with your interests and goals? Answering these questions will help you create more targeted career materials, which will in turn accelerate your job search.
#3. You think LinkedIn won’t garner results.
LinkedIn has an algorithm and if you’re not paying attention to the words and settings in your profile (that plug into that algorithm), you’re likely not coming up in recruiters’ search results (or at least for the jobs you would consider!). You don’t need to be on LinkedIn all the time to have it silently work on your behalf. You’d be surprised how quickly the tables can turn once you spend some time refining your profile. A client recently told me that “within a month of finalizing my resume and LinkedIn, an executive recruiter reached out with a promising job opportunity highly aligned to my purpose and passion.”
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