CMS Career Blog

The following question came from one of our readers. “Which job search engine works the best? I like indeed.com, and it looks like my monster search is not returning hardly anything. I was also wondering if ladders.com worth the fees that they charge for the job seekers.”

Great question!  Here’s the truth about using Job Boards in the job search process:

First, you must remember that only about 4-6% of people find their jobs through the job boards.  That’s because job boards are NOT set up for job seekers – they are set up for company recruiters.  You are not the customer – the company is.  They are the ones paying the bill to post a position.  Job boards provide the “raw materials” to these companies – job seekers.  YOU are the raw material.  YOU are a commodity.  YOU are the product.  Job boards make their money by selling volume to companies who pay significant fees for a posting – anywhere from $400-$1,000 each.  These things aren’t cheap.  However, from the employer’s perspective, they are effective.

Second, MOST people find their job through some form of networking.  Remember, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.”  Since networking is the most effective job search method (at somewhere between 60 and 80%), you should spend MOST of your time talking to people.  Too many job seekers go wrong in their job search because they spend most of their time behind a computer searching the job boards. If you want to accelerate your job search you should be sitting face to face with several people EVERY DAY.  Find out what they need and offer to help them achieve it.  That’s what networking is all about, “finding opportunity for you, the person with whom you are networking, and your respective networks.”

That being said, there are some job board strategies that will HELP you in the job search.

-    Consult local job boards (such as Craig’s List, or http://portlandtwitterjobs.com/).  Since networking is about finding opportunity, the chances of you knowing the person or company who posted the position on the local board is much higher, which allows for more networking.
-    Update your Monster/JobDango/CareerBuilder profile frequently.
-    DON’T post to job boards during the daylight hours.  That’s when you should be talking face to face with your networking contacts.
-    Use specialty job boards that target your specific industry or position.  For instance, people who are in pharmaceutical sales and healthcare have had some luck with medzilla.com while engineering & techie-types have found good postings through dice.com.  What boards do recruiters in your field consult?
-    To fee or not to fee?  I would steer clear of job boards that want to charge you something.  Remember, for job boards you are a commodity, the “raw material”.
-    Don’t forget about LinkedIn.  LinkedIn has its own job board.  Some of the postings there can’t be found anywhere else.  The good thing about LinkedIn is that if you submit an application through them, the recruiter can go directly to your LinkedIn profile where they will see your resume, your contacts, and your recommendations.  (You DO have LinkedIn recommendations, don’t you?!)

Finding a job in this tough economy is a full time job in itself.  No matter what career position you have held or seek, to be most effective you will need to become an expert at sales.  As a job seeker you are selling the most important thing you have to offer – the ability to help a company achieve their business goals.  Job boards can help you in the sales process, but they are limited in their ability to produce.  Use your time wisely.  Spend 80% of your time face-to-face with your network and 5% of your time searching the internet.  That’s where the real results are!

Happy hunting!

One of our clients recently shared this networking story with us.

“Joe” found a job posting online that looked perfect for him.  He checked his LinkedIn network and found that a former work colleague was working at that company so he reached out.  Following good networking etiquette, Joe didn’t ask for help getting to the hiring manager or for any favors from his old friend.  Joe simply called to re-ignite the relationship and to ask some questions about the company culture, how his friend liked working there, etc.  Joe focused the conversation on what he could do to help his old friend.  They talked for about 30 minutes.  During that time Joe and his old friend caught up on work, family, their careers, and a variety of other topics.  It felt good to reconnect.

After half an hour or so, Joe said, “Well, I better let you get back to work.  That’s about all of the questions I have.  I’d ask you more about the position I’m interested in applying for, but you probably don’t know much about it.”

Joe’s friend responded, “Actually, I know quite a lot about that position.  I am the hiring manager.”

Silence.

Joe had not intended to use his relationship to gain any favorable treatment so he apologized to his old friend and told him that he hoped it didn’t make him feel awkward.  A bit embarrassed, Joe signed off by saying, “I’ve put my application in through you website.  I don’t want you to be surprised if you see it.”

His friend replied, “Joe, send your resume DIRECTLY to me.  You fit the bill, and I want to include you in our formal interview process.  Ultimately our entire management team will make the decision, so I can’t promise anything.  But, I DO think you are a very qualified candidate.”

Joe did all the right things when it comes to networking and it has paid off.  He focused on the needs of his friend.  He reached out to rekindle an old relationship, but didn’t ask for any favors or special treatment.  He learned about the company and got more information about the job – but he DIDN’T ask for a job!

Great work Joe!  Thanks for showing us the right way to use networking in the job search!

A reader recently commented:  “Dealing with recruiters, hiring managers, and HR is a game where the odds are stacked way against you. One never knows what it is that gets you eliminated from consideration. And often times, they just go with an internal candidate they identified way before they advertised the position you applied for.”

This is a VERY interesting observation.  Many people feel its true that applying for a job is a “game” and that the odds are stacked against the applicant before the game ever begins, but think about it from the standpoint of the employer.  Who would YOU rather hire?  Someone you don’t know that you pulled out of a stack of 1,000 resumes?  Or someone you know or have met through someone you know?  I’m sure MOST of us would rather hire the latter.  People hire people they know, because finding someone who is the “right fit” is often MORE important than finding someone who has the skills you need.  You can always train people new skills.  But if someone is not a good fit for your organization. . . well, you can’t really change that, can you?!

Then there is the cost of hiring.  Consider that it costs about 1.5 to 2 times the annual salary of the employee per hire.  That means, if I am paying someone  $70k per year the cost to hire them is somewhere between $105k and $140k.  If they end up not fitting into the organization I might have to pay that out again in 6 – 18 months.  However, if I  hire someone I know (or meet through a friend, colleague, current employee, etc) my chances of finding a good fit are much better – thus saving the cost of hiring someone else within 6 to 18 months.  Again, which would YOU prefer?

Since THAT is the game, the secret for job seekers is to activate your network to be the person with the odds stacked in YOUR favor.  Use your friends, colleagues, and former co-workers to find out where the opportunities are.  Have them submit your resume or introduce you directly to the hiring manager.  When you do get in front of the hiring manager, don’t focus on your needs.  Instead focus on THEIRS!  Show them what you can do for them – how you will help them achieve their business goals and cause their business to grow.  Give them concrete examples of how you have helped previous employers make or save money.  And don’t forget to make sure that you and the company are a good fit.

If you need help activating your network, find a good coach or mentor.  Use Twitter, Facebook, and other social networks to help you – but remember, ALWAYS focus on what you can do for others.  People don’t care what you know or are capable of until they know you care about them and their needs!

Happy Hunting!

Thank goodness for spring! You are looking for a job, and spring is Job Fair time.  But before you head off to your next Job Fair adventure, there are a few things you should know:

1. There are going to be LOTS of people there and very few jobs . . . if any.  You may be going to a Job Fair looking to find a job, but employers go for a completely different reason.  Most companies don’t show up with jobs to offer.  Companies are there to promote themselves and assess job seekers.  They are seldom there to offer jobs.
2. Company representatives will see dozens (perhaps hundreds) of job seekers at the fair.  The chances of them remembering you from the Job Fair are slim.  Your best bet is to get a verbal commitment for a conversation at some time in the future.  Get a name and email address, and follow up immediately after the event.
3. Take plenty of copies of your resume and business cards.  Give them out liberally – even to other job seekers.
4. Have a strategy, set goals, and know what you want to get out of the Job Fair.  Since landing a job at a Job Fair is not realistic, your goals should simply be to make a certain number of connections that will lead to a face-to-face meeting within the next week or two.  A good goal is to come away with 3 solid follow-up “leads”.
5. Other job seekers might be your best bet for making contacts.  Don’t neglect making connections with other job seekers.  They can be a great source of information and support.
6. Use the job fair to assess opportunities.  While specific jobs may be few and far between, you can tell what areas of the economy are gearing up for growth.  Companies are not going to waste their time or money by going to a Job Fair if they have no plans for growth in the near future.  Be aware of the companies and industries represented.  They may be hiring soon.
7. Follow up.  My mentor, Kathie Nelson says, “The money is in the follow up.”  A Job Fair is a great place to meet people.  If you want to turn those meetings into potential job offers you MUST follow up.
8. Follow the advice of my good friend, Cleon Cox III – “Meet people, learn something, and have fun!”

Job Fairs can be a lot of fun and very instructive for your job search.  Just be realistic about what you hope to accomplish from attending the fair, and you won’t walk away empty-handed.  Go looking for a job and you will be disappointed.  Go looking to make connections and you will succeed!