Please note: On a somewhat infrequent basis, Quintessential Careers asks noted
career experts five questions related to their expertise and publishes the interview
in the current issue of QuintZine,
our monthly newsletter. Here is one such interview.
What's the biggest mistake job-seekers make that your advice could correct or prevent?
A:
Most job-seekers spend too much time searching for leads online. They may spend a whole day
searching online and pat themselves on the back at the end of the day and feel a strong sense of
accomplishment for working so hard. They may be working hard, but they certainly aren’t working
efficiently. Job-seekers need to look at the return on investment achieved by spending so much time
on the boards. The boards are very seductive because so many jobs are listed. It’s a passive
method of search that requires little work and little risk for job-seekers. It’s comfortable. Unfortunately,
not many people are actually hired through the boards.
My advice is to look on the boards during the hours when you may not be able to meet with people in
person. Maybe for an hour in the early morning or an hour in the evening. Reserve time during normal
business hours to work your contacts, make new connections, and arrange for business meetings
and informational interviews.
Q:
What are the newest, most cutting-edge techniques that job-seekers need to know about Internet job-hunting?
A:
Sites like ZoomInfo,
Naymz,
Ziggs,
and Claim ID are great for
building identity and personal branding. They make it easier for people to be found
which is crucial for a successful job search.
LinkedIn,
Xing,
eCademy, and
Ryze are excellent vehicles for
business networking and sharing job leads, opportunities to partner on projects,
and insights into a profession or industry.
Facebook,
Ning, and even
MySpace combine
elements of social and business networking. I enjoy these types of sites for having an
online conversation, quickly seeing what my contacts are up to, and sharing photos,
videos, and podcasts that disseminate valuable information and strengthen the
quality of the relationships in the group and the community as a whole.
Meetup combines the best of
both online and traditional networking. Twitter provides the most immediate and constant
updates on what people in your network are doing and I think this type of application will
have enormous implications for how information is transmitted in the near future.
Yahoo Groupsand
Google Groups offer discussion
groups where members can post questions and join the conversation.
Q:
To what extent and in what ways can job-seekers can enhance their success through online social networking?
A:
Online social networking is simply an extension of traditional networking, but it builds in efficiencies that
can accelerate the reach of your network. You can attend only so many professional and personal
networking events and you can be at only one event at a time. But in cyberspace you can be part of
multiple online communities and conversations 24/7, and your audience reach is global. Job-seekers
may chose to expand their online presence to include online identity platforms, membership in virtual
professional and social networking groups, online chats, and list-servs.
Q:
What's the best combination of methods for uncovering job leads and what percentage of a job-seeker's time should be spent on each?
A:
There are four methods of job search and I encourage job-seekers to use all of them -- but
not dedicate an equal amount of time to each: When you are in search, looking for a job is your full-time job
and you should plan to dedicate 35-40 hours per week in search or a percentage of that if you are
searching while employed.
Job Boards -- While this is a method of search, the statistics around the percentage of job-seekers
who actually get their jobs off the boards is relatively low…about 5-10 percent. When using the
boards, job-seekers need to be as efficient as possible. By using aggregate boards like
Simply Hired and
Indeed, job-seekers can quickly cull a great
deal of information on posted openings from various boards. Another strategy is to set up job alerts
based on keywords and geographical preferences to streamline the amount of search time spent on the
boards. Dedicate no more than 5 hours per week to this aspect of your search.
Recruiters -- About 10-20 percent of people in search find their jobs through recruiters.
A recruiter can be a great ally during a search, but job-seekers should keep in mind that recruiters
generally will be interested in their candidacy only if the job-seeker’s skill set matches a position in the
recruiter’s current job-requisition portfolio. In addition, recruiters can only expose you to the positions
from the companies that are willing to pay a recruiter to manage the search process. When you partner
with a recruiter, you only get to see a small percentage of the available jobs in the market. Spend no
more than 5 hours per week working with recruiters.
Cold Calling -- Approximately 10-20 percent of people in search find their jobs by cold calling on
potential decision makers in companies. By creating a marketing letter that communicates their skills,
accomplishments, and value-add, job-seekers can attempt to forge relationships with key people in the
companies they would like to work for. The goal of the letter is to build a relationship with people in
companies where you would like to work, where no relationship existed before. If you can create and
nurture a relationship before there is a need to fill a position, you are much more likely to be considered
as a candidate when there is an opportunity, because you are now part of the inner circle of contacts
within the company. This method takes work and may not yield immediate results, but if you nurture
these new relationships over time, you can grow them into opportunities with the company down the line.
Spend up to 10 hours per week on this method of search.
Networking -- Close to 70-80 percent of people in search get their jobs through networking, the art of
exchanging information continuously and graciously with members of your professional and social
communities. People are more likely to share information with people they know and trust. So
sharing information about job leads comes naturally in networking circles. Attempt to give more
than you get, and don’t keep tabs on your goodwill versus someone else’s; eventually you will find that you
can almost always find a connection for whatever you need, whether it’s a recommendation for a great
restaurant, advice on a project, or a tip on a possible job opening. Expect to spend between 15-20
hours per week on your networking strategy. Yes, it’s a lot of work, but it is quite rewarding to help
others and receive their help in return.
Q:
What's the biggest myth about job-hunting?
A:
Many people think that they don’t have any control over what happens during their job search … that they
have to take what’s available … that they will have no control over the salary for a position or the
responsibilities of the job. Many fall victim to this way of thinking and end up in jobs that make them miserable.
I believe that a job search can be enormously empowering. It’s like being an entrepreneur. You have something
very marketable to sell to employers..you. You are the CEO, CFO, and CMO all at the same time. You
decide on the way the product is packaged, marketed, and financed. You call the shots and you become
passionate about what you are selling because you believe in the product and trust that others will see the
value as well. If you take the time to create the best possible product and marketing plan, you can leverage
your value to secure the position and compensation that you want.
Barbara Safani, owner of Career Solvers,
has more than 12 years of experience in career management, recruiting, executive coaching, and organizational
development. Safani partners with both Fortune 100 companies and individuals to deliver targeted programs
focusing on résumé development, job-search strategies, networking, interviewing, and salary-negotiation skills.
Barbara Safani, owner of 