Well, now that the recovery is “officially” on its way…pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. You may be feeling a bit frisky, you may in fact be feeling like things are so good that its time to take a leap of faith and search for a new job! If you have been diligent like we have all been taught and saved for a rainy day, you may decide its time the tell your boss exactly where he can stick that unappreciative attitude and leave with a feeling of satisfaction you haven’t had since…2007? 2006?
But as the Lone Ranger used to say, “Not so fast kee-moe-saabi!”
The recession is far from over; job postings and business growth are approached with caution. In fact, I have seen many economists suggest it will be 2nd qtr 2011 before we see some real job growth (election years have a drag on real change). So with these facts in mind, take a deep breath, bite your lip, put away the Norma Rae speech and think long and hard before you take your last stand. I don’t suggest you put up with anything unethical, or subject yourself to bullying by some small manager taking advantage of the system, but it’s always…and I do mean ALWAYS…better to look for a job when you have a job.
But looking for a job is a full-time job, isn’t it? Yes, but you are also less inclined to find yourself right where you are now (working for some jerk that doesn’t appreciate your efforts!) if you are not under the gun to take the first thing that comes your way. Also, hiring managers like to see someone that is employed. They think, “If this person survived the cuts then they must be good!” Folks out of work are a plentiful; in fact 1 in 10 in the United States is looking for a job. My point is, if you have put up with an unhappy workplace this long, then stay the course and plan your exit strategy. Start networking again – sign up for those industry events, call friends that you have put off…get moving! But don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s easy to find a new gig. I promise you one thing though; it’s much easier with a job than without!
Career-Forward, a Northeast Ohio-Based Career Management Firm specializes in career coaching, resume makeovers and job search assistance.
Getting past the “HR Roadblock”
As an HR professional with over 17 years of experience, I have probably unintentionally been the proverbial “roadblock” to many candidates and the victim of the same myself. The first question to answer is “why does HR do this”? Well, to dispel a myth, there is no class in Human Resources 101 that is titled “How to destroy dreams and hope of the perfect jobseekers”. Instead, like most departments, HR is overwhelmed with their many hats and responsibilities. This, like any problem, creates an opportunity for the agressive job seeker, because the best companies look at their current employee group for insight into new roles, in fact, if a current employee offers a recommendation, this is a great way to get your credentials in front of the decision makers.
Larger companies actually have personnel or a staff dedicated solely to “employee referrals”, they are given the FastPass to the front of the hiring line for consideration. This of course, does not negate the fact that you must be qualified for the assignment and still need to rock the interview but to get yourself noticed, and get your resume in the right hands, a great tool is to know someone that can recommend you.
So what to do if you have found a great company to work for, you see the perfect job listed and yet you don’t personally know someone in the company? Well remember the six degrees of separation? This is not a myth and chances are that you know somebody, that knows somebody, that knows someone. TO find this person, you must use your network, once you have leveraged your network to identify someone at this “island resort” of an employer you need to step it up, you should get to know them. An informational interview over coffee goes a long way to have someone pass along your credentials to the key decision maker. It’s a great opportunity to sell yourself to the person that you are asking to lend a hand and also a great opportunity to get any secret ingredients to understanding the culture and expectations of the company. Take this meeting seriously, once you have the audience, keep in touch with them, follow-up with a thank you note, and keep your fingers crossed that you have impressed them.
Remember, for someone you know to give you a recommendation it’s an easy task. But for someone that doesn’t know you…it’s a stretch, so get to know them and let them see you for the value that you can add. Once you have an internal sponsor, the HR roadblock quickly becomes a green-light to the interview!
Finally, remember to pay this favor back when you are on the opposite side of the job seeker, lending a hand takes a minute but lasts a lifetime!
For more information on how to leverage your network, identify great companies, or free resume evaluation, contact one of our Career coaches at: www.career-forward.com.
Larger companies actually have personnel or a staff dedicated solely to “employee referrals”, they are given the FastPass to the front of the hiring line for consideration. This of course, does not negate the fact that you must be qualified for the assignment and still need to rock the interview but to get yourself noticed, and get your resume in the right hands, a great tool is to know someone that can recommend you.
So what to do if you have found a great company to work for, you see the perfect job listed and yet you don’t personally know someone in the company? Well remember the six degrees of separation? This is not a myth and chances are that you know somebody, that knows somebody, that knows someone. TO find this person, you must use your network, once you have leveraged your network to identify someone at this “island resort” of an employer you need to step it up, you should get to know them. An informational interview over coffee goes a long way to have someone pass along your credentials to the key decision maker. It’s a great opportunity to sell yourself to the person that you are asking to lend a hand and also a great opportunity to get any secret ingredients to understanding the culture and expectations of the company. Take this meeting seriously, once you have the audience, keep in touch with them, follow-up with a thank you note, and keep your fingers crossed that you have impressed them.
Remember, for someone you know to give you a recommendation it’s an easy task. But for someone that doesn’t know you…it’s a stretch, so get to know them and let them see you for the value that you can add. Once you have an internal sponsor, the HR roadblock quickly becomes a green-light to the interview!
Finally, remember to pay this favor back when you are on the opposite side of the job seeker, lending a hand takes a minute but lasts a lifetime!
For more information on how to leverage your network, identify great companies, or free resume evaluation, contact one of our Career coaches at: www.career-forward.com.
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