So you took your resume and posted it on
job boards. You also spent hours searching for jobs that fit your background and career goals, and you responded to a few dozen jobs. Then you waited for phone to ring. But it didn’t. What went wrong?Did you know that job boards have an effectiveness rate of less than 3% in getting people jobs? Some of larger boards are even worse, with less than a 1% effectiveness rate. If you think about it, everyone is using boards to find jobs, so you have thrown your resume into pile of 600-1500 resumes employers are getting for every job posted. Not a particularly effective way to get noticed, is it?
Consider too that approximately 87% of open jobs are not even advertised! The first thing that a company does when it has an open position is ask their employees if they know anyone, internally or externally, who can fill job. Employers would much rather have a referral from someone they know than go out to open market and hire a stranger. Many companies even offer fairly large referral bonuses if an employee’s recommendation is hired.
Typically, companies will post a position internally for 30 days before looking to outside. All this means is that by time you see job, if they even advertise it, they are already interviewing recommended internal and outside candidates. This doesn’t produce very good odds for getting a job through advertised positions on web or in paper.
So how do you get to 87% of those open jobs that are not advertised. There are 3 ways: networking, headhunters and direct contact.
First of all you need to get organized so when you get that call from resumes you sent out, you know all about company that’s calling. So keep a log detailing name of company, position advertised and dates you contacted them along with any notes. (Readers may request a free log by emailing success@gotthejob.com).
Networking is still best way to get a job with an effectiveness rate up to 64%. Hiring managers love people who are recommended to them since it lowers risk of person not working out on job. Aggressive networking is key here. For everyone you call in your inner network, you should try to get 2-3 names of additional people you can call. Go to trade shows, join associations and attend their meetings. Make sure you know your “elevator pitch” – 30-second statement about yourself that you would make to Bill Gates if you were with him on an elevator.
