scottnodrog:

When going to a job interview as early as one year ago you’d be confident that you had enough of the right skills for the job and that you would be hired.  But now, being confident and having most of the skills are not enough.   Today I hear more and more job seekers ask the question, “What am I doing wrong?  I know I can do this job.  Why can I get hired?” Before the bottom fell out of the global economy it was safe to say that if you had 60% to 70% of the listed requirements on a job description that you had a decent change of landing the spot.  Back then, the market was thin on talent and some employers found themselves grateful to have found someone who could do the job, albeit someone with partial abilities. The market is different now.  If you are on the hunt, you’ve got to do it differently than before. Here are 5 simple tips that might help put your job search in the fast lane. 

 Tip #1

• Don’t embellish. 

Lying on a resume is more obvious today than it ever was.  Don’t.  We were always told that it’s perfectly OK to “fib a little” on your resume.  Why would you list it if you know you know you don’t have that skill?  I know why…because it makes your resume look stellar.  It adds to the already glowing list of other things you’ve accomplished in your professional career.  Psych 101 says the things you’ve listed nearest the top of a resume and mentioned multiple times are the things you are most comfortable doing.  Most job seekers today are straining to add words, stats and tasks so their resume looks better than their competition.  That will come back to haunt you…so don’t do it.  Highlight what you are best at, but also come clean when asked about something that you’ve not done.  Your candor will get your further. 

Tip #2

• Take a pay cut if you have to.  Don’t price yourself out of the market just because you think you deserve it more than the next person. 

Trying to recover from a previous lay off by over pricing yourself today is a bad idea.  Assume there are 15 other people applying for the same job.   You must, must, must be more aggressive this market.  Pride is the 800lb gorilla - let got of it and land the job even it means taking a small pay cut.  The person next in line needs the job more than you.  It’s not going to last forever and you’ll recover and be back to where you were soon enough. 

Tip #3

• Don’t apply for jobs you know you can’t do.

If you are a software QA specialist, don’t apply for a Senior Director of Regulatory Compliance.  Read the job description in full detail and only apply to the positions for which you have the skills.  It feels good to send out a bunch of resumes but going through the motions isn’t going to yield faster rewards in your job search. 

Tip #4

• Apply once and follow up with an email to confirm receipt

Sending 28 resumes to the same company won’t get you a call back any quicker than sending 1.  My inbox fills up typically between 2am and 6am with multiple submissions of the same resume.  The additional submissions are deleted.  The contact management tools of today are smarter than you think and if you submit more than one, it’s automatically 86’d.  Some CMS’s wont allow you to submit more thank once so make your first shot your best one.  After submitting, send a simple e-mail to the contact asking to confirm receipt.  Most of the time you’ll get a reply. If you don’t…send another email.  Recruiters in this market are averaging 150 to 300+ resume submissions per day.  It’s a lot to dig through and takes time, so be patient.

 Tip #5

• Use a recruiter

When I say use, I mean use.  Find a reputable firm and partner with them.  Part of what I tell people today during interviews is that we are all in this together.  It’s no longer a “Me, Tarzan - You, Jane” type of experience.  Use their contacts, search with them vs. sitting at home waiting on a call.  If you come across a listing that fits your skill, call your recruiter and ask them what they know about the company.  There’s a better than average chance they’ll know someone on the inside that might be able to get you in the door faster. 

Word to the wise:  If you don’t trust your recruiter, find another one.  This is your career, this is how you put food on the table and this is how you pay your mortgage/rent - don’t waste your time with someone that’s only in it for their personal gain.