How to Start (or ReStart) Your Job Search for Maximum Results
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In this episode:
Over the past two weeks I’ve hosted a series of free calls for people who were struggling to get traction in their job search.
I decided to offer these free calls after seeing post after post on LinkedIn from people sharing similar experiences. They had been applying to dozens of jobs without hearing back from employers or being offered an interview. I wanted to talk to people who were experiencing this to learn more about what they were doing and to see how I could help.
Everyone I spoke with had a unique situation, background and specific areas that needed the most attention in their job search effort. However, there was definitely a unifying pain point, which is what I want to address in this episode.
The pain point everyone mentioned was a feeling of chaos and frenzy related to their job search. Constant scrolling of job sites and applying to so many positions they couldn’t even keep them straight.
Job searching is stressful. There’s little way to get around that, especially if you are currently unemployed or in an unhealthy work environment.
But making tweaks in how you approach your job search to be more strategic and focused can completely transform your experience, and success, when applying to jobs.
With that in mind, let’s get into today’s topic: How to Start (or ReStart) Your Job Search for Maximum Results.
In this episode I share:
What most job seekers get wrong at the start of their job search
Where to start a strategic job search that will yield maximum results
A special resource to help you navigate job searching with more ease
How to Start (or ReStart) Your Job Search for Maximum Results
What most job seekers get wrong at the start of their job search
The first thing most job seekers do when they start a job search is open up Indeed, Glassdoor, SimplyHired or LinkedIn. They search for jobs based on the title that they most recently had or similar and see what opportunities are out there.
This is a totally understandable approach. But it is definitely not the most helpful or strategic approach!
The problem is that it immediately puts you in a scarcity mindset that will limit your search and possibilities.
Especially during a pandemic or when the economy is rebounding, there are likely going to be fewer positions available. When your brain sees that, for example, there are only two listings in your city for a Marketing Communications Manager position, it’s going to start to panic.
In the calls I’ve hosted over the past two weeks, this is what happened for nearly everyone. They started their job search, didn’t see many positions that were a fit for them and reacted by applying as quickly as possible.
What did applying as quickly as possible look like for them?
In most cases, it meant submitting their resume as it was without tailoring it to the position. Only a couple of people said they took the time to add a cover letter--which they said was a standard letter they updated to reflect the company name and position title.
What happened next?
They didn’t hear anything back from their applications.
They still weren’t seeing job listings that felt like a good fit for them.
You can imagine, this is the perfect scenario for panic and stress to run wild. My heart genuinely hurts for people experiencing this and feeling stuck in the scramble and frenzy of job searching.
And so it’s with great care in mind that I am pointing out why this approach doesn’t work.
What did people tend to do when they couldn’t find positions they wanted to apply for?
They started settling and scrambling. They expanded their job search to include just about anything that they “could” do or that they met the general requirements for. The people I spoke with had been applying to between 10-20 jobs/week on average. Some even more!
Their job search fatigue was strong, and their doubt was rising.
They had watered down their job search to include things they weren’t excited about, which lowered their motivation to put effort towards submitting a quality application. Meaning, they were submitting the same default resume over and over again.
The negative snowball effect of this approach
I hope that the picture I’m painting is making it clear that this approach to job searching isn’t effective. But I want to make sure it’s as clear as possible why this approach is so counterproductive.
It’s the snowball effect:
The more people rush their application, the lower their chances are of getting through an applicant tracking system or being seen as an interesting candidate for a company to interview.
The more jobs people apply to without hearing back favorably, the more likely people are to get stuck in a mindset of self-doubt or scarcity.
The scarcity mentality tends to lead people to water down their job search and increase their application rate “to broaden your chances.”
Lack of interest in the positions they apply to, or time pressures tend to lead people to submitting a greater volume of poorer quality applications.
Essentially, the problem intensifies over time.
People are putting in a lot more work with fewer results. And it is taking a toll on their mental health and well-being.
Where to start a strategic job search that will yield maximum results
So now you’re probably thinking, “Alright, I see what’s wrong with that approach. But how else do I find jobs to apply for and make things happen in my job search?”
Great question.
It comes down to how to start, or restart your job search approach. And at the start, intentionality is everything.
Again, you might be thinking, “That sounds great and all, but I don’t have time to be intentional or choosy. I just need to get a job as quickly as possible.”
But here’s the thing: Being intentional and strategic about how you approach your job search--including being choosy about where you apply--is how you get results.
The average number of jobs my coaching clients apply to before being offered an interview is 2. That number has stayed consistent from pre-covid times to our current situation.
Think about how vastly different of an experience it is to apply to 2 jobs you are excited about and to be offered an interview, compared to applying to dozens of jobs without hearing anything back.
It’s a night and day difference!
In career coaching, I get to work with my clients one-on-one to help them define their goals, understand their strengths, prioritize their values and chart a custom path forward for their job search.
Obviously, there are some limitations to the type of advice and direction I can offer in a podcast episode. But I do have some tips for how to help you start, or restart, with more focus for better outcomes.
Tip #1: Define Your “Why” for Pursuing Certain Types of Positions
You’ve probably heard the advice to “define your why” in some context before. It’s a term that means “set an intention” that was popularized by Simon Sinek.
When it comes to job searching, knowing, and being able to articulate your reasons for pursuing certain jobs is extremely beneficial. Especially at the start.
The reason it can have an exponential return on your job search efforts is in large part because of the psychology at play. When you take the time to define what things are essential to you in your next role, and why you need them (whether it’s related to income, environment, flexibility, etc.) you have much more focus on where to find jobs that will meet those needs.
And when are able to look at a company, or a job posting and recognize “this looks like exactly what I’m looking for!” Not only is it motivating to put in a little extra work to apply--you will also be able to more clearly identify the specific things about the position that make you a great fit for it.
Answering these questions will get you started defining your “why” for pursuing certain positions:
What types of projects, problems or tasks do you find most engaging to work on?
What do you find comes easy to you that is more challenging to others?
What type of people do you want to work with, or work for?
How much money do you need to be making to support your lifestyle and financial goals?
What factors motivate you in a job or company?
What type of work arrangement serves your lifestyle best? (remote, part-time, contract, commission, salary, etc.)
What do you want to feel like at the end of a work day?
There’s nothing magical about those questions--but your answers could be magical!
As you answer them, you’ll get clues into the opportunities that allow you to be at your best and contribute value uniquely. This will help you screen potential job listings and also help you brainstorm specific examples and achievements you can share in your application and future interviews!
Tip #2: Choose a Job First, or Organization First Approach
Tip #2 is a choice that many people don’t think to make--whether to start your job search by identifying organizations you want to work for, or narrowing in on positions you’d like to have at a wider range of organizations.
So how do you make this choice? Well your Why can give you a lot of direction here.
If you found that the bigger picture of your work (what an organization stands for, solving a specific problem in the world, etc.) is what motivates you most in your career, then you might be better off starting your search by identifying organizations that are working towards the efforts you care most about.
On the other hand, if you found that you’re most excited or engaged when using certain skills or knowledge, that’s a good sign you should start your search by identifying the positions that would allow you to do that type of work.
Neither is right or wrong, better or worse. We’re all just wired a bit differently. But knowing how you are wired and what makes you excited about work is important!
If you decide to start with an organization first approach it can be a bit tricky to identify organizations if you’re not already in the industry.
Here are some ideas:
Review lists created by industry news sites or even your local business journal. For example, “Companies Leading in Sustainability Efforts” or “Organizations with the Most Innovative Solutions to Accessibility.”
Set up informational interviews--ask people in the industry you want to join what companies or organizations are on their radar and doing interesting work.
Attend meetup groups or join online communities that post information and opportunities related to the industry you’re exploring.
Once you’ve identified an organization as a great fit for you, check out their careers page! See if they’re hiring, or if they provide the option to submit your resume for consideration. Follow them on LinkedIn and other social media sites so that you will be notified when they post new positions.
Tip #3: Dedicate Time to Creating Your Application
It’s hard to know how to make the case for this tip without sounding like I am begging you to just please do it.
In every call I’ve had over the past two weeks people told me they knew they should be tailoring their resume and writing a custom cover letter. But they also had their reasons for why, in their case, it didn’t really seem like the effort.
I’m telling you--it is worth it. Please trust me.
If you’ve heard the advice to tailor your resume, but still don’t really know what that means, I’ve got something for you.
A special resource to help you navigate job searching with more ease
In response to what I learned in my calls with struggling job seekers, I created a new resource to provide guidance and help people start (and finish!) an intentional, strategic job search.
It’s called The Job Search Boost Bundle and it is PACKED with step-by-step action items, resources, templates and scripts to make your job search easy.
If job searching is a struggle you are experiencing right now, this is for you.
If you know someone who is having a hard time gaining traction in their job search, please pass the word on!
