Whether you are currently employed and starting your job search or unemployed unexpectedly looking for work all of these principles are important to consider. As someone who works within the ever changing marketing industry, I am accustomed to unexpected shifts in the company roadmap and lack of long term job security. Economic downturn as a result of conditions out of our control like Covid-19 present unique challenges but also opportunities to overcome adversity within the job market. This article details 3 important steps I follow when looking for my next role that I feel can be applied to every search regardless of industry.
Where do I start?
First I like to start with a list of the ideal attributes I want my next role to have (example list below). This is helpful to keep your search focused and ensure you land a role you want versus just a job that will pay you. Keep this list in mind when you start the interview process and frame questions for the employer that will give you insight into the company culture.
Ideal role attributes:
Autonomous work environment
Small nimble team
Market salary and benefits
Refer to my article about salary negotiation when you get to the offer stage.
Opportunity for growth
A product or service I can be passionate about and enjoy marketing
Good team communication
Second is the resume revamp. This can be a tricky endeavor. If you have job history challenges like gaps in employment or short term stints at a company, don’t let this discourage you. A resume is truly about how you market yourself because it is your first impression to the person who likely only spends about 1-5 seconds reviewing it. Start by making a list of all of your personal contributions to move the business forward that were directly related to your role, attach concrete figures to those accomplishments
For example: I increased sales 25% over a 6 month period through 4 successful marketing campaigns that produced a ROAS ranging from 400-600%.
Having several versions of your resume and cover letter based on the type of roles you are applying to will give you more range to highlight specific skills and accomplishments which will draw the eye of the employer.
It’s a numbers game
Simply put, the business landscape in 2020 is a numbers game. In order to be considered for a role in your field you are often up against hundreds sometimes even thousands of other candidates. Although this can be overwhelming when trying to figure out your job search strategy, I find it helpful to emotionally detach from the roles in which I am applying until I reach the interview phase by setting time aside daily to apply to large quantities of jobs. The amount of roles to which I apply is also often influenced by the economic climate. In times of economic downturn like our current climate, there will inevitably have to be a high volume of application submissions because its an employers market, the market has been flooded with newly unemployed job seekers which gives employers lots of applicants to choose from.
Once you have updated your resume, step three is picking 1-5 job boards that will have the type of roles you are looking for. There are hundreds of job sites out there, often posting the same roles but I have found that Linkedin, Indeed and BuiltinLA are great resources for quality roles. Let’s not forget about your personal network, making a list of people (friends, family, co-workers) that would have a possible connection to a role you're considering or insight into a company you have your eye on are a valuable resource. A personal referral within a company will typically go much farther than a cold application online. Reaching out and asking for help can insight anxiety but trust me as long as you're respectful, polite and genuine you typically can’t go wrong in asking for a referral. How you invest your time with the above steps is important, try to limit the amount of job boards you visit to prevent fatigue and avoid email blasts to your network that are impersonal.
Recruiting firms vs Individual search
A question I often get is “Do recruiters really work?”. Well I would say yes and no. A relationship with your recruiter can be very similar to having a good relationship with a boss. If the relationship is not organically good or mutually beneficial then you will often not get the best results. Recruiters typically receive a commission based on the salary they are able to get you if you are given an offer which is a large part of their motivation. Recruiters are also often working with several candidates at once so you may not be a priority. One of the major benefits of having a recruiter on your team is they will have access to roles and companies you may not otherwise have had the opportunity to apply to. Managing expectations is key here.
Job seekers should always keep all of the above in mind when considering working with a recruiting firm. I always continue to personally apply at the same volume whether or not I also have a recruiter submitting me to roles. This allows you to maintain control of your job search and not solely rely on the bandwidth of recruiters or their level of professionalism which often varies wildly in my experience. The key takeaway is to submit your resume to both jobs directly and recruiting firms to ensure all your bases are covered.
Never give up
I think the biggest part of the job search that people do not discuss is the emotional toll it can take. Due to the high volume of candidates that highly sought after companies receive, most of us will experience swift rejection and being ghosted by companies and/or recruiters. I cannot stress enough how important emotional detachment is during this process. Rejection while job searching is often not at all personal or a reflection of your worth. There will definitely be highs and lows. The role you thought you were guaranteed to get may reject you or ghost you and the company you least expect may turn out to be your dream job.
Setting a routine for applying, having several versions of your resume and cover letter, and resisting the urge to put too much pressure on yourself to land something quickly will help in preventing job search fatigue. It is also extremely important to take breaks and practice self care. If you have been searching, applying and interviewing with no success, take some time away from the process and emotionally reset so you can come back to it with fresh eyes. I would love to hear about everyone's experiences, feel free to let me know in the comments or through a message.