Job Searching? How are you doing it?
I work with job seekers every day, and as part of my questioning, I always ask how they are going about their job search process. The most common answer is, “I go through the job boards (LinkedIn, Indeed, Monster, etc.) and look at a position, review its minimum and preferred requirements, and if it looks like a good fit, I apply.” They then share that, most of the time, they do not hear anything after applying, not even a confirmation that they applied for the position. Sometimes, they would receive a message saying, “thank you for your interest, but we have gone with another candidate,” or “your skills do not meet our needs.” Does this sound like your situation?
I share with my clients a survey that LinkedIn did a few years ago where they asked companies about their job postings to find out why so many job seekers are getting these non-responses or “already have someone” messages. That survey found that over 70 percent of employers already have someone in mind BEFORE they posted the job (I saw recently that that percentage is now close to 80). I hope you got that. Three out of four job postings already have someone in mind for the position BEFORE THE COMPANY POSTED THE JOB, and they are not normally an internal person. The question is, “how do these companies identify a person before the job is posted?” Well, internal management, those responsible for the role, will look at their peers first and then their colleagues and employees and ask them, “Whom do you know who can do this job well?” I am sure you have heard this during your career if you have not asked it yourself. The point is, people want to associate with, talk to, hire, and work with people who are known.
My next question to them is, “Whom do you know in the companies that you are applying?” The answer usually is – no one. I then ask, “Whom do you know outside of your company who is doing a role that you would like to pursue?” Sadly, the answer is similar – either no one or just a handful of people. People may know a lot of people (colleagues, acquaintances, friends), but they do not always know people who do what they do (which is the definition of a peer). Does this sound like you as well?
I have worked with thousands of people in my 40-year career, and these people range from CEOs to fresh-out-of-college newbies. I coached people on how to reach out and connect with peers who are doing a role that they would like to pursue – not to ask them for a job, but to find out what to expect in that role and what skills are needed to be successful in it. This process especially works for the new grad because it helps you decide if this is a road that you want to pursue, and if so, what you need to be doing to prepare yourself for the role, but it also works for the seasoned professional. You can connect with your peers to inquire about skills, certifications, tools, and other pertinent information that will help you do your job better.
When you connect with your peers, you will then know people in companies that you may be interested in as suppliers, clients, or even employers – now or down the road, but what is better than just knowing people, you will know people who do what you do (a peer). You have heard the phrase, “It is whom you know that is important.” That is true; however, “Who knows you is more important.” Once you connect with someone in a company and have meaningful conversations with them, they now know you. Networking this way is very important because everyone who is working in the world knows if there is an open position in their company (specifically in their department). If a position is open, your connection now knows someone to call (you) to see if you may be interested.
So, how do you identify people in LinkedIn to connect with?
Let’s say that you are looking for a Project Manager role. A search through LinkedIn shows that there are nearly 32 million people on LinkedIn who are PMs. That is a huge number, but it also indicates that many people are getting paid to do that job. Of course, that number is too large to wrap your arms around, so filtering is important. First, find out how many PMs are in your geography. For example, if you live in the Raleigh-Durham area, LinkedIn shows that there are 113,000 PMs in that geography. That is still a considerable number, but way smaller than 32 million. It also shows that there are a lot of companies that employ that position in the area. There are PMs in just about every industry, so next, look at an industry that you would like to pursue (say, Healthcare). Looking at PMs in the Healthcare industry in Raleigh-Durham show 4,600 people doing that role. This is a much more manageable number. All of these people are your peers and would be great connections. However, when reaching out to them, make sure you are reaching out for a specific reason – and that reason cannot be that you are looking for a job (you will be ignored). The reason needs to be something that you genuinely want to know more about, and that connection just may have the answers to help you.
LinkedIn is a great tool to get to know people who do what you do. Those people are your peers. They do what you do, just with a different company. When is the last time you reached out to a peer to ask them about a specific issue, process, methodology, or technology that could help you do your current job better, or help you identify skills that you could implement into your skills that will land your next role? There are many people out there that are using tools and software that may be what you need to be doing in your job, or, as a job seeker, you may want to incorporate into your own skill sets. LinkedIn allows you to connect with these people and get excellent advice and counsel on why you need to do so. This is what LinkedIn was created for – for peers to connect and share ideas.
Contact me to learn more.
About Richard Glass
Mr. Glass has been connecting talent with employers for over 20 years. For six years, he led the career center of the largest non-profit university in the United States, which had over 265,000 students and alumni and over 11,000 employers using its services, and before then, he helped corporate and government employers find the talent they needed to meet their needs. He has helped thousands of students, mid-career professionals, and executives learn what it takes to professionally brand themselves and stand out amongst their competitors. He has trained dozens of recruiters, account managers, account executives, business development professionals, employer relations coordinators, and career counselors to fully provide solid professional development to job seekers, and solid staffing and solution expertise to employers. His expertise includes strategic relationship development, business development, entrepreneurship, career counseling and coaching, networking, resume and cover letter writing, personal and business branding, and philanthropic giving. He has worked with employers in both the public and private sectors, including higher education, public and private K-12 schools, federal, state, and local governments and agencies, Fortune 1000, mid-size and small businesses, non-profits, and ministries.
About RTG Enterprises
At RTG Enterprises, we specialize in assisting our clients in the whole career search process – which includes career assessment, building a brand and resume, how to research occupations, employers, and geographies, networking, interview techniques, salary negotiations, and onboarding. All professional people have mentors and coaches. Whether you are a new graduate, a seasoned professional, or an executive, RTG has a Career Coaching Plan or Professional Resume Writing Package for you. Contact us to be your coach today for your success tomorrow. RTG customers include executive management (C-Suite), information technology professionals, engineers, teachers, professors and administrators, accounting and finance professionals, human resource professionals, business development and sales professionals, marketing and communication professionals, law enforcement professionals, and transitioning military personnel. Find more information at https:rtg-enterprises.com or contact Mr. Glass at rglass@rtg-enterprises.com.